I've been hunting whitetail deer for more than 20 years now and have shot my fair share of them. Throughout the years I've met alot of hunters in deer camps, the rifle range,sportsmans clubs,game dinners and etc. Made alot of good friends along the way.
The subject of bullets seems to always find their way into the conversations that I enter into. You know what I'm talking about. Premium or standard, plastic tipped or lead tip, and what about that moly stuff!
Anyways, my gripe is not with what bullet you use (they all get the job done if used correctly)it's with those who talk down on something they know nothing about.
THE NOSLER BALLISTIC TIP BULLET
This bullet is the most contraversial and misunderstood bullet on the market today.If used correctly and a well placed a whitetail will drop like you just flipped a switch. If not, you might be tracking him for hours.
The first thing you need to understand about a Ballistic Tip is Do not shoulder shoot. Ballistic Tips are rapid expanders and the energy will not get to the vitals the way it should. A second shot will more than likely be needed.If you use a large magnum, this bullet may not be for you. Large guns tend to put the bullets energy on the off side of the animal, not in the chest cavity. The distance to the deer is critical here, be resonable about how far your shot will likely be. The last thing to remember about these wonderfull bullets is, a exit wound is a good sign you are using to big of a gun or too heavy of a bullet. This is what makes these bullets so contraversial. Use it right, let it do its job and you don't need a large exit wound for tracking. As I said earlier they are rapid expanders, they are designed to drop all their energy INSIDE THE ANIMAL
This post is not ment to offend anyone but to educate those who have not had the same luck I've had with what I consider the best whitetail bullet on the market today. Any replies good or bad will be welcomed. If you've had bad experiences with these Noslers, please reconsider and give them another try this fall.

Best of hunting to all
Chambered 221

Well written...

I have no beef with the Ballistic tip except as you said. They are a fine bullet. Shoulder hits are not a good idea with them. Sooo...With that said and the fact that sometimes you have nothing but a shoulder shot allowed you. I hunt in forested areas. I will stick with Sierra 165 grain BTHP which also expands faster then most, but not as fast as a ballistic tip...Besides the wheel isn't broke...Yet.

My brother in-law uses them in his 25-06 and likes them. I don't use any nosler bullets.

I have used both sierra and nosler on game. I can't remember a shot I would call a failure with either. I have taken deer, bear and moose. My nosler choice may change as I am testing the Accubond. The first moose only gave me a shoulder shot and I recovered 60% of that bullet. I find the accubond is as accurate as the BT and stays together at 300 ultra mag speeds. You can't ask more than that.
Don

Exit wounds vs. no exit wounds with expanding bullets have long been ( and for sometime to come I'm sure ) an argument as to which is "better" ..
I dont know that there is a clear answer .. Personally I prefer two holes .. Aint saying i'm righht and you're wrong , or vice versa ..

You are correct , BT's are NOT good choices in a high velocity cartridge ..

Again my choice here , and everyone hunts under different conditions , but I dont see a need for any premium bullet to be used for whitetail deer ..

Howdy. I have shot quite a few deer with the 150gr B-T in my 308 (@2780 fps) and it shot VERY WELL ( accurate). On lung shots it performed flawlessly as you stated on shoulder shots is does not. I have had entrance holes I could put my fist in when I hit the shoulder and it has happened more than once with no exit wound.It has always killed the deer without a issue. I can't always get a lung shot as Bushmaster stated. So I switched to the Partition for a few years with no issues. When the Accu Bond came out I tryed it and like it very much and still use it in my 308 for deer, it shoots as good as the B-T but holds together better on a shoulder shot. I love Nosler Bullets I shoot them most of the time. I have never condemmed the B-T but have stated on occassion my dislike for them on shoulder shots. Thats the cool thing about reloading lota bullets to choose from :-D.
Joe

Per Big Game....

Rendering the front wheel drive useless on most critters is the easiest way to gain a lock on dead, and consequently a capable bullet on that path can't help but disrupt a vital or two.....

Makes little sense to roll dice with a bullet incapable of breaking bones....and relying on a crap shoot with regards to where the energy is expended elsewhere in the animal.

Know your critter, Know your range, and, Know your chambering........

Per Deer....

Deer die easy but ignoring the above seperates the wheat from the chaff............

Some have stated that a lung shot is not always an option, does anyone ever consider a neck shot as your next option?


GroovyJack is correct about the exit wound debate going on for a long time to come.
I feel most overlook the transfer of energy to the animals body in this regaurd. It is this shock to the central nerves system that actualy kills the deer when they drop at the crack of the gun.


I would like to hear more about the Accubonds. My dad will be using them for the first time on a moose hunt.

I've used Nosler Ballistic Tips since they came out. Never lost an animal, mostly elk hunting, using them on ranges from 75 yd to 300 yes. Bought into the hipe about super bullets, tried Fail Safe, Nosler Partition and AccuBonds. Mostly in 165 or 180 gr., in .300 Win Mag. Fail Safe, punched a neat hole, exit wound 1 inch. Partitions alittle better. and AccuBonds a 1 1/2 exit wound. I've never had elk and deer drop in their tracks like when using Ballistic Tips. However; all my hits have been in the Boiler Room, usually broadside. Past yr shot a Bull Elk 125 yd, quartering facing me. The AccuBond went thru three ft of elk, (boiler room), and exited. Required a second neck shot. Considering all, I'll probably use AccuBonds this Fall. Shooting a Nosler and you can't be to far wrong.

Neck shot? Unless you hit the spine they can run a long time with a neck wound. I would pass on a neck shot...If you are close enough to the deer for a neck shot, why not take a head shot instead...? Absolutely no meat loss...

I seek tissue destruction and compromised bone structure....it need not be huge nor complete, just ample.

Hard to live through that........................

I prefer the best of both worlds... Nosler Partitions. The nose expands fast for fast energy transfer yet the rear end stays together to drive deep / through bone. I've yet to have a bad result with the partition. I have used the BTs and are fine up to larger critters (anything over deer sized game).

My favorite round is my .50 cal muzzleloader bullets... there is no need for expansion as its already half an inch going in LOL!


-DallanC

Interestingly, there remains controversy on exactly what kills when bullet meets meat. Acknowledging both hydrostatic shock and disruption of vital organs as part of the formula, bullets are often called upon to do more than either.

Seldom do game animals present a photo perfect side on profile, the one where we would often choose a high lung shot. Often the view we have is of a quartering animal either coming toward or away from us. Head on shots, or tail on shots can be presented, too. An ideal bullet would be capable of killing humanely in any of these presented scenarios or we will be faced with passing on shots with lesser bullets that could be made with the premium type of bullet.

Having guided elk hunters for several years, rare is the hunter that will pass on a doable shot when a trophy presents itself. Now, this may be apart from whitetails that are in greater abundance or concentration in some given hunt areas, but, still, the hunter may wish to have a bullet that will perform under the majority of presentations or be disciplined enough to pass on shots that would stress the bullet too much.

The Texas Heart Shot may wish to be avoided most of all. Yet, I have seen quick kills when a sturdy bullet was capable of transversing the hind quarter into the lung area on big bulls. Unfortunately, risk of damage to good edible meat is often the consequence.

Most guides and hunters I know that have worldwide and North American experience prefer a bullet that retains weight, drives deep and exits the game. This gives two holes for blood loss and, if needed, tracking. It offers the penetration needed to plough through shoulder bone, continue to lungs and either exit off side or off shoulder. Numerous brands of bullets have distinguished themselves for this type of performance, although, on smaller, thin skinned game it may not always be needed.

Woodleigh, Barnes X, TSX or MRX, Nosler Partition are representative brands that will maximize performance under any foreseeable condition and at any hunting velocity. Speer Hot Cores (been around a long time but still one of the best conventional bullet available) and Grand Slams get high marks from those that use them, too. Ballistic Tips need to be chosen to match the game as they offer both thin and thicker jacketed bullets. Most of the normal hunting weight BTs are the thicker jacketed type and perform well in most circumstances. But, the future of bullet technology is clearly being written.

Nosler will introduce an all copper bullet with polymer tip for public sale soon and the polymer will be added to new models of Barnes. Other manufacturers are preparing their own versions. Two reasons for this: one is the rising concern about lead in the environment poisoning birds of prey and predators being reintroduced into some areas. The other reason, and far more important, is the exceptional accuracy and killing ability of the homogenous copper bullet. In the future, it is foeseeable that lead in hunting and varmint bullets will be withdrawn from the market entirely.

But, why would anyone wish to wait until it becomes mandatory? I can't recite one disadvantage to the copper bullet.

The X is the best killer on the market.......

Can't wait for market competition with products of same/same quality/performance.

I have only made one shoulder shot with a Nosler Ballistic Tip. It was about 50 yards on a huge Eastern whitetail. He died immediately. The shoulder was broken and there was plenty of shredding in the vitals. My favorite all-round projectile for deer based on terminal results, however, is the Remington Core Lokt. The only problem is that in my 30-06, it is not as accurate as the Noslers.