A quick question. For years my "go to" reload for my 270 Win has been 150 gr Nosler partitions ahead of H4831. I have used this combo sucessfully all over North America and Africa for a wide variety of game, large and small.

I am considering working up a load specifically for antelope and deer using 130 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips in front of H 4831 SC. I know that early-on Nosler BTs had a horrible reputation on medium sized game for blowing up and not penetrating well. I am of the impression that these early problems have long been corrected and these bullets are now performing well on medium sized big game. Can anyone confirm that the BTs are now a good choice for antelope and deer? Thanks.

None better.

I shot a small deer with a 180 30 cal in a 06 with RL22 behind it. Shot thru the deer bought like a softball on the exit hole. I dont think it blew up but it opened up quick. That was a small deer. If that bullet had been out of a 300 mag 2or 3 hundred ft. faster it might have come apart and maybe not. I cant say. Sure killed that deer.

Ram, those problems were corrected about 20 years ago, during their second year of production.

They've been redesigned at least twice more since then. The newest version uses jackets that match those of the accubonds.....they just are not bonded.

If you get a chance to look at a NBT that has been sectioned and see the base of the bullet I think it would be comforting.

.270 + H4831 + 130 NBT = DRT

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Originally posted by Stonecreek:
None better.

They work fine, but I dont think I would go that far..

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Originally posted by Wstrnhuntr:

quote:

Originally posted by Stonecreek:
None better.

They work fine, but I dont think I would go that far..

quote:

I am considering working up a load specifically for antelope and deer . . .

Okay, for this purpose what bullet would you name that is better?

When I did my antelope hunt in 2009, my load for the .270 was the 150 gr. Sierra Game King over a stiff load of Winchester's discontinued (DAMMIT! ) WMR power. Velocity was 2930 FPS. Worked just fine on my goat. If it wee me, and I already had a good 150 gr. Nosler Partition load, I'd just go with that and know it would work. As Murphy sez. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Paul B.

Paul, I've shot deer and antelope with both bullets. The 150gr Partition is a great elk bullet, but the BT's were built for deer and antelope. Under 3k they provide better expansion, massive trauma, and dead critters. Under 3k the 130-140gr NBT is not too much bullet, and it's not too little.

Antelope sniper:I had exactly the same question about the BT as ramhunter. I have used the 150 PT for along time as well with no complaints. Since I retired I started shooting less expensive BT,s and dicovered that my rifle shoots the 140 and 150 into tiny little clusters. Good to here from someone who has actual experience on deer say they work fine. Next season the BT is going deer hunting in my .270. regards;Hub

In .30 cal I have killed more deer than I can count in the past 25 years with a NBT ranging from 125 grain thru 180.
This is with .308 and .300 Win Mag.
I just started using the 140 NBT in my .270WSM but have no kills to date. I expect when I do shoot a deer with it I will get the same perfect performance I have had with the .30 calibers.

The problems of the past have not changed IMO. It really depends upon the size of the game your hunting. The 130's have the least mass of the .277 BT's and is most likely to fail. The 140's are better and the 150's the best choice.

If you consider that the BT is basically a varmint bullet for deer sized game you can better understand why the heavier bullets prevail.
The 130's might make a good choice for Antelope but the larger the deer gets the more it strains this bullets OAL performance.

This bullet is designed to continue expanding until it leaves the body or is stopped. That is part of its charm. The longer 150 grainer offers a longer expansion window before core seperation and I have never seen this with this bullet weight, only in the 130. The 130's will shred if too much bone is hit early resulting in early core seperation leading to deflected bullet paths through game. The larger 150's have enough mass to punch through bone maintaining its flight path straight through.

If your dead set on the 130 gr. bullet weight then consider the new Accubond. It gives identical flight characteristics to the BT but the bonded core will offer a much more controlled expansion and retention window resulting in better penetration through bone.

i've had to many bt's blow up on game to ever trust them again. try accubonds is you don't like 130 parts

quote:

Originally posted by butchloc:
i've had to many bt's blow up on game to ever trust them again. try accubonds is you don't like 130 parts

This says it in a nutshell.....not that they are poor bullets.....but that my trust is gone!....I wish they had named it something different when they changed them....

That is why I bought a bunch of the old style solid base bullets when I slaughtered a deer with the new and supposedly improved bt's.
I would go with the partitions.

Ramhunter:
I'm with the guys that say to just go with what's working for you. Why change? This is a load you have experience with and confidence in. That means a lot when push comes to shove.
I only use 150 Partitions in my .270 Win., get 2930 fps and consistant 1" or slightly less grouping @ 100 yds. What's not to like? again, confidence in your rifle means a lot.
Good luck.
Bear in Fairbanks

I do understand that the partition and accubond are tougher bullets that perforn better at all ranges than perhaps the BT. In the .270 I,v seen bullets like gamekings,core loks and power points perform rather crappy at close range on deer as well but seem to perform much better at long range. Say 150yrds. out to whatever. So how would you guys compare the performance of the BT to other deer bullets that cost about the same as the nolser BT,at long range.

I found out on the nosler web site that that they recently changed there impact velocity stats from 1600-3000 to 1800 min.to 3200 max. They say they beefed up the BT over the last several years. Hmmmm- interesting. There is know chance I can push the legendary 130 grain .270 bullet that fast. I am going to give the BT a chance to shine inspite of mixed reviews.