Solid Baser BT Non-BT

[walkinhorseman]

I see that the SBBT without the ballistic tip is back but only in the Whitetail line of loaded ammo. I shot these back in the day long before the ballistic tip became the thing. They’re were cheap accurate and performed very well on deer. I was forced to the BT’s when they replaced the SBBT’s in the product line. I had a 1165 BT in a 308 pencil through the boiler room of a buck at 100 yards. Missed ribs in and out, not resulting in any reaction from the deer. Finished the job with a broadside shoulder shot.

I would like to see the non-BT Solid base Boattail available again for reloading.

 

[JD338]

The return of the Solid Base bullet in the Whitetail line of ammunition last fall was a huge success for Nosler. I expect to see additional offerings in the future.
As a result, seconds are offered when they become available. I grabbed several bags of the 308 165 gr SB last year and filled a late season doe tag with one in my 308 Win.
I also bought some 7mm 140 gr SB seconds for my wife's 7-08 earlier this spring.

JD338

 

[wvbuckbuster]

I see that the SBBT without the ballistic tip is back but only in the Whitetail line of loaded ammo. I shot these back in the day long before the ballistic tip became the thing. They’re were cheap accurate and performed very well on deer. I was forced to the BT’s when they replaced the SBBT’s in the product line. I had a 1165 BT in a 308 pencil through the boiler room of a buck at 100 yards. Missed ribs in and out, not resulting in any reaction from the deer. Finished the job with a broadside shoulder shot.

I would like to see the non-BT Solid base Boattail available again for reloading.

I head a hundred times the same story from a departed friend of his experience using the old Nosler solid base boat tail lead tipped bullet in his 6mm Rem claiming it poked a hole straight through a deer with minimal damage and after along tracking job with additional shots required to finish off the deer. My take on these type of stories is I don't doubt what happened just credit it to a fluke bullet performance. My friend swore off Nosler bullets and would never try them again even after all the improvements made over the years.

 

[Guy Miner]

The return of the Solid Base bullet in the Whitetail line of ammunition last fall was a huge success for Nosler. I expect to see additional offerings in the future.
As a result, seconds are offered when they become available. I grabbed several bags of the 308 165 gr SB last year and filled a late season doe tag with one in my 308 Win.
I also bought some 7mm 140 gr SB seconds for my wife's 7-08 earlier this spring.

JD338

Some years ago I scooped up 6mm 100 gr and .30 cal 165's - all solid base seconds. They shot great from the 6mm Rem and the 30-06. My son took some game with them, deer & bear. The bullets did well.

Interesting stories about the original Ballistic Tip bullets not opening up. Usually I hear just the opposite, that they were too fragile at first. That's my recollection of them, that they expanded very quickly, too quickly, so they got "toughened up."

I remember looking at those new plastic tip Noslers and thinking "what have they done to my solid base bullets?" The Ballistic Tips have proven to be excellent performers for me in 6mm, .257, and .30 cal.

Regards, Guy

 

[JD338]

From what I have seen and read, I firmly believe that most "bullet failures" are not bullet failures but instead poor marksmanship and bullet placement.

JD338

 

[walkinhorseman]

OK…I screwed up this post. There problem that I had was with an early BALLISTIC TIP, not the lead tipped Solid Base Boat Tail. The acronyms are confusing. I preferred the NON-Ballistic Tip Solid Boat Tail. The lead tip was more reliable for me.

 

[Blkram]

If your hunting is typically less than 300 yards, then the non-boattail bullets will perform just fine, for accuracy and on-game performance. But as always, bullet placement is the key.

A boattail bullet's advantage comes into play after 300 yards for the enhanced BC and velocity retention properties that assist bullet performance at longer ranges.sitting over a bait), we must make allowances for what we expect as a typical range in order to determine which bullet will provide the proper performance at that range parameter given the particular cartridge performance it is being used in.

Velocity will also test a bullets performance on game. Too high will cause more rapid or even explosive expansion, whereas too slow will not provide for adequate expansion. And since we never know for certain at what range we will encounter our intended game (unless sitting over a bait), we must make our best guess in our choice of ammo and/or bullet for that particular circumstance. Most err on the side of caution, and will choose a boattail design.

As I have recorded my hunting experience over the past 38 years, my average shot distance is just 132 yards, so I have not needed a boattail on average...but I have not experienced any failures when having one even when not needed.

And where a bullet does not encounter anything but soft tissue, a stouter bullet may not expand as much as when encountering mud-caked hide,, thick skin, tougher/larger muscle groups, and bone.

All part of the fun and adventure of handloading, choosing the right ammunition and/or bullet for hunting!