A few shots at game have shown that 120gr 7mm Ballistic tips are too soft even for me. Great shame as accuracy is superlative under a nosler max book load of VVN150 for 3,000fps

Will be trying some tougher 120gr Hornady SPs the little 6.5mm brothers of which have worked so well with me in 6.5x57R

Wouldn't mind pushing the speed of these 120s a bit higher but don't want huge muzzle flashes or heavily compressed charges etc.

I generaly steer clear of double base powders but wondered if RL15 might be the powder for this application? I also have some VVN550.

I like AA4350 in my 7x57 but I shoot no bullet lighter than 139 grains. In fact lately the 160 grain Speer and the 175 grain Hornady have been doing it all for me.

That 120 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip gets quite an endorsement by some but I now have my doubts.

I gutted a 145 lb whitetail that had been hit by one in the liver at 60 yds. The bullet had started out at about 2950 fps and while it did very good damage it did not exit.

Rifles vary but the 140 and 139 gr bullets shoot very well in every 7mm that I have. In a 7-57 carbine the 139 SST shoots very small groups pushed by some 4895 that I am using up.

Come this fall I think I will load that bullet in the 7-08 and the 7-57. Here the classic powder has been IMR 4350 for 140's in the Mauser. I may try a quicker powder like 4064 first.

1894, The most accurate load in my 7x57 is the 120gr NBT with RL-15 loaded close to the max in the Nosler manual. RL-15 is also good in my .257 Roberrts with 100 gr. bullets. Give it a try and good luck. Merg

1894mk2:

Have had good results with RL15 with Barnes X, will get to the TS this year, in both 7x57 and 7-08. Accuracy and speed. Approx. 3100fps

Could you share the 120 BT performance on your kills? Why too soft?

IMR-4895 From 37.3 grains to 45.7 grains
Winchester WLR Primer

quote:

Originally posted by tomk:
1894mk2:

Could you share the 120 BT performance on your kills? Why too soft?

I have shot about 5 roe with this bullet. First was quartering away at 200yards. Bullet entered about 3 ribs back from shoulder, broke opposite shoulder and failed to exit. 4 other bucks have all shown about 4"x4" of devestation on the opposite chest cavity wall. A roe buck only weighs 50lb max field dressed, the depth of the chest is about 10" or so. A slightly high shot with this bullet is going to damage the saddle with consequent hassle at the game dealer.

I have been very happy with the 6.5 100gr BT and the 6mm 90gr BT at 200-300fps faster but this is too much even for me - pity 0.3moa

I appreciate the response. I was pleased with the Barnes on some whitetail. Exits with a little more damage along the way than you would expect from a bullet as stout as the X.