150gn Ballistic tip and deer..???

**Andy the Aussie** · February 04, 2004, 18:55

Hello all....just playing around with some loads in my Sako .308...I have a soft spot for Nosler Ballistic Tips in .30cal...they always seems to shoot as well or better than other projectiles in my rifles. What I was wondering is if anyone has experience with 150gn .30cal BTs on mid size deer. If I want to hunt larger deer I (Sambar Wapiti etc) I have a .300Win.

I have some great loads using Speer 130gn Hollow Points that shoot groups I wont talk about for fear of being called a liar....and they work well on critters hogs, goats and skippys but they are not going to work on deer.

Thanks for the help.

Andy

cliffy109 · February 04, 2004, 19:23

Don't do it. I've shot two deer with it and both had catastrphic failures. One had the bullet completely disintegrate on the rib, causing only minor damage to one lung from bone shards. The other had the core sperate from the jacket on a quartering away shot. The first was a .308 and the other was a .30-06. Do a search in this topic for a post by me about 2 months ago for more complete details.

**Andy the Aussie** · February 04, 2004, 19:35

Thanks mate...that is my concern...I have shot some hogs and goats with my .300Win using the 165gn BTs....the results were spectacular....probalem being that I was thinking that on bigger bodied critters (deer) that the blow up would be to rapid and not put them down. I normally use a Nosler Solid Base or Sierra Gamne King. It is just that the BTs shoot so bloody well..!!!

Andy

PS....I no....I don't use a big hammer to put together my reloads....

shortround · February 04, 2004, 20:22

You might want to try Hornady SST's. Similar concept but the bullet is designed for controlled expansion and weight retention. A friend used them this year for the first time and was pleased with the results.

Survey Punk · February 05, 2004, 05:44

Andy,
Shot two deer last year with the 150 Nos: First at 75 yards broadside bullet blew up with just one fragment exiting the back side, Second at +/- 200 and went through and through with textbook expansion. Neither deer moved more than 10 yards.
Rifle is a 30-06 pushing the Nos @ 2880 FPS.
Have to state, though, deer are somewhat small around here.

JB

kotengu · February 05, 2004, 07:03

Shot one last year with the 150gr BT at about 25yds. It dropped where it stood, but I never recovered the bullet. Deer field dressed to 100lbs, for size reference.

dougjones31 · February 05, 2004, 08:19

The 150 gr Nosler Ballistic Tips are the best bullets for the 308 IMHO. The 130 gr is a little light even for small deer. I have been using the 150's on deer for about 5 years and I have never had a deer walk off after a shot. I have only had one bullet disintergrate in a deer, and I hit the spine on that one. I have had them loose about @25% when hitting large bones, but the damage caused by the Ballistic tip is always impressive and effective. I think the most a deer has ran is about 10 yrds after being hit.

I also hunt with a 300 win mag shooting 190 gr Nosler Ballistic tips. At first I expected the 300 to push the BT too fast and cause them to explode on impact. I shot a @150 lb doe at about 100yrds last year with with the 300. The doe was facing me and would not turn broadside, so I shot her in the lower neck...kind of dead center of the chest. The energy transfer was impressive...the deer raised straight up and fell over backwards! When I got to her there were 2 large exit wounds larger than the size of a silver dollar on each ribcage about center of her body. I figured that the bullet split in half and I was a little annoyed until I started cleaning the deer and the perfectly mushroomed Ballistic Tip was recovered. On closer inspection, I noticed the the bullet hit the breast plate and forced large chuncks of bone through the heart and lungs and the bone had enough force to exit through the ribcage taking out a rib on each side. Needless to say, I am sold on Ballistic tips on deer.

When it comes to bullet preference.....we all have differences. Cliffy has had a couple of bad experiences. I have suggested to him that his bullet did not completely disintergrate on that deer he shot. I think it turned and was lodged somewhere in the deer and he just missed it when he looked for it. Maybe it was a fluke. Who knows. You will be hard pressed to find many deer hunters in SC that curse Ballistic tips. On the other hand....I have cursed many core-locked bullets for over penetration and low expansion. The most impressive thing about the Nosler Ballistic Tip is it's accuracy potential. I know that most guns have a favorite bullet, but all of my guns shoot better, smaller groups with the Ballistic tips. They also seem to have less drop than other bullets of the same weight.

I guess my suggestion to you is try the 150's on a deer and see what you think. I think you will be pleased with their performance.

motosapien · February 05, 2004, 08:26

I buy Fereral Premium ammo that comes loaded with that bullet. Works very well on white tails. You can't go wrong with with WW Power Points or Rem Core Locked either and these cost less.

Bullet performance is a tricky thing. Add some light brush near the deer into the equation and things get really interesting. These days more hunters seem to ere by choosing a white tail bullet that is too stout. Most of the 180 gr. bullets are meant for heavier animals like elk or moose and will often zip right through a white tail without expanding.

See what Sierra has in it's Pro Hunter line up. A good soft point spitzer is probably your best all around choice for loading your own............

Moto

perdurabo · February 05, 2004, 09:39

I hunt both whitetail and elk with a Browning A-Bolt stalker in .300 WSM. The very best bullet I've found for whitetail is the good ole Sierra 150gr. BTSP GameKing. Great expansion, great accuracy. And at only about $17/100 they are very economical. Ive tried Nosler ballistic tips, but they dont offer near the performance for the price.

BTW, my pet whitetail load for .300 WSM is: WIN Brass, WLRM primer, 65gr. WIN760, 150gr BTSP Sierra GK. Damned flat shooting and accurate.

FNut · February 05, 2004, 09:45

Hi all,

I have hunted for many years with a 7mm-08 140 gr. ballistic silvertip. As you know, 7mm-08 is a .308 necked down to 7mm. I would like to respectfully disagree with those that say this is not a capable deer cartridge.

Here is a tally of just the the last 5 deer I have shot with that cartridge:

1. 200 yds. - ran 20 yds. - dead.
2. 275 yds. - dropped immediately - dead.
3. 150 yds. - ran 15 yds. - dead.
4. 250 yds. - dropped immediately - dead.
5. 340 yds. - dropped immediately - dead.

Experience tells the tale. 140 gr. is PLENTY for deer, and the BST is a very capable bullet. In 4 out of the above 5, the vitals were completely disintegrated, and the fifth was very nearly so.

Although I haven't tried it (yet), I expect the .30 caliber BST to be nearly identical. After all, energy figures are very close to the 7mm-08 BST and the physical design is identical. You are pushing 10 more grains (150 vs. 140) but all else is pretty much the same.

Too many people overchamber for deer. There are some large bucks out there, but they're still not anywhere close to say, an elk. I prefer an *efficient* load that does the job with lower recoil (and won't contribute to flinching in new shooters) ANY day. After all, you could have a 50 pound bullet flying 6000 ft/s, but if you can't hit what you're shooting you might as well go home.

-FNut

**Andy the Aussie** · February 05, 2004, 15:35

Thanks all for the input, it is most appreciated. For the past 10 years or so I have been hunting with either factory ammo (Winchester Power Points) or handloads I put together years ago and stored. Now that I have space of my own, the reloading gear has been dusted off and is working again. I must agree with motosapian about the Power Points. Out of my .300 they shot well and worked well on deer (the .300 is overkill for the type of deer I hunt anyways). I bought some loaded Win ammo for the .308 and it shot like crap....not saying it IS crap just my rifle didn't like it.

As I said I have some Winchester X series ammo (Government loadings) with the 130gn Speer HP that shoots and expands like crazy....too much so for deer...I have duplicated this load with great results...took the projectile out to the lands as opposed to the Winchester seating depth and the group (one hole as it was) shrunk again.

Hard part here is that I only get to hunt deer a couple of times a year (roll on March I say) so there is not much room for "trial and error". I may have to go bomb up some swine and goats to get some indication.

Once again....thanks for sharing the experiences....!!!!!!1

Andy

tac-40 · February 05, 2004, 15:35

Using Winchester Ballistic Silvertip 168 gr. 30-06, never had a problem dropping deer at ranges up to 200 yds. Accuracy is excellent also. Also works on the small South Carolina feral hogs (100-150 lbs) for both front and side shots.

shootist87122 · February 06, 2004, 22:53

Andy,

Chase down the pic of my 10 point Whitetail from last year in the Images section. That one was with a Nosler 150 ballistic tip hand load.

Only a sample of one, but it performed great on a very difficult shot. I will use it again if the .308 is the rifle in hand.

rail · February 07, 2004, 01:12

My Dad killed a nice 4x5 mule deer with his russian sks using 123 gr. wolf copper jacketed hollow points, the deer dressed out at 174 lbs. It was a clean neck shot at about 150 yds. He said it dropped like a rock.

A bad day hunting is better than a good day at work!!!

WiFAL · February 07, 2004, 11:54

My hunting buddie has but one rifle; a BAR in 338 Win Mag. He uses nothing but 200 grn Ballistaic Tips. Tell you the truth, he has never lost any animal be it deer, bear, antelope or elk.

paris29 · February 20, 2004, 21:47

Andy the Aussie: What's a skippy? A Schipperke? One who skips out without paying? A six-cylinder car that runs on 5 cylinders? What?

Paris29

**Andy the Aussie** · February 20, 2004, 23:22

Skippy....nickname for Kangaroos...also a nickname for Aussies (White anglo saxon Yobbos) used by our local Lebanese, Greeks Italians etc....

Andy

February 04, 2004, 18:55	#1
Andy the Aussie Dinosaur Bronze Contributor FALaholic #: 216 Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Down Under Posts: 12,724	150gn Ballistic tip and deer..??? Hello all....just playing around with some loads in my Sako .308...I have a soft spot for Nosler Ballistic Tips in .30cal...they always seems to shoot as well or better than other projectiles in my rifles. What I was wondering is if anyone has experience with 150gn .30cal BTs on mid size deer. If I want to hunt larger deer I (Sambar Wapiti etc) I have a .300Win. I have some great loads using Speer 130gn Hollow Points that shoot groups I wont talk about for fear of being called a liar....and they work well on critters hogs, goats and skippys but they are not going to work on deer. Thanks for the help. Andy

February 04, 2004, 19:23	#2
cliffy109 Registered FALaholic #: 8571 Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Woodbridge, VA Posts: 2,229	Don't do it. I've shot two deer with it and both had catastrphic failures. One had the bullet completely disintegrate on the rib, causing only minor damage to one lung from bone shards. The other had the core sperate from the jacket on a quartering away shot. The first was a .308 and the other was a .30-06. Do a search in this topic for a post by me about 2 months ago for more complete details. __________________ All right, but apart from the sanitation, the medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, a fresh water system, and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us?

February 04, 2004, 20:22	#4
shortround Registered Bronze Contributor FALaholic #: 1503 Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Southeast, MI, USA Posts: 2,799	You might want to try Hornady SST's. Similar concept but the bullet is designed for controlled expansion and weight retention. A friend used them this year for the first time and was pleased with the results. __________________ Nostalgia: It's just not what it used to be. I used to be indecisive, but now I'm not so sure. To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target. Someone asked if I was a procrastinator and I told them I wasn't sure but I'd get back with them tomorrow.

February 05, 2004, 07:03	#6
kotengu Registered FALaholic #: 1594 Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Baxter, TN, USA Posts: 3,066	Shot one last year with the 150gr BT at about 25yds. It dropped where it stood, but I never recovered the bullet. Deer field dressed to 100lbs, for size reference. __________________ "The way is in training." - Miyamoto Musashi

February 05, 2004, 08:19	#7
dougjones31 Registered FALaholic #: 6967 Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: South Carolina Posts: 4,282	The 150 gr Nosler Ballistic Tips are the best bullets for the 308 IMHO. The 130 gr is a little light even for small deer. I have been using the 150's on deer for about 5 years and I have never had a deer walk off after a shot. I have only had one bullet disintergrate in a deer, and I hit the spine on that one. I have had them loose about @25% when hitting large bones, but the damage caused by the Ballistic tip is always impressive and effective. I think the most a deer has ran is about 10 yrds after being hit. I also hunt with a 300 win mag shooting 190 gr Nosler Ballistic tips. At first I expected the 300 to push the BT too fast and cause them to explode on impact. I shot a @150 lb doe at about 100yrds last year with with the 300. The doe was facing me and would not turn broadside, so I shot her in the lower neck...kind of dead center of the chest. The energy transfer was impressive...the deer raised straight up and fell over backwards! When I got to her there were 2 large exit wounds larger than the size of a silver dollar on each ribcage about center of her body. I figured that the bullet split in half and I was a little annoyed until I started cleaning the deer and the perfectly mushroomed Ballistic Tip was recovered. On closer inspection, I noticed the the bullet hit the breast plate and forced large chuncks of bone through the heart and lungs and the bone had enough force to exit through the ribcage taking out a rib on each side. Needless to say, I am sold on Ballistic tips on deer. When it comes to bullet preference.....we all have differences. Cliffy has had a couple of bad experiences. I have suggested to him that his bullet did not completely disintergrate on that deer he shot. I think it turned and was lodged somewhere in the deer and he just missed it when he looked for it. Maybe it was a fluke. Who knows. You will be hard pressed to find many deer hunters in SC that curse Ballistic tips. On the other hand....I have cursed many core-locked bullets for over penetration and low expansion. The most impressive thing about the Nosler Ballistic Tip is it's accuracy potential. I know that most guns have a favorite bullet, but all of my guns shoot better, smaller groups with the Ballistic tips. They also seem to have less drop than other bullets of the same weight. I guess my suggestion to you is try the 150's on a deer and see what you think. I think you will be pleased with their performance. __________________ "This year will go down in history. For the first time, a civilized nation has full gun registration! Our streets will be safer, our police more efficient, and the world will follow our lead into the future." --Adolf Hitler, 1935

February 04, 2004, 19:35	#3
Andy the Aussie Dinosaur Bronze Contributor FALaholic #: 216 Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Down Under Posts: 12,724	Thanks mate...that is my concern...I have shot some hogs and goats with my .300Win using the 165gn BTs....the results were spectacular....probalem being that I was thinking that on bigger bodied critters (deer) that the blow up would be to rapid and not put them down. I normally use a Nosler Solid Base or Sierra Gamne King. It is just that the BTs shoot so bloody well..!!! Andy PS....I no....I don't use a big hammer to put together my reloads....

February 05, 2004, 05:44	#5
Survey Punk FALaholic #: 8380 Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Blounts Creek, NC Posts: 4,160	Andy, Shot two deer last year with the 150 Nos: First at 75 yards broadside bullet blew up with just one fragment exiting the back side, Second at +/- 200 and went through and through with textbook expansion. Neither deer moved more than 10 yards. Rifle is a 30-06 pushing the Nos @ 2880 FPS. Have to state, though, deer are somewhat small around here. JB

February 05, 2004, 08:26	#8
motosapien Registered FALaholic #: 9349 Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: MN Posts: 2,175	I buy Fereral Premium ammo that comes loaded with that bullet. Works very well on white tails. You can't go wrong with with WW Power Points or Rem Core Locked either and these cost less. Bullet performance is a tricky thing. Add some light brush near the deer into the equation and things get really interesting. These days more hunters seem to ere by choosing a white tail bullet that is too stout. Most of the 180 gr. bullets are meant for heavier animals like elk or moose and will often zip right through a white tail without expanding. See what Sierra has in it's Pro Hunter line up. A good soft point spitzer is probably your best all around choice for loading your own............ Moto __________________ Outside there's a boxcar waiting.......

February 05, 2004, 09:39	#9
perdurabo Registered FALaholic #: 5099 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Austin, Tx Posts: 1,193	I hunt both whitetail and elk with a Browning A-Bolt stalker in .300 WSM. The very best bullet I've found for whitetail is the good ole Sierra 150gr. BTSP GameKing. Great expansion, great accuracy. And at only about $17/100 they are very economical. Ive tried Nosler ballistic tips, but they dont offer near the performance for the price. BTW, my pet whitetail load for .300 WSM is: WIN Brass, WLRM primer, 65gr. WIN760, 150gr BTSP Sierra GK. Damned flat shooting and accurate. __________________ Et in Arcadia Ego.

February 05, 2004, 09:45	#10
FNut Registered FALaholic #: 13380 Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 4	Overkill. Hi all, I have hunted for many years with a 7mm-08 140 gr. ballistic silvertip. As you know, 7mm-08 is a .308 necked down to 7mm. I would like to respectfully disagree with those that say this is not a capable deer cartridge. Here is a tally of just the the last 5 deer I have shot with that cartridge: 1. 200 yds. - ran 20 yds. - dead. 2. 275 yds. - dropped immediately - dead. 3. 150 yds. - ran 15 yds. - dead. 4. 250 yds. - dropped immediately - dead. 5. 340 yds. - dropped immediately - dead. Experience tells the tale. 140 gr. is PLENTY for deer, and the BST is a very capable bullet. In 4 out of the above 5, the vitals were completely disintegrated, and the fifth was very nearly so. Although I haven't tried it (yet), I expect the .30 caliber BST to be nearly identical. After all, energy figures are very close to the 7mm-08 BST and the physical design is identical. You are pushing 10 more grains (150 vs. 140) but all else is pretty much the same. Too many people overchamber for deer. There are some large bucks out there, but they're still not anywhere close to say, an elk. I prefer an efficient load that does the job with lower recoil (and won't contribute to flinching in new shooters) ANY day. After all, you could have a 50 pound bullet flying 6000 ft/s, but if you can't hit what you're shooting you might as well go home. -FNut

February 05, 2004, 15:35	#11
Andy the Aussie Dinosaur Bronze Contributor FALaholic #: 216 Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Down Under Posts: 12,724	Thanks all for the input, it is most appreciated. For the past 10 years or so I have been hunting with either factory ammo (Winchester Power Points) or handloads I put together years ago and stored. Now that I have space of my own, the reloading gear has been dusted off and is working again. I must agree with motosapian about the Power Points. Out of my .300 they shot well and worked well on deer (the .300 is overkill for the type of deer I hunt anyways). I bought some loaded Win ammo for the .308 and it shot like crap....not saying it IS crap just my rifle didn't like it. As I said I have some Winchester X series ammo (Government loadings) with the 130gn Speer HP that shoots and expands like crazy....too much so for deer...I have duplicated this load with great results...took the projectile out to the lands as opposed to the Winchester seating depth and the group (one hole as it was) shrunk again. Hard part here is that I only get to hunt deer a couple of times a year (roll on March I say) so there is not much room for "trial and error". I may have to go bomb up some swine and goats to get some indication. Once again....thanks for sharing the experiences....!!!!!!1 Andy

February 05, 2004, 15:35	#12
tac-40 Moderator Armed Curmudgeon FALaholic #: 12090 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: SC-Low Country Posts: 4,526	Using Winchester Ballistic Silvertip 168 gr. 30-06, never had a problem dropping deer at ranges up to 200 yds. Accuracy is excellent also. Also works on the small South Carolina feral hogs (100-150 lbs) for both front and side shots. __________________ Only 2 defining forces have ever offered to die for you.....Jesus Christ and the American Soldier. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom. Lt. Col. Grant L. Rosensteel, Jr. USAF ______________________________ If you do in fact have a problem, you have the rest of your life to solve it. How long your life lasts only depends on how well you solve it.

February 06, 2004, 22:53	#13
shootist87122 Registered FALaholic #: 7202 Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: NM Posts: 5,126	Andy, Chase down the pic of my 10 point Whitetail from last year in the Images section. That one was with a Nosler 150 ballistic tip hand load. Only a sample of one, but it performed great on a very difficult shot. I will use it again if the .308 is the rifle in hand. __________________ "So in the Libyan Fable it is told, That once an eagle, stricken with a dart, said, when he saw the fashion of the shaft, it is by our own feathers, not others hands, are we now smitten." -Aeschylus

February 07, 2004, 01:12	#14
rail Registered FALaholic #: 6306 Join Date: May 2002 Location: tucson Posts: 12	My Dad killed a nice 4x5 mule deer with his russian sks using 123 gr. wolf copper jacketed hollow points, the deer dressed out at 174 lbs. It was a clean neck shot at about 150 yds. He said it dropped like a rock. A bad day hunting is better than a good day at work!!!

February 07, 2004, 11:54	#15
WiFAL Registered FALaholic #: 2823 Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Franklin, WI Posts: 949	My hunting buddie has but one rifle; a BAR in 338 Win Mag. He uses nothing but 200 grn Ballistaic Tips. Tell you the truth, he has never lost any animal be it deer, bear, antelope or elk.

February 20, 2004, 21:47	#16
paris29 Registered FALaholic #: 6654 Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Kennewick, WA Posts: 15	Andy the Aussie: What's a skippy? A Schipperke? One who skips out without paying? A six-cylinder car that runs on 5 cylinders? What? Paris29

February 20, 2004, 23:22	#17
Andy the Aussie Dinosaur Bronze Contributor FALaholic #: 216 Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Down Under Posts: 12,724	Skippy....nickname for Kangaroos...also a nickname for Aussies (White anglo saxon Yobbos) used by our local Lebanese, Greeks Italians etc.... Andy

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