in the 30 Herrett, 30-30, 30-30AI??

Just curious about real experience with this bullet and whether bullet weight makes up for velocity loss.

I don't think so. There are much better bullets that are designed to perform in the target velocity range. Not that I'm a big fan of any Nosler offering except for the PARs. Hornady and Sierra have 130 & 135gr offerings that are much better options on deer-sized game, and Sierra's 125grFNHP can't be beat out of rifle or handgun. Even the 150 & 170gr FN offerings by green, yellow, and red designed specifically for the .30-30 levers will do a better job than the BT out of a short barrel. The main problem with them in my experience is that they blow up at close ranges, even in handguns, specifically .30-30 Contender 10" and .308 Encore 15", just like they do with rifles. They are at their best at longer rifle ranges, fairly accurate, just not very versatile.

With the discontinuation of the SSPs from both Hornady and Sierra, the 125 grain BT becomes THE bullet for the cartridges you mention, though the AI version is a prime candidate for the 150 grain BT as well. I really don't see any advantage to using the 150 grainer until one gets to the capacity of the 30-30 AI; the 125 grain version does everything you could ask of it and then some.

Anyone who has hunted extensively with the BTs in single shot pistols can tell you they are extremely effective, penetrating more than sufficiently and doing ample damage along the way.

Contrary to the previous post, they DO NOT blow up -- not unless you use a varmint-weight BT at high velocities. The 125 grain BT from a .30 Herrett or 30-30 will exit virtually any broadside deer at any reasonable range. Those who doubt should section one and see what a substantial bullet these BTs really are. Then perform a proper ballistics analysis and move on to game. I have -- and I've had nothing but terrific results with the BTs during many years of hunting.

Used as the manufacturer intended, the BTs are perhaps the finest medium game bullet ever devised. And they open a whole new realm of possibilities for those who find their thrills with the single shot specialty pistols.

Ditto on Bobby's remarks.
I also respectively disagree about the negative comment about the NBT's blowing up on big game at close range (maybe our idea of close range is different ).
I can't speak about the NBT's in 30 cal, but I have shot alot of game with the 140 NBT's from both a 7mm-08 and a 284 Win (14 inch & 15.75 inch barrels) and I never had bullet failure (I don't shoot at front shoulders either). I have even seen a cow and a bull elk shot at the 75 yard mark with 120 NBT from a 14 inch 260 Rem by my son and daughter. Both were one shot kills and the bullets performed great in each case. Currently, I don't shoot game with NBT's because the type of shooting I am doing I can get better BC's with different bullets.

Thank you sir, you have the tact of a diplomat. It has happened twice, one to me with my .30-30 Contender at about 25yds on a 120 lb doe, and once to a friend with his .308 Encore at about 35yd on a 175 lb buck. Both blew up on ribs - neither was a shoulder shot. I call "close range" anything within 50yds. They worked fine, however on eight other deer between 60 - 125yds. I also have had good results with them in rifles, but generally prefer Sierras for their better accuracy in my rifles, especially at longer ranges. I will personally not miss the SSP's much, as I found them lacking in accuracy in my .30-30, but fine on performance. In all fairness, I should give the 125gr BT a try, but the failures of the 150 has made me wary of them. Sierra's 125FNHP is the real performer though, and will work in a handgun out to 150yds if you put it in the boiler room. It has never failed us.

Your idea of close range is a little closer than mine.
Bullets acting differently on game can be an odd thing at times-Sort of a wierd mystery. The more I learn about this stuff the more I realize I don't fully know
Not doubting your experiences, just sharing mine.
I had forgotten I first started with 150 NBT's with my 7.82 Patriot XP-100 (Short action 30 cal. Lazzeroni cartridge-150 NBT w/MV of 3001 fps).
Shortest shot I have made with a 150 NBT was 100-120 yards on a doe (javelina @ same distance). Behind the shoulder-no problems. Longest shot with the 150 NBT was a large 300 yard cow elk-1-shot kill good exit wound. Exit wounds on all of the above & all 1 shot.
Impact velocities were:
2321 & 2572 respectively (had to go to Exbal to get my info-memory is not that good).
I'm not sure what the MV of a 30-30 or a 308 Win. would be, but I believe it should be somewhere in there.
FWIW I have found Bobby's information to be right on and I trust his judgement.

The .30-30 had a MV around 2000, the .308 was around 2400. There is no good explanation of the failure in the .30-30. At that speed, I would have expected no expansion to speak of, that was why I tried the BT. The doe ran right to a friend about 100yds away who dropped it with his rifle, so I had a chance to see what happened first hand. It looked like I had used a varmint bullet. Maybe it was just a couple of bad bullets that landed in my box. I figured it was just a fluke. A week later, the same thing happened to my buddy with his .308. He was able to get off a second shot that did the trick (with the same bullet, out of the same box, perfect performance). We shot the rest of them at paper. I have no good explanation as to why, just noting what happened, and now use Sierra's 125grFNHP's or cast 113gr or 150grFNGC's. I still shoot PARs out of my rifles, so I still trust Nosler products, it's just that my confidence in the BT's has been shaken.
I think Bobby's guns just like them best, he certainly has used them enough to see what they can do throughout their performance range, I'm glad he's so happy with them, and I do appreciate the info on them all have provided, especially when they are used at long ranges. In most (not all) of my rifles though, Sierra GameKings will outshoot them consistantly, and I have no complaints with their performance on varmints, deer, and moose. Where I live, 100yds is a very long shot, the brush is thick and heavy, though there are open field and power line rights of way that ocasionally afford longer shots, but most are between 25 and 75 yards, never a serious challange to a decent bullet.

I also really like the SGK's for my SP's.
I went to the 180 SGK for my patriot and it has great accuracy and performance on both deer and elk.

I have limited game taking experience with my G2 30-30AI 14" Contenter, but that's what this board is about, eh?

Muzzle velocity with the 125 gr NBT is 2550 over my chronograph, and it shoots <1" at 100 yards if I do my part to hold it steady.

3 whitetail deer last fall, all perfect bullet performance with a 3/4-1" exit hole throught the ribs on each one. 15 yards, 90 yards, and 240 yards.

I won't be switching bullets soon.

Bobby
Only one advantage to me, I got a bunch of the 150s cheap and since they are some of the "older" bullets I am a bit concerned about using them in the 06.

Just figured they would be soft enough to work and the weight would carry velocity longer.

Heck I still have a bunch of SSPs in 30 cal. NOT as accurate as 125 BTs in my barrels with the testing I have done!

If you have a stash of them, by all means give them a whirl. They do have the same low velocity expansion window as the 125 grainer -- not to mention the same surgical accuracy potential of any of the Nosler BT offerings.

I simply stated there's no advantage over the 125 grainer because that particular bullet already works so well, but that's no reason to not put those 150 grain bullets to good use, esp. in the 30-30 AI.