Tested one the other day and was a bit surprised.

I test them (any bullet) by shooting it through a gallon plastic milk jug full of water with a piece of cardboard 2-3 feet feet behind the jug.

The relative spray and damage to the jug gives me a hint of "impact effect" and the hole(s) in the cardboard give me a hint on what the bullet has done.

On to the test at hand . . .

I shot the 55 gr NBT out of the 223 at guesstimated 3150 fps (26.3 WC846/24" barrel).
Milk jug exploded in a violent spray of water, but much to my surprise the hole through the cardboard was roughly 22 Caliber.

Are the NBT's really that tough?

50 grain Hornady vmax out of 222 is about 1/2" going through the cardboard

I think you are seeing a hole made by the base of the bullet jacket. The base is fairly thick on the ballistic tips. I have used the ballistic tips on prairie dogs and occasionally hear a piece of the bullet go flying away. I also noticed this with the 25 gr. Rem. PLHP bullets from the .17 Rem. when shooing coons. The coon would "slosh" inside its hide so I know the bullet was opening, but I would find about a .17 exit hole, which I think again was the base of the bullet.

I agree, the base of the jacket on BTs is fairly thick and penetrates better than the typical cup and core bullet.

Thanks, one and all.
That makes sense because I kept looking for the bullet impact in the berm so I could dig it out and could not not find it.

NOW, I know what likely happened that I could not find the bullet.

Balistic tips are destructive in every caliber Ive tried them with..Its a good deer bullet and you get fast kills, and lots of bloodshot meat, and fur damage on varmints.

The best all around bullet Ive used is the 60 gr. Hornady SP or HP, both work well on deer and rock chucks, but they are not as destructive as Balistic tips or Sierras..

The 55 gr NBT is a Solid Base boattail. The base stays intact, even in the 22-250.

the base stays but the lead scatters with violent destruction..the exit holes mentioned are more than likely the base alone exiting..However I have not seen mant exit holes in my 220 swift..

Maybe a few boards behind the cardboard would tell a better tale. That's a great test though!

God Bless, Louis

I was just trying to wrap my head around the empirical evidence.
Over the time I have used this method, I had never seen that result.
Solid base makes sense, most of the bullet came apart in the water and that bullet has a heavy enough base to carry on and penetrate the cardboard.

Louis
Did ya ever blood that 375 Win barrel?

IF you want to see something impressive.

Fill the jug clear full, no lid and set a

bright orange tennis or golf ball on it.

Then shoot the jug. The ball will fly out of sight.

Just don't stand close if there's no wind.

IF it hits you in the head it'll deck you,

or make a dandy dent in a car/truck body.

George

The best test media for bullets are coyotes..I don't want an exit hole on a high dollar fur, but coyotes don't bring anything these days, so make good testing..My goal has been a 22 cal intrance hole and no exit hole..I have come close but have yet to find what I need after 87 years I just gave up on that...Don't quote me a solid, a coyote,fox or about anything can live long enough to never be retrieved, and leave no blood trail..