Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 100 gr Ballistic tips in the 260 Rem?

Has anyone used these on game. I noticed they can be launched at 25-06 100 gr velocities!

According to Nosler #5.......


Anyone have a load or shot any big game with them?
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Despite Nosler's claims, the 6.5 100 BT is not a big game bullet. You would be much better off with the 100 Partition.

Just got back from a pronghorn hunt in Colorado, where I had many long and interesting talks with the outfitter. He has seen hundreds of "goats" taken over the years and loathes and despises Ballistic Tips. Has seen many blow up and fail to penetrate, and he's not talking varmint-weight BT's here but deer-weight. This is on an animal that weighs maybe 120 on the hoof. One guy on the hunt just before mine was using the 115 BT in a .25-05. Hit a BIG pronghorn right in the ribs and it barely penetrated the near-side lung. I have had similar experiences and always prefer the same-weight Partition, or the Hornady Interlock (NOT SST!) if you're too broke to buy Partitions.

I shot several Kodiak Island deer with the 100 BTips launched at 3300 fps from my M700 VLS's 26" barrel. Unlike some comments, I've had great luck with Ballistic Tip bullets on deer-sized game as long as impact velocities were under 2700 fps. The deer I shot with the .260 were taken at ca. 300 yards with this varmint rifle, and bullet performance was excellent. Impact velocity was about 2500 fps, penetration was ample for lung shots and the deer went down quickly.
[ Note that Nosler changed the construction of their Ballistic Tips some years ago in response to hunters' comments that the bullets were too soft. Much of the bad rep these bullets enjoy came from the early period when they were softer than they are today. ]

That said, for an all-around bullet in the .260 I prefer the heavier 125 Partition or the 120-grain X-bullet. These will deliver deeper penetration on angling shots and don't restrict you to lung-only opportunities. The 100-grain Ballistic Tip worked great for me where I could pick my shots and snipe from afar.

My buddy took his 6.5/284 to Montana last year and shot a goat with it- 5 times!

The last shot was as it was dragging itself away from him. He was just sick. He chose the bullet as he had been using it on coyotes and it was very accurate. He had killed a goat in AZ earlier in the season with the same rifle and a 100 grain Sierra. This goat was at 401 yds and bullet performance was perfect. He thought the BT would be as good or better than the Sierra- only thing as the goats in MT were shot at less than 150 yds and the bullets litteraly blew up on the skin!

I know the 260 is slower but I would avoid that bullet at all costs. If they will shoot in your gun, the 129 Hornady interlock is a great bullet! Fpr some reason my gun wont shoot them worth a damn so I am going to have to try something else. Probably 125 partitions.

I`d drop the BT and take a look at Nolsers 100gr partition. They claimed in the intro literature I read that it was developed for use on deer sized game, in cartridges like the "new" 260 Rem. I haven`t used it on game but it does quite well on paper in my M700 DBL 260.

Once again, this discussion of the problems with Ballistic Tips is proving informative. My question, however, relates to the choice of bullet weight: 100 grains.

What is wrong with the "standard" big-game and long-range match bullet weight of 140 grains that's been such a superstar in the 6.5x55? Is there a particular reason why you need to use such a light bullet weight?

What is the advantage that lighter bullets at ".25-06 velocities" may have over their heavier counterparts? Does that extra velocity of the lighter bullet offer an advantage at longer ranges? Or perhaps you want to use the bullet for both varmint and big game purposes?

The advantage would be a flatter trajectory. The slow, 140g bullets of traditional construction penetrated well with good on-game performance. They also dropped quite a little at extended range (drop is relative of course).

With a lighter weight, well constructed premium bullet, one can get a flatter trajectory (at hunting ranges) and the bullet still holds together on impact. Some premium bullets have very good penetrating ability (Barnes X, etc.)

If trajestory isn't an issue, than the 140g bullets work well.

HogWild

I believe the four best deer hunting bullets for the 260 rem are the speer and sierra 120 grain bullets, the 125 partition and the 129 hornady interlock. I use the partition and the interlock. With my 24 inch barrel you can get 2900-3000 with these bullets and r19. Its very easy to get moa with any of these bullets. A fellow oregonian "seafire" over at accurate reloading said he shot his blacktail buck last year with the 100 ballistic tip. He say its the last time he'll use that bullet on deer. Dead is dead but meat is meat. It created way to much bloodshot and the penitration left zero room for error. If you must have light use the 100 grain partition. You may even be able to pick up 105 grain partition seconds from the factory. I am very, very happy with 129 interlocks at around 2950. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I suppose you're right that at shorter ranges the 100-grain bullets would give a slightly flatter trajectory than the 140s. However, for long-range target shooting with my 6.5x55, I use either 142-grain Sierras or 140-grain Hornady AMAXes. I also understand that the 142 Sierras are the bullets of choice in the dominant 1000-yard cartridge these days, the 6.5/.284.

Inside 300 yards I can see the 100-grain bullets providing a slight trajectory advantage. However, with a properly zeroed rifle, trajectory to 300 yards would not be an issue if you can get a 140-grain bullet out at 2,800 feet-per-second (comparable to a HOT-loaded .30-06 with a 190-grain bullet). I suspect that any trajectory "advantage" favouring the 100-grain bullet at that range would likely be more theoretical than practical, assuming, of course, that your target area is the size of a paper plate.

P17,

I bet the bullets you mentioned would be great at for the truly long range shots. When I said "hunting ranges" I was thinking out to 400yds. At 300 yds I agree that there is little difference between the 140g class trajectory and the 100g class trajectory.

Another advantage of a light 100g bullet is less recoil. Difference more noticeable in an ultralight rifle. I'm gonna try the 100g Partition on whitetail this fall. Have read posts on accuraterelading where they say they have the penetration of the 129g Hornady with recoil like a 243. I fired several out of my 260 and I think they are correct on the recoil. I'll find out if they are right about penetration this fall hopefully.

Be sure and tell us how your hunting goes this fall.

HogWild

I do not own a 260 Rem. but I do own 6.5x55's My favorite bullet for deer sized game is the 125 Partition at 3000 fps. I have shot the 100 Partition, but have taken no game with it yet. I am confident that it will do fine also. I shoot the Ballistic tips in both 100 and 120 grain weights, but use them only for "big" varmints like coyotes and feral cats. That 100 Ballistic tip is a real "bomb" at 264 Win Mag velocities!!! I have shot one deer with the 129 Hornady IL in the 6.5x55, and it worked fine, exiting the 160 Lb buck on a broadside shot. Hope you can find what you are looking for. Regards, Eagleye

The 100 gr. bullets will stay flatter out to 500 yds and beyond. Realistically, that extends the PBR of the 100 gr. maybe 20-30 yds beyond that of the 140 gr (an advantage but a minor one). As someone mentioned, beyond 300 or so....trajectory advantages are largely theoretical. I know a lot of guys that call themselves expert shots and experienced hunters. Yet almost none can accurately judge (within 25 yds), distance past about 300 yds or so.

For most people to hit well at ranges beyond PBR, a rangefinder is the best tool to help them do that. When you range your target, you (know) how much to correct. When applying a correction either via holdover or dial ups, it makes no difference whether you are correcting for 10" of drop or 15" of drop.

I DO however very much like the lighter recoil of the 100's. Based upon past experience with 100 gr. .257 Btips at 3200-3350 fps, my choice in 264 would (will) be the Partitions, Interlocks, or X bullets.

JimF

I have a friend, I know a guide, there was this outfitter.

How about "I personaly" have been using them for
10 years and have never had a problem using them on
deer sized game. 28/120s and 140s perform wonderful
on cows deer and mule deer.

I will continue to use them and will
use them this year for a mule deer hunt in WA.
I will be using a 120 Ballistic Tip in a 264 win mag at
over 3,400 fps.

I'll let you know.