Any recommendations? Is the Nosler Ballistic tip any good as a deer round. My rifle shoots the 70 gr. BT very well but I hesitate to use it on deer.
thanks, peter.

Peter
My wife and I always had excellent results on whitetail deer antelope, and mule deer with the Sierra 100gr. and the Nosler 95gr. Partition. I especially liked the Partition.

Nosler makes an 85 grain partition that shoots flat and accurate in my 243 that I use for antelope.

The balistic tip has generally done well on thin skinned game, but I have heard of several instances of BT's being a little to explosive at high velocities, and not penetrating. A similar design that I have had good results with is the Hornaday SST, very good accuracy and penetrates well

The 85 gr. BarnesX has worked well in my .243. The combination has provided one shot kills on two black bears and one rather small mule deer. The bullets passed completely through.

I have shot a coyote with a 70 gr. Nosler BT and the yote exploded. It was a broadside shot and the exit wound was enormous, the hide was destroyed. I believe you would be better served with one of the other bullets already suggested. Rick

I have only used one bullet in my middle son's (11 year old) short barreled Ruger RSI 243. It is the 95 gr Partition and he has 5 one shot kills on three deer and two hogs. It is all I will use in the rifle.

Here in Georgia my wife and I have shot several deer (~8) in the 100 to 160 lb. class with the Speer 105 spitzer and a 4 with the 105 round nose. None of these animals have gone over 40 yards, but both of us place our shots. Check out the balistic coeffient and you'll see how flat they can be driven, plus we haven't recovered one yet. The price is good and the accuracy great, give them a look.

[ 08-21-2003, 06:09: Message edited by: Lewis50 ]

Another vote for the 95gr partition. Took about a dozen whitetails with it in a featherweight M70 and Leupold compact 2x7. It was a sweet rig and although there were not the proportion of instant kills (although a dozen is not enough to mean much) as with .270 and /06, the trailing was about the same, 15-75 yds.

A friend of mine just got one of his dad's guns, a Rugger M77 in 243. It's a sweet shooter. The ammo he found at Popular Outfitters was Rem 100grn Core-Lokt's. Does anyone have any experience with these? We're going to put in for javalina this season and he wants to use this rifle and we know it shoots this round well.

Try the Hornady 100 grain round nose..I think you will like it..

I am absolutely in love with the 70 grain Ballistic Tip -- for exploding prairie dogs. It is inappropriate for deer.

However, if you like the Ballistic Tip design, the 95 grain should do just fine for deer, as will most any 85 grain-plus bullet from just about any manufacturer. My favorite is the old Nosler 100 grain Solid Base, but it was too good and too cheap to stay in production. The largest deer ever taken by any of our hunting party over 25 years was taken with one shot from a .243 with a 100 grain Sierra. In this bullet, I prefer the flat-based version to the boattail.

Happy hunting!

Shooting alot of 6mm, ( 243 and 244 Rem), I think good advise has already been given.

95 Grain Partition is a winner, no questions asked.

85 Gr Barnes X is also a champ, especially the one with the Blue coating on it. ( A woman would love it, loaded in a nickel case; Honey it is so pretty!)

For the non premium bullets,

Speer 105s are my first choice. I second the RN 105's but like all Round Noses, you better stock up now as few of us are buying them, and they are not being made anymore. The manufacturers are dropping them like hot potatoes.

Hornady's 100 grain Round Nose is also a great performer. Same goes for Sierras 100 grain RN and Semi Pointed, which are both discontinued now.

The Nosler Ballistic Tip will also be a good performer. However, I can attest to the fact, if at high impact velocity, get ready to have a lot of lost bloodshot meat. Ballistic tips seem to do a lot better if the Muzzle Velocity is kept down to 2600 fps or so. However for most guys this defeats the purpose they bought the Ballistic Tip in the first place for its aerodynamic and flat shooting capability. This is especially true of the smaller calibers. Those that carry them, seem to be part of the velocity crowd.

A Ballistic tip in 6mm, is a dual edged sword. It will get your bullet there quickly and accurately. The down side is on the potential damage it causes once it gets there. I don't think I would call it blowing up, as it will penetrate, but once inside the animal then it blows up. Others give the impression that it blows up before it penetrates. Not in my experience. Just ease back on the velocity and it does fine. However, tho not as accurate, a Partition takes the guess work out of the equation. ( As will any round nose for that matter)

The 95 grain Partition is often recommended for deer. Why is it preferred over the 100 grain Partition?

WyoJoe, I sent you an email with my load info and the necessary disclaimers. I was surprised to see I had not chronographed the 85 gr. Barnes but estimated the velocity at 3200 fps. Rick

The 100gr Partition came out after a lot of us already had hunting loads worked up for the 95gr. No point in changing for a negligible 5% weight difference.