Ballistic Tip or Partition

[razmuz]

Just got a Ruger light weight in 257 Roberts.  Will be hunting Arkansas white tail only.  Using the 115 gr. Nosler which bullet would you choose?  The BT & Parttition, both have the same sectional density.  Folks tell me the 120 gr doesn't do well in the 257 and I feel the 100 gr may not be enough.  Please share your thoughts with me.  Have any of you used the Hornady light weight mag with the 117 bullet?

[Blackhawk44]

Have used BTs in 100gr 257 Roberts and 150gr 308 in small and medium Texas deer and will reserve them for varmints.  Glad I didn't try them on hogs.  Behave like nice coyote bullets.  257 used on a small 114lb buck broadside lung shot at 145yds measured.  Left a near 2" entrance hole and fragments in the off ribs.   308 on a 100lb buck ten yards closer was a duplicate.  Had they been laying next to each other, could not tell the wounds apart.   Have never even had Sierras come apart like that, let alone Hornadys or Speers.  Hornadys 100gr have worked great in my 257s and 25-06s for years.

[SingleShotShorty]

Either Bullet will do a good Job but if you get a bad hit with the BT's you could lose the animal. I would go with the Partition I have had great luck with them in my 243 Winnie. The Partition is just allot Tougher Bullet than the Ballistic Tip.

[Hcliff]

I like the partition bullet.  I like hole both entry and exit.  (My favorite is the 90 gr BT X bullet in my 25-06.  It is lethal!!)  The partition is a grat choice.  I don't like the BT beacuse it expands well but can overexpand on big deer shoulders.  Some people like the quick expansion on the rib cage area.  (Two different thought processes) Have fun!!!

Hcliff

[Rick Teal]

I used 180 grain ballistics almost exclusively in my 30-06 for about a decade - and loved them.  I shot a dozen or so deer, three moose and a bear with them.  One deer travelled as far as 70 yds, but most animals dropped on the spot.

My only experience with partitions was one guy in my gang who shot a bull moose with them out of a .300 WinMag.  Two bullets passed through the chest, and the animal kept going.  It's a good thing he *ss shot it with his third bullet, or the thing would still be going.

That being said, I understand that NBT's are less reliable in smaller bores and at higher velocities.  I loaded some 95 grainers for a friend using a 6mm remington on deer, and he made 3 quick kills with them, so they can't be that bad.  I did load them at less than maximim velocities though (something in the 2900 fps range).

[Selmer]

For Arkansas whitetails, I think you'll be okay with BT's, but check them and see which shoots better in your gun, our .243 turns out great groups with Partitions, I love BT's in .30 caliber for deer, that's all that goes into my .308 and .30-06, and yes, I do eat and butcher my own deer, they DON'T destroy excessive amounts of meat!
Selmer

[varmit_master]

I live in Ark i have killed deer with BT in a 22 250, 30 06, 270, 7mm Rem mag, now i have a 300 wby i use a 125gr BT i have killed deer with with all these guns with BT if i was u i would try both of them or if u reloaded work up a load with a BT 125gr BT out of my 300 wby in the shoulder is like a mack truck hitting the deer  :eek:  lol VM

[Questor]

You may want to have a look at the Speer hot-cor bullets. I've had good luck with them so far. I tried ballistic tips, but don't really see an advantage.  If I really wanted to be sure of penetration and performance, I'd definitely go with the partition.  It's a proven bullet and many consider it the perfect game hunting bullet.