Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Nosler Solid Base vs Ballistic Tip?

The (out of production?)solid base bullets seem to be popular.

I'm wondering if they have some sort of an advantage over the B-Tip, or is it just a matter of nostalgia?

Caliber in question here is 7x57.

Thanks in advance.

They are constructed the same. That said, Nosler and all companies frequently change the construction of bullets, such as jacket thickness, etc. I've found these fly and perform exactly like the BTs. Advantages of the BTs are no point deformations, potential ballistic advantages due to the more streamlined shape. I do know that the .284 120 grain Ballistic Tips of fairly recent manufacture have rather thick jackets, more so that earlier ones.

The 150 Solid Base bullets shoot very well in my #1 in 7x57 with RL17.
In my experience/opinion the SB expanded about 15% to 25% more than the Partition, shot to the same poi as the Partition and was more accurate than the Partition.
There has been a lot of changes to the Ballistic Tips, so hard to compare to them. As noted above the current 7mm 120BT is very sturdy.
Till you get past 300 yards or so the ballistic differences are a rather moot point for hunting.
JMHO
Tim

A good question. There was a time when everyone seemed to think that the Solid Base was designed by God Himself while they looked down their noses at the BT. I never could quite figure that out as it looked like the BT was just the Solid Base with a "plastic" tip.

i've been using the 140gr solid base in my 7mag mainly because i've got a bunch of them picked them up because they shoot well in my gun and preform great on deer. my son uses the 140gr bt in his 7 mag they seem to work about the same. this year i used the 120gr bt only one deer but it performed great also and shoots really flat.

Ed

I had some 140-grainers pencil a side-on 8-point one time. Probably a BT would have opened up. Better on larger animals?

I'm an old fart that has a sizable cache of Solid Bases in many sizes (Am I a Hoarder?). These are great deer/antelope/sheep bullets. AND, I've found that every handload recipe with SBs can be used with BTs. The chronographed velocities are very close, too.

as a hunting bullet Ive had excellent luck with the ol solid base bullets........

I used the sb when I first started reloading for my 270win.They worked real good on deer.When I tried the bts when they first came out they would make a much larger hole with more bloodshot meat in deer.
It seems that they made them tougher now.

I lucked out and found some 30 cal. 165 grain nosler solid base bullets at an estate sale and have killed deer loaded in a 300 win mag and 30-06 with them and they worked flawlessly. My pet load for my 30-06 and these bullets shoot into 1/2 moa. I can't seem to get this kind of accuracy out of the accubonds and it frustrates me. I haven't tried the bt's in this rifle so I can't compare the two, but like I said the accubonds don't perform like I think they should.

Gents -
Want to thank you guys for the information. As mentioned, I've been curious about these bullets.

Sounds like the consensus is that the solid base Nosler is a good bullet, w/ no real disadvantages - aside from being out of production.

My No.1-A / 7x57 seems to shoot Nos 140BT's, Sierra 140SP's, Hrdy 139SP's, & Hrdy 154SP's all under MOA - over either H414, or IMR4350. Thinking RL17 might be a good match, as well.

Gent in the classified had Qty #300 150 grn solid bases for sale a few days ago that I guess I should have jumped on. Guess hind sight is always 20 / 20... ;=]

I'll be keeping my eyes open for some .284" 150's in the future.

GCF

It is interesting that you have good luck with H414...another recent thread poster said he quit the 4350 and went exclusively to H414 with several bullet weights.

Do you find H414 works well in the spectrum of .284 bullet weights?

I have always used IMR 4350, H4350 so just curious.

Roundoak -
I got started w/ H414, because Nosler 5th listed it as the most accurate powder for their 140 grain bullets, in 7x57. 45.0 was their best overall load. Most accurate load for their 140's w/ IMR4350 was listed as 49.0.

For 7x57, they listed IMR4350 as the best for their 150 grain bullets, w/ 44.0 grains as the most accurate over all.

My results pretty much mirror Nosler's published data.

I was able to chrono 1 load: Hrdy 140SP / H414 45.0 / RP brass, neck sized / Fed210. It ran 2,680 in my 22" bbl No.1, which was a little higher then Nosler's data. The 46.0 load was substantially more accurate (0.75" at 100), but I was not able to chrono it.

Overall, I like H414 in my rifle, & could probably use it happily for 140 grain bullets for a long time. I lot of guys use it exclusively in 7x57.

I think that IMR4350 may be a better choice for heavier bullets. 44.0 works great w/ the Hrdy 154SP.

My top (full to neck base)load w/ 140BT's & IMR4350 is 48.5, & it seemed a tab warm. As such I'm curious about RL17. I've heard it equals the burn rate equal to 4350, has a denser weight / bulk ratio, & produces higher velocity - w/ lower pressure. Sounds like the magic dust...

If I can provide additional detail, just let me know - Gary

Look at the wood on that Ruger...

GCF...A question or two or comments if you do not mind.

Looking at your targets my attention was drawn to COL. Target #1 shows COL 2.985" with Sierra 140gr SP which is just shy of Sierras suggested COL of 3.000" Target #2 shows COL 3.070" with Nosler 140gr BT.

Are you seating out the bullets just shy of the lands or are you backing away to a specific sweet spot?

My M77 magazine length is 3.390" so I seat bullet to obtain COL less than that...for example 140gr Sierra SP COL is 3.120" and 154gr Hornady SP Interlock COL is 3.280".

My M77 TS 7x57 is a pre-1985 with a 1:9 1/2" ROT and has a propensity for 140gr and lighter bullets. A couple of amigos in the gun club have post-1985 M77 7x57s with 1:8 3/4" ROTs and they tend to shoot the 150 - 160gr bullets well although my pre-1985 does a respectable job.

The Solid base soft points are a much tougher bullet than the Ballistic Tips, nearly as deep penetrating as Partitions. This is probably why Nosler only produces limited runs of Solid base bullets. The recent runs of the Solid Base bullets in .277 and .243 were both excellent bullets. Not to say I don't like BT's as I do but they work differently.

RoundOak -
Thanks for your interest. W/ regards to COL, trying to nitpick distance off lands tends to give me a headache, so w/ a bullet short enough (140 grain SP),I've taken to a somewhat simplified / un-scientific approach: I simply seat the bottom of the bullet bearing surface, to the base of the sized case neck. The longer, heavier HRDY 154SP needs to seat a bit deeper to chamber.

The beveled base of the 140 Ballistic Tip, hangs down below the neck, just a tad.

As long as the neck is true, I get minimal runout. Also get maximum bullet "pull" from the case - if that matters.

I'm not sure this approach would work w/ an older, long throated 7x57, but from what I've seen, the newer No.1's are throated much more reasonably. Well, unless a guy has a hankering to shoot 175 grn ball, anyways...

I've not shot anything lighter then Hrdy 139's, or heavier then Hrdy 154's. Shot more 140's to date, then anything else. Pretty sure this barrel is a 1:8.75", & feel that it would probably shoot a 160SP well.

Interestingly, this little gem seems to shoot inexpensive, flat base, cup & core bullets, w/ very little drama - or trauma. The Sierra 140SP "ProHunter" has been a pleasure to work with.

Gary

Are you saying that the solid base is still in production on a limited run basis?
Inquiring minds need to know... ;=]

Before Noslers 2nds web page was changed they had a link including the Solid Base bullets and the last two bullets sold were the 130 gr. .277 and the 100gr. 6MM. I can't find a link to them at present. I bought 500 of each.

In my past and present 7x57s, with few exceptions, I have found flat base bullets shoot better. This seems to be true in discussing the 7x57 with other gun owners.

The only bullet to not shoot just fine in my 7x57 is the 140 grain PSPCL though my rifle definitly likes bullets of 150-175 grains better than any bullets lighter.