Would there be a better all around bullet for use on varmints and deer sized game?

We ned a bit more info-what round are you thinking of this in?

Dog

Well, having cut my teeth on an old Model 722 Remington chambered for the .244 Remington, I shot a lot of stuff with 85 and 90 grain bullets.
That old rifle had a 1 in 12 twist and supposedly would not shoot 100 grain bullets well.

My dad and I had a couple of them and we shot lots of deer here in CA and a few out of state with them.

I shot the biggest buck I have ever killed while hunting in Wyoming. I shot him with a 90 grain Speer with that old .244. Dropped him on the spot, he field dressed over 200 pounds.

I would think the 90 grain Ballistic Tip would give similar performance. Heck, we shot a number of deer with 85 grain Sierra's and they performed well. In fact, when I graduated to a 7mm Rem Mag I wounded a buck with a 150 Nosler Partition (my fault, not the guns) and my dad had to finish it off with an 85 grain Sierra, kind of ironic.

Having said that, shot placement becomes critical with the small bullets. Also, don't try to shoot large game at too great a distance with them. My dad and I did loose a black bear once that we both hit with our .224 Remingtons but he was really entirely too far away. We tracked that bear for hours but finally lost the blood trail.

R F

heider,
I don't know what cartridge you are using this bullet in but if I can I would like to make a suggestion. Slow it down. BT's are good bullets but if you get them moving too fast they can really destroy the meat. The last antelope I shot with one was a 165 gr. out of my .300 mag. It was probably moving about 3100 fps out of the muzzle. I shot a doe antelope @ about 200 yards with a classic behind the shoulder shot. It blood shot the onside shoulder where it had to be discarded. I think at the lower velocities they can be a really good bullet.

I've not used the 90's much, I have however used the 95 Noz Bt quite a bit. This has been out of my 6/06 going at 3500 fps.

This is one of the original lightning bolts-lights out down and out now are the rule with this load. This is using lung shots-not the cns shots that will put them out with about anything.

My thoughts-the 95 works great-my thoughts on meat damage-any high speed round is gonna do this to some extent-I would not worry one bit about that.

"GET TO THE HILL"

Dog

[ 07-21-2003, 03:26: Message edited by: Mark R Dobrenski ]

.243 win is the case @3300 feet

I shoot a 6mm Rem. I have shot deer and hogs with it. I would not use a 90 or 95 BT-at 3300 on them. In my opinion they are too expansive.I did shoot my 121 lb (dressed whitetail doe last year with a 85 HPBT Sierra and it worked well at 3250 FPS. I usually use a 100 Horn SP which is a fine bullet as is the Nosler Part.
Have you tried loading the 85 gr Part? Just some food for thought. Good luck

I have used the 90gr BT on coyotes, and deer. I think they are very effective on coyotes, but I would go to a partition for deer, or better yet, a 30 cal. I shot a small whitetail in texas two years ago, with the BT, and while it did go down inside 30yd, the bullet separated pretty bad. had it not been for the shot being a perfect broadside affair at under a 100yd, I think it could have turned out badly. I have used the 100gr partition with much more confidence, on bigger deer. Just my 2cents

How big is "big' in whitetails? for anything up to and around 200 pounds I wouldn't have a problem with it, when I start chasing 400 pound Alberta whitetails I want a tougher bullet. Maybe try the X or 95 gr Partition. FWIW - Dan

Funny you should mention Alberta.
Thats where I Hunt, near Kilam(sp?)
I'm not worried to much about the broadside stuff but the running Bucks are what might arise.

I'd use at least 95/100 grain then. . .
Heavier has better downrange energy for minimal loss in velocity and drop. You'd lose like 20 yards MPBR

[ 07-21-2003, 22:21: Message edited by: Desy ]

Heider--the running shot issue is another question in my mind.

For a round that I wanted to use for such purposes, I would not utilize such a round-for standing shots you bet.

I'd say this, you need a bit more gun for such and a butt load of running shot practice in order to be competient enough to take such a shot. IMO without a butt load of practice at running targets you are not being resposnsible with your shot choice. There again it is just my opinion. I've yet to of seen many shots of running game that were worth a darn as well.

So pracitce practice practice and then only take the shots you are 100% confident you are gonna make a killing shot with. Sya within your ability is all I ask.
"GET TO THE HILL"

Dog

Heider;

I agree with WyoJoe on the velocity issue with the ballistic tips. A whole lot less meat damage or loss with velocities impacting at 2700 fps or less. You should load your rounds accordingly.

Although I would use this combo myself, I do feel shot placement is critical, particularly with how big the whitetails can get on the Canadian side of the boarder.

A 95 grain partition would be a whole lot more insurance in my book. Another one you may want to look at if you are a velocity nut is the Barnes 85 grain XBT ( the blue coated one, that will reduce that darn copper fouling). Those you can get at about 3400 in a 243 with a 22 inch barrel in my experience. It is a long bullet, longer than a 95 grain Ballistic tip.

If your shot placement is good any one of the bullets are up to the task, in my experience.

I use precisely this bullet at 3,200fps from my 6mm rem. I have shot and recovered a goodly number of roe that dress out to about 35lbs weigh and only one fallow doe that dressed out around 80lbs.

The bullet is flat and kills well but given an amount of angle will not penetrate through and through.

A chest shot on a big fallow I would not hesitate to take, a raking shot or moving I would not attempt, thusly it is not the bullet of choice.

1894,
At 35# you could have the head mounted and put it on your keychain.
Stepchild

I loaded a batch of 100 gr Ballistic Tips @ 3600 fps in a 264 Win Mag a few years back, primarily for coyotes (dynamite in that application). I was on my way to hunt whitetail one morning and realized I was fresh out of my 125 gr Partition loads, so I took the BTs. I shot a small spike buck at 100 yards-in the shoulder. It destroyed that shoulder, along with the off shoulder, and I had to discard most of the backstraps and tenderloins due to bruising. It was terrribly effective in killing the animal, but I wouldn't use it again on deer-sized game. Granted, a rib-cage shot would have been a better choice of placement.

It's my experience that the BT, in calibers below 7mm or .30, have jackets that are too thin to offer adequate penetration. I wouldn't hesitate to use a 165 or 180 gr BT in a .30 on deer or antelope, but my shot selection would be limited.

Should work on deer broadside, real nice if you just dislike the taste of venison...it should about ruin one side with bloodshot crap...with all the green slime contained within.

If you can honestly say that you would pass up an animal that didn't offer a broadside shot, go ahead and use it. Otherwise the 95 gr. Partition would be the bullet of choice.

Heck, lets not sugercoat it, the 95 Partition IS THE choice.

Gabe

Just started loading the 85gr XBT's. They should be deadly on deer from just about any angle, and at 3300fps should zip through just about anything.

I agree with Dan Belisle and go with an X bullet or partition. My 25/06 with 90 XBT kills whitetail like lighting at 3380fps. I use a BT for the vermin. Make up two loads for yourself and you will be happy.

Hcliff