120 Nosler BT effective on deer?

[firstshot425]

I've read a lot of post on various forums about the effectiveness of the 7mm 120 Ballistic Tip on deer. I've never hunted with these but just tried them out in my new custom 7mm-08 and the accuracy was incredible (groups 1/4" ctc @100 Yds).

In the post that I have read, folks either love or hate them. Most folks citing bullet "failure" included jacket separation, lack of complete pass through, or excessive expansion/minimal or no penetration. I also noticed that most of these "failures" seemed to result from excessive impact velocities. Other "failures" were from the time frame before Nosler toughened up the 120gr BT.

I'm considering using these for deer and hogs here in central Texas. The vast majority of my shots will be right at 100 Yds. I haven't checked velocity on my chronograph yet, but am using a max book load of 50.5 gr H414 in a 24" barrel. Nosler's manual, using a 26" barrel list velocity at aprox 3,180 FPS. I figure that should put me in the 3,100+- FPS MV range and aprox 2,865 FPS @ 100 Yds. So I should be well within the operating parameters of this bullet.

So, my question to all of you that have experience with the 120 BT is how has this bullet performed for you in the past on deer and hogs?

 

[ShootDots]

I used to use them for Deer and "varmints" >> i.e. wild goats, feral hogs and javalina. As long as you place the bullet INTO the "heart / lung" area FROM a broadside position, you will kill them almost instantly. They are or at least USED TO BE a varmint styled bullet. I shot them from both my 7mm-08 and a .284. I had a "bad experience" with them on a BIG wild goat. It was shot with my .284 in excess of 3100f.p.s. It blew up on the scapula, not even the shoulder knuckle. I went to a Speer 145 Grand Slam in that rifle>>>that worked very well. However, with my 7mm-08 I never experienced any problems>>as long as I did my part in bullet placement..

 

[RGraham]

I've used them in my Sako 7mm08 for the last 10 yrs. A dozen or so whitetail accounted for with shots from 40 to 225 yds. No failures of any kind and never recovered a bullet. Several (including one 40 yd shot on a doe) have been full on shoulder shots, they have broken the big bone and gone right on through. These are good size northern MO whitetails. I shoot a moderate load of Varget and am a little under 3000 fps. Maybe I've just been lucky but I doubt it. Seems like a very good deer bullet to me. I believe Nosler makes a varmint version of this bullet too, so make sure you get the ones intended for deer sized game.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

I've used the 120gr NBT on mulies for over ten years out of my custom PGW Ti 7-08 Ackley. Running them at 3,300 fps over a stiff load of Varget has not resulted in any bullet failures of any kind.....just dead muley bucks from 75 yds to over 400.

This load shoots as flat as some of my smallbore .20 cal rockchuck varmint loads. The varmint version of the BT is only available in 6mm and smaller bore sizes. This bullet is also incredibly accurate; groups on paper in the high .3's.

 

[5spd]

I run the 120g N Hunting BT in my 7-08 at 3000 fps and they are flat shooting and drop antelope on the spot out here. Farthest shot was 435 yards, close was 93 yards. I gave up on any other weight in my 7-08 for light game.

 

[firstshot425]

Thanks to all of you for your input. The 120 BT's are so accurate in my rifle I've just got to try them in the field. Since I have never hunted with them before, all of your input here has made me feel a lot better about doing so.

I also plan to work up a load for the 140 Accubonds. Assuming they are as accurate as the 120 BT's, I will pretty much have all bases covered.

I've got a Zeiss HD-5 5-25x50 with target knobs sitting on top which I plan to keep set up for the 120 BT's and then just dial in for the 140 accubonds when ever I feel the need.

 

[NCVarhtr]

I used the 120 GR. Nosler in my .284 Win for over 10 years...When Nosler first came out with that bullet, I called Nosler and asked about its suitability for deer and how thick the jacket was at the mouth compared to other jackets used for Deer bullets. They told me that they used the 140 Gr jacket and cut it off shorter for the 120 gr. bullets. So, the jacket was much thicker at the mouth than the 140 Gr hunting bullet. I killed many Deer in Canada and Kansas with that bullet and its performance was flawless....Never had any problem and most Deer were shot in the shoulder, never behind the shoulder. I still use it today when I use the .284 Win....Very accurate and perfect performance...You will like it a lot.....