Nosler ballistic tip for Gemsbok ?? Yes or no?

[buffybr]

Ballistic tip are not suitable for plains game...

My first hunt in South Africa was a last minute deal and I had to borrow a rifle for the trip. The rifle that I borrowed was a Rem 700 ADL in 7 mm Rem mag. I only had one day at the range to familiarize myself with it, and I only had two choices of bullets. The most accurate choice was with 140 grain Nosler Ballistic tip bullets, which is what I used on that trip.

I shot 9 PG animals on that trip. Seven of them were one shot kills: a Kudu, Gemsbok, Blue Wildebeest, 2 Impalas, a Bushbuck, and a Blesbok. A third Impala and a Waterbuck each required 2 shots.

The second shot on the Impala was needed because my first shot was not good, but I have no idea why my first shot on the Waterbuck didn't kill him. It made a 7 mm hole in one side of his chest, and a 1-1/2" exit hole in the other side of his chest.

On two subsequent hunts in South Africa that I made with my 7 mm Rem mag, I used 160 grain Nosler Accubonds with excellent results.

 

[Shootist43]

Nestor, before going on an African hunt last July, I asked IvW for his recommendation of which bullet to use in a 300 Win. Mag. His reply without hesitation was a 200 Gr. Swift A Frame. My son harvested several animals with that combination and was very satisfied with its' performance.

 

[johnnyblues]

Swift A frames, Barnes tsx or ttsx are outstanding. I used 140 gr Accubonds in my 270 wsm on my last trip worked very well on black wildebeest and vallie but I surely wouldn't use them on anything larger than that. Best suited for deer and pronghorn.

 

[YancyW]

I have killed plains game with only three calibers; 280ai, 300wm and 375 H&H. I should have listen to @Velo Dog to begin with and just used the 375 H&H and forget the rest. I had a terrible bullet failure with the 280ai in 160g Accubond on a Wildebeest, I still get pissed off thinking about it. The day was only saved by a very long, and lucky, running shot with the 375.

 

[IvW]

I honestly fail to see the need to use bullets not really designed for tougher animals or other "soft" not premium grade ammunition in this day and age when taking the cost of an African safari into consideration....

There are so many good quality well proven premium grade bullets available.

I guess only one wounded and lost animal on a safari of a lifetime will change that perception, especially if that animal happens to be a once in a lifetime, the biggest one the PH has ever seen type of one...

Do not take short cuts with ammo, use the best proven quality ones you can find.

 

[Mekaniks]

I honestly fail to see the need to use bullets not really designed for tougher animals or other "soft" not premium grade ammunition in this day and age when taking the cost of an African safari into consideration....

There are so many good quality well proven premium grade bullets available.

I guess only one wounded and lost animal on a safari of a lifetime will change that perception, especially if that animal happens to be a once in a lifetime, the biggest one the PH has ever seen type of one...

Do not take short cuts with ammo, use the best proven quality ones you can find.

^^^^what he said^^^^
Folks need to remember that it is the bullet that does the killing. Everything else is just the delivery system....

 

[Velo Dog]

Buenos tardes NESTOR,

I agree with those who say that bullet was not the best for the activity you were doing.
Furthermore, in any of the world’s common .30 caliber hunting rifles, especially the dreaded magnum ones, I feel any 165 grain spritzer bullet is best reserved for things like small animals in open terrain/ sparse foliage (the opposite with most of the Limpopo District).
It’d be good for springbok, Vaal rehbok, N. American pronghorn and similar sized animals in wide open conditions.

Likewise, I agree with anyone who says the .300 Winchester is best suited to at least 180 grain bullets and better yet 200 grain, with 220 grain being my recommendation for large antelopes in serious thorn bush conditions and thick riverine forest, such as the game rich Limpopo area is famous for.

That part of Africa begs for cartridges such as the .318 Westley Richards, .338-06, .338 Winchester, .35 Whelen, 9.3x62, etc., all with at least 250 grain to 286 grain blunt shaped bullets, going about 2200 FPS to no more than 2400 FPS, maximum.
In other words, the .300 magnum is not a perfect fit to use in such a close range environment, particularly on large, heavy boned animals.
At close range, the .300 magnums sadly ruin a lot of otherwise edible meat on the small animals as well.

However if you must, then it is wise to listen to life long resident hunters in Africa, (such as our very own IvW) as they generally have more experience at shooting critters than several typical N. American hunters combined (and / or several typical European hunters / typical Australian hunters combined, etc., etc.)
When discussing the .300 magnum for large antelopes at short range, they will virtually always suggest high sectional density bullets, AKA: heavy for caliber, at moderately low velocity, (by today’s standards anyway).
It is widely available in 220 grain for .30 caliber.

My parting shot as it were, is that the best (AKA: most reliable) widely available soft that also is bonded / super tough, is the Swift A-Frame.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

 

[Velo Dog]

Buenos tardes NESTOR,

I agree with those who say that bullet was not the best for the activity you were doing.
Furthermore, in any of the world’s common .30 caliber hunting rifles, especially the dreaded magnum ones, I feel any 165 grain spritzer bullet is best reserved for things like small animals in open terrain/ sparse foliage (the opposite with most of the Limpopo District).
It’d be good for springbok, Vaal rehbok, N. American pronghorn and similar sized animals in wide open conditions.

Likewise, I agree with anyone who says the .300 Winchester is best suited to at least 180 grain bullets and better yet 200 grain, with 220 grain being my recommendation for large antelopes in serious thorn bush conditions and thick riverine forest, such as the game rich Limpopo area is famous for.

That part of Africa begs for cartridges such as the .318 Westley Richards, .338-06, .338 Winchester, .35 Whelen, 9.3x62, etc., all with at least 250 grain to 286 grain blunt shaped bullets, going about 2200 FPS to no more than 2400 FPS, maximum.
In other words, the .300 magnum is not a perfect fit to use in such a close range environment, particularly on large, heavy boned animals.
At close range, the .300 magnums sadly ruin a lot of otherwise edible meat on the small animals as well.

However if you must, then it is wise to listen to life long resident hunters in Africa, (such as our very own IvW) as they generally have more experience at shooting critters than several typical N. American hunters combined (and / or several typical European hunters / typical Australian hunters combined, etc., etc.)
When discussing the .300 magnum for large antelopes at short range, they will virtually always suggest high sectional density bullets, AKA: heavy for caliber, at moderately low velocity, (by today’s standards anyway).
It is widely available in 220 grain for .30 caliber.

My parting shot as it were, is that the best (AKA: most reliable) widely available soft that also is bonded / super tough, is the Swift A-Frame.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

It is spitzer, not “spritzer” (infernal auto-correct got me again).

And, not sure how my sentence “It is widely available in 220 grain in .30 caliber” ended up before my parting shot, instead of as my intended last sentence of that post.
However, it no doubt is due to my computer ignorance in some way.
For me, computers are so tedious, convoluted and outright dodgy that a cave man obviously cannot do it LMAO.

 

[IdaRam]

It is spitzer, not “spritzer” (infernal auto-correct got me again).
For me, computers are so tedious, convoluted and outright dodgy that a cave man obviously cannot do it LMAO.

Yeah, but there is no denying the entertainment they provide to the peanut gallery

Thanks for the laugh!

 

[friendswoodmatt]

I used to swear by ballistic tips for deer and some exotics-- never again -- we lost a few animals with decent shots when the bullets just didnt seem to penetrate od hit bone and blew apart.
I for one shot a big boar hog right in the shoulder -- it knocked him down and blew a chunk of meat out of him, but almost no blood and we saw him a year or so later with a big nasty looking wallowed out area on his shoulder-- it healed--it was ugly -- I am done with ballistic tips

 

[Dr Ray]

My experience is they are really great accuracy wise. As a hunting bullet biggish game/ I think they’re too soft and expand too rapidly.
I’ve had them drill right through at long range / 450 m.
So I really don’t know but I won’t use them again actually.

 

[Bushpig4Ever]

As a resident of South Africa I‘m using Nosler Partition and Swift A-Frame, as heavy as possible. Not even thinking of anything else.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

My regards to all the foristas. Recently I came back from a hunt in the Limpopo province, South Africa. I rented rifle in the concession, a Ruger cal 300 Winch mag, and the ammunition were refills with tips Nosler balistic tip of 165 grains.
I fired a gemsbok about 100 meters away and if the shot entered something behind the paddle compromising lungs and left the opposite side, the animal was wounded and I could recover the next day. With the blue weldebeest, the shot entered crossed and although it fell to the animal, the tip was lodged in the back room, it had completely lost the nucleus of lead.
My question is: is the use of this tip correct, in that weight (165 grains) in a fast caliber caliber like 300 WM, what do you think?
Thank you.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

The nosler ballistic tip is to soft in you magnum if you used the the accubonds in 165, 180 or bigger. On the safari I went on one person used a 300 win mag with 200 or 210grain ELDX. Came apart on everything he shot, some had to be shot 2 or 3 times . This was not due to bad shooting as all shots were on the money just bad bullets.
My son used a 308Howa loaded it with 150gn accubonds and 14grain outer edge. With those projectiles it actually had more 1 shot kill than the 300. Choose the right bullet for the job and no problems.
Not knocking the rifle or the shooter just don't like the nosler ballistic tip.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I would not hesitate to use them on zebra or even eland. My hunting partner shot an eland in Zim this year with one and it worked perfectly. Took out both lungs and top of heart. You will likely not get an exit on zebra, definitely not on eland. As always, proper shot placement is key.
Good luck on Mr. Spots. He usually requires every ounce one can obtain!

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I would not hesitate to use them on zebra or even eland. My hunting partner shot an eland in Zim this year with one and it worked perfectly. Took out both lungs and top of heart. You will likely not get an exit on zebra, definitely not on eland. As always, proper shot placement is key.
Good luck on Mr. Spots. He usually requires every ounce one can obtain!

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Is Adam
My son used a 308 with 140grain outer edge to shoot his zebra at around 130yards. Got complete penetration and massive internal damage. 150 accubonds on Oryx thru and thru.
My own 35 Whelan thru and thru on everything shot side on with 225grains of accubonds and woodleigh projectiles

 

[Dr Ray]

My experience is that the ballistic tip billet is way too soft. I suggest the Swift A Frame Bullets.

 

[Dr Ray]

I’ve shot Rusa deer with a 130 grain ballistic tip in 270 Winchester.
Did the job but destroyed the entire off-shoulder. Rusa are not thick skinned animals nor the size of gemsbok. I’d be concerned about a ballistic tip causing shallow wounds and allowing the animal to escape and die a slow and painful death only to feed to scavengers.

 

[Fred Gunner]

This is what a Nosher Ballistic tip does to a Gemsbok at 150 yards

And this is the results at 200 yards...

Any Questions???