Ballistic Tips....

[BKMFR]

Anyone using .30 cal 165 gr Nosler Ballistic Tips for hunting? If so, any results?

[elkaholic123]

I have used them in 300wm with explosive results, in a slower round like 30.06 .308 they would be fine I think, or even light loads in 300.  They did  extreme damage to a couple elk when they hit bone 

[Jonathan_S]

I have used them in 300wm with explosive results, in a slower round like 30.06 .308 they would be fine I think, or even light loads in 300.  They did  extreme damage to a couple elk when they hit bone 

That's pretty much how it goes in my experiences with ballistic tips.  With the 300 WM, we always run 180s and 165s through the WSM.  In my opinion, if you need a ballistic tip to ensure proper accuracy, you're shooting way farther than I ever will.  With soft points, HPs, and all copper bullets, we've got good groups well beyond 300 yards and out to 500 which is farther than I would shoot a deer, elk, or bear.

[syoungs]

we had some ballistic tips loaded up in a 30-06 pretty hot, and experienced the same explosive, yet not impressive, results on a deer and an antelope, both at 300+ yds. I wont use them for big game any longer, lots of bullet choices out there that perform much better on impact imho.

[jkononen]

i shoot 150 combined technology out of 30-06.  Explosive? yes. but puts deer and bear down, on the ground, fast.

[Heredoggydoggy]

Ballistic tipped bullets are made for explosive expansion on thin-skinned varmint type critters.  Other bullets are better for big game animals that require a bullet that retains its weight on penetrant resistant thick bodies. 

[jackelope]

My buddy shoots them out of his 7mm Rem Mag and they splatter on impact. No good for saving meat, that's for sure. He shoots lights out and kills deer DRT but they ruin venison.

[Biggerhammer]

Used lots of the in a .300 Win Mag before the Accubonds came out. Never had a Mulie stay on his feet after a hit, they do some damage under 200 yards. But I shoot deer just above the heart in the lungs. I don't care if I blow his whole rib cage out the other side. Now where they shine is 200 yards and out. They bleed of a little speed in flight and expand almost like a bonded core bullet. Very accurate to boot.

[bobcat]

Just having a plastic tip doesn't make them "explosive." Look at all the bonded bullets with plastic tips, such as Accubonds and Interbonds. But yes, Nosler Ballistic tips generally open up fast. They are great for long range shooting since they will still expand reliably at lower velocities.

I shot an antelope with a 270 and 150 grain ballistic tips. 320 yards, broadside shot through the lungs, he didn't go anywhere but down. What surprised me is the bullet never made it to the far side of the body cavity. Not even a fragment, and the bullet only clipped a rib going in.

Ballistic tips are definitely not the bullet to use if you need lots of penetration.

[Jolten]

I use Barnes ttsx in my 243 and never had one blow apart on shoulder impacts.

[andersonjk4]

165 grain Nosler BT are all I shoot in my .06.  I have killed many whitetails with them.  All of them have performed very well.  All shots between 100 and 400 yards.  In front of 56.5 grains of IMR4350 out of my Weatherby Vanguard they are tack drivers.

[mountainman]

 They dont work when you hit a deer in the nose, but properly placed, they are lights out! 

[Rick]

My brothers and I have killed a bunch of deer and elk with Ballistic Tips. 130s and 140s from a .270 Win. 150s, and 165s from an '06 and 150s from a 7mm Rem mag.

We've recovered one single BT. A 165 from an '06 that hit a spike bull at about 50yds. Broke the near shoulder, and stopped just under the hide on the far side.

Other than that,they've all been pass throughs.
 

[Easy-E]

i quit using them about 10 years ago after I completely destroyed both front shoulders of a whitetail deer. That was with a 165 gr. handload out of a .30-'06. I didn't like all the shrapnel in the body cavity either. But I've been told that Nosler improved the design after I quit using them, so maybe they're better now than they used to be.

[HawkCreek]

165g Ballistic Tips are all I shoot out of my .30-06, I've never lost an animal I've shot with one nore needed more than one shot. I've never had a BT explode in or fail to exit a mule deer and I've shot them from inside 20 yards to over 300.  Nothing at all wrong with a BT at non-magnum velocities.

[C-Money]

A lot of hunters use them on big game, I never have. I prefer the Accubond or the Partition. I have also used the Hornaday interlock very successfully on deer and elk.

[TVHunts]

I believe I read that the speed mark for the BT is 3100 and under. Otherwise they can come apart on impact. That's why guys have not had problems in non magnums at varied ranges. Makes sense to me.

 Personally I think if you can make a BT shoot well you ought to be able to do the same with an Accubond which is known to stay together with considering speed.  Unless of course it is all you can get your hands on.

[thinkingman]

I use Barnes ttsx in my 243 and never had one blow apart on shoulder impacts.

I'm switching to Barnes for all of my hunting bullets.
Why mess with perfection?

[mrolen]

Barnes are awesome bullets, especially in a tikka topped with a Vortex!

[Heredoggydoggy]

A lot of hunters use them on big game, I never have. I prefer the Accubond or the Partition. I have also used the Hornaday interlock very successfully on deer and elk.

Exactly.  Ballistic tips are thinly jacketed bullets made for varmint hunting.  The polymer tip is mainly for aerodynamics, and the tip plugs into a hollow point bullet.  In some cases, the polymer tip assists in the mushrooming of the bullet, but is mainly there for the speed to the target.  Sometimes, too, the color of the polymer tip tells you what kind of bullet it is...
There are much better choices for animals like deer bear and elk.  Lately, factory ammo is available loaded with proprietary Hi-tech bullets from other manufacturers. 

[Rick]

A lot of hunters use them on big game, I never have. I prefer the Accubond or the Partition. I have also used the Hornaday interlock very successfully on deer and elk.

Exactly.  Ballistic tips are thinly jacketed bullets made for varmint hunting.  The polymer tip is mainly for aerodynamics, and the tip plugs into a hollow point bullet.  In some cases, the polymer tip assists in the mushrooming of the bullet, but is mainly there for the speed to the target.  Sometimes, too, the color of the polymer tip tells you what kind of bullet it is...
There are much better choices for animals like deer bear and elk.  Lately, factory ammo is available loaded with proprietary Hi-tech bullets from other manufacturers. 

There are two different styles of BTs. Like you mention one is for varmints,but the other is designed for big game.

You use what you want,but I've killed too many deer and elk with BTs to say they're anything but perfect. 

[bobcat]

They're certainly not made for varmint hunting. Maybe in the .223 caliber, but my .277 Nosler ballistic tips are not made for varmints. However, as I said, it's not a bullet I would choose for elk.

[Jolten]

I use Barnes ttsx in my 243 and never had one blow apart on shoulder impacts.

I'm switching to Barnes for all of my hunting bullets.
Why mess with perfection?

Is that sarcasm?? 

[Emptyhanded]

I shot my buck last year with a 180 BT out of my 300 wsm. The shot was only about 65 yards, quartering to me. The bullet took out a rib on the way in and one on the way out. Quarter sized exit. As someone already stated Nosler markets 2 different types of the BT. 1 labeled hunting and 1 labeled varmint.

Sent from my RM-860_nam_usa_100 using Tapatalk

[thinkingman]

I use Barnes ttsx in my 243 and never had one blow apart on shoulder impacts.

I'm switching to Barnes for all of my hunting bullets.
Why mess with perfection?

Is that sarcasm?? 

Nope.
Monolithic bullets have many advantages, especially when it comes to big game.
The jacket NEVER separates from the core.
The bullet NEVER has concentricity issues.
Copper bullets are long-for-weight...better ballistics.

[lhrbull]

the BT bullets by nosler or the combined technology are great on thin skinned animals antelope or deer I like thier E-tip for elk or moose they also worked there magic on 7 animals in africa. My 300 whby just doesn't like the barnes no matter what we tried. The E-tip is just .5 in below the BT so it is easier to trade between the two depending on the animal hunted.

[Taco280AI]

Used a few 130s on deer from a 270. Broadside shots through the ribs were fine. Had a quartering away shot - never used them again. Left a huge hole in the side and didn't penetrate inside the chest cavity, just blew up as people say. Used an Accubond from a 7mm at similar impact velocity and quartering away angle that broke 7 ribs on impact side, traveled across the body, broke 3 ribs on the off-side, and came to a rest just under the hide.

[idaho guy]

 i used 180 grain ballisitc tips in my 30-378. (3250 fps)Tried barnes but couldnt get them to group. shot antelope,deer,elk, black bear. Over 200 yards they worked really good and I stayed with them because they were so accurate. At close range I shot a mule deer it was a mess-Switched to the accubond and it shoots just as well for me. I would just start with the accubond. Last year was my first year with the accubond and it was super accurate and deadly.       

[Buzz2401]

I use them for deer and like said they don't retain much weight, but they are cheap and deer are easy to kill.  I use Barnes for elk and they retain most of their weight, and put elk down quick.  Love the TTSX from barnes. Have dropped twelve elk with them and have yet to have a failure.

[mountainman]

I use them for deer and like said they don't retain much weight, but they are cheap and deer are easy to kill.  I use Barnes for elk and they retain most of their weight, and put elk down quick.  Love the TTSX from barnes. Have dropped twelve elk with them and have yet to have a failure.

[dscubame]

What am I missing?  I have Barnes Accubond with a ballistic tip that I shoot out of by 30-378.  A few years ago the Accubonds I was shooting did not have a ballistic tip and now they do.  Or so I thing it is a ballistic tip but I question that cause this thread seems to refer to ballistic tip as a type of bullet.  Am I confused?

[bobcat]

What am I missing?  I have Barnes Accubond with a ballistic tip that I shoot out of by 30-378.  A few years ago the Accubonds I was shooting did not have a ballistic tip and now they do.  Or so I thing it is a ballistic tip but I question that cause this thread seems to refer to ballistic tip as a type of bullet.  Am I confused?

Ballistic Tip is the name of a bullet made by Nosler. The Accubond is an entirely different bullet. It's bonded which keeps it from coming apart inside the animal. Accubonds are also more expensive than Ballistic Tips.

[dscubame]

What am I missing?  I have Barnes Accubond with a ballistic tip that I shoot out of by 30-378.  A few years ago the Accubonds I was shooting did not have a ballistic tip and now they do.  Or so I thing it is a ballistic tip but I question that cause this thread seems to refer to ballistic tip as a type of bullet.  Am I confused?

Ballistic Tip is the name of a bullet made by Nosler. The Accubond is an entirely different bullet. It's bonded which keeps it from coming apart inside the animal. Accubonds are also more expensive than Ballistic Tips.

Roger that.  So many different types of bullets are being produced with plastic tips that sharply pointed.  Thanks for the clarification that was where I was confused.

[lhrbull]

are you sure you have barnes accubonds and not nosler

[jackelope]

What am I missing?  I have Barnes Accubond with a ballistic tip that I shoot out of by 30-378.  A few years ago the Accubonds I was shooting did not have a ballistic tip and now they do.  Or so I thing it is a ballistic tip but I question that cause this thread seems to refer to ballistic tip as a type of bullet.  Am I confused?

Ballistic Tip is the name of a bullet made by Nosler. The Accubond is an entirely different bullet. It's bonded which keeps it from coming apart inside the animal. Accubonds are also more expensive than Ballistic Tips.

But the accubond is a Nosler bullet too, not a Barnes. 

[bobcat]

What am I missing?  I have Barnes Accubond with a ballistic tip that I shoot out of by 30-378.  A few years ago the Accubonds I was shooting did not have a ballistic tip and now they do.  Or so I thing it is a ballistic tip but I question that cause this thread seems to refer to ballistic tip as a type of bullet.  Am I confused?

Ballistic Tip is the name of a bullet made by Nosler. The Accubond is an entirely different bullet. It's bonded which keeps it from coming apart inside the animal. Accubonds are also more expensive than Ballistic Tips.

But the accubond is a Nosler bullet too, not a Barnes.

Yes, of course. I thought everybody knew that.

[motg9_6]

As my old basketball coach used to tell me "don't think it hurts the team" 

Accubonds all the way!!! Dropped a lot of elk with 140 grn accubonds from my 7mm