ballistic tips

[crickfewell]

From the beggining of my deer hunting careerI have been using lead tipped power point bullets with fairly good success. Last year a couple of hunting buddies suggested that I might want to try ballistic tips for more nockdown power. Since I switched it seems that my accuracy has gone down and the deer I do hit leave absolutely no blood trail. This often makes trailing A down deer in thick brush almost impossible. My question to the forum is. Is it me or has any of you had this problem

[timbercruiser]

A few years ago when the ballistic tips came out several of the guys I hunt with and myself tried them out. There were a lot of deer shot and killed, but there were a lot of deer that were lost. All of these guys have killed over 100 deer in the past each. I dressed or helped dress a lot of the deer that were shot, I will never use another ballistic tip. I use nothing but Hornady BTSP.

[rick64]

I've used ballistic tips in weatherby ammo (.257 & .300mag) for the past two seasons with no problems, but I don't think there's any advantage in knock down power with the BT compared to a SP bullet.[/align]

[one on one]

tried them one season, shot a buck and their was a doe standing about 5 yds from him, the buck hit the ground and the doe started running and also fell, after checkingher outout, i guess the bullet broke up and a piece of it hither in the neck. haven't used them since

[Hunter06FlKy]

i've never used them due to these same problems. i've heard of some people having excellent luck with them but then again many people have had problems with them.

[grizzmck]

My partners and I switched to ballistic tips4 or 5 years ago on both black powder guns (50 cal)and our rifles (7mm & 270). Wehave had excellent success. Not one of the deer we've shot went over 30 yards from impact. Some folded on the spot like a cheap lawn chair. We have no intention of switching back to any previously used bullets after what we've experienced. Perhaps we've been lucky, perhaps we have good placement (heart/lungs). Either way the proof for us has been in the harvest and the condition of vital organs on dressing (mush). We've harvested around15 animals with these bullets and are pleased as can be. Good luck to all. Griz

[Deleted User]

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[duckcommander727]

They leave no blood trail one so ever[:@]. Thats why I use Fusions in my 270 they work a whole lot better and leave tones of blood.

[Todd1700]

I don't like them. Yeah they look pretty and they are usually accurate but they are essentially just a hollow point with a plastic nipple snapped into the hole. They tend to overexpand and fragment badly especially out of high speed cartridges and on close range impacts. The poor blood trails are generally due to the fact that they often do not exit the animal. No exit hole means only a tiny caliber sized entrance hole for blood to ooze out of. If you hit heavy bone like a shoulder then penetration is often very poor. Most of the wounded and lost animals I have helped friends and family look for overthe past five years involved a ballistic tip. Saw enough grief that I swore them off permanently. Lord help you if you hit a deer anywhere near edible meat also as they are terrible meat manglers.

[Garminator]

I've used the Win Supreme 140 gr BST's in my 270 WSM and have never had a problem.