7mm 120gr Ballistic Tip

thundergrey · #1 10-13-2018, 05:00 PM

Been reading WAY too much trying to select a bullet that will shoot well out of a 7mm-08 and work well on everything from whitetail to elk.

Came across these 120gr Nosler Ballistic Tips and have heard they fall somewhere between the Accubond and typical Ballistic Tips Nosler makes as they have a thicker jacket then the 140 grain BT.

I have tried both 140 Accubond and BT and Accubond seemed to open too slow for deer on a clean broadside shot at 7mm-08 velocities, from my experience, and the 140 BT was too explosive for even an attempt at an elk.

Anyone here have hands on experience with these?

Twisted Canuck · #2 10-13-2018, 05:19 PM

I stopped using ballistic tips (140 gr, it's what my 7mm08 likes) on game. It just explodes deer, works great through ribs and boiler room but the damage if you take shoulder is heinous. I went back to Nosler partition, and TSX for closer bush hunting where I know the closer shots will still open them up. They are both good medicine. My gun didn't group 120s or 150s very good, but stacks 140s, and I prefer the extra weight anyway over 120s. I've never tried 120 BT, but expect that they would perform very similar (explosive) as the 140s...just my own observation.

They certainly do wonders on coyotes, but don't expect a nice pelt.

thundergrey · #3 10-13-2018, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twisted Canuck

but expect that they would perform very similar (explosive) as the 140s...just my own observation

This was my assumption and my hunting buddies... Many report of others seem to be against my initial thoughts. Some saying that out of a 7-08 at 350 yards they punched BOTH shoulders of a cow elk. Almost 60% of this little bullets weight is copper.

The two on the right are 140 then 120 BTs

Twisted Canuck · #4 10-13-2018, 05:53 PM

That would be a thick jacket for sure if it's 60% copper! Well, if your 7mm-08 likes 120s, try them and report back...I'll be curious on your real world results. Us hunters can get superstitious about which Perfect Bullet to use...and that's not a bad thing, the wrong bullet for the wrong application can lead to very unsatisfactory results. It took me a long time to use anything other than partitions.

thundergrey · #5 10-13-2018, 06:05 PM

If I could find 140 grain partitions anywhere in Edmonton I probably wouldn’t have still been looking haha

Couldn’t even find a Buttstock Ammo Pouch at three stores and ended up just ordering it from Amazon. It’s hunting season for sure.

Twisted Canuck · #6 10-13-2018, 06:09 PM

If I could pick one bullet for any scenario for the -08, it would be the 140 gr partition. I just never worry when I'm squeezing the trigger.

Dick284 · #7 10-13-2018, 06:10 PM

Wanna dispel the BS on these bullets!

Read here:

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=51520

The 120’s are far tougher than most realize.

PM duceman, as those are all he uses in various 7mm’s/.280’s

Twisted Canuck · #8 10-13-2018, 06:39 PM

Thanks for link Dick, will check it out. I've only used 140s as mentioned, and they sure killed deer dead, but I was very leery on bigger game, and never looked at the 120s after trying some 120 Speers (? If I remember correctly) and couldn't get them to group. On my 7mm Rem mag, I found 150s grouped great (oddly?) and settled on TTSX because I know what they will do.

Edit: love those cross sections you did, Dick, really tells the story! Now I see why the 120 gr is so much tougher than the 140s.

Bushleague · #9 10-13-2018, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dick284

Wanna dispel the BS on these bullets!

Read here:

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=51520

The 120’s are far tougher than most realize.

PM duceman, as those are all he uses in various 7mm’s/.280’s

Thanks for that. I have long suspected that this may be the case with various other bullets as well (see my comments in the Fusion amo thread that just resurfaced). Honestly I'm not a fan when bullet construction isn't uniform across the board. I like a logical, predictable progression in bullet performance when switching between weights and calibers. Constructing bullets differently might turn out some good bullets, but it also produces some surprizing terminal results for the hunter.

Just my opinion.

Smokinyotes · #10 10-13-2018, 07:23 PM

I’ve shot a lot of moose over the years with partitions and interlocks. All worked well, every interlock that I recovered the jacket had separated from the core. I’m not sure if this is b.s or not but I was told a Hornady SST is just an interlock with a polymer tip. Last year I shot my mule buck at 730 yards with a 200gr ELD X out of my 300wm and was disappointed to see that the bullet had blown up so bad that the pieces I found weren’t any bigger than 15 gr. I never had that happen with a partition or interlock.
I am impressed with the way accubonds open up and stay together. My nephew shot a bull moose this year at 30yards with a 225 gr accubond out of his 338wm. Behind the right shoulder and went through the opposite shoulder and was under the skin. It still weighed 212 gr

elkhunter11 · #11 10-13-2018, 07:38 PM

I shot a 300+ pound whitetail with a 120gr Ballistic Tip out of a 7mmremmag, and it performed very well. It held together better than the 140gr Ballistic Tip.

thundergrey · #12 10-14-2018, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

I shot a 300+ pound whitetail with a 120gr Ballistic Tip out of a 7mmremmag, and it performed very well. It held together better than the 140gr Ballistic Tip.

I tried the 140 BT on a deer at close range (<30m) and even with a clean broadside, no bone shot, it was a pen sized hole in and softball sized exit. The deer was dead but yah. Seemed a bit much and lost the back shoulder even though I didn’t hit it. Did the same with a Accubond at 100m and pinhole in, pinhole out. Deer ran like 250 yards through some thick bush with no lungs.

Not sure if velocity was a bit low to let that Accubond open and do it’s job. I am hoping the 120s fall somewhere in between the Accubond and 140 BT.