I'm loading for a friend and I have found a accurate load using both the bullets listed above in 165gr. He's shooting a 300win mag and the manual has these bullets moving between 3100 and 3200 fps.

My question is which one is more durable at those speeds? I have never killed with either but I know that they are soft. He plans to use them for deer only.

Does the hot cor process actually make Speer the tougher bullet?

Don't anyone bother suggesting that he go to another bullet because it's all been done and the season starts in a week.

I'd go with the Ballistic Tip, and just tell him to stay off the shoulder. The HotCors aren't a heck of alot tougher. You may get a core slip inside 150 yards, but the NBT will still do the job. I'd definitely aviod bad angles and heavy bone.

I would also go with the Ballistic Tip.

I took a whitetail doe at less than 50 yds with a 150 gr Ballistic Silver Tip last season. Impact velocity was around 3300 fps, entry at last ribs on near side and exit between her forelegs.

I also tested 180 gr Ballistic Silver Tips, 180 Sierra Game King, and 190 gr Sierra Match King in wet newspaper at 50 ft, 300yds, and 600 yds. The Ballistic Silver Tip was the only one that the core could not even be forced out of the jacket afte impact at either range.

Tod

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Long Beach Corrections

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How'd you end up in the slammer?

His plan is to use the Btips first to hunt with, only 22 left. I'm going to load him a box of the Hot Cores for back up. I was just wondering if he'd be better off the other way around. They are both giving him good groups and the point of impact is allmost exactly the same.

I suppose the only real advantage with the Btips is their down range performance.

In my experience, Hot Cores are a little "tougher" than Ballistic Tips. But at 3100 to 3200 fps, he would need to be careful with either one.

Ive used hot cores on Mulies from a 7mm Mag with excellent results. Also after cutting open both of them I can garantee that the frontal area of the BT is MUCH softer than a hot core. It is going to be the more explosive bullet. Having said that though, I will add that in doing so I also found that the rest of a BT seems to hold together pretty well. The core seemed to be swaged exceptionaly "snug" in the jacket.

Are the Hot cores boat tails or flat based? I believe that a flat based hot core will hold up better than a BT, but boat tails would be about 6'es IMO.

I'd go the Hot Core.
Paul B.

Both the bullets in question are fine for deer hunting.

I have in fact shot a few bucks with the 165 Speer used in a 300 Win Mag. Never recovered one, they all gave complete penetration. I also shot several wild hogs with the Speer 180 in the same gun, same deal, never found one to look at.

I feel that there would not be much difference in how the bullets hold up, but would have to bet on the Speer. The flat base Speer bullets are indeed the hot core version and tend to hold the jackets well. (Speer boat tails are not made with the hot core process.)

Good luck, R F

Hot Cores definately get the nod from me!

I'm not a BT fan, so I'ld go HotCores. I shoot 160gr Speers in my .280 for deer & 160grNP if I might bump an elk.
It's apples & oranges, but I wet phone book tested several 160gr bullets @ 2750fps impact vel.
The Speer penetrated 15.5" & weighed 99gr. The NP went 19" & weighed 116gr.
I did test a 140grBT @ 2950fps; 13.5" & 77gr. I'm just not a BT fan.

Damn Todd you must have been running hard and fast to get there from Vanderhoof!

Boilerroom, both those bullets will do the job on deer but you should run those loads over a chrono to see what speeds you are truely dealing with.

Tods going to be sitting this season out.

Cariboo

I don't have access to a chrono or his rifle for that matter. He's down on the coast. I've been dropping loads off for him on my work trips. I guess if he gets himself a deer or two it will be the acid test. I know both are great bullets for deer but I was just trying to figure out which one to suggest for his primary load. He's going to have a box of each.

Nosler Ballistic tips in my experience and testing them, are definitely a different animal under 2600 fps than they are over that speed. They will open up as low as 1500 fps or so. However at velocity over the 2600, the really have a problem doing a lot of meat damage. Be prepared for a lot of lost blood shot meat, unless you are lucky, or the bullet has an IMPACT Velocity of below 2600 fps.

In a Mag, I'd go with the Speer hands down. It may not be as accurate as the Ballistic Tip, but I don't think you are looking at Blood shot meat either.

High Velocity, go with a Partition or a Barnes X or Speers Mag tip, or the Good Old Round Nose!

Yep.....Hot Core!

Like someone else said, Stay off the shoulder blade, but the Hot core should hold together at those velocities better than the Nosler BT.

I like the speer over the BT Nos BT's seem more like varmint bullets to me, but thats just my thought.