From "Varmints Den" post of the past

SD Handgunner
10-07-2008, 08:06 PM
This year will be my first year hunting with a 14" 7-30 Waters. Previously I used a 10" Contender Bull Barrel in 7-30 Waters to take 4 Whitetails all with 120gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips. Out of the 10"er I was running the 120gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips at 2258 FPS with W-748 Powder. My experience has taught me this bullet is a little tough. I shot a 4x4 Whitetail Buck at 286 yards (lasered) with the 10" 7-30 Waters. At that impact velocity (something around 1700 FPS if I remember right) the bullet went through the tops of both shoulders and the bottom of the spine exiting with about a 1 1/2" exit hole.

A guy from the Nosler site told me that when they made the 120gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip all they did was shorten the jacket from the 140gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip to come up with the 120gr. weight. As such he went on to say that the jacket of the 120gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip is a little thicker at the nose than the 140.

At any rate after the 3rd weekend in November I can hopefully have more information on how the 120gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip performs out of a 14" 7-30 Waters.

Larry

I think he posted longer more detailed stories here, Specialized pistols, or Accurate Reloading web sites, do not remember