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Had 2 failures with 165 grain ballistic tips loaded in a 308 Winchester/max charge of Reloder 15. The first was a killing shot-the animal went maybe 10 yards and collapsed. Bullet wasnt recovered but passed through the heart/lungs. 30 cal going in, exit hole about the size of a quarter. Range was about 100 yards. Thought the exit wound should have been larger on a broadside shot.
Second failure might have been a fluke and maybe not the bullet. Same rifle/distance/handload as above. Either I flinched or the buck moved just as I pulled the trigger on a broadside shot. Round hit the shoulder bone and glanced off, fortunately for me I had a moment to chamber another round and put him down. Bullet did not expand as others had and Im at a loss as to why.
Anyhow, I finally stopped reading the press reports and went to Hornady 165 BTSPs and have been well pleased with the accuracy-less than an inch off a sandbag rest, about the same as the Ballistic tips. Have yet to recover a bullet but a good sized exit wound every time.
I did try Nosler Partitions and if it werent for the cost, Id still be loading them. Fantastic results with their 165 grain in a 308! Heart lung shot looked like somebody and put an explosive in the boiler room on the 5 occasions I have used it. Accuracy wasnt bad, about an inch at 100 yards.
The Hornady bullets arent anything fancy and their price reflects it. I can get 100 of them for 50 of the ballistic tips and they do a fine job. I went from 150 to 165 grain loads because it doesnt tear the animal up quite as much but still functions well.
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