This is the main bullet I use in my long range PD rifle, a .220 Swift. They open quite violently on a PD; I would definitely not use them on a big game animal.
Funny how the people who have never tried it are always the ones who say it won’t work
Here's the deal about Nosler BT bullets....
NBT's in 55gr through a .223 do expand. But they are not violently explosive at .223 velocities. Same bullet fired through a Swift or 22-250 does get rapid violent expansion.
I quit using the NBT in .223 for coyotes years and years ago because they were not expanding like I wanted, and passed through coyotes with ease, and resulted in MANY runners and spinners. I switched to a 55gr VMax, and solved all that. The 55gr VMax has a much thinner jacket and will reliably expand and expend it's energy in a coyote, with much, much better terminal results.
Having shot many deer with 223 NBT's, as well as more than a few hogs, they are more solid, give much better penetration, and kill better than VMax on heavier game.
Every bullet design out there performs differently on different game at different velocities.
Caliber and bullet weight are important to remember as well.... Nosler Ballistic Tip bullets increase jacket thickness as the caliber, and bullet weight increases. The jacket of a .25 cal 115gr NBT is much thicker than a .22 caliber 55gr NBT bullet.
Velocity variation and bullet caliber and weight are big considerations with NBT bullets.
A NBT .223 55gr will probably kill deer just fine out of a .223. But the same bullet in a 22-250 may splash on deer, and cause the deer to run and possibly not be recovered.
