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.

Rickt300

What is the barrel twist of your rifle?

Thank you and best regards

It's a 1 in 9.5 inch twist. I have had a couple of the 175 gr. Hornady Spire points tumble after they hit deer but they shoot 3 into an inch every time. I probably only get 2400 fps with them from my 19 inch barrel.

The show up every once in a while, especially 130 gr 277 cal, at Shooter's Pro Shop. I still have a couple hundred 270 cal on the shelf from the last time.

But all the bullets I am interested in have been darned scarce at Shooter's Pro Shop since the last presidential election.

Dead thread revival alert ......

Anyone use the older 100gr Solid Base 25cal in a 257Roberts?

Any thoughts? I'm running out of the old standby Hornady 100gr SP.

Not a Roberts, but I once had a little Ruger 77 in 250 Savage that shot the 100SB pretty well over both Varget and H4895.

The 120SB was and still is my old man's favorite 25-06 bullet. When he found out they were being discontinued he stockpiled the everliving crap out of them, and still has several thousand now.

I came into some 100 gr SBs and I am trying them out in my 257 Bob Hawkeye. If shoot well
may try to shoot a deer with them this fall.
I have Old Solid Base bullets for my 257, 270, 284, 7x57 and 308. They have always worked great for me.

In my experience this was it in a nutshell. Still shoot and buy sb bullets when I find them and walk in a wide circle around 1 st generation ballistic tips( black box with red,green,and white lable)..
.mb

The old 45gr SB is a pretty good coyote bullet out of a Hornet or Bee, too. I used those in my first Bee until I ran out.

I’ve used the 140 solid base, partition, and ballistic tip 140’s in a bunch of 7 mags. They all killed deer and pigs well, all accurate, but ballistic tip the most accurate.

Since the thread is back...

Yes. A 700 Classic in the Roberts I once owned shot these (& many other 100 gr. bullets) very well with 42 gr of IMR4064 @ c.3050fps. This was over book max at the time (late 80s) due to the anemic SAAMI spec for the Roberts, in deference to the many older pre-standard rifles in existence, but were problem free in my rifle.

Just checked & Nosler #9 shows the same 4064 data as #2, so apparently the Roberts is still being loaded down? Start low & work upward.

I use the Noslers in .243 and have since I bought my first one. I always shot the flat base bullet and bought a bunch when I found out they were being discontinued. Will have to do different when I run out but I still have 200 or so loaded so it will be a while. I dont shoot long distance so the Boat tails are no advantage to me.

The solid bases were boat tails.

My first big annoyance with Nosler was when they discontinued the solid base bullets, the .224 60 grain bullet to be exact. One heck of an all around bullet out of various 223's.

I'm still mad at Nosler. In the 80's I was using the Solid Bases in 257R, 25/06. 264WM, and 270. When the BTips were introduced, I wrote a letter to Nosler. Got a letter back saying "we have no plans to discontinue the Solid Base line...bla, bla."

They were great bullets...

I am hoping that WW760 will work with these bullets. I have a good deal of that and no rifles so far that like it. It absolutely will NOT shoot in my 7x57 which is what I bought it for.

I need to be finding another load shortly for my 257 and came across 3 boxes (x100) of these solid base bullets. Another fellow has reported that they are a bit hard and need 3000fps for proper expansion. This would be easy in the 257.

The Nosler BTs are unobtainium here in Canada, so will give these a try instead.

I know it's apples to watermelons but Nosler Solid Bases were all I used in my '06 back in the 1980's and '90's, 180 grains to be specific. Killed everything from coyotes to elk with nary a problem. I would not be concerned with the performance of them.

So......stumbled into this thread.......after successfully using the 120BT for years (love 'em) I came across some 7mm 120gr solid base bullets. Is the consensus that these solid base bullets are just as reliable, tough, accurate, etc as the newer/tougher BT's? Always heard great things about the solid base but never used any. Appreciate any insight.

JG I have used the 120 bt to my satisfaction more that a few times. Never have experienced the 120 sb but have used a pile of the 140 sb. I rate them almost as good as the 139 gr Hornady sp (the flatbase spire pt). But you know the 120 gr ballistic tip is in a class all by itself you can allways count on them to work. Good luck with the 120 sb it is not the same jacket as the 120 nbt. Mb