ballistic tips??????

[highwayman]

would you shot a deer in the shoulder with a 125gr. 30 cal. loaded in a 30-30?

[handi243]

i did a lot of testing with pistol bullets the ballistic tips came apart EVERY time when shot into water bottles and wet newspaper. Im really kinda scared of them i am using the 125 gr soft point in mine. I havent taken a deer with it so i cant say how it will work. Not saying the ballistic tips will not kill but i would not shoot for the shoulder. Where i hunt is very thick woods so i need to either drop them on the spot or have a exit hole. just my 2 cents worth.

[David D.]

would you shot a deer in the shoulder with a 125gr. 30 cal. loaded in a 30-30?

Yes, but I prefer just behind the shoulder, heart lung shot. I have taken several deer with a 13" MGM 30-30AI loaded with 125gr. Nosler B-Tips. One shot D.O.A. Also use Nosler 120gr. B-Tips in both my 20" and 14" 6.5JDJ's. When and if I ever use my 257JDJ for deer hunting it will be loaded with Nosler B-Tips.

I guess you could say B-Tips are my bullet of choice for my Encore and Contender pistols.

[Lone Star]

Water bottles and paper are not deer.  The 125, 150 and 165-grain BTips are great deer bullets as long as the impact velocity is under 2800 fps.  I've taken dozens of deer with excellent penetration and expansion from BTips - most exited.  I have shot stem-to-stern on medium sized deer with the 150s, no problem.  Thousands of handgun hunters have used BallisticTips on deer - don't worry about the bullet, worry about shot placement.



.

[kynardsj]

When I had a 14 inch 30-30 Contender the 125 gr BT's were all I shot in it. It is a fantastic bullet for the 30-30. As was said earlier you can have problems when you run a BT too fast. 30-30 speed's are perfect for whitetail. In fact I was looking at a 30 Herrett barrel for mine so I could load the 125 Nosler BT's again.

[David D.]

Water bottles and paper are not deer.    Thousands of handgun hunters have used BallisticTips on deer - don't worry about the bullet, worry about shot placement.
.

Very very true!!!!!

My only drawback is the price, well worth it for hunting in my opinion. I also shoot a lot of them at the range, but it is pricey.  For plinking and  general shooting you may want a cheaper bullet, which may or may not have the same point of contact. I myself prefer to practice with the same bullet I will hunt with.

[handi243]

i will say this i have seen more deer lost with ballistic tips then others

[Lone Star]

...and just how many deer would that actually be?    

BTips have been the choice of top handgun hunters/makers like JD Jones since they were introduced.  Of course if you choose an inappropriate weight, a varmint bullet, or put it in the wrong place you can have a failure.  But the fact remains they are the most popular handgun hunting bullet for bottlenecked cases.  There is a reason for that.




.

[ctrout]

The only deer I ever shot with a 125gr 30 cal BT piled up inside of 40 yards.  Fired from a Ruger Mini-30, impact velocity was probably about 2100fps.  The bullet went into the ribs on a full broadside shot and did not exit.   I fished around inside a bit trying to find it but never did.  I know that it wasn't a shoulder hit but I would use the bullet again if I still hunted with the 7.62 X 39.  My daughter uses that gun now.  Guess which bullet she uses.

[oldrifter]

It doesn't always happen that way , if they run very far an exit hole would be nice .  More blood trail.
Good shoting oldrifter
<><

[Anduril]

would you shot a deer in the shoulder with a 125gr. 30 cal. loaded in a 30-30?

short answer, yes.
been there, done that, in 30 Herrett at 2100 ft/sec.
another good on is (was?) the Hornady 130 gr single shot pistol bullet.
..

[David D.]

 Of course if you choose an inappropriate weight, a varmint bullet, or put it in the wrong place you can have a failure.  
.

I agree!!!!  I have no proof, but I figure most cases of bullet failure are due to the bullet failing to hit its target!!!!

[handi243]

put it this way i get more calls from people needing help looking for deer that have been shot with ballistic tips than other bullets. Some we find but most of the time it from tracking with tracks or broken twigs than blood trails. Its not what i shoot to each his on if it works for you go for it. Remember what elmer said the exit hole bleeds more than the entrance. good luck!!!!

[sbhg]

...and just how many deer would that actually be?    

BTips have been the choice of top handgun hunters/makers like JD Jones since they were introduced.  Of course if you choose an inappropriate weight, a varmint bullet, or put it in the wrong place you can have a failure.  But the fact remains they are the most popular handgun hunting bullet for bottlenecked cases.  There is a reason for that.
.

I have shot many deer w/ a 7-30Waters, Super 14 Contender w/ 140 gr. BT bulets from 50-200 yds. and they all went down inside of 50 yds.
Shot right behind the shoulder, all bullets exited.
MV chrono'd @ 2,250 +/-fps.
I will use nothing else in a s-shot pistol.

[EdK]

I think ballistic tips are great and do have their place - Just as other bullets have theirs and are not be suitable for all applications. Sure I've seen ballistic tips fragment. The most spectacular instance was on a caribou hunt where one in the party took a caribou a only 50-75 yards from a 26 inch barreled 300 Win mag. That had to be a 3000+ fps impact velocity. One entrance hole, about 6-8 exit holes and no trip to the taxidermist with that hide. It dropped the animal though.

I don't think they can be beat in single shot handguns at range. They would not be my first choice if I thought shots might be real close in order to moderate the velocity a bit. I skip the 125s and go with a 150 in 30 cal as I am shootinmg an encore-based 308 cal wildcat. In a 30-30 from a Contender 125s should be good. If a shoulder was hit you should be OK but I wouldn't aim for it.

[David D.]

I think ballistic tips are great and do have their place - Just as other bullets have theirs and are not be suitable for all applications. Sure I've seen ballistic tips fragment.  It dropped the animal though.

I don't think they can be beat in single shot handguns at range.

I also will take the B-Tip in a pistol any day. But in a rifle unless shooting very long range where MV is going to slow down no! I once hit a buck at about 80yds. with a 7MM Mag. rifle loaded with a B-Tip. Yes DOA with no exit hole. Angling shot behind the left shoulder going into the right shoulder. Talk about damage, when skinning the deer the hole right shoulder fell off!

I do have my exceptions on this. For small rifle cartridges such as the 7-30Waters, 30-30Win, etc., in single shots I would opt for the B-Tip.

I have a Tender with a custom OTT 20" 6.5X225IMP (AKA 6.5JDJ) and it is a deadly combo when team with Nosler 120gr. B-Tips. With proper shot placement deer react like they were hit with a Mack truck.

[Jay HHI6818]

I shoot the Nosler 165 BT in my 309JDJ @ 2325FPS. I  have shot 15 deer with it and two required a finisher shot do to poor shot placement on my part. Several deer have had fist size exit holes!  I shot a button buck last year with my 257 JDJ and the 100 gr Nolser BT. Neck shot at 30 yds. I was amazed at the damage the Nosler BT did.

[bspeckchaser]

I shoot 120 bal tips in my 7-30 Waters and 165 bal tips in my 309 JDJ.  All deer so far ran at least 4 or 5 feet!!  DOA!!!!!

Pistol velocity is perfect for these bullets but poor shot placement makes any bullet "inferior".........

[xphunter]

I have used 120 NBT's with a 14" 260 Rem up to elk with no problems, and have used the 7mm 120 NBT's up to mule deer-great results, and have used the 140 grain 7mm NBT in the 7-08 and the 284 Win up to elk-Awesome.  Even used the 30 cal 150 NBT @ 3000 fps MV in a 7.82 Patriot XP.  Dropped a large cow elk like a hammer with exit @ 300 yards.  Used the same bullet to take whitetails as well.
I don't use NBT's much anymore, but it is not because of their effectiveness, but rather has more to do with drop and drift.