Was lucky enough to get a Mulie and a Whitetail this yr with my 7mm-08 using 140gn Nozler Balistic tips but very disapointed with the bullet performance. In both cases the bullet casing was split and in pieces all over the place,no sign of the lead anywhere. Love the bullets otherwise, cycle in and out of the clip easy, dont get munched ends but where it counts...not so good. I doubt if I'll use them again for hunting.
7mm 140 gr Noz Balistic tip performance
- Thread starter npowell
- Start date
- Location
- Saskatchewan
My buddy had the same problem. All we found against the skin on the far side of a white tail was the copper base of the jacket. Looked like a little copper cup with nothing inside or in the area.
07blackwater
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Port Coquitlam, BC
Same here. Just a copper cup in the skin on the far side of the skin.
I have taken between 20 and 30 deer,pronghorn and bighorn with the 140gr BT out of my 7mmstw, and I was pleased with the results.Not one animal made 50 yards after being hit,and most dropped on the spot,or with a few steps.
sledman8002002
CGN Regular
- Location
- Hastings Highlands, Ont. 613 area
Just my opinion, but it's a ballistic tip, you fella's got the performance they were designed for. About 50% weight retention? They're a heavier grained varmit bullet for thin skinned, heart/lung shots in my view.
Yes, they are very accurate in the majority of cases, but I'll use a partition or accubond bullet over the ballistic tip.
Yes, they are very accurate in the majority of cases, but I'll use a partition or accubond bullet over the ballistic tip.
I've driven ballistic tips 3600 fps in the STWs and .257 Weatherby. They always seem to make it to the far side, while leaveing a wound channel bigger than my leg. What's wrong with that?
Mind you, I doubt that they would my first choice for moose or elk.
Mind you, I doubt that they would my first choice for moose or elk.
- Location
- Prince Albert, Sk
I switched to Swift Scirocco's in 150 for my 7-08, many others were also too fragile for me.
They have great weight retention and expand all the way down to 1400 ft/sec.
Anything bonded is a good choice if you are concerned about strength.
They have great weight retention and expand all the way down to 1400 ft/sec.
Anything bonded is a good choice if you are concerned about strength.
Pathfinder
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Northeast Ontario
Great Deer bullet, I havent found one yet (ive kept MV around 3000 fps).....I make sure to stay away from anything solid. they usually shoot as well or better then anything else.
I always chuckle when guys are analyzing bullet failures from dead game.
I always chuckle when guys are analyzing bullet failures from dead game.
Yes the game was dead, no they didn't go far, dropped on the spot actually as I was lucky to get two neck shots, yes great accuracy. However, I have downed deer and moose with my .338 Win mag with 225gn spire points and a 7mag with 139gn spire points, both neck and body shots, and in both cases retreaved almost perfect mushrooms just the way it supposed to be. Not complaining about the accuracy or the ability to down critters, I personally just wont be using those particular bullets for meat-in-the-feezer-hunting purposes anymore. IMO
All bullets have their good, better, and best applications. Ballistic tips really shine in terms of accuracy and take down power in medium sized game at all ranges when they are going at high speed. Where they don't work really well is on large game requiring real penetration. And they really suck in terms of meat damage and failing if they hit heavy bone.
Premium style bullets do well when penetration is required but I have seen them perform poorly when medium sized game is shot at close ranges. Especially when the bullet is travelling at high speeds. The bullet zips through the boiler room of a white tail and leaves a narrow wound channel. Animals will travel a fair bit or even be lost. Especially if the shot was a tad high.
We can all say " shot placement " over and over again but in real field conditions it would be nice to have a bit of insurance just in case you don't hit the heart square in the middle. Therefore I think a person needs to use the right tool for the right job. Ballistic tips for whitetails and premium bullets for the big stuff.
All of this gives the sport variety and makes things a lot more interesting. For me having one gun and one type of bullet for everything is boring.
Premium style bullets do well when penetration is required but I have seen them perform poorly when medium sized game is shot at close ranges. Especially when the bullet is travelling at high speeds. The bullet zips through the boiler room of a white tail and leaves a narrow wound channel. Animals will travel a fair bit or even be lost. Especially if the shot was a tad high.
We can all say " shot placement " over and over again but in real field conditions it would be nice to have a bit of insurance just in case you don't hit the heart square in the middle. Therefore I think a person needs to use the right tool for the right job. Ballistic tips for whitetails and premium bullets for the big stuff.
All of this gives the sport variety and makes things a lot more interesting. For me having one gun and one type of bullet for everything is boring.
I agree - my main point was that I was shocked to see how the balistic tips totally fragmented - in my experience, I've never seen the component of a bullet break apart so badly in a hunting situation - again just my opinion.
If you were taking neck shots, the violent fragmentation is probably desireable, vs a contolled expansion type bullet. A buddy of mine hit a mulie with a 140 gr tsx out of a 7 rem mag at 80 yds. He lost that deer. The next day, he got lucky and was able to shoot it again, even though it wasn't exhibiting any ill effects. Upon investigation, his first bullet sailed through the neck and missed anything that counted. There was a wound channel, but not like one with a ballistic tip or SST.
All said, your animals died quickly and that was what the bullet was designed to do. Not a failure if you ask me.
Jordan Smith
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Calgary, AB
Bullets expand faster, wider, and more violently close up and higher velocity. The problem with expansion from some premium bullets comes at long range and low velocity. If you want to keep BT's from fragmenting, slow them down to 2700-2800fps at the muzzle, and they'll do just fine.
Pathfinder
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Northeast Ontario
How long was the shot and or How fast do you think the bullet was moving when it hit its mark ?
