Any thoughts on the 95 gr nosler ballistic tip for average white tails? Loaded some for my daughters 243 as training loads and can't decide if I should switch to partition or a bonded bullet for hunting. Thanks in advance, Dave

No one will question that a partition will not let you down... that being said... if the MV of a ballistic tip ( any ballistic tip, regardless of weight) is kept under 2700 fps, it may surprise most people on how much it will penetrate.. in fact the lower the velocity, the ballistic tip will out penetrate the partition and actually do more damage within the game animal.... it opens down to about 1500 fps....

I myself, keep my velocity down and will usually pick the ballistic tip.... It also gives better accuracy than a partition consistently in my rifles....

Cheers
seafire

Hey Dave, I've killed quite a few Deer with that 95gr B-Tip from the 1st and 2nd generation B-Tips.

It will work fine for her as long as she keeps them in the forward 1/3 of the Deer. It even does well going directly into a Shoulder but might or might not Exit.

I loaded mine at a SAFE MAX with a powder that is no longer available - H450 - and never had a problem due to Impact Velocity being too high.

Also agree with Seafire that the B-Tips do fine when used at Reduced Velocities as you will see if she takes a longer shot.

Nothing at all wrong with the 85gr, 95gr and 100gr Partitions either. They always gave fine accuracy in my 243Wins with the 95gr and 100gr always making an Exit.

I use the very old 90gr Speer Hot-Cor now and have settled on it. Lots of great Hunting Bullets for the 243Win.

The 95 grain BT will do just fine for Texas whitetails. You won't be able to shoot it fast enough out of a .243 to exceed its design capabilities.

I think it will do ok for you. I know it will put down a WY antelope. That is the bullet I loaded up for my friend before we went to WY. (In his 243).

He dumped his antelope at 191, recovered a fully mushroomed but separated core/jacket in the offside skin. He didn't care what the bullet looked like. Neither did the antelope.

I do have some reservations on using this combo on really big deer at longer ranges, however.

I have had problems with the 95gr ballistics tips and whitetail. I do not like the penetration and the knock down power “I like an in and out shotâ€. These 95gr where for my wife who is new to shooting and hunting and I have always told her to go for a shoulder shot. Ballistic tips seem to cause a lot of blood shot meat on the shoulder of the deer she has hit. Most of the deer shot have ran 50-100 yards and in cactus and mesquite thickets and it is experience recovering the deer “Ouch!†I have since switched her to 85gr. Barnes TSX and all have been bang flops and never had to track to recover a deer yet. She is shooting a 243 with 85gr Barnes TSX with 33gr. of IMR 4320. This is a very mild shooting load but deadly. Good luck.