I'm not sure it's a "failure" when a ballistic tip style bullet, (nosler or other) explodes violently on impact. especially if it hits something hard while it's moving at high speed. the basic design is a hollow point with a areodynamic insert to aid flight and increase expansion rate. And yes i know there is a lot of engineering involved with jacket dimensions and chemical bonding of materials, but it is still a hollowpoint designed for rapid expansion on impact.

I shoot lots of nosler 100 gr bt's out a 25-06:Why? because they're cheap. But they also fly (out of my gun) the same as 100gr partition bullets. Throughout the summer I shoot a few hundred rounds of bt's at varmints and paper so I'm real comfortable shooting at deer. But when November 15 rolls around you better believe the 'ol browning is loaded up with 100gr. Partition bullets. Why? because when it comes down to the nut cuttin, I want a bullet that is built to stay together. And IMO the partition bullet does that better than the ballistic tip.