Nosler Ballistic Silver Tip: How Much Penetration?

147 Grain · 03-22-2005, 04:06 PM

Looking for success stories from hunters using Nosler's Ballistic Silver Tip round. I've heard this bullet blows things up pretty well, but how much penetration will it give on deer sized animals?

I plan on hunting deer with a 30-06 and wonder if a heavier Ballistic Tipped bullet is needed to get the required penetration after the front half of the round blows up.

147 Grain · 03-22-2005, 04:33 PM

Thanks in advance of your replies!

lefty o · 03-23-2005, 12:00 AM

unless you hit both shoulders, it should completely penetrate a deer.

Shaun · 03-23-2005, 12:32 AM

I have had them pass through and through on whitetail

colt45 · 03-23-2005, 07:25 AM

we have lots of nosler on the shelf at the gun shop, the silver tip must be new. the only silver tip we have is by cobined technology and is what is loaded in the winchester silvertip.
in the 30 cal nosler the penatration is very good up to and including elk. we have guys all the time loading for elk hunts out west useing the nosler and a 300win mag. i use them in an 8mm-06 akly improved. they do a realy nice job. i was so impresed with the balistic tips that all my rounds except my 45-70 and handguns run the balistic tips.

458Mag · 03-31-2005, 11:48 PM

For the past twenty years I have only used Noslers for hunting, both in my rifles and T/C Contenders. The Ballistic Tip was designed for deer size game and is probably the best deer bullet made. The Partition was designed for large game and is the big game bullet others are judged by. I have never recovered a Partition as they almost always penetrate completely. The Ballistic Silvertip takes attributes of Noslers' Ballistic Tip and Winchester's Silvertip and combines them. It is designed to expand more quickly than the Ballistic Tip and does not penetrate as much. For antelope and small deer, the Ballistic Silvertip is a great bullet, but for larger deer the Ballistic Tip is the proper choice. I shot four Impala in S. Africa last year with a 100 grain 6.5mm Ballistic Tip from a Contender. The cartridge was the 6.5 JDJ (.225 Winchester necked up and blown out) and the bullet was travelling at 2500 fps. The shots were from 40-225 yards and all penetrated the animal completely. The 225 yard shot, the Impala dropped in it's tracks. None of the others travelled more that 30 yards.

147 Grain · 06-10-2005, 12:37 AM

Thanks for the advice!

Any others?

wirehunt · 06-10-2005, 05:18 AM

The Nosler ballistic tip take a lot of beating, you can rest easy if you've got them up the spout.

147 Grain · 06-10-2005, 09:27 PM

After a little research....

Ballistic Tip Overview

Ballistic Tips (BT's) were designed by Nosler for violent expansion / explosion and medium penetration on light skin type animals like deer.

For most calibers shooting fragile BT's, you're better off using heavier projectiles with bigger Sectional Density's (SD's) than you would normally use for a regularly constructed bullet.

Why?

1. Heavier bullets for caliber are better in a BT because they tone down the violent expansion a bit and still have enough weight leftover for a complete pass-through.

2. The shock-value with the heavier BT will still be more than lighter standard bullets and you get more energy on target.

3. Short range shots also suit the larger round with a higher SD versus lighter weight BT'd bullets with less mass.

4. Raking quartering-away shots obviously benefit from a heavier round for adequate penetration.

5. A larger BT'd bullet is also more forgiving if you shoot accidently into the shoulder.

Example:

.270 Win BT's benefit from 150-gr. versus 130-gr.
30-06 BT's perform better with 180-gr. versus 150-gr.

FYI:

Nosler says that beginning with the 30 caliber 180-gr. Ballistic Tips (and larger), the jacket's profile is changed or upgraded to a much stronger contour similar to the AccuBond (shown below). The lead core is also hardened over the 165-gr. and below bullets.

Lighter weight bullets like 165-gr. 30 caliber and lower (shown below) do not have the thicker contour which starts in the middle of the shell and goes down to the base.

In summary, one might suggest that the 180-gr. Ballistic Tip is simply a non-bonded AccuBond.

Caution:

* Standard bullets generally perform better on deer in lighter to mid-weight sizes.

* Ballistic Tipped rounds are the exception to the rule as outlined in the opening post. Reported problems of a BT blowing up too quickly are generally associated with too light of a bullet.

Steve

P.S.

I like a bullet to perform two things in my 30-06:

1. Violent expansion / shock.
2. Plenty of penetration for a pass-through.

Nosler makes 4 great rounds to accomplish any North American task - listed in order of toughness:

1. Ballistic Tip
2. Solid Base
3. AccuBond
4. Partition

* Light skinned / boned deer: 180-gr. Ballistic Tip / Solid Base / AccuBond
* Heavy skinned / boned elk: 180-gr. Partition / AccuBond

03-22-2005, 04:06 PM	#1
147 Grain Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Utah Posts: 34	Nosler Ballistic Silver Tip: How Much Penetration? Looking for success stories from hunters using Nosler's Ballistic Silver Tip round. I've heard this bullet blows things up pretty well, but how much penetration will it give on deer sized animals? I plan on hunting deer with a 30-06 and wonder if a heavier Ballistic Tipped bullet is needed to get the required penetration after the front half of the round blows up.

03-23-2005, 12:32 AM	#4
Shaun Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 8,599 Images: 1	I have had them pass through and through on whitetail __________________ "Homeland Security is the responsibility of an armed citizen" ME http://webpages.charter.net/s.s.v/

03-23-2005, 07:25 AM	#5
colt45 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Occupied Territories of New York (Buffalo) Posts: 2,898	we have lots of nosler on the shelf at the gun shop, the silver tip must be new. the only silver tip we have is by cobined technology and is what is loaded in the winchester silvertip. in the 30 cal nosler the penatration is very good up to and including elk. we have guys all the time loading for elk hunts out west useing the nosler and a 300win mag. i use them in an 8mm-06 akly improved. they do a realy nice job. i was so impresed with the balistic tips that all my rounds except my 45-70 and handguns run the balistic tips. __________________ "A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity" -Sigmund Freud, General Introduction to Psychoanalysis "If guns cause crime, all of mine are defective." - Ted Nugent "Self-defense is Nature's eldest law." -John Dryden

03-22-2005, 04:33 PM	#2
147 Grain Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Utah Posts: 34	Thanks in advance of your replies!

03-23-2005, 12:00 AM	#3
lefty o Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: mn Posts: 5,028	unless you hit both shoulders, it should completely penetrate a deer.

03-31-2005, 11:48 PM	#6
458Mag Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 10	For the past twenty years I have only used Noslers for hunting, both in my rifles and T/C Contenders. The Ballistic Tip was designed for deer size game and is probably the best deer bullet made. The Partition was designed for large game and is the big game bullet others are judged by. I have never recovered a Partition as they almost always penetrate completely. The Ballistic Silvertip takes attributes of Noslers' Ballistic Tip and Winchester's Silvertip and combines them. It is designed to expand more quickly than the Ballistic Tip and does not penetrate as much. For antelope and small deer, the Ballistic Silvertip is a great bullet, but for larger deer the Ballistic Tip is the proper choice. I shot four Impala in S. Africa last year with a 100 grain 6.5mm Ballistic Tip from a Contender. The cartridge was the 6.5 JDJ (.225 Winchester necked up and blown out) and the bullet was travelling at 2500 fps. The shots were from 40-225 yards and all penetrated the animal completely. The 225 yard shot, the Impala dropped in it's tracks. None of the others travelled more that 30 yards.

06-10-2005, 12:37 AM	#7
147 Grain Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Utah Posts: 34	Thanks for the advice! Any others?

06-10-2005, 05:18 AM	#8
wirehunt Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Otago New Zealand Posts: 663	The Nosler ballistic tip take a lot of beating, you can rest easy if you've got them up the spout.

06-10-2005, 09:27 PM	#9
147 Grain Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Utah Posts: 34	After a little research.... Ballistic Tip Overview Ballistic Tips (BT's) were designed by Nosler for violent expansion / explosion and medium penetration on light skin type animals like deer. For most calibers shooting fragile BT's, you're better off using heavier projectiles with bigger Sectional Density's (SD's) than you would normally use for a regularly constructed bullet. Why? 1. Heavier bullets for caliber are better in a BT because they tone down the violent expansion a bit and still have enough weight leftover for a complete pass-through. 2. The shock-value with the heavier BT will still be more than lighter standard bullets and you get more energy on target. 3. Short range shots also suit the larger round with a higher SD versus lighter weight BT'd bullets with less mass. 4. Raking quartering-away shots obviously benefit from a heavier round for adequate penetration. 5. A larger BT'd bullet is also more forgiving if you shoot accidently into the shoulder. Example: .270 Win BT's benefit from 150-gr. versus 130-gr. 30-06 BT's perform better with 180-gr. versus 150-gr. FYI: Nosler says that beginning with the 30 caliber 180-gr. Ballistic Tips (and larger), the jacket's profile is changed or upgraded to a much stronger contour similar to the AccuBond (shown below). The lead core is also hardened over the 165-gr. and below bullets. Lighter weight bullets like 165-gr. 30 caliber and lower (shown below) do not have the thicker contour which starts in the middle of the shell and goes down to the base. In summary, one might suggest that the 180-gr. Ballistic Tip is simply a non-bonded AccuBond. Caution: * Standard bullets generally perform better on deer in lighter to mid-weight sizes. * Ballistic Tipped rounds are the exception to the rule as outlined in the opening post. Reported problems of a BT blowing up too quickly are generally associated with too light of a bullet. Steve P.S. I like a bullet to perform two things in my 30-06: 1. Violent expansion / shock. 2. Plenty of penetration for a pass-through. Nosler makes 4 great rounds to accomplish any North American task - listed in order of toughness: 1. Ballistic Tip 2. Solid Base 3. AccuBond 4. Partition * Light skinned / boned deer: 180-gr. Ballistic Tip / Solid Base / AccuBond * Heavy skinned / boned elk: 180-gr. Partition / AccuBond