Nosler ballistic tip in 257 roberts ?

[Gunnerboy]

I have just finished building a mauser in 257 roberts and have been looking at which bullet to choose for deer, I am a nosler fan and i shooting nothing but accubonds out of all my calibers and was curious to hear some feed back from anyone who has used the above mentioned on deer or antelope. I am curious to know if the ballistic tip holds together well when going thru stubborn thick skinned critters or if i should just stick to my accubonds.

 

[azwizard]

100 Gr. ballistic tips is what I use in my 25.06 for Deer/Bear/Antelope, Killers.

 

[rcmodel]

Just make sure you pick the 100 or 115 grain hunting bullet.

The 85 grain Ballistic-Tip is a varmint bullet.

rc

 

[interlock]

a lot depends on the velocity your bullet will be going at when it hits the target. The ballistic tips expand pretty quickly and with a very fast round they get a bit of critisicm for explosive expansion. in a round with more moderate velocity they are excellant.

 

[Lloyd Smale]

ive used them in the 250 sav 257 roberts 2506 and even the 257 wby and have yet to have a deer walk away from one. Meat damage is more of a matter of bullet placement then it is bullet expansion. Hit a deer in the shoulder with any high velocity bullet and your likely to loose that shoulder. Hit them behind the shoulder and all you loose is rib meat.

 

[MCgunner]

I like Ballistic Tips in my .308. I haven't tried 'em in my .257, but the 150 .308" has killed deer from my 12" Contender and my 20" Remington M7, 2150 fps MV to 2800 fps MV. I'm rather impressed with it.

I shoot 100 grain Sierra Game King from my .257 and it's a fantastic bullet in this caliber for deer. I'm firing it over a healthy compressed charge of H4831 and getting 3150 fps from my 24" barrel, 1/2 MOA accurate. I would caution against the 117 grain Hornady Interloc in this caliber. I have had failure to expand with this one, recovered the deer, but he went a ways with little blood trail and a good hit. Good bullet for shoulder shots on hogs, though.

Just my $.02

 

[critter]

I, too, use 100 gr Nosler BT's in my 25-06 and have had wonderful success on deer. If they stand up to the velocity of the '06, they certainly will to the .257. I believe you will get amazing accuracy, plenty of expansion and penetration for your applications. Good luck.

 

[j1]

The Bob at 100 grains does quite well as a deer gun using Sierra 100 grain bullets as the expansion is excellent and they drop like a rock. Used in a 257 Weatherby I think that the partition or accubond would be better.

 

[GooseGestapo]

I was given a box of the first lot# of Nosler B.T.s back in the '80's when they first came out. They were too thin and explosive and though I didn't lose a deer, I lost a lot of meat and had some long trackings to find the deer. However, they increased the thickness of the jacket and subsequent lot#s have been better. Mind you that in GA, most of the shots are under 150yds, and mine were running 3,000fps+ m/v.

I had a bad batch of Hornady 117's that were tumbling and I had to switch to my p-dog loads on a mule deer hunt to Montana in '93. I took a mule deer doe at a measured 378yds with a 85gr B.T. to the spine/shoulder with a bang-flop and 2" exit wound. At ranges under 100yds they are bit "soft" however. The 100gr. B.T.'s are better, and 115gr. better yet... I've refused to pay the price of the 110gr Accubonds and feel that they are uneccessary with the 'Bob.

I've used the 115gr B.T. and consider it a hard to beat bullet from the .257Roberts. I use 45.0gr of IMR4831 for near 3,000fps and it has worked every time I've used it... about a dozen times to date. Most shots have been 125-225yds and hits have been to heart/lungs or shoulder/spine.
I did however lose a doe hit in the shoulder with a 115gr.B.T. from my .257Wby. M/V runs 3,350fps and the shot was ~75yds. The bullet blew out shards of meat that were hanging from nearby brush and tree. Deer went down, but got up 10seconds after shot while I was negotiating terrain (clear-cut w/ditch) and couldn't get a shot off before it topped the far rise. No blood trail, ect.
I've had excellent luck with Sierra's and Speer 100-120gr bullets from the "Roberts". No need for bonded, ect from it.
I bought 500 Hornady 100gr "Interlok" "blems" from MidwayUSA several years ago. These have been superlative for me through the years.
I have however had "issues" with Hornady bullets and wouldn't use them on a $$$$ out of state hunt. (failure to expand w/200gr .338"; failure to expand w/139gr .284" SST's, above mentioned jacket failure on .257" 117gr BtSpt's.).

IMO you cant go wrong with a Sierra 117gr "ProHunter" or 120gr GameKing.
Lately I've had good success with the 115gr Berger VLD "Hunting" from the 'Bob. For the .257Wby, the 100gr Hornady @ 3,600fps m/v has been good. The last deer I shot this past season was a 180lb (dressed) 8pt at a lased 177yds. The heart shot left a 1" hole and double blood trail for about 80yds. I drove my truck to within 10yds..... But, the 'Bob does the same thing....
I've also had excellent success with the 100gr and 120gr Speer's. Too bad they are phasing out the "HotCor" series. Good thing I've got a good stash of 87,100, and 120gr .257's.

 

[hardluk1]

Try some of the heavier NBT's to find what your rifle likes best .