What are your thoughts on the effectivness of the 100g Nosler BT at 2,200 - 2,300 fps on whitetail? Shots will be under 100 yds and most likely 20 - 70 yds. Think it will expand and penetrate ok or should I use a bit more velocity?

My daughter tried a 120g load at 2,800 fps last year from my lightweight 260 Rem but the recoil was a little more than she wanted (10 yr old). I was thinking of using SR-4759 since I have it on hand.

I'd work toward a little more velocity but if the bullet expands reliably then you ought to have 25/35 performance which was regarded as a reasonable short range deer gun in its day.

Does the gun fit her length of pull? A proper stock makes a big difference in a new shooter's recoil tolerance. A Sims, Limbsaver, or Decelerator pad makes for smiles too.

My guess would be that the 100 gr. BT's would work fine. I don't have any direct experience to back that up though.

However, since you already have some 120's on hand I will suggest something I do have direct experience with that I can guarantee will work great. These have very mild recoil and have been deadly on deer out to over 150 yds. for me.

I used either Speer 120 Hot-Cors or Remington 120 Core-Lokts. CCI 200 standard primers and either of the following powder charges:

H-4198 from 26.0 to 28.0 grs (usually 28.0) yields 2400 fps from my 22" 260.

or

H-4895 from 30.0 to 32.0 grs (usually 31.0) yields 2400 fps from my 22" 260.

I don't know what powder you were using to push your 120's to 2800, but you need a faster burning powder like H-4198 or H-4895 to get good uniformity at these reduced levels. Varget would probably work too.

I realize you had her shooting 120's last year, but dropping the velocity to this level really takes the bite out of the recoil yet still will leave you with plenty of power to take white-tail the way you describe.

Best of luck,
Mark in GA

I think the BT is a varmite bullet at this weight in 6.5. I`d go with the 100 gr partion in its place. The partitions are suppose to expand reliably down to around 1700 fps, or so I`ve been told, and should work for short range on deer. They were designed for deer in rounds like the 260 or 6.5 Swede.

The 100 gr. .264 BT is a game bullet not a varmint bullet. On the nosler site the largest varmint bullet listed is the 85 gr. .257. All others, even the 125gr .308 are game bullets. I would try four things to reduce recoil in addition to reducing the load. (go for the 30gr of H4895). Add weight. I would assume she is going to shooting off a rest more or less? Ok. Get a Harris bipod and stick to the front swivel stud. Mine adds a pound and is easy to take off and on. Get a cartridge web that goes over the buttstock and fill it full of rounds. If your really wanting to add weight do this: Fill a fired case with lead shot and stick a bullet in it backwards. Each round will weigh lots and that will add even more weight. Recoil pad. Most pads are so firm as to be usless. Get a Kick ez. If you want to go to more trouble you can get a mercury recoil reducer and put in the stock but that runs into money. Last and not least make SURE she has excellent hearing protection. I'm talking plugs UNDER muffs. Many times its the noise not the actual kick that new shooters object to. Even with muffs there is quite a bit of muzzle blast. So my advice is: Load a 100 gr Nosler partition with 30 grs of H4895 and get a harris bipop on the the front studd and get a cartridge web for the stock and at least add the weight of some loaded rounds or "lead rounds", new kick ez recoil pad (you'll like that also!) and plugs under muffs ear protection and I bet she says the kick isn't bad at all. Good luck! Your daughter is the future of our sport! FNMauser

I have 100g Partitions on hand so I will give that idea some thought. I was thinking that the plastic tip would force the 100g BT to open reliably and possibly wider at the slower speed.

BTW, I change out the lightweight, Lone Wolf stock on my 260 and put a Rem SPS youth stock on the rifle when my daughter is using it. This stock has the R3 recoil pad.

I'm loading the 100 grain BT in my 6.5x284 for antelope this fall. I'm shooting it at 3400 fps and I shoot this load on steel at 500 meters all the time. With my 300 yard zero I'm only 5.2 MOA (32" low) at 500 meters and the bullet is travelling 2250 fps at impact. I trust it to shoot out there and it's basically the same velocity as you're getting at 50 - 100 yards.

I won't shoot this load at animals at less than 200 yards to make sure that the bullet is going less than 3000 fps at impact.

The NBT works better as you slow it down. I don't think you need to go all the way down to 2200fps, dropping the bullet weight alone will make the recoil much less for your little girl. Try RL15 or IMR4064 to about 2600fps, just about perfect impact vel. @ 100yds (under 2500fps).

Thanks for all the feedback. I will give consideration to a little more velocity as some suggested.

I shoot a 260 using 100gr NBT except i'm loading them hotter then you want, but I narrowed it down when working up a load and the last two powders RL-15 and H-380 and I could tell the difference in recoil between them with H-380 feeling much lighter on the recoil side I had to get my Chrongraph out to double check the FPS is was that much lighter, so you might want to give it a try with the 100gr NP.

Here are a couple of things to consider:
A 100 grain BT at 2600 fps will have minimal recoil and give you a good bit more punch than a 2200 fps setup. I doubt the shooter will be able to tell the difference in recoil, but the performance on game will certainly be noticeable.

But if you do want to remain in that lower velocity range, the 120 grain BT is the way to go. Given your parameters, it will perform perfectly. I've used it in everything from a 10" 6.5 TCU through a 26" 6.5-06 and have always enjoyed good results. That is the bullet I would (and do) use. You simply can't go wrong with it.

Also, the 100 grain Partition does not have the low velocity expansion window of the Ballistic Tip. Crank it up to the 2600 fps mark, and you'll do just fine.

Lastly, as to what Ol' Joe wrote ("I think the BT is a varmite bullet at this weight in 6.5. I`d go with the 100 gr partion in its place. The partitions are suppose to expand reliably down to around 1700 fp")

I'm not picking on you, Joe, but there is quite a bit bad information out there that tends to get rehashed: The 100 grain 6.5 mm BT is NOT a varmint bullet. And the only Partition rifle bullet that will reliably expand at 1700 fps is the version designed for the 30-30. Nosler even offers a guideline in recommending that Partitions have at least 2000 fps at impact to initiate reliable expansion.

quote:

Originally posted by Bobby Tomek:

But if you do want to remain in that lower velocity range, the 120 grain BT is the way to go.

Don't understand why you would want to use the heavier 120gr at lower velocity? Recoil goes back up and from my on game use I detect no difference in terminal performance.

I've shot a lot of fallow (same size as whitetail) and have found the 100gr BT perfect at 3,000fps out to 300yards by which time it must be around 2,300fps? I agree that 2,400fps is a little better but recoil MUST be kept down as a flinch is for life not just for Xmas!

It's simple. The 120 grain BT packs significantly more punch. Ever hear of the 6.5mm JDJ??? Those of us who use it and similar cartridges successfully recognize the fact that the 120 grain BT is much more authoritative on game than ANY 100 grain bullet at similar velocity.

And for the ranges he is talking about, he could keep the 120 grainer to 2200 fps and still have a rather effective round -- and one that is mild in the recoil department.

As to flinch, if it is developed with a 120/2300 fps load, it will be developed with a 100/2300 fps load as well. Lastly, over the years, I have de-programmed a number of flinchers. It's not that hard to do. I have no idea why you think one can't overcome it.

18 rg. of blue dot will give the 100gr. bullet a velocity of close to 2300 fos. in the .260. The energy level will be the same as the 25-35 at 1163 ft. lbs. That's not a lot but if you chose the right bullet it might be adequate out to 100 yards on medium size white tails if you don't try to go thru a lot of bone.
20gr. of blue dot and 120 gr. bullet yields about 2400fps. and 1500 plus ft. lbs of energy. The recoil will be a lot lower than the girl previously felt as the bullet is smaller in mass , leaves the barrel slower,the amont of gas is far less and it is exhausting at a greatly reduced pressure. The right bullet here will do the job on both ends of the rifle. roger

My only experience with this bullet was a 30-40 yard broadside shot at a small blactail buck. Bullet entered behind left shoulder and was found against the the right shoulder. Very little meat damage. Performance was great in this situation but I might opt for something with a bit more penetration if given the choice.

Well, I do have some experience on this subject....

a 100 grain ballistic tip will do better than a 100 grain partition at the lower velocities and beat it for results by a long shot...

If you want an accurate load, of all the powder combos I would first suggest 30 grains of RL 7.. it is more accurate than 4198.. and will give an MV right at 2400 fps....

Others know I also use Blue Dot a lot, but for the average person, they may feel more comfortable using a more readily available and conventional powder in that application...

30 grains of RL 7, can be used with any 6.5 mm bullet in the 260... in my experiences....

with a 100 grainer, it will give an MV of about 2400 fps...with a 160 grainer on the other end, the MV is about 2100... a conventional 140 is about 2200 and a 120 will be about 2350 fps...

these figures are out of a Ruger 77 Mk 2 with a 22 inch stainless barrel...

under 2700 fps, the 100 grain Ballistic tip or the 100 grain SP Hornady are the best two options for 100 grain bullets.. both do better than the 100 grain partition as the velocity decreases....

good luck to you and your daughter..

cheers
seafire