The bad rap on Ballistic Tips
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 111
The bad rap on Ballistic Tips
Often I come across threads speaking poorly of ballistic tips. Normally the thread goes something like "It didint penetrate" or "It exploded on contact" or something to that effect.
My limited experience with them goes like this......
Two years ago on the same hunting trip, my brother and I killed two deer the same day. I killed a doe which was shot at about 50 yds with a .308 150grain BT. Broadside shot bullet entered about three inches behind the shoulder exited the same opposite side. Entrance and exit hole were the same about the size of a dime. Both lungs were punctured and a piece of rib apparently sliced the trachea in half. She ran about 20 yards then expired.
My brother killed a buck about 200lbs on the hoof. Broadside shot with a 270 wsm BT behind the shoulder. 100 yard distance. Shot the deer again a little further back after it ran about 10 yards then stopped to look at him. Exits and entrance holes looked the same. Deer ran 100 yards before expiring. Minimal bleeding from both deer.
My experience with them (granted little) has been opposite of what I usually see written in the posts. These bullets seemed to not expand at all. I was hoping to hear from others who use them or have used them about there experiences on deer size game. I would still like to use them because they in that rifle are the most accurate but also want a bullet to perform reliably as well. Thanks.
Scott
My limited experience with them goes like this......
Two years ago on the same hunting trip, my brother and I killed two deer the same day. I killed a doe which was shot at about 50 yds with a .308 150grain BT. Broadside shot bullet entered about three inches behind the shoulder exited the same opposite side. Entrance and exit hole were the same about the size of a dime. Both lungs were punctured and a piece of rib apparently sliced the trachea in half. She ran about 20 yards then expired.
My brother killed a buck about 200lbs on the hoof. Broadside shot with a 270 wsm BT behind the shoulder. 100 yard distance. Shot the deer again a little further back after it ran about 10 yards then stopped to look at him. Exits and entrance holes looked the same. Deer ran 100 yards before expiring. Minimal bleeding from both deer.
My experience with them (granted little) has been opposite of what I usually see written in the posts. These bullets seemed to not expand at all. I was hoping to hear from others who use them or have used them about there experiences on deer size game. I would still like to use them because they in that rifle are the most accurate but also want a bullet to perform reliably as well. Thanks.
Scott
#2
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: fort mcmurray alberta canada
Posts: 5,667
RE: The bad rap on Ballistic Tips
I have killed roughly 40 head of game with ballistic tips.In all cases they expanded,and I have never had to rack any animal hit with a ballistic tip.However,judging entrance and exit holes can be misleading as bullets often leave a small entrance hole,expand and do a great deal of damage,shed some weight as well as diameter,then leave a small exit hole.This was very common when I used the partition.
#3
RE: The bad rap on Ballistic Tips
Great bullet as long as you know which ones are intended for varmints and which are intended for big game. In all cases it helps to be smarter than the bullet.
#5
RE: The bad rap on Ballistic Tips
ORIGINAL: scott26
Often I come across threads speaking poorly of ballistic tips. Normally the thread goes something like "It didint penetrate" or "It exploded on contact" or something to that effect.
My limited experience with them goes like this......
Two years ago on the same hunting trip, my brother and I killed two deer the same day. I killed a doe which was shot at about 50 yds with a .308 150grain BT. Broadside shot bullet entered about three inches behind the shoulder exited the same opposite side. Entrance and exit hole were the same about the size of a dime. Both lungs were punctured and a piece of rib apparently sliced the trachea in half. She ran about 20 yards then expired.
My brother killed a buck about 200lbs on the hoof. Broadside shot with a 270 wsm BT behind the shoulder. 100 yard distance. Shot the deer again a little further back after it ran about 10 yards then stopped to look at him. Exits and entrance holes looked the same. Deer ran 100 yards before expiring. Minimal bleeding from both deer.
My experience with them (granted little) has been opposite of what I usually see written in the posts. These bullets seemed to not expand at all. I was hoping to hear from others who use them or have used them about there experiences on deer size game. I would still like to use them because they in that rifle are the most accurate but also want a bullet to perform reliably as well. Thanks.
Scott
Often I come across threads speaking poorly of ballistic tips. Normally the thread goes something like "It didint penetrate" or "It exploded on contact" or something to that effect.
My limited experience with them goes like this......
Two years ago on the same hunting trip, my brother and I killed two deer the same day. I killed a doe which was shot at about 50 yds with a .308 150grain BT. Broadside shot bullet entered about three inches behind the shoulder exited the same opposite side. Entrance and exit hole were the same about the size of a dime. Both lungs were punctured and a piece of rib apparently sliced the trachea in half. She ran about 20 yards then expired.
My brother killed a buck about 200lbs on the hoof. Broadside shot with a 270 wsm BT behind the shoulder. 100 yard distance. Shot the deer again a little further back after it ran about 10 yards then stopped to look at him. Exits and entrance holes looked the same. Deer ran 100 yards before expiring. Minimal bleeding from both deer.
My experience with them (granted little) has been opposite of what I usually see written in the posts. These bullets seemed to not expand at all. I was hoping to hear from others who use them or have used them about there experiences on deer size game. I would still like to use them because they in that rifle are the most accurate but also want a bullet to perform reliably as well. Thanks.
Scott
The only deer I ever shot with a BT was with a 120-grain in 7X57mm. Made the worst mess of the front half of a deer I ever saw. Switched to 150-grainers, but never killed another deer with a BT.....
#6
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: fort mcmurray alberta canada
Posts: 5,667
RE: The bad rap on Ballistic Tips
If you are both using short mags that is the reason for no expansion. Remember you get what you ask for. A flat shooting bullet that is fast, oh wait I want expansion too!!! LOL
#8
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 111
RE: The bad rap on Ballistic Tips
Thanks for the replies. In both deer there was not much internal damage to speak of other than a small patch of busted ribs. There was some trauma to the lungs , like the redness (gelatin lookin stuff) that occurs, but not the soup as mentioned. I did not take into consideration the bullet losing mass and making a small exit hole as well. Just havent shot enough deer I guess. Thanks again for the replies and anyfuther info is greatly appreciated as well.
JamesB-- which BT's are intended for big game and which are intended for varmints??? I am guessing its related to caliber, but atwhich caliber and up due they thicken the jacket??
Scott
JamesB-- which BT's are intended for big game and which are intended for varmints??? I am guessing its related to caliber, but atwhich caliber and up due they thicken the jacket??
Scott
#9
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 321
RE: The bad rap on Ballistic Tips
JMO
But an educated person a long time ago set me down and told me that Ballistic Tip Bullets are not intended for hunting.
Their main design was to be used for target practice only.
Most educated people would agree with me on this one.
The lead on the tip of the bullet, usually burns off while it travels through the air after it leaves the barrel.
Now the lead inside of the bullet is what is the greater part of the mass which makes up the main part of the weight of the bullet. The construction of the bullet - determines how much lead it can hold.
By knowing that, it would be determined that a bullet of the proper construction - made for the harvest of big game would be proportionally better than a bullet designed for target practice.
We did tests on Sierra boat tails in 150 / 165 / 180 gr in 30 caliber / .308 and found that they were poor compared to a 150 gr Hornady PSP bullet.
The weight retention of the boat tail bullet was not consistent compared to a spire point bullet - because the spire point bullet held the lead better and retained more of it's weight. Where as a lot of the Boat tail bullets fell apart when it struck a hard object - such as bone / trees / twigs etc...
Ballistic Tip Bullets should NOT be used for hunting purposes.
But an educated person a long time ago set me down and told me that Ballistic Tip Bullets are not intended for hunting.
Their main design was to be used for target practice only.
Most educated people would agree with me on this one.
The lead on the tip of the bullet, usually burns off while it travels through the air after it leaves the barrel.
Now the lead inside of the bullet is what is the greater part of the mass which makes up the main part of the weight of the bullet. The construction of the bullet - determines how much lead it can hold.
By knowing that, it would be determined that a bullet of the proper construction - made for the harvest of big game would be proportionally better than a bullet designed for target practice.
We did tests on Sierra boat tails in 150 / 165 / 180 gr in 30 caliber / .308 and found that they were poor compared to a 150 gr Hornady PSP bullet.
The weight retention of the boat tail bullet was not consistent compared to a spire point bullet - because the spire point bullet held the lead better and retained more of it's weight. Where as a lot of the Boat tail bullets fell apart when it struck a hard object - such as bone / trees / twigs etc...
Ballistic Tip Bullets should NOT be used for hunting purposes.