There was a post on here a while ago asking for experiences with the 64 grain Nosler Bonded projectile. I've just come back from a trip where I shot two deer (a Fallow and a Red) with this bullet out of a .223

The fallow was a high shoulder shot with the bullet exiting, and the red was a lower chest shot, once again with the bullet exiting.

Here are a couple of pictures of the Red.

Entrance...



and exit...



I've shot my last four animals (two Fallow, a Red and a Thar) with this bullet and have had exits on all of them. While that's a small sample size, I have a lot of experience with the .223 using the old 55 gn Nosler Solid Base, the 63 gn Sierra, 64 gn Sierra Game King and 70 gn Speer on deer. The 64 grain bonded has impressed me and I'll keep on using it.

How's your accuracy been? I've got a bunch of these but I haven't been impressed with the accuracy I've gotten so far. Now that I think about it, I guess I've only tried them in 14 twist barrels. Maybe I need to try them in a 9 or 12 twist 223 and see if they do better. I also have a 9 twist 22-250 on the way that they'd be fun to try in.

I know they aren't a match bullet, and I guess the accuracy I've been getting is good enough to hunt with, but accurate loads are more fun.

I just picked up another box of these yesterday to load for my kids to use in the .223AI.

Below is the doe my daughter shot through the shoulders at 120yds. Entrance is shown in the pic. the exit was about the size of a quarter, she ran about 40yds.

Good info Mike!


I used the 64 bonded on a couple deer ( out of a .223AI) and found the damage to be excessive.....yours doesn't look bad at all and I no doubt shouldn't be judging by my own 'sample of two'...

I found accuracy to be pretty darned good too...

How big are the animals?
How far were the shots?
What's the MV of your load?

Thanks,



P

Accuracy has been fine (1 1/2 inch at 100 yards). I'm shooting them out of one of the early Tikka T3's with a 1 in 12 twist.

The red hind was the heaviest, I'd estimate 90kg (200 lbs) liveweight. The fallow and the thar would have gone around 70 kg (150 lbs). The red and the fallow were between an estimated 120 to 170 yards, the thar was at a lasered 210 yards.

Load is 25 gns of ADI 2206H (I believe it's sold in the US as H4895), book suggests MV of around 2950 fps.

Good report thanks. I have a couple hundred bless I keep meaning to play with thru my 9" twisted Savage. W/ RL15 thinking 3k should be a cinch?

I picked up a couple of boxes that were on sale last month. Going to see if they will stabilize in my Browning Safari .22-250 with a 1-14 twist.

I hope you do well, I tried them in two different 1 in 14 .22-250s and neither one would stabilize...

Well, they were cheap--and I have a .223.

Give them a go...stranger things have happened...I have a 1 in 12 .223AIO thats not supposed to stabilize Barnes 55 TTSX...but it does! Likewise I had a 1 in 12 heavy 223 that would shoot 68 grain match lights out....

Congrats on the successful hunt.

How was the blood trail with these and how far did they travel after being shot?

You are at altitude.

That makes a big difference.

The two high shoulder shots (1 fallow and the thar) went straight down. The other fallow went maybe 15 yards, and the red about 25 yards. 15 to 30 or so yards is about what I have come to expect with the .223 and a 'just below half way' broadside chest shot on deer.

Sorry, didn't notice the blood trails as they were easily located without looking for blood.

I didn't think they would make it far, but was wondering. Thanks. I had purchased these bullets but have yet to try them.

Thanks for the info. Your animals are close in size to mule deer.

I get a shade over 3000 fps with Varget.




P

That was probably me. I bought a box for the .223 Vanguard S2 I've ordered. My plan, assuming I can get them to shoot okay, is to use them to fill a doe tag or two if I stil have tags after the either-sex season (in my county we can shoot bucks or up to three does during the "Buck" season, if we have purchased tags). These, along with the 60gr NP and the 65gr Sierra GK seem like the best bets for the 1-9" S2.

Thanks.