# Ballistic Tips



## jeep_guy_4x4 (Apr 11, 2005)

Is a shoulder shot on deer a good choice with BT's?

I understand that BT will mushroom upon impact which is disrable for thin shinned game such as deer. How well do they perform if shot into the shoulder of a deer to hit the kill zone...Will they penatrate the shoulder and impact into the kill zone?


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## Farmhand (Oct 5, 2005)

We shoot the bullet a lot, and shoulder shots on deer are no problem, especially high in the shoulder where you also pick up a lot of spinal damage. The bullet generally performs very well and the deer should go down on the spot.


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## DustinS (Nov 9, 2004)

I shoot ballistic tips in my 7mm Rem. Mag and and haven't had a deer take one step after being shot. Also, they have penetrated either all the way through or to the inside of the opposite shoulder. However, the only drawback is if the hit is through the shoulder there is sometimes a lot of bone fragments scattered throughout the meat in that area. Other than that, i think they are great.


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## Sasha and Abby (May 11, 2004)

4 days ago, I shot a 190 pound deer through the shoulder. He dropped on the spot and I had an exit hole too. They are the best all around bullet on the market - but they will not make up for a sorry shot placement.


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## Shooter (Sep 21, 2004)

i've used 55 grain ballistic tips with my .223 and the deer didn't go far at all. i'd say you'll have no problem. and to anyone who's concerned, i've heard everything about not being ethical with a .223 and bla bla bla so don't bother. Thanks!


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## possum daddy (Oct 22, 2005)

Depends on the caliber you are using. I wouldn't be afraid to go for the shoulder with my .270 and 130 gr BTs.


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## Duckslayer100 (Apr 7, 2004)

My uncle shoots a .300 winmag with BT's and he's hit 'em in probably every lethal area on a deer with no problems. Of course that is quite the cannon, but still, those bullets sure back a whollop. :sniper:


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## hehheh (Sep 21, 2006)

i use a 270 short magnum with BT's and they work really good the deer drop but the exit holes are kind of big lol


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## Horsager (Aug 31, 2006)

I think ballistic tips work best when they're started out under 3000FPS. Stories of ballistic tips "blowing up" generally involve some screaming magnum with a light-for-caliber bullet such as 140's in one of the 7 mags or 150's in one of the 30cal mags. I've shot the 140's in my 270 for 17yrs and the results have been very predictable from ranges of 25-200 yds. I have yet to recover one as they have always exited. We did recover a 140gn ballistic tip fired from a 7-08 started at about 2800fps that my cousing used to shoot his 1st deer. It was a sharp quartering away arse-to-shoulder shot, found the slug between the front shoulder and the rib cage. It penetrated roughly 30" of deer before it stopped. It was a 50-75yd shot. The ballistic tip might just be the ideal "deer" bullet. I wouldn't use them on anything tougher than deer though.


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## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

I've shot the 130-140 grain BT's from a 270 for years. Have never had the slightest problem with deer & antelope from 50 yards out to beyond 400 yards. My handloads send a 130 BT downrange at 3050FPS and the 140's at 2950FPS...


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## SDHandgunner (Jun 22, 2004)

I have been using Nosler Ballistic Tips since I first saw them on my dealers shelves. Granted I have never used them in an Magnums, but rather Standard Cartridges as well as Rifle Cartridges in Handguns. I don't ever recall recovering a bullet from a Deer, nor do I remember ever finding evidence of bullet break up.

I had a buddy that used 150gr. .284 Caliber Nosler Ballistic Tips in his 7mm Remington Magnum. He was shooting them HOT (something like 4 to 5 grs. over published maximum). Well he shot a couple Whitetails with the Ballistic Tips and swore he'd never use them again as they punched caliber size holes through the Whitetails he shot with them without expanding at all.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

I shoot 165 gr Ballistic Tips at 3350 fps. I have had complete pass through at ranges as close as 100 yards. I keep playing with Swift Scirocco's, Barnes Triple Shock, Nosler Accubond and others, but the truth is on deer size game I don't think you really need them. The good old Sierra 165 gr Game King also holds together well. I like the polycarbonate tips because they don't get their tips beat in the magazine with the recoil of magnums. 
I hear a lot of stories about blow ups, and they might be true, but I don't have them. My experience is they are tougher than Hornady SST, and I can't get the Hornady Interbond to shoot accurately. I have tried five or six powders, a couple different primers, and seated the bullet three or four different depths. No go with the Interbond in any of my rifles, I give up.


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## BendNSend (Sep 20, 2006)

The BT has been an excellent bullet for deer for me. Only one drawback and that was mentioned before about how there is usually alot of tissue damage from this bullet. Otherwise if that is not a concern I have never recovered any bullet or pieces for that matter in any part of a whitetails carcass. I have had shot deer from 10-300 yds. with none of them taking more than 1 step after impact.


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## JustAnotherDog (Oct 16, 2005)

I read somewhere that Nosler makes BTs differently for different uses. Some are for game hunting w/thicker jackets and some are for varmints w/thinner jackets. I just don't know how anyone can tell them apart unless Nosler tells us.

I use 140 gr BT in 7 mag about 3200fps and it's never failed on deer. (and it can really launch prairied dogs.) 
:lol:


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## SDHandgunner (Jun 22, 2004)

JustAnotherDog said:


> I read somewhere that Nosler makes BTs differently for different uses. Some are for game hunting w/thicker jackets and some are for varmints w/thinner jackets. I just don't know how anyone can tell them apart unless Nosler tells us.
> 
> I use 140 gr BT in 7 mag about 3200fps and it's never failed on deer. (and it can really launch prairied dogs.)
> :lol:


Yes Nosler does indeed tell us which one is which. The HUNTING Ballistic Tips are packaged 50 per box and the VARMINT Ballistic Tips are packaged 100 or 250 per box.

Yep it is that simple.

Larry


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