I have heard great things about the 284" 120 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip in terms of accuracy and on game performance.

I am wondering how it performs when impact speeds are above 3000 fps (starting from a muzzle velocity of 2300 fps)and also wondering if it is exiting deer size game when driven to these velocities.

I run the 120NBT out of a .280 Ackley at over 3300fps and we have yet to keep one inside a deer from inside 50 yards out to near 300 yards.

That's a good report hillbillybear... I'm liking that.

It has a thicker jacket than the 140 BT, as it was modified from its original design for silhouette shooters who complained that it was too frangible. Apparently, Nosler figured those guys were probably their sole market for that bullet, so they complied.

I was educated on its history just today by one of our resident writers (dogzapper).

I'm hopeful that there may be some more reports of terminal performance... maybe the dogzapper will contribute.

Run a search for dogzapper in deer hunting/elk hunting / big game hunting and you will find all sorts of dead via 120 NBT pictures.


Steve's 120 NBT .280AI load is what I use in my rifle and its certain death on critters.

Here is a link to some of Steve's 120 NBT "Volunteers"

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthread.../Re_Opinions_on_7_08_for_Elk#Post5405514

thanks hillbillybear..

I run it in one of my 7mm-08's on top of 43.5 grains of RL15, probably running 3000-3050fps. I shot a whitetail doe at ten paces with it, dropped the deer in it's tracks, and the bullet exited. It was a quartering to shot and broke both shoulder blades, turning the insides to jello. I was pleased with it's performance.

Dogzapper has proved more than once it's a stouter bullet than many will admit and has filled more than a few arks with proof to back up that claim.

Well, I have a box here and am about to load them to see how they like my new Pac Nor tube..chambered for 284 Winchester

I'm bettin' they'll shoot. I'm thinking that they might be a quick killer for our Northeastern Whitetails... but I've yet to try them..yet.

the 120nbt will not disappoint. my goto bullet in the 7-08. double shoulder at 250yds with a mv around +-3100. bullet lodged under hide on offside shoulder. thinking only reason it didnt make it out was it slammed the buck down so fast. never seen my 280ai with 140nab down one that hard and fast

I shot 43,44,45 gr of re 15 under the 120 nosler bt in my kimber 84 classic this last weekend. It topped out at 2890 fps at 45 grains but the 44 grain went into 1/2 inch. Not sure if I can repeat that but I really like this bullet in the 7mm08 so far. I've also shot nice groups with H4350 right around 3000 fps. Was thinking about re17 but haven't found any data yet.

varget is your friend.

You might consider Alliant's 2000MR - it really rocks in my wife's 7-08ai, as does RL-15.

Ramshot Big Game gives right at 3000 fps in my 7-08 and works great on antelope. Fully penetrate, even at 400 yards. All were very quick kills.

Only a sample of 2 ,1 whitetail doe 95 yds thru both lungs behind the shoulders DRT. 1 mule deer doe 38 yds double lung DRT both bullets exited . Full dose load from Nosler #6 7mm Remington Magnum RL-19 120 NBT they chronoed 3550+ for me, Nosler got 3570 fps.Recoil is not bad and trajectory is very flat, impressive load and I still need more samples with it on bigger bodied deer.Magnum Man

My Montana 7-08 likes them with Big Game, as well.



No chrnoy on them, but extrapolating from elevation at 300, 400, etc. with a 200 yard zero, we're well over 3000 FPS with them.

Have yet to bloody them, though - always run the 120 TTSX on critters, but will give the NBT a run next year on some stuff.

DJ

DJ, I followed your thread about Big Game/120's on the reloading forum with interest, and in fact just searched it up again to remind myself of the powder charges you guys were using. Anyway... tried it today, accuracy was very good as I ran the pressure up.

I didn't set up the chrony.

I had one chance to stick a deer with the 120 NBT at very close range a couple years ago... didn't work out. By all accounts it's a stout little bastid. Sure does SHOOT.

Azz shot deer?

Sample of one, I loaned my Mtn Guide to our company President last fall and he shot a small 7 pt at 100 yds last year - first buck ever. 44.0 '15 and the 120 NBT. Spined him and bullet went through. Shot him again from about 10 yds to put him out. I dug that bullet out of the offside, right under the hide. Perfect mushroom.
That bullet was chrono'd at about 2,970 at the muzzle IIRC.

FWIW, another perspective.

This will probably be counter to the prevailing trend, but the more you increase the velocity over say 2800 fps, the more meat damage you will experience in the game you shoot. I don't mind running my varmint rounds at 3300 fps or more as I usually don't eat them.
Also, IIRC you will probably get more penetration with ballistic tips with mv's starting out at 2600 to 2800 fps. Course I mostly hunt whitetail deer and hogs. I've almost quit using anything with a MV over 3,000 fps due to meat damage on game shot under 200 yds which is the max distance most of my game is taken at.
Take a 257 WBY, 100 gr. partition, 3,650 fps, 120 yd. impact distance, hit bone and you'll have jelly for about 8 inches around the entrance.

Best

GWB

geedub i run the 120nbt at a bit over 3000 from a 7-08. Run a 140 nab at 3200+ from a 280ai. both bullets penetrate almost equally well with the edge so far going to the nab. But i have noticed the nbt does seem to open just a tad faster thus putting a little jelly on the surface. No biggie the. Just scrape it off. Other than that meat damage has been minimal. But have yet to try up close. All game taken with the 120 nbt has been at around 225-250

How are you going to get it to speed up?

This bullet is tougher. I cut a 120 and a 140 in half yrs ago and the 120 has about a 20% thicker jacket. It is always the bullet I use first in any 7mm for accuracy. If it don't shoot then "normally" there is something BAD wrong...

I need some very specific instructions on this. Sounds perfect for my 7-30 waters.

thinking someones brain and fingers werent on the same page. Betting that starting mv should have read 3200.

i see another long barreled 7-08ai in my future. and you can bet the 120nbt will be the bullet of choice.

3200 out of my 284 and they just pass thru and kill while doing it.
jmho
Tim

that 3200 is what ill be shooting for when i twist up my next 7mm-08 ai.

How fast will a .280 AI push them?

Will the 7mm-08 AI approach the vels. of the standard 280 Rem?

Gunner

My old 24" 280AI would do 3370'ish with the 120 B Tip over H4350.

I tend to shoot downwind.. (good catch Mathman..!)

I killed a whopper of a cow elk this year at 300 yards with said bullet. I've seen and shot a lot of cows and she was definitely a trophy cow I was shooting them out of my 7mm-08 at 3,125 fps. High shoulder shot, she went 40 yards bleeding badly and tipped over. Deer go down very easily and apparently, so do elk Great bullet! Flinch

I had a bedded mulie catch one last season. Under 100yds, MV was pushing 3K. Bullet came apart.

Other deer and one antelope were pass throughs. Still going to run it this year.


Travis

I wondered that myself, but gave the benefit.

Used my first last fall about 3k. Bullet came unglued, majority jacket piece made it about 12". Buck was about 30 yards away. Killed the deer, but i really wasn't impressed. My rifle does shoot lights out with them so may give them another shot. I have stocked up on other bullets to try.

I like them well in 708. Shoot 45gr of '15 under a molyed 120.

got 3185 with 140xlc from 7-08ai with 26" douglass tube. 44.3 grns varget and bullet seated .035 off lands

Yowza. 3,185 with a 140 is a fairly healthy 7mm SAUM load. I've had 24" 7RM's that topped out at only 70fps more.

I really need to get a chronograph, looks like my load is probably in the 2900fps +/- range, maybe a bit more since its a 24" barrel vs the 22" of a Kimber.

I think I'd rock on with that 44 grain load if I were in your shoes. That'd put the hurting on some critters, for sure!

true it is. but that rifle did it day in day out. no crazy spread on the chrono. dang good accuracy too. built this rifle because a buddy has one as well. both built by same smith. both douglass barrels. and mine always ran higher velocities than his with the same loads.

I just got 1,250 120 gr NBT from Shooter's Pro Shop.
Looks like I'll be busy for a while.

P

I try to run them at about 2800 fps from my 7-08. At that speed I have not caught one in a deer out to 120 yards or so. It gives me great accuracy and mild recoil with virtually no difference in trajectory at the ranges I can shoot deer to in Va. I have only seen one or two negative reports on this bullet, which is why I went with it.

I believe the older ones were not as strong as the newer ones. I have some in old boxes that I use only for paper and newer boxes for game. I think this info was from dogzapper???
jmho
Tim

regardless of who it came from it is believed to bw correct. newer bullets equals thicker jacket. the old 120s for paper the newer ones for critters.

Don't know the MV but a 120 BT in my 7 Mag dropped a doe in her tracks at 60 yards. My only complaint was the bruising all the way to the back straps:( Never seen a round kill like that one. Shot placement was just behind front shoulder about 1/3 up from bottom.