Got back yesterday from Elk camp (weather ran us out early) I took a large 5 point and finished a smaller bull both with a 338WM, 76g R19 200g Ballistic Tip at 3020fps. Of three shots, two were pass throughs with very good wound channels through both shoulder and neck. I recovered one bullet that had passed through both shoulders on the larger bull and stopped beneath the hide of the off side shoulder. It mushroomed well, retaining most of the jacket, but weighed only 119 grains. The shot was at 110 yards, however and punching through both shoulders is a lot to ask of any bullet. Overall, very pleased with the performance of the bullet and accuracy is top notch. FYI. Good hunting.

If someone could tell me how I could post a pic of the bullet, bull etc. only if it would be helpful. Thanks.

Congratulations on you bull, and thanks for the report. I've read many negative comments about the performance but always from those who wouldn't and don't use it. An outfitter friend in Wyoming has always spoken well of the performance. Your results bear it out. I use 225's simply because I like the weight but I wouldn't hesitate using the 200's if they were more accurate. Thanks again.

Snowcat: Thanks for the information. Actually this is much like I would expect. I have shot several wild hogs with the 200 grain Ballistic Tip and have yet to recover one. Some of those boars were over 300 pounds and they are tough animals.

These bullets CAN be over stressed as observed by a friend who shot them at 3500 fps in a 338 X 378 Weatherby. He shot a big boar and had one of those bullets blow up on the shoulder. My dad finished the pig with a 225 Partition from his .340 Weatherby. The guy gave me the rest of those 200 grain Ballistic Tips and I have been shooting hogs with them ever since. (At about 3000 fps in my .338 Win Mag, about like your load.)

Thanks again, R F

I don't own a .338, so I can't comment on the effectiveness of the 200 gr. BT, but I don't doubt how well it would work.

What I can comment on is the effectiveness of the 260 gr. BT in the .375 H&H. Unbeatable performance on kudu, gemsbok, zebra, and other plains game. I can't help but think it would be a damn-near perfect elk load.

Joel Slate
Slate & Associates, LLC
www.slatesafaris.com

7mm Rem Mag Page www.slatesafaris.com/7mm.htm

From numerous real-world reports at numerous forums, it seems Nosler has gotten the message and is making their over 30 caliber B-Tips with proper jackets. They realized that a lot of guys use the large calibers for critters with big teeth/claws and bad dispositions. It doesn't do to have a consumer get chewed/clawed while using your product. A poster at another site sectioned a few of the 338's, and posted the pictures - the jacket is definitely thicker at the base, and above, than the under-30's.

My personal experience has only been with digging a number of the 200 grainers (338 WMag @ 2900 FPS and 250 grain .366 (9.3x62 @ 2200 FPS) out of the dirtpile behind my targets. Picture perfect mushrooms. Accuracy is excellent, per B-Tip expectations, too.

I really think they need to do the same thing with their non-varmint 30 caliber and under B-Tips, and publicize it. There are some guys I've talked to who won't even use them on whitetails(!!) because they're worried about lack of penetration.

R-WEST

Nosler will tell you that the ALWAYS made the 338 BT with a thicker jacket. Pictures in there bullet charts showed it.

If you email the pictures to me I'll post them for you.

[ 11-02-2002, 23:05: Message edited by: Jon A ]

For what its worth--Took the same rifle/load on a central MT deer hunt this weekend. Took a beautiful whitetail buck. 130 yards facing dead away at a steep downhill angle. I took the shot I had and put the 200 BT into his spine between the shoulders. Amazingly, I recovered this bullet also on the inside of one of the shoulders. The bullet plowed through alot of spine and the jacket mushroomed well down to about half of its original length. Odd thing is that the jacket had completely seperated from the core and I found no lead at all. Tissue destruction was massive, of course. I think I'll work up a 210 partition load for elk and keep the BT for deer, antelope, etc. You'd think you should get full penetration given the above situation. Anyway, this forensic pathology/ bullet performance stuff is of interest to me at least! All the conjecture in the world isn't worth as much as one test on game in the field. Thought I'd pass it on.

Snowcat - Sounds like your huting is going well. We need some moisture!

Since your tags are pretty well filled, how about herding some of those elk on up towards Bigfork and Somers? I'm still looking!

I'm sure they work if you keep all your shots pretty much broadside...I think I will stay with the 338 in partitions of 210 and 250 as I take shots as they come...

I'm not a fan of tissue distruction in edible animals like elk..I don't like all that blood shot meat....I like the 300 gr. Woodligh that I used this year and on many head of big game, it too is an excellent bullet..

Apparantly you use that bullet with skill and judgemnt, congratulations.

waksupi-
I fly a fair bit between missoula and kalispell in small planes and the elk I'm seeing are about as high as they can get in the big basins (at least the ones I've seen) I don't hunt that country but I'd sure like a second tag to run around Swan Peak with. Lung in one hand, rifle in the other! I'm seeing some tremendous deer in that country as well as around Hungry Horse. Those that made it through the winter of 96 are awful grown up now. Good Hunting to you!

Atkinson--BTW...I know you're a big 210 partition advocate. What's your pet load? Thanks

The performance Snowcat experienced with the 200 grain Ballistic Tip is pretty similar to mine. Actually, the retained weight of about 60% isn't that shabby at all. You will normally find the core and jacket separated (no longer fused), but together. That amounts to the same thing in terminal performance as not separated.

I've used them on both black bear and elk and am totally satisfied with their performance. That said, I think like all non-partition bullets, they stand a small chance of some type of terminal failure where the Nosler Partition stands practically none.

Snowcat,
As I recall it was a stiff load of IMR-4320 for near 2800 FPS, but not real sure...I went to the 338 Win. quite a number of years ago, a switch I have never regretted..I can always load down to a 338-06 or better it by a bunch and all on the same action, so why not go with the better round.

I have found the 210 Nosler will penitrate as well as the 250 Nosler. the 210 is more meat destructive up close however. I like both weights and my gun shoots both to the same POI, so depending on the terrain is how I chose.