Big Uncle

A few years ago I quit using NBT's in my rifles smaller than 7mm for game larger than pronghorns. I had a couple of .257" bullets simply go to pieces inside deer at impact velocities around 2,700 fps. One of the deer ran about 300 yards through the hardwoods and was not found for two days. The shot placement was good and no heavy bones were hit but the bullet fragmented at the near side rib cage.

I still use the bullet in my 280 Rem with good results but do not use the smaller diameter bullets for deer.

I understand that Nosler has made some changes in the recent Ballistic Tip Hunting bullet to keep it from fragmenting as quickly. Anyone here have any actual experience with the newer version in the smaller caliber cartridges for deer?

Mr. Slim

I know a few guys that quit using ballistic tips because of that problem. most have switched to spirel tips.

JW

I quit my BTs and went to the Accubond. While I did get my deer. I was dismayed on the lack of exit wounds and or no blood track left.

JW

Big Uncle

Nobody here uses the current (not the older model) Nosler Ballistic Tip Hunting bullet in .243" or .257" for deer?

Superpig

I used the 100 gr. NBT in a Remington 700 Classic SS I had for a few years. They tended to blow up/fragment terribly if the shot was under 100 yards. I was running them about 3100 fps. I switched to the 115 gr. NBT and they ran about 2925 fps and this corrected the issue. I sold the .257 Roberts a few years ago & replaced it with a custom barreled Howa 1500 in 25-06. I had at least (6) full boxes of the 100 gr. NBT's left and I loaded them to about 3350 fps & have taken several coyote's with them & the explosive effects are pretty impressive. I would in no way use them for deer as they often explode on coyote ribs at high velocity. I do know that Nosler thickened the jacket of some of the Ballistic tips several years back & I can attest to that for the 7MM 120 gr. NBT. I run those in a .280 Rem. at about 3200 fps and they will pass completely thru on broadside hits at whitetail. They may actually be a little too tough. I also load them for my cousin in his 7MM-08 & he shoulder shoots exclusively & puts them down on the spot. Often I've seen the bullets lodged under the hide on the offside with a good mushroom and no jacker/core separation on the bullets he's recovered.

bmc1970

I load and use nbt in 95gn for .243 load is middle of road and it devastates eastern whitetail,my son has taken over a dozen with this load in the past 4 years all shot in heart/lung area from point blank out to 150yds and none went more than 10 yds all had exit wounds and super internal damage.no worries with these

Brian Berg

I've always used Sierra Game Kings for every caliber. I started loading for a 270 Win and found it likes 130 gr Accubonds better than the SGK. I just bought a box of NAB. I'm hearing that it's nearly interchangeable with the NAB for POI and group sizes. I'm yet to use them on game though. I have no complaints with the Sierras. They have always performed perfectly on game from 243 Win to 300 WSM.

TN Lone Wolf

I killed my then largest buck on opening day in 2012 with my 270 using a 130 grain Nosler Ballistic tip. He initially came within about 40 yards of my blind after a doe, but in my excitement I knocked my camera tripod over into the side of the blind. He heard and saw that, and consequently turned around to run away. I blew two grunts on my grunt tube, which caused him to stop at a little less than 100 yards, turn around to face me, and stomp at me. The only opportunity I had was a full frontal shot, so I took it. He turned tail again and ran about 75 yards, but he was dead by the time I got to him. I never found the bullet while field dressing him, but damage to the stomach suggested the BT ended up either there or somewhere in his intestines.

FWIW, I also shot a coyote with a BT back in the summer of 2014. That coyote made the mistake of running around our horse pasture. I grabbed my 270 the first time I saw it, and when it came out again I killed it at 245 yards. You couldn't really tell where the entry wound was, but there was a definite exit wound about two inches long on the far side.

Ridge Runner

I use, like and swear by BT's, I run 140's out of my 7 stw at 3550 fps and mostly get an exit. I do stay off the shoulder at less than 100 yards. I also shoot the 115 gr BT in my 25wssm at 3000 fps, it exactly duplicates the performance of the 110 accubond at 3075 fps.
Guys years ago the BT's were all just thin skinned varmint bullets, then nosler revamped them, they made them exactly the same as the nosler solid base boatails, except they retained the polymer tip in the weights for med. game, how do you know if they are varmint bullets or game bullets, look on the package, game bullets come 50 per box, varmint bullets are 100 or 250 per box. Back in the day when the 7mm 140's were packaged 100 per box I had a couple failures. Have had nothing but good results since the bullets were changed.
RR

SecondChance

Ballistic tips 100%!!!! I use both the Nosler and Hornady and love them!!!!! If I cant get them to group, not much else will with that powder. I have 10x more BT's than any other projectile on my shelves for loading.