Ballistic Tips on Elk?

147_Grain · Jun 9, 2005

Just out of curiosity:

Who has first-hand experience with harvesting elk or moose with Nosler's Ballistic Tip - and - how did the bullet perform?

Steve

P.S. My preference in 30-06 is 180-gr. High Energy Partitions at 2,890 fps or 180-gr. AccuBonds at 2,750 fps.

782warbird · Jun 9, 2005

Never use a ballistic tip on elk or moose
The bullet just won't hold up It was never intended to
ballistic tips are great on deer and antellope basically thin skinned animals
I know people who used ballistic tip on elks and the blew up on the elks shoulder and the elk walked away

NVguide · Jun 9, 2005

Ballistic tips are junk for elk! Out of about 40 bulls I have seen shot, the only bull we have ever lost by a rifle hunter (knock on wood) was shot in the shoulder at 300 yards with a ballistic tip. Just my two cents for what it's worth

Desertflinger · Jun 10, 2005

I agree they are junk! I shot an elk with 150grn from a 300wby. I reloaded and took him out with 200grn Game King. The 150 went to pieces. I really love Barns X.

InterpolNY · Jun 10, 2005

I have killed 9 elk with 180 grain Ballistic Tips out of a 300 Winchester since their introduction in 1984. Out of those 9 I think I hit 4 of them in the shoulder and they went down fine. One of those shoulder shots was on a 950 lb Roosevelt bull. If you don't load them too hot and keep the speed below 2,700 fps at impact they will be just fine. Plus Nosler redesigned the Ballistic Tip a few years back and they are 10 times the bullet then when they first came onto the scene. I use every Nosler big game bullet out there. Their all good, Ballistic Tips are cheaper. Boils down to what your most comfortable with.

bruce · Jun 10, 2005

I shoot the winchester ballistic silvertip's, 180grn out of a 300 win mag. I have taken 5 cows and 2 bulls. Never had a problem they have performed great. bruce.

147_Grain · Jun 10, 2005

Any other Ballistic Tip stories?

Steve

P.S. Nosler says that beginning with the 30 caliber 180-gr. Ballistic Tips (and larger), the jacket's profile is changed or upgraded to a much stronger contour similar to the AccuBond (shown below). The lead core is also hardened over the 165-gr. and below bullets.

Lighter weight bullets like 165-gr. 30 caliber and lower (shown below) do not have the thicker contour which starts in the middle of the shell and goes down to the base.

In summary, one might suggest that the 180-gr. Ballistic Tip is simply a non-bonded AccuBond.

Desertflinger · Jun 10, 2005

I sometimes use them on song dogs. I had one fall apart while I was loading. I think it was 55gn. It looked like a small hollow point pistol round with a plastic-copper cap.

elkantlers · Jun 10, 2005

i don't understand why anyone would even consider using a ballistic tip for elk and moose when there are so many other decent bullets on the market designed specifically for big boned animals.

sure, they will knock down an elk. however, sooner or later they will not perform and a wounded animal will be lost. is it worth taking the chance?

try the nosler partition. they are a very good choice for big animals.

AZMUZZY · Jun 10, 2005

Never seen a moose taken with one but I have seen two elk killed with a 7mag shooting 170gr Nosler Ballistic Tips. Both elk ran about 30 yards before finally dropping.

NVguide · Jun 10, 2005

I think the problem starts when ballistic tips impact at higher velocities, 2,800fps or over. I have shot a few deer with them out of a .270 and they preform excellent when the shot was over 200 yards. I shot one deer under 200 yards, (about 130 yards)and the bullet only penetrated a couple inches, I'm pretty sure what killed the deer was all the bone shards shredding his lungs. The entrance wound looked like he got hit with a hand gernade.

taxidermynut · Jun 13, 2005

I have shot nothing besides ballistic tips for elk over the last 10 years, killed 7, all spikes and cows. Haven?t ever had problems. Someone in the family has drawn out on limited elk in Utah each of the last 4 years. 4 big bulls killed with ballistic tips 150 - 180 grains. 3 out of the 4 were shot in the shoulder. When I shoot something I don't want to punch a little hole clear through, I want a big hole with a lot of damage.

neb · Jun 14, 2005

I have witnessed 7 elk shot with .338 200 grain ballistic tips from 80 to 405 yards with decent penetration on them. Most slugs were found on the opposite ribs or under the hide. None passed thru the opposite side which would make me question them for moose.
I've shot a dozen or so deer with 140 gr BT's in a 7MMREM Mag (3200fps) with extremely lethal responses. I believe Nosler did improve the higher grain bullets so they could be used for Elk.
neb

UThunting · Jun 14, 2005

I have killed 5 bulls a a few cows with ballistic tip the main reason I tried them was the partition was going threw and leaving no energy transfer the first elk I killed with ballistic tips got me hooked on them it was a 300 yrd shot with a 338 win I missed the first shot and he took of I hit him with the second shot and he droped so fast I didnt think I got him I have shot 5 bulls all 5 and 6 points with a ballistic and never needed to look for a bull further then where I last shot all where one shot kills except one that took a second shot but the bull was down with for the count but I gave him one more for insurance

Now I can understand why some people would say I am crazy the bullet was never meant for elk and moose but out of a 338 cal it has been more then great in a 200 gr now when I take my wife and she uses a 270 I would never even think of using a ballistic tip I use a partition and it works fine do not ask me why but I have had a great time using ballistics in larger calibers and have 4 freinds that use them for elk in there 30-378 and 338-378s and they would not change them for anything infact one took his 338-378 to Alaska on a cribou and moose hunt he killed 2 caribou and one moose all one shot kills with ballistic tips

I would just say anything under a 30 cal I would not use it and only with the 30 mags would I use them but bullets are the same as calibers some people like some and others will hate them

So if you do use a ballistic tip make it a broadside shot because it will not go from one end of a elk to the other infact it will most likely on a broadside shot be found under the skin on the other side just under the skin

Good luck and good hunting

UThunting
Clynt L Citte
Willard Utah

out4elk · Jun 20, 2005

Before I started MLing a 200 gr Ballistic Tip from my .338 was all I shot at elk. I killed 5 spikes and 1 cow with this bullet with absolutely no issues. Every one of them died 30 yds or so later. Nosler is the only bullet I would buy. If I ever hunt elk with my 338 again I might be inclined to try the Accubond out though.

ELKMASTER101 · Jun 20, 2005

LAST EDITED ON Jun-20-05 AT 01:15PM (MST)[p]SLAM DUNK,
dropped in their tracks.
have a buddy who shoots moose using the 180 grain and never had to shoot them more than once, never lost one,
goes moose hunting every year and gets his moose every year.
like i have said for years their vampier killers.

need2hunt · Jun 20, 2005

you can count me onto the team that thinks they aren't the best idea for an elk bullet. I have used them in a 270 for deer and they work fine. In my experience they seemed very explosive and did ruin a lot of meat. But they are very accurate and according to the ballistics charts, tend to be a pretty decent choice for distance work.

My question is if some folks here talk about successfully harvesting elk with the ballistic tips from .30 caliber and up rifles....then why wouldn't these same slugs work on a moose? It is in my understanding that an elk is a much tougher animal pound for pound than a moose. But I have never shot a moose before, so I may be walking into deep water with this question.

Navaluk · Jun 22, 2005

I have seen 2 elk, 1 moose, 7 deer and 2 bears that were shot by Ballistic tips. I would not use them. But personal experience is not much to go on. The Inuit I have hunted with told me that the "best" caliber for caribou and musk ox is the 222, 223 or 22-250. Further more I was told by an inuit with more than 25 Polar bears to his name that the ultimate Polar bear rifle is the 270 Win. All I'm saying is take advice with plenty of salt.

DonMartin · Jun 22, 2005

I won't let my hunters use ballistic tips on elk.... I don't even recommend them for deer either, unless we are hunting the little Coues whitetails, and then they bloodshot the heck out of the meat!

Ballistic tips are fine for thin skinned critters but not elk,or big mulies.

Just my opinon..

Don Martin
Arizona Wildlife Outfitters

147_Grain · Jun 23, 2005

Thanks for confirming my original opinion (on Nosler Partitions & AccuBonds), as two outfitters have been recently trying to persuade me to drop the Partitions which they claim "don't expand any more" in favor of heavy for caliber Ballistic Tips.

Steve

P.S. Will stick with Federal High Energy (P3006G) 180-gr. 30-06 Partitions at 2,890 fps MV or Winchester Supreme 180-gr. 30-06 AccuBonds at 2,750 fps MV.

Nosler AccuBond