Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game when is a Nosler Partition not adequate?

I would also say the only weakness would be for a longish shot relative to other proven bullets, especially in the wind.

Some of you guys that don't hunt much out west, especially those who don't get to hunt mule deer and especially coues deer much just don't understand the shots sometimes you are forced to take (or pass) that have nothing to do with hunter skill but with terrain, cover, and the critter involved.

The choice to shoot or not and the risk factor involved is determined by the wind and the distance and the individual rifleman. Having less wind drift and a flatter trajectory reduces shot risk and increases the kill range which increases shot opportunities hunting wide open spaces. This is just a fact.

I have shot quite a few things with a Partition. It's a great bullet that will do all that 99% of us could ever need.

But for the reasons above, I shoot different bullets for where and how I hunt.

It's elemental, actually. A PT is made for the tip to expand and the base is made to hold together and give deep penetration. An AB is made to explode. The plastic tip is driven down the center of the lead and forces it apart. It opens up much faster than a PT.

The AB is made to mimic the expansion of a partition in a bonded bullet with a higher BC. I my experience, that is pretty much what they do. I have used them to shoot just about every big game animal that I have killed for quite a few years now--elk, deer and pronghorns here in the USA, and plains game up to the size of eland in Africa . I have never experienced the explosive expansion to which you continue to refer.

It is a well-known fact that a few runs of ABs fairly early on were not made to specs, thanks to a Nosler employee who made unauthorized alterations to the manufacturing process in an attempt to speed things up. Once the problem was identified and rectified, the problems disappeared.

The point was the above stated "526 yard shot" which the poster that made the comment feels is a limiter for a Partition in wind. I just frankly disagree with that. At that range, comparing an equal weight/speed ballistic tip to a partition, the difference in drift between the two will be around 4 inches. If you can't compensate for that you shouldn't be shooting at that distance, because regardless both are going to be way off target in, say, a 10 mph cross wind.

I've shot plenty at range in wind, and inside of 550 yards (which is pretty much absolute max I'd shoot at an animal) the ability to adjust a few extra inches isn't a deal killer.

Personally, I wouldn't shoot an animal in a 10 mph cross wind at 526 yards anyway. Farthest I've shot a critter was a bedded antelope at 548 yards, ironically, with a 180 Partition. There was no way to get closer, and the wind was blowing directly at me. I had plenty of time, knew the rifle, and could get a solid "nest." One shot kill. But it's generally possible to get closer. Much closer, which to me is what hunting is all about. But that's a separate discussion...

mudhen, those must have been the ones where the plastic tips fell off. I had a bunch of those when they first came out. They pissed me off and I swore I'd never try them again. They never shot as well as partitions either... I finally gave up on them...

At that range, comparing an equal weight/speed ballistic tip to a partition, the difference in drift between the two will be around 4 inches.

It's elemental, actually. A PT is made for the tip to expand and the base is made to hold together and give deep penetration. An AB is made to explode. The plastic tip is driven down the center of the lead and forces it apart. It opens up much faster than a PT.

Guess I'm a backwards person,I only care about the bullet penetrating and expanding.

True, but for the sake of argument the BT is not a high BC bullet.