Nosler 140 gr. Ballistic Tips

[Waynard]

Anybody use the Nos. 140 gr. or 120 gr. Ballistic tips in a 7-08 for hunting deer or black bear? I've heard some good and some bad about them. Also I've seen a video where a guy shot a nice buck in the front shoulder at about 350 yards and the bullet blew up, the guy was able to get another shot and put the deer down, after he did some tracking. gun)

I like one shot kills where possible and prefer to do all my hunting before I shoot. Elmer Keith

 

[Engineering101]

waynard

I tend to prefer tough bullets going fast so I avoid ballistic tips and the like which are known to be soft. I favor Barnes TTSX or LRX bullets. For longer range shots going out past 500 yards I will however switch to Bergers for improved BCs though they tend to fragment. That fragmentation will usually result in more DRT kills than Barnes as the range grows. For example, my main load in my 7mm WSM uses the 145 grain LRX but I also have some 180 Bergers loaded up if I really need to stretch out. With the 7mm-08 (as it is relatively slow) I might split the difference and go with a regular Accubond. It will not go splat on a shoulder but does loose about 40% of bullet weight on impact.

 

[scottishkat]

Anybody use the Nos. 140 gr. or 120 gr. Ballistic tips in a 7-08 for hunting deer or black bear? I've heard some good and some bad about them. Also I've seen a video where a guy shot a nice buck in the front shoulder at about 350 yards and the bullet blew up, the guy was able to get another shot and put the deer down, after he did some tracking. gun)

I like one shot kills where possible and prefer to do all my hunting before I shoot. Elmer Keith

I had a 7mm08 back when they first came out before I started reloading it shot really well but the available ammo was questionable and I sold it. I have a friend that has shot more 100 pound whitetails than I can could count with the 140 CT NTB out of a Model 7 Rem and that rifle bullet combo slays them. You'll get one shot kills. He shoots them center mass and it just about decapitates them every time. Don't anticipate eating any front shoulders.

Good luck and shoot straight

Bob

 

[lloydsmale]

ive shot a pile of deer with the 120 and 140bts in the 280 and 7mags. Ate venison every time. The 120 is constructed a little stouter then the average bt. Its worked well for me even at 7mag velocitys. Granted im not shooting deer at 50 yards though. Supposidly because its used alot for sillouette shooting with 7mm handguns. Bottom line is hit a deer on the shoulder with any high velocity round and your going to loose that shoulder and proably the offside shoulder too. I dont care if your useing a bt or a partition or a barnes or any other bullet. Shoot them behind the shoulder where your suppose to and dont worry about loosing the ribs. We shoot alot of deer and id rather loose 5lbs of meat and have a deer laying dead where it was shot then chase wounded deer into the next county

 

[Rock 29]

ive shot a pile of deer with the 120 and 140bts in the 280 and 7mags. Ate venison every time. The 120 is constructed a little stouter then the average bt. Its worked well for me even at 7mag velocitys. Granted im not shooting deer at 50 yards though. Supposidly because its used alot for sillouette shooting with 7mm handguns. Bottom line is hit a deer on the shoulder with any high velocity round and your going to loose that shoulder and proably the offside shoulder too. I dont care if your useing a bt or a partition or a barnes or any other bullet. Shoot them behind the shoulder where your suppose to and dont worry about loosing the ribs. We shoot alot of deer and id rather loose 5lbs of meat and have a deer laying dead where it was shot then chase wounded deer into the next county

I have used 120 BT's in my 7-08 and 140 BT's in my 7 mag and have never had any problems with whitetails. They shoot great in my guns, just do not shoot them in the shoulder.

 

[Movin]

I shot a nice desert mule deer with the 120 BT using my 7 mag. Small entry and no damage to the far side. The heart was a total loss and the lungs poured out like soup.
It was an easy broad side at about 200 yards , just had to wait for that shot. This was my backup rifle for that hunt and didn't expect to actually have to use those bullets. I really felt under gunned because I knew if my shot was an inch forward the bullet would not penetrate. The Buck didn't even quiver or kick, completely over with before he hit the ground. Even so, I haven't brought those for a backup since. Wouldn't trade that moment for anything though!!

 

[Gray R]

I've done multiple whitetails with a 7-08 shooting the factory federal 140 ballistic tips and all of em dropped in there tracks. My girlfriend has killed 4 with the same gun and ammo and none went more than 30 or so yards. It's a very good combo for deer

 

[ShootnMathews]

My buddy uses the 140 in his 7 RUM. It performs very well. He killed on last year at 840 yards with that setup. I actually read a whole thread recently on the web about not using ballistic tips for hunting with all kinds of people saying they lost animals with BTs. That is all a bunch of garbage. Nearly everyone who lost an animal shot it in the neck or shoulder. The two worst places to shoot a deer in my opinion. We've killed 100's of deer combined with ballistic tips and I don't recall losing one. But we always shoot for a lung shot. Take out the fuel pump and a car won't run very far, know what I mean.

 

[Gray R]

My buddy uses the 140 in his 7 RUM. It performs very well. He killed on last year at 840 yards with that setup. I actually read a whole thread recently on the web about not using ballistic tips for hunting with all kinds of people saying they lost animals with BTs. That is all a bunch of garbage. Nearly everyone who lost an animal shot it in the neck or shoulder. The two worst places to shoot a deer in my opinion. We've killed 100's of deer combined with ballistic tips and I don't recall losing one. But we always shoot for a lung shot. Take out the fuel pump and a car won't run very far, know what I mean.

Amen. Right behind the shoulder is impossible to argue with

 

[Waynard]

Thanks guys for all your info. I've another question have any of you guys hunted the woods of N.E. PA. ? If ya have, you know a perfect behind the shoulder shoot is not always possible. Therefore ya need a bullet to go through the shoulder bone and still hold together.

I like one shot kills where possible and prefer to do all my hunting before I shoot. Elmer Keith

 

[Gray R]

I've done most of my deer with a 308 shooting 150 ballistic tips and center shoulder shots. Don't run em fast and you'll be fine again.

 

[ShootnMathews]

I'm in WV so I know what you mean about not always getting the shot you want. But I still most always wait for a double lung shot. Unless its a real trophy and I know I'm not going to get one. But that is very rare. In fact I don't recall shooting one outside he lungs since I was a kid.

 

[Dgd6mm]

I killed 2- S.C. Deer lastyear with my 7-08 with 120 NBT's. The bullet did good The Buck was 70 yards and the Doe 215 yards DRT.

 

[jesterg]

Wayward,
I have my wife's 7-08 loaded with 120NBT @ 2900fps.She shot a big mature Blacktail 4x4 with the 120 NBT and the bullet entered behind the shoulder and through the opposing shoulder... DRT!! I was very happy with the performance.
I shot an elk with the 120 NBT, behind the shoulder and it stopped on the skin on the opposing shoulder it walked about 10 steps and ANOTHER DRT!!!I retrieved the bullet and was happy with a 80 gr. mushroom remaining. Again very happy....
My friend has ran 140NBT in his 7mm.@ 3175fps. He has shot at least 3 big bucks at over 700 yards, and multiple bucks at various ranges. He has always been very happy with the performance of the NBT..
Now when it comes to Black Bears they are a little more durable than deer...
Where we hunt it's STEEP and BRUSHY!! We like to bust the shoulders if possible and knock them down and I don't think the NBT is quite strong enough for that. But if you have some good tracking ground then a heart/lung shot is a good task for the NBT IMHO!! That's my experience.. I say your good to go.. Load em up and knock em down..
Jesterg