Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Big Stick, 7mm-08, and the 120gr NBT

Out of 30+ big game animals shot with 140 BST I didn't not kill any of them. As far as high velocity imapct with bone - I shot a black bear (forgot about the half dozen bears I killed with that bullet) that was standing on his hind legs at roughly 50 yds dead center in the chest and blew his spine out the other side - shot a 350" bull elk quartering away at 100 and broke the off shoulder. What's not to like about that - then again I spend more time trying to kill things than I do worrying about picking lint off my fedora or polishing my butt out tool.

I need to grab some of those 120 NBT's and see if they'll shoot out of my 7-08. The 120TSX did weird things for me. I am trying to stay away from bombs though. A few deer so far this year with the 162 Amax and I've seen enough carnage to last me a few lifetimes..(grin)

I don't believe that's it.

The jacket for the 120 is not the same as the 140, rather it is extruded from the same blank. This leaves it shorter and thicker, there never is a thinner part to be trimmed.

Max load with RL 19 from a savage 10f 22" barrel. Muzzle velocity was 3090. Buck was no more than 30 yards.

The 120BT will work stupendously...

I have shot 4 WT's with the 120 V-max.. 2 from a 7-08 and 2 from a 280Rem. 3 bangflops and the other was hit towsrds the rear of the lungs and she made it about 75 yds.. Two penetrated completely and one was recovered against the hide. The other was on a front on shot and didnt feel like doin an autopsy. She hit the ground so hard, she bounced.. I know they arent "made" for deer but the work real well and I wouldnt hesitate to use them if you hate tracking game or hunt in the thick shiit.. They DO make a mess on the inside...

i've used them and so has my wife in our 708's.. they work well... just a bit more meat dammage than i like but they do kill very well and i haven't been able to catch one in an animal yet...











i've some more victims to try them on but so far so good... i prefer TSX's though....

Good pics Paul.

thanks.. only one more and you break the 10K mark!

Yes Sir.Might have to bump some Graybull threads to change ranks........not

Supposedly the current 120 NBT has a much thicker jacket to please silhouette shooters. It seems they liked the weight but the original 120 wouldn't hold together to knock over the rams so Nosler used the 140 jacket blank and the rams started toppling. Anyway that is the story.

I tryed them last year in a 7x57 (you know, the round the 7mm-08 was developed to copy), shot an antelope and 2 whitetail does. Three rounds fired at about 2900 fps, the beasts were between 100 and 250 yds, all bullets exited, animals all did a little death run, don't think any made it more than 40 yds. That's a sample of only 3 which doesn't mean anything statistically, but I wouldn't be scared to use them again. Trying Deep Curls though this year.

Pictured from left to right cross sectioned 1994 7mm 120gr BT,1994 7mm 150gr BT,2006 140gr. 7mm Accubond and 2010 .308 168gr. BT.

http://noslerreloading.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1&mode=view

We've shot the 120 B-tip for 6 years in the 7-08 and 280. No problems. 15-20 antelope, 10-12 mule deer, and 1 6pt bull.

Off the subject somewhat, but what about the 120 gr. Sierra Pro-Hunter. Have not got a chance to try them yet, but have heard good things about them?
Anyone using them in there 7mm-08?

Sierra used to consider them a varmint bullet, I don't have a recent Sierra manual though.

Tried the Sierra 120gr Pro-Hunter in my wife and daughter's 7-08's. They grenaded when impacting antelope at 225-325 yards. Complete penetration with 120gr NBT's at the same distances.

My 7mm08 deer load this season is the 120 NBT on top of a stiff load of RL15. I'm pretty sure it will work.

I bought my kids a 7-08. The only bullet it would shoot was the 120gr. Pro Hunter. No exits on deer; it killed them on broadside shots but I like blood trails. I rebarreled the gun so it would shoot other bullets. 139gr BT Interlocks exited on broadside shots, but very little blood. I will give the Ballistic Tips a try this year.

It tried AA2520 with good success this year; accuracy and velocity.

Great cartridge, 3 girls, 4 shots, 4 deer.

Aaron

Interesting, that 168BT is built like an Accubond.

I had been itiching to try the 120BT, but shoot the 120 TTSX because I have to. Popped a deer last week with my 7-08AI quartering away. Connected with some ribs and made a hell of an extry wound. The only direction he moved was back and down.

I like big heavy bullets in my 7x57s, like a 160 or 175 gr. Nosler partition as it has performed wonderfully for me in Africa and on elk, particularly in the timber, but it shoots plenty flat at 2600 plus a tad FPS..

That said, one of the most overlooked game bullets in any 7mm is the Speer 130 gr. flat base or boattail..It is a real killer on deer size animals and I have used it for years in Africa for culling and shot a number of deer and pronghorn with it. A great bullet that leaves nice large exit holes on broadside shots..

I know the 120 gr. bullets expand beautifully and kill well, but they do not have the penetration that I want in a bullet..I like two holes and don't buy off on the therory that a bullet should shed all its energy inside an animal..

Just my take on the subject, not even required reading!