Nosler Bullets and deer hunting

[stillquietvoice]

In my 7mm-08, 120 gr nbt is about all I hunt with (although I have huge range of 7mm bullets at my reloading disposal). I've kind of come to learn that not all nbts are created 'equal'.

The 7mm 140 gr. nbt was kept the same and the 7mm 150 gr. nbt was beefed up. I read somewhere that Nosler over the past 3-4 years did

Though I've not used 120 nbt's I have used the 140 nbt on 2 white tailed bucks last season. The first was a double lung shot at fairly close range, jellied the lungs as well as several other internal organs. The Second shot was a difficult quarter on, likely 1/8 th, took high shoulder shot the broke the clavicle and jellied heart, lungs, but gave no exit wound. The 140 nbt 7mm is really explosive and probably best suited for longer ranges. I've also taken game with 139 sst's it's the same deal very explosive and better used St longer ranges. Used a 139 interlock spbt this season it is a much tougher bullet still showed massive damage, but gave a large exit hole, which didn't matter much, cause he was drt. The range wad similar to the other shots on game with sst and nbt, about 60 yds.

I did use a partition last season to take a small doe at about 40 yds. A 60 gr 223 that shot was quartering forward. That bullet broke the inside shoulder, took chunks out of the heart and jellied one lung before exiting the off side ribcage cage.

 

[Kevinq6]

I think for deer you are splitting hairs, your have an excellent record. I'd use what you enjoy using.

I like that a partition will go deeper if bone is hit but in your case the bullet did fine. If they go 30-100yds that is okay to me.

I hunt with a .308 and use 165gr accubonds. They are less explosive than a 150gr soft point but they still lose some weight when they hit (30-40%) so they are a nice all-around choice since I also hunt some big wild boars. A ballistic tip or Power Point would do more damage to a deer but the accubond still gets the job done. This hear I shot my buck facing me in the neck and broke his spine. A softer bullet would have done fine and just destroyed more of his neck and probably a little less bone. I do sort of like that I am destroying less meat sometimes but it depends as if I hit bone it turns it into a bone fragment grenade that is pretty destructive.

 

[Bottom Gun]

I’ve been using Nosler Partitions on deer and elk for over 40 yr and have NEVER had one fail. I can’t say that for other bullets.
I suppose I’ve been lucky because my rifles have always shot Partitions well. I’ve used them in .223, .243, .308, .30-06 and .338 Win Mag. They are my favorite hunting bullet.

We recently tested bullet performance and discovered the Gold Dot/Fusion bullets also penetrate better than most with good weight retention. Accuracy was excellent. They would be my second choice, especially in the smaller calibers.

 

[mshootnit]

One thing I have noticed over the years is I get less unpredictable events with bullets 130 gr. on up. 270, 270 wsm, etc. Not a fan of plastic tips overall but I use and tolerate them.

 

[mshootnit]

I think for deer you are splitting hairs, your have an excellent record. I'd use what you enjoy using.

I like that a partition will go deeper if bone is hit but in your case the bullet did fine. If they go 30-100yds that is okay to me.

I hunt with a .308 and use 165gr accubonds. They are less explosive than a 150gr soft point but they still lose some weight when they hit (30-40%) so they are a nice all-around choice since I also hunt some big wild boars. A ballistic tip or Power Point would do more damage to a deer but the accubond still gets the job done. This hear I shot my buck facing me in the neck and broke his spine. A softer bullet would have done fine and just destroyed more of his neck and probably a little less bone. I do sort of like that I am destroying less meat sometimes but it depends as if I hit bone it turns it into a bone fragment grenade that is pretty destructive.

I have done the similar thing several times with 100 gr. 6mm, 257. right through the middle of the neck to the spine. Neat kill

 

[Flintknapper]

I have used the 140 nbt on 2 white tailed bucks last season. The first was a double lung shot at fairly close range, jellied the lungs as well as several other internal organs. The Second shot was a difficult quarter on, likely 1/8 th, took high shoulder shot the broke the clavicle and jellied heart, lungs, but gave no exit wound. The 140 nbt 7mm is really explosive and probably best suited for longer ranges. .

^^^^

I get very similar results with the Nosler Combined Technology Ballistic Silvertip (140 gr.)

I load it to right at 2900 fps for my 7mm-08. It is very accurate almost always results in the deer dropping right in its tracks.

For heavier/tougher game such as feral hogs....I really like the 160 gr. Federal Trophy Bonded Bullet. I load it to about 2650 fps. It always holds together well but also expands.

 

[9x56MS]

I’ve been hunting deer for 50 years with everything from the 30-30 Winchester to the 338 - 06. My choice of weapon has depended on terrain and anticipated distance. I’ve lost track of the number of deer I’ve taken...easily around a100. Most have dropped in their tracks. Those than ran never went further than 50 yards or so before they piled up. I have long since understood the value of shot placement. The majority of the deer I’ve taken have been harvested with Nosler bullets. Most were taken with high shoulder and neck shots. One of my favorite shots is a quartering away shot. I aim fairly high at the shoulder I can’t see (off side shoulder). The result is an instantly dead deer 99% of the time.

This year was the exception. I made the decision to cull a poor quality 4 year old with a poor set of antlers. The shot was under 100 yards and broad side with a good 20 foot elevation advantage looking down into a ravine at the deer. I had the wind in my favor, but he came out from an unexpected spot and saw me. He stood there for a while and decided to calmly leave. As he cleared the brush his pace started to pick up. At that point I knew I had a limited window of opportunity. The cross hairs came to rest squarely in the middle of his right shoulder when I sent the round down range. My rifle in this case was a Ruger M77 MKII in 25-06. My bullet was a 115 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip that I had loaded up to 3100 f.p.s. He kicked in the after-burners but that right front leg was a done deal. I was impressed by how fast he ran on three legs but, once again, he only covered a short distance before he piled up in spectacular fashion.

The postmortem on my deer was as expected. Ballistic Tip bullets are pretty much like throwing hand grenades. Both lungs were blown up and there was quite a bit of damage to the heart. That round turned his right shoulder to mush. However, there was no pass through. This started me thinking. Had I been using a Nosler Partition I would have broken both shoulders and he would have gone down in his tracks. I’m sure that a good bit of the reason was shot placement (heavy bone) and velocity. At that short distance that bullet was screaming hot and blew up pretty quickly. I’ve killed deer with partitions with good results, but I’ve always felt that Ballistic Tips gave a much more effective performance when it came to expansion...explosive expansion in fact. So here’s the question: Am I straining at gnats here? Either way the result would have been the same. Things don’t always come out in the field the way we want them to work out. Would I be better to go with partitions in the future? My guess is six of one, half a dozen of another. Shot placement IMO is the most important component of the event. Your thoughts please?

My experience mirrors yours in many ways. There is only one degree of dead, but I am a meat hunter and I found I lost a lot more meat to ballistic tips than with partitions. I moved up to 358 ca!iber and back to run of the mill cup and core bullets. The larger heavier bullets drop deer like the hammer of Thor but I have found they don't shoot up near as much meat at their lower velocity. Good hunting.

 

[whatnickname]

My experience mirrors yours in many ways. There is only one degree of dead, but I am a meat hunter and I found I lost a lot more meat to ballistic tips than with partitions. I moved up to 358 ca!iber and back to run of the mill cup and core bullets. The larger heavier bullets drop deer like the hammer of Thor but I have found they don't shoot up near as much meat at their lower velocity. Good hunting.

Agree completely. Ballistic Tips get the job done but it’s like throwing hand grenades. I’m considering changing over to cup and core (just plain, old regular bullets) exposed lead nose, soft points...Speer and Hornady. Wonder if these will blow up less meat?

 

[9x56MS]

Agree completely. Ballistic Tips get the job done but it’s like throwing hand grenades. I’m considering changing over to cup and core (just plain, old regular bullets) exposed lead nose, soft points...Speer and Hornady. Wonder if these will blow up less meat?

That really depends on how fast you push them. Years ago I was using a ruger 77 in 243 Remington 100 grain corelocs on 2 deer I found the jacket separated from the core. Both deer died obviously but no exit wounds on either. If you keep them 2700 and below they perform admirably. Good hunting.

 

[Patocazador]

I stay far away from ballistic tips and the like. I've been hunting deer since the early '60s and had many problems with Sierra bullets. Then Nosler came out with the Ballistic Tip. Tragedy ensued with jellied meat, no exits and lost deer. I tried the Partitions and have not looked back. 2 elk at over 400 yds., 2 moose who dropped within 20 yards, 11 head of African antelopes, and close to 200 deer have fallen to my rifles and Partitions.

I will stay with them until I croak.

 

[troy fairweather]

I stay far away from ballistic tips and the like. I've been hunting deer since the early '60s and had many problems with Sierra bullets. Then Nosler came out with the Ballistic Tip. Tragedy ensued with jellied meat, no exits and lost deer. I tried the Partitions and have not looked back. 2 elk at over 400 yds., 2 moose who dropped within 20 yards, 11 head of African antelopes, and close to 200 deer have fallen to my rifles and Partitions.

I will stay with them until I croak.

What all did you use your 7x57ai on, any pictures of it.

 

[Patocazador]

What all did you use your 7x57ai on, any pictures of it.

I killed about 65% of the deer, etc. with that rifle and 140 gr. Partitions.

Here's an awful photo of me and the Husqvarna with a Nyala in Zululand.

 

[troy fairweather]

I killed about 65% of the deer, etc. with that rifle and 140 gr. Partitions.

Here's an awful photo of me and the Husqvarna with a Nyala in Zululand.

View attachment 977723

Looks like a nice rifle and animal even with the bad resolution picture, shame what became of the rifle tho. And are those bellbottom jeans lol. I need to get some 140 partitions for mine, good classic load and use the accubonds in the 7wsm.

 

[GooseGestapo]

I made a similar hit to the op’s on a mature doe at ~120yds with a 115gr BTfrom my .257Wby. Velocity was 3,350fps mv chronographed.
The bullet apparently disintegrated. There were strips of meat resembling strips of jerky hanging from a close by dogwood tree. Tuffs of hair floating in the air and clinging to vegetation. The deer dropped immediately at the shot. As I was walking towards it, I saw a deer bolt and run off. I never found it, though I’m sure the coyotes did. A month later I shot a smallish buck with the 115’s from the same box, but running 2,900fps from my .257Roberts. Typical low chest heart lung shot. Deer ran, but scarce blood trail. Late evening shot, so I deferred till the next morning. I found the deer only by spotting an antler poking out of a pile of leaves. Coyotes found it, and covered it with leaves to keep/hide it, but otherwise it was undisturbed. It had only run 75yds large exit wound.
I’ve e also had a 100gr .257 BT from the first lot produced by Nosler blow up. An identical shot as yours killed the deer with another 75yd dash. Biggest piece I found Was the blue tip lodged against the lower inside of the rib cage.
Had a 150gr .284” BT separate on a spine shot on a 90lb yearling doe. Part of the core exited, but found red tip and jacket near exit. Many small lead fragments.

I used an 85gr BT to kill a mule deer doe in Montana in ‘93. The Hornady 117gr BtSpt’s I took we’re destabilizing in flight. I missed deer with 7 shots at ranges of 175-250yds. Testing on a large cardboard box at 250yds (zero range) showed only one hit bow in full profile... I’d taken 100rds of 85’s to shoot prairie dogs. Three on box shot a 1.5” group... Shot doe next day at measured 378yds. Broke spine with broadside shot. Excellent exit wound. Two days later shot other 96rds on pd town. Got a bunch!

I consider the BT’s to be target/varmint bullets in calibers .30 and under. Many other blowups besides those mentioned. Too many other conventional Soft point bullets at 1/2 price of Noslers. Corlokts and Interloks (except bad box mentioned above) have generally been excellent. If hunting big game with B.T.’s , keep mv under 2,800fps... Haven’t shot anything with BT’s bigger than .30, but have 200or so .338” 180’s for “some day”.

I won’t go into issues I’ve had with Hornady SST’s... either blowups or failure to expand...
But the FTX’s have been superlative....

 

[LoonWulf]

I shoot heavy for caliber tipped bullets almost exclusively. Never had a bullet related issue with animals up to 1000lbs or so.
I've shot other options, and the only ones I was really disappointed in were Speer 150 boatails from my 06s. 165s or 180s probably would have been fine.

 

[High Plains]

I had a Ballistic Tip blow up and leave a big hole under the spine of a Mulie buck. That was the last time I used those bullets with that rifle. The same bullet into the chest likely would have made lung jello. This is a perfect case of shot placement making / not making bang-flop results. The 115 grain BTs had superb accuracy in my 25-06 Rem. A scope failure kept me from bagging a massive buck with that rifle.
Supposedly, the Partitions had accuracy issues BUT Nosler fixed it. I have never had an accuracy issue with Partitions. My 300 and 7mm Weatherby’s have great accuracy with 180 and 160 grain Partitions, respectively. I think a 7mm Weatherby and a 160 grain Partition are a winning combination for anything in North America, except the big bears.

 

[Patocazador]

And are those bellbottom jeans lol.

FYI, I have NEVER had a pair of bell-bottom pants.

However, I've got plenty of jeans with the knees and pockets ripped with holes but I didn't buy them that way.

 

[9x56MS]

Holy jeans should be earned, not bought as a fashion statement. I have told my grandchildren this several times. I think my mother told me she has a pair of my bell bottom jeans in a chest in her attic that I left there when I joined the army in the 70's.

 

[pwillie]

I have a model 70 Classic chambered in a 257 Weatherby, that I use Weatheby ammo,made by Noslar..115 BST, and they are like a lighting bolt up to and out 450 yds...nothing runs off and I have seen a150 lb doe do a body flip when hit at 330 yds...love the rifle and the round..

 

[Bacon buster]

Accubonds need to be pushed hard partitions are a little easier to get expansion out of. I’ve had mixed results with ballistic tip bullets and stopped using them. I currently use Berger hybrids with excellent results. For deer and such I’d pick the partition. Recently finished up load development with some 130 Nosler rdf in 6.5 but have not had an opportunity to test them on game yet but I expect similar results to the Berger.

 

[Bacon buster]

I shot a doe at 135 yards quartering away with my 300 win mag using Hornady precision hunter 200 gr eld. Entered through the ribs and lined the shot up for the bullet to exit between the off side shoulder and neck. No exit. Blew the deer completely off her feet and upside down. I could see her hoofs kicking straight up in the air through my scope. She got back up jumped the creek and collapsed. During the processing I examined thoroughly. Everything inside the deers chest was absolutely pulverized. Black and jam like consistency. Don’t pass judgment on the lack of an exit at close range or the fact that the deer didn’t fall instantly. Sometimes everything does it’s job well and the critter just has a will to go.

 

[Nature Boy]

So here’s the question: Am I straining at gnats here?

Yes

Good shot + Deer dead + Deer recovered = success in every measurable way

 

[Chuck R.]

Good shot + Deer dead + Deer recovered = success in every measurable way

That pretty much sum's it up!

It reminds me of something I'd read in a gun magazine a while ago. It was a bullet manufactures tech support reply to a users complaint about their bullets performance due to having recovered bullets that didn't penetrate through the animal. The reply went something to the effect of; "At what point during the animals demise did our bullet fail?"

I really like Nosler BTs, but I'm generally a double lung shooter at greater than 100 yds. Those times I've hunted that I knew the odds were in favor of a closer shot, I used a partition or something bonded.

 

[troy fairweather]

That pretty much sum's it up!

It reminds me of something I'd read in a gun magazine a while ago. It was a bullet manufactures tech support reply to a users complaint about their bullets performance due to having recovered bullets that didn't penetrate through the animal. The reply went something to the effect of; "At what point during the animals demise did our bullet fail?"

I really like Nosler BTs, but I'm generally a double lung shooter at greater than 100 yds. Those times I've hunted that I knew the odds were in favor of a closer shot, I used a partition or something bonded.

That's what I say when guys said there bullets failed, most say this when cutting up sed animal lol.

 

[pwillie]

I try to always place the shot in the base of the neck,and have had great success...no running off any where...just drop dead ...I never pull the trigger in the "Boiler Room" like you see them do on the "Hunting Channel"....and doesn't mess up very much protein...