Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters More Partition Questions

OK, silly question time.
I just got my 7mm 150 PT's delivered from SPS and they have the cannelure. The previous box that I bought locally doesn't have this. Is this something that's changed or do they offer different versions?
Does this line up with the partition for reducing pressure?
Last question (for now ) When comparing, say, the 140 & 150 7mm partitions, is the extra weight behind the partition or spread evenly? I asked Nosler and they couldn't tell me.

Sorry for the questions, but I'm a Partition newby.

Thanks!

All other factors equal, a Partition will produce slightly higher pressures and velocities than standard bullets. They are harder to engrave, and that increases the time before the gas can expand into the barrel.

That cannelure is likely there because Nosler was making bullets for someone's loaded factory ammo (like Federal Premium for instance)and they just had an overrun or blemish. I pay no attention to it in my reloading.

No answer for your other questions except that the partition is likely the best hunting bullet made IMO.

The cannelure is simply there because some other company ordered the bullet with it, usually for crimping in factory ammo. It does not aid in pressure reduction.

Sometimes the extra weight is behind the partition, sometimes not. Each Partition bullet is a design unto itself. The only way to know for sure is to section the ones you are comparing to see what is inside.

Remember, these are seconds of whatever production run they were producing at the time. Some will have cannelures, other runs of the same bullet won't.

No, the cannelure is where a crimp will be to produce SAAMI spec ammo. Obviously this run of seconds you bought were intended for loaded ammo. Probably a third of my Partition seconds have cannelures, and I treat them the same as those without.

Generally, the partition will be at a point proportional to the bullet weight. In other words the 150gr partition will be slightly forward of the 140gr, but the proportion of lead in the front and back of the bullet will be the same for both bullets.

Although, there are some Partitions that will have a heavier jacket in front and/or the partition moved further forward, changing the "normal" proportions of the lead core.

I don't know why Nosler is so coy with that kind of info, but they usually are...........

Casey

You are absolutely right, JG. It's still the standard by which all others are judged, which is amazing considering how long it's been around. I don't use them much anymore but have always considered them well-suited for anything I'd want to shoot. They'll open on soft tissue at still penetrate through the heaviest of bone/muscle.

Put me in this camp too.

do yall have good luck getting them to group?

I've shot them out of 4 different rifles, 3 of which were pretty easy to find "accurate" (ie 1.5" groups) using other projectiles (Sierra GK, Nos BT, etc).

....but I've never found a single Partition load that shot really well in any of those rifles. Most were ~2.5" groups or worse.

I've used 140's and 150's in 7mm-08

180's in 300WSM

225's in 358 Win

and 180's in 308

none shot real well.

am I all alone in this experience? do I need to change brands of chewing tobacco to get them to shoot right?

You're doing something wrong:



I guess my skinny barreled rifles shoot 1.5" groups with partitions:


Even my old 100 year old rifle shoots them well enough:


My 300WSM liked the 180gr. partition. Of course these were "blemished" bullets:


375H&H likes them:

That 06 I got from bsa shoots 180 partition pretty damn good!

Yes it does, that 6 digit classic is a thing of beauty. That rifle is not finicky at all though.... Kind of like the 30-06 I sold to EricM. That one would shoot lights out too...

I don't know why I used rl22 in it with the 180's but it shot great so why mess with it😁..

Your not alone. I had only one rifle that liked them. It was a 1975 Garcia/Sako .270 Win. and it would shoot 5 shot one inch groups of 130 w/ 60/H4831 and 150 w/ 58/H4831.

All other rifles I've tried them in since, give results like you describe.
Lately, I don't even bother with them anymore.

I usually don't have any issues getting them to group well enough for a hunting rifle.

My experience shows accuracy with Partitions is more dependant on reducing runout than most other hunting bullets such as TSX/TTSX's, NBT's, Game kings, Interlocks,etc. As long as my ammo's runout is 0.005" or less I usually have no problem getting 1.5" groups or less @100yds. Several of my rifles do better consistently shooting 1" for 5 shots and I have one that I hit the lottery with that will maintain 0.5" for 5 shots @100yds (.30-06 w/165gr and a stiff charge of IMR4350).

I think a bit of clarification is needed with Partitions. I've had few rifles where they were the most accurate bullet. In most situations they aren't. It depends on your purposes. I'll take 1.5" Partition groups over a subMOA 'non-premium' bullet everyday and twice on Sunday. It's more important what happens when the bullet arrives than it getting there fractions of an inch closer to the center of the target. Use 400 yards as an example. A 1.5" Partition will land bullets within 0.75" of aim point at 100, 1.5 at 200, 2.25 at 300, 3 at 400. A 0.5" gun does 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0 at same distances. Basically you gain 2" closer to your true aim point. Even deer lungs will catch a 1.5" Partition at 400 yards. Caribou, elk, moose make it certain. And that's all predicated on 1.5" Partitions. I can normally get them to 1 MOA without much problem.

Bottom line: I'll take terminal performance inside the animal and not sweat that I could have been an inch or 2 'closer' to the center of the lungs. You put a Partition anywhere close to the middle of the lungs, get the knife out.

A couple tricks. Try a slightly faster powder, try seating them at 0.010, 0.020, 0.040. Most of my loads all Ito one of those groupings.

A lot of guys try to load partitions like mono bullets. Partition usually don't like a lot of jump

When I have had problems(rare), it's been rifle issues, or I failed to watch runout.


But yeah Partitions are tough to get to shoot.....I'm trying to recall a rifle that did not shoot them well so that I was forced to use other bullts, but can't recall one right now.

I've given up on partitions and gone to Accubond and TTSX and have been completely satisfied.

I have always gotten good groups out of them, accubonds better

The main reason that I shoot more AccuBonds than anything else, now.

Many years ago with the old "screw machine" Partitions, I had a tough time of getting decent accuracy.

Didn't use Partitions for a number of years, then tried some 100's from my good ol' 6mm Rem. Oh my goodness! No problem beating 1 MOA.

So, the past 20 years or so, I've used a lot of Partitions. They're good. Work with 'em. I noted no real problem achieving acceptable results with several different rifles & cartridges.

Regards, Guy

I've had good luck with Partitions accuracy(1.5" or smaller) in the .308 win, 270 win, 6.5X55, 300 RUM, 338 Win, 9.3X62. About the only thing that I had that wouldn't shoot NP's that well were my 270 and 340 MkVs. Small sample size there, I realize.
YMMV

I have had partitions shoot MOA and under in 257 Roberts, 257AI, 250 Savage, 25-06, 257 Weatherby, 6,5x55, 6,5 Rem Mag, 6.5 Creed, 6.5-06, 6.5-284, 270, 7x57, 7 Rem Mag, 280, 300 Savage and 300 Weatherby rifles over the years. I am sure there were others, but those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head....

I've found rifles either like Partitions, or they don't! No middle ground. Most of my rifles like partitions, but my Remington 7-08 CDL and my Sub M.O.A. Vanguard 257 Roy shoot patterns, not groups. Went thru the different powder/ seating depth/ charge to no avail. However, they both love Accubonds. Problem solved.

I guess I have been lucky oldotter....

I can't remember any rifles that didn't like the partitions, but several had custom barrels on trued actions and were bedded.

Nothing unusual there...

+1 on this

If Nosler made a better selection of Protected Point Partitions, I would have little reason to shoot anything but Partitions in .243 and up.

You beat me to it.

When I went elk hunting for the first time (now 22 yr ago) I started using Nitrex ammo. The 7mm RM loads had a 175 gr Swift A frame bullet. All I can say is it's a darn shame they don't make that stuff anymore!

I thought the Nitrex ammo was Speer?

Now don't go confusing things with facts....

Often Partitions will shoot more accurately if you go to a faster-burning powder. Try one step down from whatever burning rate you are currently running if they won't shoot.

They seem to need a kick in the butt to make them work well.

Yes, with the Grandslam bullets.

Thanks for the info, everyone.

interesting feedback. I wish my experience had been more like BSA's.

I've found Accubonds relatively easy to load, and good on terminal performance (sample size: one 5x6 bull, broadside at 19 yards, which I could have killed cleanly with a .357 revolver.....).

I would just "prefer" to find a great load in the Partition, and feel a little more certain of an exit hole.

More "partitions don't shoot"..... I love these threads


270-130 300 yards field prone.





OOooppss! Pulled one. 7 Mag 160....tsk tsk

Well, I guess that would be OK

Scotty if your rifle won't do any better than 2-3 inches for 3-5 shot groups at 100 yards it should be blatantly obvious that there is something wrong with the rifle.

Penetration anyone?

Yeah, I haven't found a rifle yet that can't be worked under an 1"... That's with plain old Hornady, Winchester, etc sorta brass with regular old FL sizing dies and seaters..

Most of them do much better as well.

My .243 likes them and my .30-06 doesn't. Wish that was reversed.

Old Savage 110 .243 shoots 100 grain Partitions, the old bronze colored ones, into <1/2".

Middle rifle

Here is the main list of .30 Partitions. 150gr, 165gr, 180gr Protected Point, 180gr standard, 200gr, 220gr. Of these 6 Partitions, How many did you try? How many powders did you try with each? How many OAL did you try with each powder? As you can see, I assume. When you make a blanket statement, (my 30-06 Doesn't like Partitions) Everyone who reads it has no idea if your 30-06 loves or hates Partitions. You give no information to base an opinion on. I can write ( My Mergansers always taste like chicken) Anyone who has eaten a single bite of a Merganser, Knows the statement is definitely not factual.

What did you expect? He's using .243 bullets in his 06...

I consider the Partition as the benchmark others must live up to. I load and shoot others but only to compare and contrast.

My Mergansers taste just like Chicken!
My 308 and 30-06 like partitions, esp since I got a Forester seater die for my 06

Better enjoy your Partitions, didn't Obama put them on a fast track for elimination from federal land?

What you can take from my post is exactly what I said.

Thanks

Expat

Try a faster powder under your favorite Partition, and get the pressure up higher. They need to obdurate quickly and fully to be accurate.

They definitely can shoot well despite popular belief:


They also shoot well in one of my 30-06s, a 7Wby, and a 300WM.

I just bought 800 .243 95s and also have 300 .243 100s to try. Plan to try them in a new T3 Lam 243, 6mm Rem with 8tw Brux 3, and my 6-06 with 9tw Krieger. Hopefully they'll shoot well in some of those rigs.

It wasn't started with that in mind.

Thanks to all that attempted to answer my questions.

When you get guys complaining about 2-3" groups they trend in that direction every time and you know it as well as I do.Eventually someone who can't make a Partition shoot will inject that into the topic of the thread. I didn't put it there but it will show up anyway sure as hell.....

My comments were not directed toward you anyway. Sorry you took personal offense.

I don't own as many rifles anymore and in the 30 years of rolling my own loads for about 40 rifles and using Partitions in all of them I always felt that it was a sign of a sick rifle if the Partitions didn't group well with at least one type of powder/load. In some cases the rifle went down the road, others just needed some simple fixing, maybe a new spout in some cases.

No offense taken. Just making a statement.

Yes, imagine that, Nitrex used speer bullets, not swift bullets, who would have guessed.

Does show one needs to have some knowledge and not take everything said on the internet as true.

There is one Partition bullet that I've never had particularly good success with, the 125 grain 0.264" variety. I haven't tried it in the 6.5 Creedmoor yet, but I have yet to find a load that I was happy with in my 260s, 6.5x55s, 6.5-284s, or 256 Newton. OTOH, in 0.264" diameter the 120 grain BT and 130 grain AB were easy to shoot accurately, as are all of the 129 grain Hornadys. There are some bullets that seem easy to shoot good groups with; the 55 and 60 grain VMax in 0.224", the 75 grain AMax and Sierra HP in 0.257", and the 129 grain SST in 0.264".

Amen too that.

Jeff,

I may have mentioned this before when you brought up the 125 6.5 Partition, but I just looked at my loading notes again, and it's shot well under an inch not only in both of my .260's but in a 6.5-06 AND my 16x16/6.5x57R Sauer drilling. Apparently I haven't tried it any of my other 6.5 rifles, but so far it's batting a thousand.

Just to be contrarian, I just finished an article in the latest African Hunter magazine where author Terry Wieland related his hand loading experience with a lovely, Al Biesen custom 270 and his "never fail" 130r 270 load consisting of 59.5gr of H-4831 (he also stated H-4831 was the traditional "go to" powder in the 270). His results with three bullets (five shot groups) were as follows
Sierra 130gr- 1.1"
Swift Scirocco- 1.2"
Nosler Partition- 3"

Personally, Partitions have always shot well for me, but never the accuracy consistency I've gotten from TTSXs across calibers from the 257 Weatherby to the 338 WM.

I have a 308 Norma, rechambered military barreled Springfield 1903. Before it was re crowned all it COULD shoot well was partitions. I have been the the open base helps seal the exit from the barrel. After the re crown even boat tails would group up. Are you using firsts or factory seconds? I have found factory seconds to not be very consistent in weight. They often weigh any thing but what they are supposed to. I then weigh them and "profile them" I know I know, don't tell a liberal, into groups of similar weight , then reload those groups together.

Yes, we've discussed my lack of 125 grain Partition success both on and off this site. You even offered to run a batch of them through your Juenke machine for me several years ago.

I've had good luck with the only three Partitions I've used, 6.5-125, 6.5-140 and .224-60.

I've found they're just like other jacketed bullets; very accurate in some rifles, not so good in others.

I have found that the 0.224" 60 grain Partitions can shoot good groups, but often take extra effort/testing to find the best combinations of components to get the best outcomes.

338 Win shooting 250 Partitions. Leupold 6x42 Post Duplex

Rifle CZ550 American.

That's gotta make anybody smile!

What load, barrel length and velo is that 338?

WOW! (SU35). Obviously Nosler partition s and Leupolds 6 x 42 s are inferior and should both be shunned. Well done. Thanks 4 the post. Mighty fine group that!

Last week new rifle Win super Grade .270 3 shot group out the gate 130gr NP 59.5 gr H4831sc

NICE!

Everything; rifle, scope, target & ammo... Gotta love that. May I borrow it, with a case of that ammo, for about 5 years?

Good stuff right there.

Guy

iNot a writer. Many years ago, way before the monolithics, I shot large bodied buck in the shoulder (at the angle he was standing, I hit where needed to get into the heart/lungs) and upon butchering the deer, I found that my bullet had literally blown up. Luck was on my side as the kill was because a sliver diverted up and severed the spinal cord.

This was with a 99 F Savage . 243. I switched to Partitions and it was kind of like putting the caliber on steroids. Some use 95, but I have always gone with 100s loaded to book loads of about 3000. Likely closer to 2950 with my now rifle with a 22" barrel. Accuracy is plenty good for hunting at 1" (+/-), depending on me.

The other cartridge that I have lots of experience with using Partitions with is .338-06. I hunted everything with one of those for several years. 210 NP and Speer 200 proved to be most useful and accurate in my rifles, a rebored BAR and a custom 1903 Springfield. I found that even on large hogs, the 250 NP and Woodleigh were more bullet than was needed.

I have NP in stock for .270 and .30, but have never used them much. I seem to get along pretty good with cup and core, especially in the .308 and .30-06, using mostly factory loads.

Jack

jorge,

I know Terry Wieland pretty well, and sometimes he writes stuff just to stir the pot--not unlike some Campfire members. Not saying he didn't get a 3" group from 130 Partitions in one .270, but....

My experience with Partitions in the .270 Winchester might be somewhat more extensive. Have handloaded for at least a dozen .270's, and like Terry (and millions of other .270 users) found that around 60 grains of H4831 normally shoots pretty well with 130-grain bullets, including Partitions.

But have run into a couple of .270's that shot 130 Partitions better with a couple of other powders. One was a NULA Model 24 my wife used as her main rifle for a number of years, with one load for everything, the 130 Partition and 55 grains of IMR4350. In that rifle it got around 3100 fps and shot 2" groups--at 300 yards. Another was a J.C. Higgins FN Mauser that I used until burning the barrel out (it's now a 6.5x55) which shot best with 130 Partitions and 58.5 grains of Reloder 19.

But another trend I've noticed with .270's over the decades is many shoot 150-grain Partitions even better than 130's, and all I can recall did it with H4831. That J.C. Higgins, for instance, would average around 3/4" with 150's--and that's for 5-shot groups, not 3-shot.

Sample of one here, but bear with me:
270 Win.
130gr Partition.
60 grains H4831
Case: W-W.
Primer: Fed 210M
COAL: SAAMI max.
3 shot group 0.75 inches@ 100yds. Several 3 shot groups at 300 yards at 1.0 inches though I couldn't regularly reproduce such groups(300 yards).
MV: 3040fps
Rifle: Push Feed M70 FWT.
Rifle also shot very well with the Barnes 130gr TTSX.

Thanks, John. My experience with the 270 is limited to ONE rifle and I have not shot anything out of it so far but 130 BTs and Interlocks with that load and it's great. I can say that in a lot of other calibers I've used Partitions have shot well, but not to the same accuracy consistency the TTSXs have, but the difference isn't worth worrying about. Most of the animals I've taken with my 300 Weatherby, have been with the 180 Partition.

Did not read the entire thread so if this has been covered already, sorry.

My reloading experience with Partitions has been extensive. It is always the first bullet that I try(simply because they hit hard, penetrate well, and put game down fast!). And, because they are accurate!
I would never settle for "1.5 MOA" as acceptable accuracy for a Partition. I've shot them in .243, 25.06, 270 Win, 270 WSM, 7x57 Mauser, 7mm Rem Mag, 30.06, 300 Win Mag. Every one of those rifles would shoot sub MOA with Partitions. Some were more finicky than others to get to shoot well but in all rifles sub MOA 3 shot groups at 100yds were achieveable.

My experience has been that if a finicky rifle is encountered that won't shoot the Partition well, many times going up or down in bullet weight will produce the sought after accuracy. For example: I had a particular 7mm Rem Mag that just wouldn't shoot my favorite 7mm bullet accurately(160gr Nos. Partition) no matter what powder I tried and changes in seating depth didn't seem to help either.

Finally, a friend of mine suggested trying the 150gr Partition instead to see if that made any difference. Sure enough, 3 shot groups shrank from about 1.5" at 100yds to 0.6" groups.
Realizing that a 10gr difference in bullet weight wasn't going to make a bit of difference in "on game" performance in the field, I did a little victory dance in celebration, loaded up a box of ammo and went hunting. This little trick has helped me several times in getting finicky rifles to shoot Partitions accurately.

Leftybolt

Partitions will shoot better (when they aren't) when loaded with a faster powder that causes the base of the bullet to quickly and fully obdurate to bore size.

If they are being finicky for you, always try a faster powder before giving up.

Went out this morning to try out Wieland's observation with my tried and true load of 56r H-4350 F 210 primers and WW cases:
180gr Hornady Spire Points (MV ~2700 fps:


Same load with cannelured 180 Partitions.MV 2750


And lastly some 220GR Hornady RNs@ 2475 fps:


Rifle used was my 1964 vintage Browning Safari Grade w a 22" barrel. Also noteworthy this rifle shoots factory 290 Power Points to POI and just as accurately as the 180r Hornadys. I'm sure I can get the Noslers to shoot by experimenting with different powders, loads etc, but to Terry's point, every rifle is an entity onto itself.

Jorge,

Been using NPt's for 30+ years now. And yes, in my experience NPt's generally don't group quite as well as other bullets.

For a long time I've said if my NPt's will shoot a 1" three shot group I can get NBT's to shoot 3/4".

Of course their have been exceptions to that.

Casey

130-270 Nosler Partition. Field prone 300 yards. 30 years.....same/same

They shoot extremely well in my 300 Weaterby, as well as my Vanguard 30-06. My Model 70 300 HH loves them, both 180s and 200s to same POI out to 200, while the 180 Hornadys suck in that caliber. I am sure one can say the same about every other bullet out there.Point being, there are no absolutes in this game....

6.5 140's from a 6.5x284 3 shot groups, it shot this way everyday of the week.

Gotta love those Partitions....

But they don't shoot.....

Yeah, I know, and I should have listened to Terry Weiland, he knows everything.

260 Rem love:

That is not what he said, but if it makes you feel better...

With this load in your pocket, why do even experiment???