Nosler Ballistic Tips: performace, penetration?

I have been thinking about working up a Ballistic Tip (BT) load for my main deer rifle, a 7mm-08 Model 7. I am presently shooting 150-gn Partitions at about 2675 fps at the muzzle. This load works well; I killed two blacktail with it last year and I cannot complain about the bullet performance. It is probably a lot more penetration than I need for a 150-lb deer, though, and since BT's are half the price I've been considering trying them out for general shooting (I shoot this rifle a lot; I am shooting out this finicky damn barrel so I can rebarrel the rifle some day in good conscience <g>. If I get a good load, I'd be inclined to try it next fall, too.

So what to expect? Will a 7mm, 140-150 grain BT at, say, 2600-2800 fps muzzle velocity fully penetrate a deer broadside? How about angled shots? Lengthwise (just trying to get a feel for it; that's not a shot I'd take)?

What is the common wisdom as to what the bullet DOES on impact? IE, it's said that the front part of a Partition will expand pretty rapidly, and even that the Partition will shed it's front half if the going gets tough, but that the back half will continue onward on it's merry journey through flesh and bone, often yawing to the left (right?) after it sheds the front. What are the terminal ballistics of the Ballistic Tip, on game?

Is there a downside to this bullet?

How's the accuracy, generally?

IME the BTips are among the most accurate of all hunting bullets. Most of the ones I've used or seen used on deer ( .308/150s ) have had impact velocities between 1900 and 2400 fps. In those cases the plastic tip blew off the bullet within an inch of entry ( usually found it ) and the bullet expanded rapidly to make an impressive wound channel. I have only recovered one example as all the rest ( several dozen ) gave complete penetration ( except for one which entered the brisket and almost exited the rump ). It is at its best on lung shots IMO. I'd keep impact velocities below around 2500 fps, and it should work very well on deer.

Jay T

Having hit a deer with a 7mm 150 grain BT at 40 yards from my 7mm Weatherby, I can say that with the deer-weight bullets it will do just fine at velocities up around 3000+ fps. Entered one side behind the shoulder, turned the lungs and heart to pulped jelly, smashed the off-side shoulder, and exited. The buck dropped in his tracks, didn't even kick up the leaves. The Ballistic Tip wouldn't be my choice for elk (I've chosen Barnes X-bullets for that job), but they do the job very well on deer.

Scott

Wow! This is a mouthful! Let's take the last first

<<How's the accuracy, generally?>> I use it as a base bullet for load development. Maybe because I'm convinced of its accuracy.

<<Is there a downside to this bullet?>> Uh, other than cost, not that I can think of. And they're not that expensive unless you shoot a lot.

<<...a 7mm-08 Model 7... (I shoot this rifle a lot; I am shooting out this finicky damn barrel so I can rebarrel the rifle some day in good conscience <g>.>> Got one of those also, finicky isn't the word for them! Very disappointing accuracy wise, but I'm still playing with it.

<<What is the common wisdom as to what the bullet DOES on impact?>>

Well, I don't know about the 'common wisdom,' But I can relate my limited experience. I started using BT's for load development to assess the potential accuracy of the instant rifle because I was convinced it was an accurate projectile. Never been disappointed in that score. Naturally, this usually meant I had pretty good BT loads worked up when deer season rolled around. I had some of your concerns, so I started trying them out. Since our limit is 8 deer per year, I have had ample opportunity to see how they perform.

<<Will a 7mm, 140-150 grain BT at, say, 2600-2800 fps muzzle velocity fully penetrate a deer broadside?>>

In my experience with other calibers using bullets of like sectional density, yes

<<How about angled shots?>>

In my experience, up to about 30 degrees, yes

Examples this year are 2 average sized Georgia bucks, both shot behind the shoulder on the near side, the BT angling forward to exit through the far side shoulder blade. One with a 300 Win Mag loaded to 30/06 velocity (an honest 2940 fps, not the 2920 claimed by the factory), the other a 180 gr. 338/06 at a little over 2700 fps as I remember. Range on both was about 40 yards, both dropped instantly, 50 cent piece entrance and silver dollar sized exit.

<<Lengthwise?>>

Dunno, only shot lengthwise on a deer (from front) one time and that was with a

would assume, in that caliber, velocity and sectional density, anyway, that the BT would not either.

In my opinion, the Nosler BT holds together better then Hornady Inter-lock bullets and has become my favorite projectile for deer in calibers 6.5 mm and over.

Richard

Richard N. Elliott. Former Captain of Horse & Keeper of the Peace, current Interpreter of Statute

I also like the Ballistic Tips for Whitetail hunting. I have had great results from Nosler BT in .308 dia in a 165gr load. It's traviling around 2600fps a little fast for what we hunt here but it gets the job done. I would try the 7mm BT and see what it does on Black tail deer.

Kent E. Will

Why not give the Hornady 7mm SST's a try. They have a 139 gr. SST #28202 and a 154 gr. SST #28302 in just the weights you indicated. From experience they are excellent performers, at least in my .30 cal rifles. I shot Ballistic Tips for a lot of years but when they priced themselves out of my range by slyly reducing the number in the box and raising the price on the 1/2 box it was time to try something new.

Premium is just an advertising word and Nosler sure took advantage of it. Don't poo poo the Hornady SST's until you try them and see how they shoot. They are not just another bullet with a plastic tip and they come in a box of 100 at a reasonable price.

Personally I will never drive another Premium Nosler bullet down a barrel as long as there is a viable substitute and I figure the Hornady SST is just the ticket.

Good shooting