Nosler 125gr Ballistic Tip for .308...any success stories?

[dmike]

I tried these for my POF 1:10 and they were a mess. 3031 at 2.7 COAL:

first I worked from 43.3 to 46.1 in 0.4 increments. 44.1 was about MOA, but sloppy overall. I went back with 44.0, 44.5 and 45 to make sure it wasn't me. They were all over the place (some off either side of the paper at 400yds, guessing 8+ MOA), I thought maybe my optic was loose or something but my other loads shot fine after that (best was 0.73 MOA with some 130s, seems to be my limit with this POF right now).

Is anyone shooting these well? Wondering what I'm doing wrong. It's interesting that even at 2.7 COAL the ogive is so far back my mic is bottoming out without hitting the bullet...I think that means it's jumping at least .120"? For comparison that "good" 130 load was reading a mic jump of around .076 at 2.612 COAL.

I am fully prepared to accept that it's just my inadequate shooting, load technique etc but it seems like these bullets are coming out of the muzzle in erratic fashion.

Mostly academic at this point, I don't plan to shoot the remaining rounds I loaded and I'm happy there were only 50 bullets in the box but I do want to learn from this. Thanks for any advice or insight you have.

 

[ZombieSlayer]

I run them for critters. 4 out of 5 308s run the same load as the original load workup shot well enough in the rest I never tried improving it. And their jumping as loaded to factory oal over 50.2 win 748 a touch over 3000 ft sec depending on barrel length. The only rifle that didn't like them was the 7600 which has performed best with. 309 xtp over 16.2gr trailboss at about 2k ft sec. Go figure.

Would have to check my load data to be more specific but barrel lengths of 20 22 24 and 30 all sub minute for ten shots at100.

 

[WB300]

I just purchased a couple hundred of the 125 BT. Hodgdon shows H4895 and 125 grainers for reduced loads. Haven't tried to load any yet. Tag for info.

 

[dmike]

I just purchased a couple hundred of the 125 BT. Hodgdon shows H4895 and 125 grainers for reduced loads. Haven't tried to load any yet. Tag for info.

WB300, I'd be interested in your findings at some point. thanks!

 

[dmike]

I run them for critters. 4 out of 5 308s run the same load as the original load workup shot well enough in the rest I never tried improving it. And their jumping as loaded to factory oal over 50.2 win 748 a touch over 3000 from sec depending on length. The only rifle that didn't like them was the 7600 which has performed best with. 309 xtp over 16.2he trailboss at about 2k from sec. Go figure.

Would have to check my load data to be more specific but barrel lengths of 20 22 24 and 30 all sub minute for ten shots at100.

Thanks ZombieSlayer based on your info, I'm wondering if might be my barrel length on the POF (14.5)?

 

[dmike]

And their jumping as loaded to factory oal over 50.2 win 748 a touch over 3000 from sec depending on length. The only rifle that didn't like them was the 7600 which has performed best with. 309 xtp over 16.2he trailboss at about 2k from sec.

Sorry ZombieSlayer is "sec" secant ogive? Are you saying those loads are only jumping 2-3 thousandths of an inch to the lands? Also, are the twist rates the same on the 5 308s you used?

 

[ZombieSlayer]

Fat finger phone phukup . Ft / sec. Not the auto corrected from. My bad.

30" is 12 twist. The rest were tens.

Edit. Checked my data. 70.15mm oal or 2.76 in the old scale. Cci lr in lapua brass fls to feed from the mag in any rifle so couldn't tell you how far off the lands they are. The 30" is a match chamber with the freebore cut specifically for 155s so relatively short. The others are factory chambers in a cut own 10fcp barrel, Howa varmint and DTA. So will have quite a bit of variety in the chamber specs and freebore.

And fyi quite a few have odd tips giving a noticable increase in oal. Just something to be mindful of if your not using a comparator and using the same dies for multiple projectiles. Doesn't seem to bother critters tho . They just kill well.

 

[dmike]

30" is 12 twist. The rest were tens.

70.15mm oal or 2.76 in the old scale. Cci lr in lapua brass fls to feed from the mag in any rifle so couldn't tell you how far off the lands they are. The 30" is a match chamber with the freebore cut specifically for 155s so relatively short. The others are factory chambers in a cut own 10fcp barrel, Howa varmint and DTA. So will have quite a bit of variety in the chamber specs and freebore.

And fyi quite a few have odd tips giving a noticable increase in oal. Just something to be mindful of if your not using a comparator and using the same dies for multiple projectiles. Doesn't seem to bother critters tho . They just kill well.

Lots of good info here, thanks ZS. Makes me think I've got a gremlin somewhere in my methods. I have a precision mic to check consistency from ogive, not as fast as a comparator but same kind function I think...

 

[Steve1]

I've used ballistic tip bullets for years. I was truly impressed by their accuracy, but I quit using them because they are very explosive. I've had four or five bullets blow up on the shoulder blades of antelope and deer. That was enough.....I don't want to hit that shoulder blade normally, but it happens.

I used to shoot mostly a 270 with 130 grain bullets. I worked up a fairly hot load that would group around 3/4 of an inch at a hundred yards.

I'd bet money that 125 grain Ballistic Tip bullets (in 308) would fragment too, if they hit much bone. That bullet seems too light for big game, in my opinion....I'd move up to 150 grain and use Nosler Accu-Bond bullets. !25 grain Ballistic tip might penetrate okay....but if you hit bone it would be a different story....

I shot 150 grain bullets in my 30/06 for years. I loaded mostly Nosler partitions and they would penetrate really well, even if I hit a shoulder bone on an elk. They aren't the most accurate, but penetration is important. I even killed a moose with one shot in the chest with a 30/06 (150 grain partition). It was high in the chest and hit the neck and spine. It went down as if it was pole axed. I don't think that 30/06 in 150 grain is a good moose load, but that is what I used that day.

I did have some jackets come off with Hornady bullets in 150 grain (in 30/06). So, I went back to Nosler Partitions.

I now shoot Nosler Accu-bond bullets. They seem to hold together well, and they are as accurate as Nosler Ballistic tip (in my testing). I need to test them out on more big game animals, but I'll bet they hold together a lot better than Nosler Ballistic Tips. Just my two cents worth....

 

[dmike]

Started workups with 125gr SMKs & IMR 3031, looks like there could be some sub-moa nodes in there. WAY different from my results with the 125 Noslers...

 

[hunting1]

50-grs of Varget gives 3100fps and clovers from 20" barrels! I use NBT for varmints and targets and 125 NAB for game. POI is the same and very accurate! My 13-year old uses them to hunt.

 

[JoshcBoucher]

I found 46.6 H 4895 behind a 125 spritzer col-2.7 shot a 10 rnd 3/4 in group at 100, out of my remmy 5R. Did'nt try them out of my gas gun, though

 

[dmike]

I found 46.6 H 4895 behind a 125 spritzer col-2.7 shot a 10 rnd 3/4 in group at 100, out of my remmy 5R. Did'nt try them out of my gas gun, though

Interesting. That's the Sierra round? were you crunching down on the powder or was there still some room?

 

[JoshcBoucher]

I"think" I remember

Interesting. That's the Sierra round? were you crunching down on the powder or was there still some room?

Plenty of room and no crunch. Had some 125s I found in the back of a drawer and figured why not use them up. They shot some nice groups. Gonna get some more, if and when I can find em cheap . They were Sierra. Probably 30 yrs old. I shoot 168, 180, and 208s mostly, these days. Shooting more 223, now, than I used to. Goes bang, for half the price.