125 g Nosler Ballistic Tip tough enough?
 

Anyone know if a 125 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip leaving at 3900 fps would be toughenoughat close range for deer?

RE: 125 g Nosler Ballistic Tip tough enough?
 

I would certainly hope so. That is enough for an arrow moving at 200 fps. It may not deliver as much energy as a heavier bullet but I'm sure it's plenty with proper shot placement. Especially at closer ranges.

What caliber are we talking about out of curiousity?

Paul

RE: 125 g Nosler Ballistic Tip tough enough?
 

Lazzeroni 7.82 Warbird (.308)

RE: 125 g Nosler Ballistic Tip tough enough?
 

I mean would it hold together at this velocity? Gun shoots very tight groups with this bullet, would love to use it for deer, but not if it would fail at close range.

RE: 125 g Nosler Ballistic Tip tough enough?
 

I don't think it will,thats a light for caliber bullet more intended for varmits(also moving very,very fast),it might work if you avoid dead on shoulder contact or bone.But IMHO you will have a bullet break-up.
BBJ

RE: 125 g Nosler Ballistic Tip tough enough?
 

That bullet explodes like a bomb at 3550, so I can only imagine it will get worse at 3900. Great "terminate with extreme prejudice" varmint load - but not good for deer. I'm not sure I would want to use any of the ballistic tip bullets for a .30 caliber this fast. Go for a Barnes TSX, Partition, or one of the bonded bullets.

RE: 125 g Nosler Ballistic Tip tough enough?
 

I wouldnt chance it for deer...I had trouble with em at 2900. With a gun like that..spend the money and get a decent bullet.

RE: 125 g Nosler Ballistic Tip tough enough?
 

What bullet would you recomend? I'm partial to accurate bullets just in case a longer shot presented itself.

RE: 125 g Nosler Ballistic Tip tough enough?
 

It is hard to beat a Barnes TSX on these .30 Super Magnums. I have used the 150 grain Barnes X (NP3 coated) in a .30-378 Weatherby with good results. Fast, flat, good penetration, not a lot of tissue damage.

RE: 125 g Nosler Ballistic Tip tough enough?
 

I think you should try it and then report back in the fall of its results. Try to take some photos and report back penetration.

RE: 125 g Nosler Ballistic Tip tough enough?
 

I would suggest trying it on a watermelon. Get a ood size one and lay it long ways to you. Then shoot into it and see what happens. It might not give you a definitive answer, but it might give you some clues. Good luck

RE: 125 g Nosler Ballistic Tip tough enough?
 

They expand well from the barrel of the 30-30 contender so I would quess that would come apart bad at higher velocity. I would use a good tough 180 grain bullet. I even did in the 300 win Mag.

RE: 125 g Nosler Ballistic Tip tough enough?
 

Im just curious where you got load data for the warbird using a 125 grain bullet???? A friend of mine has been loading the warbird for a few years and the only load data available is directly from lazzeroni arms and the lightest load is with a 150 grain ballistic tip. Id kinda find it hard to imagine that you developed your own loading data since even myself as an fairly experienced handloader I wouldnt mess around with a cartridge that is closely creeping up on a chamber pressure of 70,000 PSI.

RE: 125 g Nosler Ballistic Tip tough enough?
 

Lazzeroni used to offer factory ammo loaded with 130 grain bullets, I think they were Barnes. I had some questions myself so I e-mailed Lazzeroni and they gave me some helpful advice.I started out with a conservative load of Reloader 25 (101 grains)with 125 grain Sierras just for fun and slowly worked up to a load that was a bit too hot (111 grains, 3953 fps). Of course I have backed it down, but the light Sierras never shot well, so I tried 124 g Nosler bullets.They shoot great (well, off the bench, anyway), but I never intended to hunt deer with the gun when I bought it.(I use a Marlin 30-30 for that, just about right for TN woods. I just wanted a powerhousefor the fun of it, kinda like my Ruger 454.)Anyway,there is something fascinatingto me abouthigh velocity guns and I was just thinking of trying it in the woods this year...

RE: 125 g Nosler Ballistic Tip tough enough?
 

I meant 125 g Nosler.

RE: 125 g Nosler Ballistic Tip tough enough?
 

Don't listen to the rest of these guys. Go ahead and use it and post the results. I love doing tests with other peoples time and energy. I mean it does't affect my deer. Cause I will be using a 165gr TSX.

RE: 125 g Nosler Ballistic Tip tough enough?
 

Man, those lazzeronis sure move out! Heck, even a marshmallow at 3900 FPSis bound todo damage. I havent seen any jet puffed rounds lately though. EJ

RE: 125 g Nosler Ballistic Tip tough enough?
 

I say use it and let us knowyou just might have the hottest elk round ever created.:D
BBJ

RE: 125 g Nosler Ballistic Tip tough enough?
 

Well for what it's worth the 180 grain Accubonds clocked out of the Lazz at an average of 3406 fps. We dont haveelk here in TN, but a guy can dream....

RE: 125 g Nosler Ballistic Tip tough enough?
 

i don't know about the 125 ballistic tips but i've used 125 corelocks in my dads 30-06 and they worked great. that's what i'm sighting my 06 in with and plan to use for deer.

RE: 125 g Nosler Ballistic Tip tough enough?
 

I shoot a 75 gr Nosler with my .243. This past season I dropped an 8 point at 300 yards, he field dressed over 200 pounds. The last 5 bucks have been one shot one kill...in their tracks.It's not the size of the hole, but where you place it. I always take the neck shot.

RE: 125 g Nosler Ballistic Tip tough enough?
 

Wow, I am surprised a 180gr accubond only got 3400. I got over 3300 with my RUM with 180gr partition with RL22.

RE: 125 g Nosler Ballistic Tip tough enough?
 

I'm not sure how much difference there is between the 300 RUM, Weatherby 30-378, or Warbird, but this was how my Lazzeroni handloadswere performing with 180 g Accubonds and Rx-25 if you areintrested:

96 grains = 3310 fps, 98 grains = 3341, 100 grains = 3386, 101 grains = 3406, 102 grains = 3435, 103 grains = 3474 which left a hint of a shiny mark on the case head so I figure that is too hot

RE: 125 g Nosler Ballistic Tip tough enough?
 

yup those neck shots shore do work. and they definately save on a tracking job.

RE: 125 g Nosler Ballistic Tip tough enough?
 

I didnt even think about doing it that way, good deal just that 70,000 psi chamber pressure makes me very concerned lol. would you mind sharing some more extensive detail on how you did it and what your exact load is now? I mentioned this thread to my friend who has a warbird he was really interested in possibly loading a 125 grain bullet for his we are both thinking it would make an awesome and very explosive long range (600+ yard) coyote round, you can PM me or send me an email.

RE: 125 g Nosler Ballistic Tip tough enough?
 

3900fps with a 125gr ballistic tip sounds like a dangerous idea....for the animal :Das long as the bullet dont explode in flight.

A 125gr ballistic tip goin 3110fps from a .308 will turn a groundhog into a red mist from 50 yards though :D

RE: 125 g Nosler Ballistic Tip tough enough?
 

No problem HighDesertWolf, I'll send you any info you need. The great thing about these Noslers in my gun was that evenafter Ishot progressively hotter loads to determine a max, the target (at 100 yds), with only one exception, the first shot, showed only a ragged hole!With most of my rifles, the point of impact will change as the charges change.

RE: 125 g Nosler Ballistic Tip tough enough?
 

The 125 in 30 caliber is fully intended as a varmit bullet. It works at low velocity from short barrels. Even at higher velocity with its low SD, the long range trajectory would be better with a heavier bullet. The 150 and 165 grain BT's kill deer very well at 2700 fps-2900 fps and won't kill anything any deader by adding another 1000 fps.

RE: 125 g Nosler Ballistic Tip tough enough?
 

Thank you James B., I didn't realize that they were intended to be varmit bullets. I will mark small game/varmit rounds on my ammo pack and begin again with perhaps a 150 grain Barnes TSX.

RE: 125 g Nosler Ballistic Tip tough enough?
 

James B has a valid point about sectional density, as it relates to penetration, the 125 grainer may not drive deep enough for game animals. I'd suggest a 160 and up for hunting. For the range and varmits knock yourself out with those 125 grainers. a word of caution. A buddy of mine did a compressed load in a 220swift once and we couldnt even hit the paper[>:]. but there was enough smoke to make a muzzleloader look clean[:o]?.?.? Finally we moved closer and were getting a shot gun looking pattern, thats when we realized the bullets were breaking up in the air. Oh .....to be young and dumb again.