Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 170 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips at SPS .277 diameter

https://www.shootersproshop.com/270-caliber-170gr-ballistic-tip-hunting-50ct-1.html

Requires 1-8 twist

I saw that.

I don't get it.

The 170g BT has a BC of .560.

The 150g AB LR has a BC of .591.

I wonder what motivated Nosler to introduce a heavier bullet with a lower BC?

Must be all about that smashing extra 20 grains of bullet weight.

I have no idea myself. It’s kinda funny to me, they say 1-8 twist needed on the box. 27 Noslers are twisted 1-8.5. While I know they should work in the 27 Nosler it doesn’t look like smart advertising to me.

The Ballistic Tip probably isn’t a bad hunting bullet though if you wanted something for closer range stuff that costs a bit less but it’s gotta be a think margin. Their 165 ABLR is a mid .600’s as well.

.277 ABLRs are very jump sensitive. I worked up a load for them a few years back. It took a while.

There are and have always been 160gr .264 bullets and 170-180gr .284 bullets. Now the ole .277 is slowly catching up.

I bought some of these when I saw them on SPS to try out in my 8" twist 270 WSM.
I hear you about the lower BC. But I would wager these are some of the best game bullets one can find if there is a possibility of having to shoot both close and long.
.560 isn't that bad of a BC for long shooting after all, and these should hold together on a close shot better than most of the other 170 grain and higher .277 bullets that have emerged recently. I've read some not-so-great things about the ABLRs when shot close and fast, though I am hoping to find a good load for the 165 ABLR and will use it myself if I do.
I have only had these 170 BTs to the range once. I shot nine work-up rounds seated .025 off the lands and they did not do so well at that OAL (1.5 MOA-ish). But I figure work up the charge close to the lands and I can always safely shorten the OAL. My magazine allows 3.025 max OAL and these kiss the lands at 3.035, so a pretty good match.
The Sierra 175 TGK is shooting at 0.5 MOA when seated .090 off the lands, which is close to max OAL for the magazine so maybe these 170 BTs will tighten groups up as I move them back.

Interested to hear any experiences others have had with these. I see Nosler has not posted any data for them yet to their website, and don't even list the 6.8 Western either, which is a good source of starting loads for the 270 WSM.

Cheers,
Rex

TX35W,
Would you please share what you found in your jump testing? I really want to get these shooting well and haven't yet cracked the code.

Thanks!
Rex

If twisted right, were they thinking suppressed and subsonic 6.8?

No these are for the 27 Nosler.

Can you show us where that statement can be found? Nosler does not have such info on their website, nor does the vendor linked here.
Was 27 Nosler factory ever loaded with them?

A big push was happening to develop and manufacture .277 Sig Fury for the .mil and these could have been designed for subsonic testing.

I'm only interested as I do some load work with the .270W in 8.6" tubes.

Hey Rex,
traveling so I don't have my notes in front of me, but best I can make out from what I typed into my phone I definitely got them shooting well jumping 0.125. I also *think* they may have shot well jumping .050. This is in a fairly fresh SAAMI minimum chamber, using Hunter powder as I had a lot of it. They definitely liked to jump.

edit:
Guessing you've already found this, but I thought that the 165 ABLRs might be interesting in a fast twist 270, bought a bag from SPS, and found that basically the entire bullet is still in the case when they jam in a Sammi 270 chamber. Again I don't have my notes here but I sort of remember that the ogive might still have been in the case neck when they jammed.

Might be wrong and maybe your WSM has a longer throat.

I’ve had the same results with Nosler ABLRs. I start them at 50 and work then back 25 thou at a time. Had some real decent luck going like that.

By the way, both Nosler and Sierra list a G1 BC of .560 for their 170 BT and 175 TGK respectively. When I look at them side-by-side I say no way do these two bullets have the same BC. Just guessing, but .560 looks about right to me for the 170 BT. It looks very conservative to me for the 175 TGK. Pictures here shows them both along with a 165 ABLR.


Anybody have a different opinion based on the visual?
When I received my first shipment of the 175 TGK, I put a post out asking if anyone has done any BC testing and verified the .560 G1 but have not gotten any confirmations. My normal range only goes to 200 yards and it's quite a drive to get to where I can do controlled testing at longer range to test drops. I'll get to it sometime before fall hunting season, just hoping somebody already did.

Cheers,
Rex

A gentleman on another site mentioned that the .560 BC is what Sierra lists for "1900 FPS and above", and that Browning lists the G1 of the same bullet at 2835 FPS in their factory ammo as .617 (I've not found a citation for this yet though), which seems to make a little more sense in comparing the three in the picture above.

I’d be in agreement with you Rex. That Sierra has to be considerably better or the Nosler is way overrated.

Probably more the Nosler.

There it is, down in the fine print, lower left of the dope table. Browning says G1 .617, G7 .311


Sorry to hijack the thread a little. Back to on point - G1 of .560 doesn't look unreasonable to my eye for the 170 BT. What seemed unreasonable was that the Sierra 175 and the Nosler 170 could BOTH be .560.

Of all the bullet manufacturers out there I think Sierra is the most reliable on their advertised specs. Not saying Sierra is gospel every time but I have more confidence in them.

That comports with Brian Litz's reporting. As does the trend of Nosler being a little optimistic on some of their numbers.
I think the key to .560 being "right" must be the ">1900 FPS" part.
Rex
Litz Comarison of advertised versus actual BC
Litz test of Sierra Tipped Matchkings

I wanted to follow up on this earlier post. I took a break on the 170 BTs while working with some other bullets. My previous work with them quoted above was with Magpro, which I discovered as the temps heated up is fairly Temp sensitive in my rifle. I have been switching over to Ramshot Magnum, which did very well in Mr. Barsness' test for temp resistance. Went to the range today with the same 8" .270 WSM, and the 170BT seated .020 off the lands. Shot 64 and 65 grains Magnum. No pressure signs. Very good velocities, .70" and .62" groups respectively.
I should say that based on comparing my various results with this lot of Magnum, it must be one of the fastest burning lots ever. Equal charges of Magpro and Magnum show faster speeds for the Magnum, which makes no sense to me based on the burn rate charts and the published data. I ran out of this last batch and will be cracking into the new 8# jug on the next trip out. I expect velocity drops, and having to work back up, which may be a good thing as it'll give me a little better case fill.
Bottom line - looks like maybe these will shoot after all.
Cheers,
Rex

Good info Rex. I have been using Magnum a bit in my 300 RUM with 168 TTSX's and 139 Scenars in my 6.5 PRC. Both cases, it seemed to be danged accurate and very fast or at least on par with a few others of similar burn.

Good info on the 270 WSM with the 170 BT's as well. While not screaming high BC they aren't horrid either. Should be good deer and maybe bigger, critter getters.