I'm wondering what the inside of the 95 grain Ballistic Tip looks like in 243.

Anybody ever cut one apart?

Copper and lead with a plastic tip.

I smacked a grey fox with a 95 ballistic tip at about 20 yds with one that was traveling approx 3,150 fps.

I didn't get to see the inside of the bullet, but I did get to see the inside of the fox; it was sprayed all over the trees and leaf covered ground behind it.

No, but based on reports, I am betting it's built tough, like the 338/200s...they are known to penetrate well.

Took 2 deer last season from my 6BR Dakota, would not hesitate on any deer/hog, angle, up to 400 yds from say a 2900-3,000 mv load.

No, but I have seen them kill deer, fired from a 6mm Rem M700 from almost 400 yards. If I used my 243 for deer, that's what I would load.

The .243" 95-grain Ballistic was designed by Gail Root. Gail was perhaps Nosler's most talented ballistician.

Gail is and was a .243 Winchester NUT and he designed the 95-grain to be HIS big game killing bullet. Goodness only knows how many big 6X6 bull elk Gail took with the 95 and most of them with a single well-placed shot.

I know of at least one record-class Nilgai bull that Gail killed with the 85. Nilgai have the well-earned reputation of being almost bulletproof. The bull fell at the shot.

Gail also used the 95 to collect his magnigicent B&C typical whitetail.

Gail was proud of the 96=5s performance of big game; it's great penetration, superb accuracy and killing performance is amazing. This is one bullet that never had to go back for re-design.

Yes, I've killed big game with the.243 95-grain Ballistic ... maybe thirty head of assorted mule deer, whitetail, antelope and one quite decent black bear. And, YES, one raghorn 5X5 bull elk that measured about 285 B&C. I've never had to shoot any big game animal more than once and the animals either dropped in place or struggled for less than 20 yards.

The single bull elk I killed with the 95-grain fell as if electrocuted. I was using a Runger Number One in 6mm Remington Normal.

Naysayers will cuss and discuss the Ballistic Tip ... and that ain't my problem. I'm only telling you what I know for a fact and I have considerable experience with the 95-grainer and have found it to be a superb big game bullet.

Steve

PS. If I was shooting foxes, coyotes and bobcats, I WOULD NOT use the 95-grain Ballistic Tip. It is for this purpose that Gail designed the 70-grain Ballistic. Gail was justifiably proud of both the 95 and the 70 ... they each were made for a specific purpose and they both accomplish their goals wonderfully.

By the way, Gail pretty much killed stuff with two rifles. Literally ALL of his big game was slain cleanly with his .243 Winchester Normal.

And for prairie dogs, varmints of all types and predators, Gail shot a Remington 700 that he had barreled and chambered for .221 Fireball ... and he loaded 40-grain Ballistics.

Truly, many times, my friend Gail has whopped my ass seriously with his .221 Fireball rifle, while I was using my max-loaded .223 Ackley Improved. Gail will always have my total and utmost respect as a man, a ballistician and a stone-cold killer.

Many thanks DZ. Wish you could be around more often.

what do you think a 95 btip would do to a coyote, to me a heavy contructed bullet would work great on coyotes, my problem is most varmint bullets I use tend to blow up with huge exit holes.

I have shot coyotes with the 95-grain BTs. I haven't shot coyotes for fur since the early 1980s but, in my opinion, none of the pelts from animals I have killed with the 95s were unusable. I have never tried the 70-grain BT, but would certainly give it a look based on Dog-Zapper's post...

When the 55gr 6mm Btip came out, a buddy gave 'em a whirl in his 6mm Rem Douglass barreled varminter. Made for some pretty nasty looking dismembered woodchucks. Made such an indelible impression on another friend, that he went out and bought a new M700ADL, just to have something to shoot them in.

I eventually got that bug and now shoot the 55 grainers in an old M788 in 243. That bullet churns 'em pretty good. In my extensive experience blasting woodchucks, the 55gr 6mm Btip is nearly twice as destructive as my old standby 55gr Btip in the 22-250.

One year the buddy with the ADL, popped a deer with the 95gr Btip from the same rifle, at a lasered 395 yards (referenced above). I suppose he was comfy taking that shot from the Harris, because he'd been doing that for years with other rifles and liked the way the new 6mm shot with the 55s and the 95s.

He and I had both been killing deer with our 25-06s and 100gr Btips, for some time, including a few beyond 400yds.

Year or two later, he built a heavy barreled (26" Douglass) 6mm06 and got to liking the 80gr version for longer pokes at 'chucks with that set up. IIRC, his longest kill on 'chucks with it, was around 800 yards.

Glad to hear that the 95gr. is a tough bullet as I loaded some up for a friends wife for whitetail. She's a bit recoil sensitive so I thought they would be a good choice if they held up well.

After reading this, I might have to pick up some and see how they shoot in my 243 win. I love the little rifle to death. Only had it about 5 1/2 months and its already my favorite!

Orion, the 95 BT and 80TTSX/85 XBT/TSX are my top 3 for do it all 243 loads and kill deer dead every time, every angle when bullet is directed at/passes thru vitals.

Steve, great info/posts and it explains alot - in the why of this bullets performance. I can add to my first post above, my Dakota Predator 6BR w/10 Twist bbl shot the 95s into 5/8" at 200 yds, group after group when I did my part. As expected, it did wonderful on deer.

The Barnes may give more penetration, or as much on say very hard hard/angles etc, but the 95 BT may surpass them at long range as higher BC/wt. will yield higher retained energy yet still expand well. Admittingly distances would have to be great, but re: long shots, read where one guy reported a SOLID deer kill around 540 or 570 yds....(from memory) seems like on Midway USA's review.

No bullet is perfect under all conditions, but I think what some call a Marginal deer ctg, the 243 turns into a dead reliable DEADLY deer round when the best of today's bullets are used. The 95 ranks in my top 3 go to bullets whenever after deer. Other's will work, and work well, but there are 3 that I have ZERO reservations using under all and any adverse conditions, at any sane range.

Just my .02. Oh, BTW, had a Speedy 'SG&Y' built 221FB, and I only shot 40 Vmax over Lil Gun at 3600+, it just seemed to be that round's 'right sized load' that shot flat, accurate (one hole) and minimal recoil. LOVED the rounds lack of bark, bite, and the bbl stayed cool shot after shot after....... Steve, hope life is well.

Anyone have any experience with the 90 grain NBT? My .243 WSSM loves them, along with the 85 TTSX.

Is the 90 NBT as tough as the 95?

Great Post, This kind of info is what makes hanging around this site worthwhile, wading through the bickering crap and to read this, Thank You

No, but they are both classified as hunting bullets. Puzzles me why they'd take a 5gr jump, though?

I can comprehend 10, 15 and 20gr jumps in the same diameters, as providing flexibility in weight choices, but why a 5gr one, when only two hunting bullets are even offered in that diameter?

I just loaded this bullet in my 243 and was going to switch to the 100 gr partition, after reading DZ's writeup, I think I will stick with them as they shot pretty well the first time around.

Thanks for the info, good thread.

Steve pretty well said all that need be said about the bullet. But, I'll add a skosh bit anyway..grin

I've used it a ton in the 6/06, always accurate and always incredily capable on game from frogs to elk! I never had one stay in game of any size and the normal sequence is drop the hammer and the critter goes right into the old Nozler Nap as I call it.

As well I've used the 70 NBT's (6/06), worked like a charm on all that moved as well.

4 pelts the 70 and the 95 are very destructive, especially if any big bones are encountered at all (spine,shoulder or breast on a frontal shot).

If I'm trying to be a bit pelt friendly slam dunk the 55 NBT's are the bullet I go to. If I hit big bones things get ugly but not as bad as with the two bigger slugs. I even shot my whitey doe last fall at about 190 yds with the slug. The bullet went thru both fronts and was found just about to exit. Said volunteer bounced!

That is the only the 3rd NBT I've found in game of any size from big to small and I've taken several ark fulls of game with the bullets.

I could easily hunt the world with NBT's and never look back.

Dober

I've shot a ton of them but never taken any game.

If it acts like the 100 gr. .25 cal Ballistic Tip then it should work like a champ....

There is usaually an air gap at the tip connection area. The heat of the belt sander causes the plastic tip to melt into the air voids around the hollow point.

I used a 180 BT to kill a Bobcat in 30-06 and blew a rather large exit hole. I alos blew a large exit hole in another Bobcat with a 180 TSX fired from a 300 Win. Never killed a Coyote or Bobcat with a 243

Mind if I steal that? ;O)

chrome,

That picture is exactly what I was looking for--thanks!

The bullet appears to be quite heavy in the base with the heavy jacket taper, which is why I suppose it holds up well on game.

Go right ahead...grin

A while back I was hunting bruins with a fella (guiding) who was then the CFO of Noz. When we got him on a bruin he poked it with his 7 and 175 Parts. I laid that line on him, he just laughed, thought it'd show up in one of their manuals but it never did.

Dober

Alright,

Had the chance to take a button buck (thought it was a doe, late in the evening two nights ago) of about 90 lbs.

Broadside, 35 yards, 90 NBT about two inches back of front leg and midway up. Deer went 30 or so yards straight down hill, plenty of blood to follow. I was in a 15 foot tree so could have aimed lower but didn't need to. Bullet did exit. I haven't taken pics yet as deer is in the cooler, but will post soon as I can. Not bad for a "cheap" bullet going almost 3200 fps at the muzzle. Entry side and both lungs had holes about the size of an egg while the exit wound was about the size of a nickle, maybe a quarter.

I have had good results with the TSX, but if I can get the NBT to shoot as good as the TSXs, I'll save those for hogs or forget them all together.

Obviously a bigger deer might change the equation, but as long as you take good broadside shots and dont try to make the bullet do something it's not supposed to do, I have no doubt that it would be fine for about 95% of all deer hunting.

I have taken one or two with the factory 95 gain NBT load, and I will say that the difference is negligible.

Dogzappper- quite a wealth of info - thanks for sharing, and thanks to whoever posted the pics of the sectioned bullet. DZ- serious question for you, did Gail Root design the first BTips's that everyone said were blowing up on impact -or did he make the improvements to it that make it what it is today? Sounds- and looks like a better bullet than I might have given credit. I know the SST's first iteration had similar naysayers - did both of these bullets really get revamped or is that internet legend? I have always shied from small caliber Btips -being scared off by said naysayers years ago. Anybody?

I spent money on a good bino, instead of button buck fines at my camp.

I know this was in jest, but I can assure you that where I was hunting it was a legal deer. Binos wouldn't have helped either, this deer was the furriest thing I've ever shot. He looked like a fuzzball. I don't know if it's the power lines running over our place or what, but his hair was very, er, fluffy. His little stubs didn't provide enough definition on his hairy head. I recently bought some Minox binos from camera land, which I used to view him before I shot him at 30 or so yards and could not tell.

We didn't notice it was a button buck until after we had tagged him, dragged him 150 yards, turned the truck lights on him and flipped him over to field dress him.

On the button buck issue, looking at the shape of the head and body and observing behavior are probably more reliable indicators of whether the deer is a button buck or doe than looking for the button antlers, which may or may not be visible. The Arkansas Game & Fish Commission published a pamphlet a few years ago with several factors to look for to avoid shooting a button buck, but I can't find it on-line right now.

Here are some guidelines that are similar to the ones the AGFC published:

Michigan DNR guidelines for distinguishing between button bucks and does

Yeah, shape of anything was pretty much worthless as an indicator. Like I said, he looked like he had just dry humped an electric fence. As for behavior, he was grazing just like any other deer I have ever witnessed. He was also a rather large animal for his age, at least for my area and my experience, at about 90 lbs. My average doe has been 103 lbs dressed at this place. He was the same size as the doe he came in with and was standing next to (although that could have been his twin button buck brother for all I know).

The point of my post was to clarify an earlier post of mine wondering the ability of the 90 grain version, and after this I am satisfied that it will handle most if not all of my hunting needs.

Thanks a lot for this great information. Especially Dogzapper, Mark and Chrome. I have been pondering whether to use the 95 gr Ballistic Tip, the 100 gr Solid Base, or the 100 gr Partition for my Montana deer (and hopefully antelope) hunt this fall. The only deer I have taken with a .243 Win was many years ago with a 100 gr Solid Base, a running doe I managed to hit in the spine, one somersault, and DRT. Now that I have been enlightened, it sounds like the 95 gr Ballistic Tip should be just the ticket. My new Sako A7 seems to like it, and I am anxious to see it perform on deer this fall.

DZ enlightened me as to what may explain my FIRST experience with the 95grain Ballistic Tip. He supplied the historical background and extensive personal experience, and so I thought for those considering this bullet, here's what happened just last year:

My girlfriend has taken a good number of Pronghorns over the past few years on our annual excursion, but never seemed to get the quick kill she desires. No horrible wounding stories, but she always wanted things a bit tidier than they've been. Has used a .250 Savage, then graduated to a .270.

This year, she carried a 700 ADL Syn Youth .243 (stock fits her great!), and I experimented on the loading bench for the first time with a 95grain Bal. Tip. I fully expected to glass bed this gun (and still might), but this bullet allowed it to shoot groups that ALWAYS stayed .95-1.05" Pretty sweet for an "econo-model" 700 bone cold stock from the box.

Tried and true IMR4350, and a Federal benchrest primer pushed this bullet at just shy of 3000 fps (even out of the short barrel).

Opening day of goat season in Montana, we got up on what we believed was a pretty good buck, and to make a long story short, got to about 90 yards from this guy, but his head was almost always in the sage. All we knew was that he was "definitely good enough". The girl crawled up slowly out of the ditch, set up prone, I got the camera running, and the buck turned broadside finally.

I have to say that having hunted Pronghorn for 46 years, and having seen literally hundreds killed with everything from .22lr to .375 H&H, this goat went down faster and wiggled less than ANY one previous.

And he turned out to be one of the biggest I've ever seen on the ground too! The clean kill made one happy girl, and one impressed guy. Unless I'm loading for varmints, this'll be the final word in bullets for me for 6mm's. Sometimes it only takes one experience to make a believer.

Here's the big goat taken with the 95 bal tip. (first try at the whole photobucket gig, so bear with me)


Yes, we shoulda mopped him up a bit for hollywood, but I don't believe there's too many here faint of heart, and after all, the reason he collapsed so fast is readily evident.

Nice looking goat, and the lady seems to be having a good time!

great goat! I too have just started working up a load with 95gr Btips for my Rem 700 ADL 243 Win. Used Ramshot Big Game powder, Rem brass, and CCI 200s. Loaded up 5 rounds each of 36.5, 37.5, 38.5, and 39.5. They all shot decent but when I shot the 39.5 gr group this is what I got...

I pulled the far right shot and the middle shot was the first cold barrel shot. So I loaded up 5 more rounds of the same combo to verify next time I go to the range since the wind was blowing 15-20mph. I was pretty excited to see this since I dont usually get this kind of result with my first test loads. For some reason, it always takes me a couple months of trying different combos with all my rifles to find a load that shoots well. I cant wait to try the 90gr Accubond also but I dont know why I need to when I got a load that is shooting like this from a bone stock ADL.

my sentiments also. i wish DZ had expounded on his experience with penetration on deer with the nbt

Thanks dz, and could you let us know about any 'overpenetration' factors concerning BIG deer and the 95 gr.? thanks

This is the only deer I can remember that held a 95 and we've shot a semi trailer full. 427yds, right scapula/shoulder and spine.




274 I believe, and an exit-




271 and an exit-






Love the 95NBT.

A buddy of mine locally has shot a helluva lot of Blacktails. He uses a Mod 700 Remington in 6mm Rem and that exact bullet. Hes had it since the 70's.
He says most of those deer never moved out of their tracks when smoked with that bullet.
It just plain works for him.

"Sometimes it only takes one experience to make a believer."

I had the reverse experience. Used a l00 gr. .25 cal. bullet in the early days of the BT bullets and was severely disappointed due to blow up. Have never hunted with them since.

Nowadays I do little deer hunting so it doesn't matter. For moose have used partitions for years and see no reason to change them for something else.

I use some of Hornadys plastic tipped bullets in my .22 centrefires and they shoot well but otherwise I pretty much avoid the large caliber plastic tips.
I realize many people have had positive experiences with the BT's but the only thing I use them for (if they are given to me) is to shoot paper.

Jim

1OJ: I guess we could both be accused of using anecdotal experience as data (hence our completely divergent conclusions).

I do think there would be better choices than to use a .25 100grain Ballistic Tip on a large-bodied deer, especially if driven at velocities approaching .25-06 speeds.

However, for antelope, I have found that very bullet to be perfect for antelope when launched from my Browning B78 (.25-06) at 3450fps. Antelope are not thick-skinned, and I'm not in the practice of shooting them in the fanny as they run away.

At more earthly velocities (such as from my .250 Savages), I find the 85 grain Ballistic Tip to be the cat's meow for antelope. Early on when using this bullet (and the 100 grain in the bigger gun), I thought the bullet was never exiting. Almost without fail, upon skinning, a tiny hole could be found where the copper "disk" that was the solid base of the bullet (and perhaps some wall jacket attached) made it out of the animal.

I would not want such bullet "blowup" on an elk, moose, or a silver-faced muley. On the other hand, with antelope or average sized deer, if "blowup" results in a rapidly deceased animal, I find very little dissatisfaction with such performance.

My early loading experience with the .270 was centered on the old Sierra SPBT. Mostly because it shot so well (and still does) out of any .270 I tried it in. While I stood with a buddy admiring an old regressed fork-horn 250lb mule deer, we discovered a lump just under the skin on the far side of the bullet entrance hole. We carved it out, and found the Sierra jacket well flayed but pretty much all there , with only a button of lead that promptly fell out of it. My friend remarked, "Oh. You've got core separation!", in a tone of voice that a doctor might use to tell me I had a social disease.

I looked down at a very inert huge muley that had become very inert very quickly after inflicting "core separation" upon me and my bullet, and had difficulty grasping my friend's point.

I still do.

What the heck is overpenetraion?

My "anecdotal" evidence on whitetails, a 25-06 (or two) and the 100gr BTips, amounts to a coupla dozen dead deer between myself and a hunting bud. Some out in the 350 to 450 yard sweet spot.

All of mine were one shot kills (primarily heart/lungers). Recall he wound up pepperin' a big doe once, that insisted on playing hide and seek in a brushy creek bottom one year, otherwise his were all one'n done?

None of which went far, or ever exhibited any of the infamous Btip Blow Ups we read so much about. And many (most?) of those were with the original 100gr Btips of years ago. Not even sure if any of my kills were with the "improved" version, although there are about four black boxes of 'em in the cupboard. Think all of my deer kills were with the ones in the old green, red and white boxes?

If I'm hunting deer with one of my 25-06s, it'll have 100gr Btips in it. Has been so for many years. If I ever decide to tote a 243 for deer, it'll have 95gr BTips in it.