Balistic tips/7mm RM/Deer
 

I am alittle confused with the performance of balistic tips out of a 7mm rem mag at close range on a deer. Will they cause too much damage to the meat at close range. I am using Federal Premium Ammo with the Nosler Balistic tips in 150gr. Does any one have any real world info on what I have described above. I would like to use this ammo because it shoots so well out of my rifle. By the way I have an Browning A-Bolt Hunter in 7mm Rem Mag with a 26 inch barrel. Thanks. Counting the days until the season opens. Good Luck/Skill to all.

RE: Balistic tips/7mm RM/Deer
 

I can only give you my experience and this was about 8 years ago. I killed about 5 deer with the Win. Ballistic Silver tips. My findings was that close range wasn't good. I past a bullet through one shoulder hit the other and it bounced and went straight out the top of the back. Everything was jello and it didn't leave a blood trail. I shot a doe through the neck with the same bullet...knocked it straight down and 3 min. later it got up and ran off. I had similar experiences with the others.

Reloaders have told me that the 7mm is too fast for the ballistic tip and that it will explode at the hint of something hard. The result is a bunch of wounded deer. I only shoot my 7mm rem mag up to 200 yards but I shoot the Hornady Custom 139 gn. BTSP. You can hit them just about anywhere and watch them fall. I have killed many of deer with this round and have not had any lost deer.

RE: Balistic tips/7mm RM/Deer
 

I have taken in excess of 20 of our large bodied canadian bucks with the 140 gr ballistic tip out of my 7mmstw's.All were one shot kills and not one animal covered 50 yards after being hit.Most dropped on the spot or within a step or two.The muzzle velocity was 3500fps or 200fps to 300fps more than most 7mmremmag factory loads.

RE: Balistic tips/7mm RM/Deer
 

Stubblejumper. At what distance did you take your deer. Thanks guys that exactly what I'm looking for.

RE: Balistic tips/7mm RM/Deer
 

The ranges varied from 25 yards to well over 400 yards.

RE: Balistic tips/7mm RM/Deer
 

My experiencemirrors Stubblejumper's.The 150 NBT has been my deer/lope load for my 7mm rem mag harvesting numerous deer and antelope at ranges from 20 to 350 yards, yet to disappoint just flattens our bigger bodied deer.

I will say at close ranges (under 100) or if you strike bigger bone at closer ranges be prepared for a larger wound channel and this can obviously translate to some meat loss. I have never worried about it as I aim for the ribs and don't eat the ribs on a deer anyway, so meat loss isnill from my perspective.

RE: Balistic tips/7mm RM/Deer
 

If you are looking for a bullet that won't explode at high velocities try the Federal 160 grain Barnes X round. That should hold up, get you great penetration, and still open up a good wound channel.

RE: Balistic tips/7mm RM/Deer
 

There is some oxy-moronism in the statement...I use a 7MM magnum and don't want to destroy meat. The 7MM Magnums will destroy a whole lot of meat no matter what bullet you use if the placement is poor.

It boils down to placement again and again. Place the bullet in the rib cage and little meat loss will occurr....it's as simple as that. Shoot a deer in the ham and it's a lost ham almost regardless of the bullet used.

RE: Balistic tips/7mm RM/Deer
 

Been using 140 grain ballistic tips in the Texas Hill Country for years. NEVER lost an animal and the ones that don't fall in their tracks have seldom gone more than 50 yards. It's like Vapodog says "It boils down to placement again and again." This isa great cartridge for deer sized game. If I were going after Elk or similar bodied animals, I'd use something bigger like the 160 or 180 grain.

RE: Balistic tips/7mm RM/Deer
 

I have had mixed results.Like Vapo says.It is all in where you hit the deer.I have tore them up pretty bad with the 140 BT with my 7 MM Rem Mag.(Quartering ,shoulder ,etc.)But if you high rib one he is DEAD without all of the damage.He might run a little ways but not far.I have recovered as much as 95 grains of bullet .Most of the time they are complete pass throughs.At all ranges.The older BT's were more fragnable(sp) than the "new and improved} I always said they just called them that and dropped from 100 per box to 50 because they were selling so many .Everyone ,well most everyone jumped on the Ballistic tip band wagon at the begining.If you reload the hornady boat tail spirepoint is a great deer bullet but will still do a lot of damage.bullet + meat =big hole unless it is a non-expanding round.Rib'em ,find 'em and eat 'em.JMHO

RE: Balistic tips/7mm RM/Deer
 

Thanks for the input. I will give-em a try.

RE: Balistic tips/7mm RM/Deer
 

My experience with them is similar to Stone Cold. They should come with a warning on the box that says "Danger - High Explosives". I heard, however, that the newer generation Ballistic Tips bullets are made a little tougher than the original bullets - which came in a green/red box of 100. The newer ones are in boxes of 50 and are in a black/gold box. I quit using them for big game quite awhile back, but still think they are one of the better varmint bullets.

RE: Balistic tips/7mm RM/Deer
 

So can we assume that you have never even used one of the newer versions of ballistic tip on game?As a matter of fact depending on the caliber and weight,there are up to four versions of the ballistic tip with each one being tougher than the last.If you are basing your opinion on the old ballistic tips that were sold in the green and red box you have no real idea of how the newer versions perform on game.That would be like buying a new vehicle based on ten year old test reports.Neither the new ballistic tips nor the new vehicles are the same product that they were ten years ago.

RE: Balistic tips/7mm RM/Deer
 

I shot some of these in 95...didnt have good performance at all with them. Have they improved them since then or when did they change them?

RE: Balistic tips/7mm RM/Deer
 

That depends on the particular caliber and weight.For instance a big change was made with the 180gr .308" ballistic tips about three years ago.The new bullet is much tougher than the old version.If you were using the bullets that came in the red and green box you were definitely using the older versions.

RE: Balistic tips/7mm RM/Deer
 

Hmmm . . . seems odd Nosler would change a bullet that much and not call it something different. Even "New and Improved" or "Generation II". However, I did some further checking into this, and you are right. Might have to revisit these bullets.

How does one know whether the bullets you are buying are Generation II, III, or IV? Sometime these bullet boxes sit on the shelves for quite awhile . . .

RE: Balistic tips/7mm RM/Deer
 

Thanks Stubble..i was using the 165's.


Ridge Runner..they have started selling the solid bases again.

RE: Balistic tips/7mm RM/Deer
 

ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!! They are excellent in my wife's 7mm-08 and friend's .270. In high velocity rounds they are terrrible. Slammed a buck in the shoulderopening day 4 years ago at 350 yards. It rolled twice and got up dragging it's leg and ran 3/4 of a mile where someone else shot it. My 150gr bt broke the shoulder but never penetrated.

Same year I used a .243 w/100gr bt during doe season. shot a doe4 times at 50 to 100 yards before she stopped getting up. two of the slugs were completely opened up against the ribs with no penetration other than the hide. the third hit the shoulder and was also completly flattened against the shoulder bone. The fourth was high and took out the spine and backstraps. This is what put her down. The shards of shoulder bone perforated the lungs, which was what finally killed her.

Both setups were handloads at about 3200-3300fps.

After thorwing all of my Ballistic Tips in the garbage, I went out and bought Nosler partitions for both. Iv'e taken deer from 40 to 550 yards and a running antelope at 75 yards. All were quick kills and all completely passed through leaving excellny blood trails.

The Savage .243 groups just under 1" and the 7 mag Sako will do legitamate .5" groups.

I guess after taking a doe at 550 yards with one shot with a complete pass thru, i no longer see the need for a little plastic tip.

RE: Balistic tips/7mm RM/Deer
 

I've only seen the effects of a couple of BT's on deer and both were good. One dropped at the shot and never moved (heart) and the other was hit too far back, just clipping the back of 1 lung and hitting most of the liver. It ran almost 100 yards but was dead when we found him.

I think it's a good bullet for deer. Not recommended for Elk or Bear though.

Since I hunt them also I've swapped my 7mm RM to the 160g Accubond. Still waiting to try it on a live critter but my hopes are high that will be my do-all bullet.

RE: Balistic tips/7mm RM/Deer
 

The newer BT's should be fine for deer at &mm Velocities. The early ones had problems but the have gone through 4 updates since they came out. I would use the heavier ones< Probably the 150 grain but they should do fine. I use the BT's in almost every caliber and I think they are a near perfect deer bullet. In most calibers, the lightest BT's are intended for varmits and small game and the heavier ones are intended for big game. That is from Nosler and not just my opinion.