Nosler Ballistic Tip Bullets

[bigshot]

Just returned from an Antelope hunt in wyoming and am looking for anyone else who has used these bullets. They really shoot great on paper in my 25-06 and .257 Wby Mag, with the right load, less than minute of angle. In my .25-06 I used 100 grainers and in the Wby 115s. The bullets just exploded on impact, really made a mess of the meat. Went back to my Sierra 117 gr boattails and got great expansion like I always do one my last antelope. I guess these Noslers are really not designed for hunting. They were given to me and they shot great groups, but are really nasty for hunting! Guess I'll shoot up what I have left at the range. Won't use them again on deer or antelope

Hey CC, thats why I use Accubonds, they hold better at higher velocities and dont make a mess of the animals. I shot my goat with a 7mm saum, 160 grain Accubond traveling 2975 fps. My buddy shot his goat with a 25-06, 110 grain Accubond traveling 3200 fps. My goat was quartering towards me, when the bullet hit him in the right shoulder at 425 yards. The bullet went through and exited just behind the shoulder on the opposite side. The entrance hole is the diameter of the bullet. The exit hole is about the size of a half dollar. It destroyed the left shoulder and lungs. Upon being hit, the buck rear up like a stallion, fell backwards and dropped in its tracks.

My buddies buck was shot at 167 yards (25-06). The bullet entered on the left side of the neck just behind the cheek bone and exited the other side of the neck. The entrance hole was the same size as the diameter of the bullet. The exit hole was about the size of a quarter. The bullet destroyed the vertebrae. The buck dropped in its tracks. By the way, how about a picture of your goat and rifle.

[TooFarEast]

I have used ballistic tip 165 grain in my 30-06 for whitetails. As far as accuracy and taking down game they have performed flawlessly, however the meat is tore up to the point were there is very little salvagable meat from the shoulders. I shot a whitetail doe once in the shoulder and it appeared the front shoulders were the only area that had damaged meat. While butchering the deer i found a tiny piece of bright green plastic just under the skin on the deer ham which appeared to be in perfect condition. The only thing i could figure is that it was a piece of the ballistic tip and the bullet must have exploded. I have no idea how a piece of the tip ended up in the ham but this scared me away from ballistic tips. I am more of a meat hunter and dont feel like I can ethically shoot an animal with these bullets due to the loss of meat.

[Colorado Cowboy]

Here is the buck. Bullet went into left shoulder and fragments exited right side. Range was 371 yards.

[Jeremy]

I used to use B-tips and never had a problem with them but know people that have. I now use the Berger VLD 180 grainin both 7 mag & 300 mag and have for about 6 years. I have killed several elk, mulies, whitetails, a couple of aoudad and an oryx with the VLD. They were at ranges of 30 yards to 500 yards all were lethal. They hit like a hammer and I would recommend to anyone.

[Old Hunter]

When I talked to Nosler. They said the Accubond was a bonded Ballistic Tip. I see no reason to use the BT.

[bigshot]

Good looking goat CC, congrats.

[xtreme]

Same as Jemery except I use 168gr Berger VLd in 7mm. This bullet drops the animals where they stand but there is meat damage, I only shoot behind the shoulder so damage is mostly confined to ribcage. Almost every advantage comes with this bullet, great BC, good accuarcy, very lethal. I had my grandson shoot his bear with it because I wanted the bear to drop and that is what he did.
There are times I might shoot a ballistic tip. I did shoot a large Neberaska whitetail buck with my wssm 243 55gr ballistic tip. There was an exit wound and the deer went about 75 yds, so I think most bullets now days are capable of doing the job I think shooting deer,and antelope ballistic tip works fine, small entrance and small exit. The Berger does not usually leave an exit hole. All I am loading for the 7mm is Berger. I need to keep it simple as I can.

[Colorado Cowboy]

2012 Wyoming antelope wound.jpg
Finally got the picture of the entry of the bullet on the doe. Really wiped out the shoulder.

[1100 Remington Man]

My go to Bullet in .264 Win Mag is 120gr BT loaded to 3225 FPS. Performance on Antelope has been perfect. Just know when shooting inside 50 yds shoot behind shoulder. I plan on hunting Mule Deer with it this fall & most shots where we hunt start beyond 150 yds & with this bullet I still have enough energy to shoot to 700 yds. Buy the way the BT is a Deer & Sheep bullet buy design.

[6mm Remington]

Here is an Accubond, a Partition, and an E-tip all from Nosler out of a 6mm Remington at 400 yards.



Here is close up at 25 yards. These were recovered in gallon plastic water jugs. It does give a good test for the bullets I feel, it's inexpensive, and a lot of fun. I like all three of these bullets a lot. Not so much for the Ballistic Tips. They build them a lot differently when they first came out, and I had a bad experience with them then. I still would prefer the Accubond, Partition, or the E-tip over the BT any day.



E-tip at 25, 100, and 300 yards from a 6mm Remington.