This year I have shot 2 deer (both lungers) that ran a little further than I would have expected and exit wound on both appeared to be almost as small as entry wound. They both ran appr 50 yrds plus or minus 10. Luckily they ran in the right direction both times so I could watch em cause I am certain blood trail would have been aweful (worse - my buck of a lifetime could have jumped an angry neighbors fence). I for some reason (since I started bow hunting) as a matter of habit have been hitting my deer further back (used to shoulder punch deer and dropped every one with a rifle). Is this normal for lung shots on any ammo? I was told if I would have hit bone on the shoulder it would be a different story. Your thoughts.

I can not testify to nosler BTs but I know for a fact Hornady SSTs which are very similar will expand well on ribs/heart/lung shots. Perfectly round two finger exit wound and DRT. That was 7-08, 139gr SST @3000 fps.

It has been my experience that heart/lung shot deer usually make that last 100 yard dash before calling it quits. If you want DRT every time, I would say hold for center shoulder.

What was the range? You should get some good expansion from that bullet.

For comparison I shot a doe last week at 150 with a 30.06 150 grn Remy Core Lokt PSP. Took out the lungs and the hydraulic shock shredded the heart. Exit hole was 1.5 inches ish.

She still ran 80 to 100 yards.

Another time I shot a buck at 100. Same shot placement, same load but he only ran 30.

appr 150 yds on both. Ironically Remington Core Lokt PSP is what I used until this year and never had one run with a center punched shoulder That ammo (cheapest - go figure) and the Nosler are pretty much all I have found that my rifle really likes.

Different cartridge, but I used to have a 7mm Mag. I shot numerous deer with it using Nosler Partitions, and every one fell in their tracks with pinky size exit wounds. I decided to load some Nosler Ballistic Tips for experimentation, and I shot a doe with one (same rifle). I could put my fist in the exit wound, and she ran about 100 yards. All were heart/lung shots. I would have expected just the opposite.

I re-thinking this I think your lack of a large exit hole means your ballistic tip bullet is coming apart. My Lyman book regards the Nosler BT as a frangible construction.

If your looking to experiment try Nosler Accubond bullets for they are advertised to retain at least 90% of their weight.

Good luck

JT

I was expecting a bit more as well and may have had a more sizeable opning had a I got some shoulder bone as opposed to a rib. It was interesting. If I didnt alereday have a freezer full, i would like to center punch shoulder one with this bullet to see what the results were. I Will see what the accubonds do next year. I am done with the rifle this season and picking up the muzzie to complete this year with some pigs.

shoot them in the shoulder and they will not go far, if anywhere.

i'm two for two on DRT shoulder shots this year.

not a fan of lung shots, they leave good blood trails typically, but they can make a dash and get into some pretty thick stuff real quick.

either a shoulder shot for a trophy or a neck shot for the meat.

probably the best shot, if your patient(which i am not) is wait till the deer is quartering away, the near leg forward a bit, put the bullet about halfway up his body in the crease behind the shoulder, thru his lungs and breaking the far shoulder. deer shot like this normally hit the ground and don't take a step.

Sounds like you may be shooting them to far back or you need to pick somewhere else besides the lung. Youre going to be pissed when you lose one. BT's arent my favorite bullet but should work fine

I've had one DRT with a .30-06 165grn Ballistic tip and 1 run 100 yards plus heart lung shot with a .270 130 grn Ballistic tip.

I pretty much only hunt with Sierra Spitzer Boat tail Game Kings now.

No running with those hitting the deer in the same spot.

Lung shots some drt some run prettymuch doesn't matter what the bullet IMO. If the deer has exhaled just before getting shot chances are for DRT, if the lungs are full of air the will usually run.

+1. Most deer have enough oxygen in their system to run a little ways before expiring. I shot 2 does last night with a 150 SST out of a 308 AR-10, and both went about 50 yards. Perfect shot placement on both in the shoulder.

I quit shooting Nosler Ballistic Tip ammo yrs ago due to the problem with fragmenting, and loosing its' jacket on entry..Got
tired of tracking animals that were well hit...Now only load Barnes X to hunt with...Noslers are accurate as are Bergers which
adv blowing up on entry...Lung shots will run some regardless of
what bullet you use most of the time....I have a plastic zip lock
bag with some 338 Win Mag 200 Nosler pcs. in them...blew up on a
cull buck yearling at 200 yds...DD

I used to correspond with a Brit that culled 150 or more deer a year. He said that the only way to put a deer DRT every time was a CNS shot. That said any deer shot 'lives'about 9seconds after it's cardiovascular system is destroyed and blood no longer gets to the brain. In my experience he is right. Why do some deer with CV shots drop and some run? I think it's as if someone got 'sucker punched'. Depending on size &etc that person might fall or they might stagger. Using my example the deer that fell, would die before it got up, the other would run. On a lung shot. that didn't affect the spine, it would probably take longer for the lungs to fill and rob the brain of oxygen. I wish I had made notes, but I believe about half of my lung shot deer have left a blood trail and half have not. capt david

I have given up on most BT bullets I now shoot hpbt matchkings hot them right in the shoulder and they fall quick