Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Partition accuracy ?

I the experience of those here, by how much do Partitions fall short in accuracy in comparison to other cup and core hunting bullets like the Sierra PH?

I ask as although I would really like to use Nosler Partitions for game larger than deer- I have never been able to work up a load that was consistently accurate.

I am not expecting benchrest accuracy, but I find that if I can achieve moa groups with Sierras, I usually struggle to keep 1.5 moa groups with the Partitions. And, I find, the percentage of "where did that come from?" fliers greater with Partitions.

I do not want to be interpreted as knocking Nosler - I have used Accubonds and do use Ballistic Tips with good results - esp. the 95 gr .243 BT

I have tried to find a load I am pleased with in 3 different .30 caliber rifles using the 180 Partition and used the better part of three boxes of bullets doing it.

Any tips or suggestions are welcome- I know 1.5 moa groups are adequate for 99% of the shots I will take when hunting, but I would like better, particularly to eliminate the fliers, and I would like to use Partitions if I could get them to shoot better.

Thank you.

Adding a 1/2 MOA with Partitions over BT/AB's in not uncommon, but some barrels just love partitions.

I have both in my safe, but more of the former then the latter.

I have 2 25-06 rifles that don't care a lick for any of the partitions. Then I picked up a Weatherby Vanguard S2 in 243 and shoot .6 5-shot groups and ring the gong at 500 yards. As A-sniper said, some love 'em, some don't.

My advice is give them a try, you just may well be surprised.

I have had very good accuracy with 180s in my '06.

I've had excellent accuracy results with the 7mm 140 grain Partitions in my 7x57. Their effectiveness leaves nothing to be desired either.

The 125 grain Partitions are extremely accurate in my .264 Win. Mag. 1/2" @ 100 yards for a 5 shot group. But they average about 1.5" in the rest of my hunting rifles.

Ive had good luck getting partitions to shoot in anything Ive tried them in.Not too tough to get MOA at 100 yds....but can be tough to get better. Good enough for a hunting bullet for most applications.

Make sure they are seated straight. Run them at max.

I have had quite a few rifles that would group them as well as Sierra's of equal weight with the same charges.

At present, my 7mm Mashburn Super shoots 160 NPT's as well as 162 Amax...and the Amax is an accurate bullet.

Generally I have had quite good accuracy with them.And have killed with them as far as 500 yards so the whole Partition accuracy conundrum is something I'm really not familiar with. On those rare occasions that I had a problem it was the load or the rifle that was sick and not the bullets.

I totally agree with Bob and Ingwe on this...

Todd, I'm assuming you are wanting to use these in your 30-06 fwt. Did you switch to a Mcmillan stock like you were wanting to do and was it glass bedded properly?? I easily get sub moa groups with my fwt 06 and it is damn near identical to your rifle. However, mine has been glass bedded, trigger adjusted to 2.5 pounds, and proper loads have been worked up. Can you give us a little more info on the rifles you are having problems with? Thanks..

I find my workup for Nosler takes more "effort" than Hornady's? Odd but seems to be my luck? They also seem to be more sensitive to seating depth than others. That being said they can be very accurate.

Yes, working up loads for a pre '64 30 '06 featherweight- Brown Precision stock bedded appropriately, 2.5 lb trigger, rifle shoots 180 gr Sierra PH into inchish 5 shot groups at 100 yards, (56.5 grains H4350, Win LR primer, Norma brass bullets seated 0.020 from jam)

I have tried varying seating depth from .012 to .030 without success and varying powder charge up and down half a grain - just not getting anything to brag about for groups and "fliers" often. I was just hoping for better.

Aahh....the culprit emerges!

Some of the tightest groups I've fire with M70's have been with pre 64 FW's chambered 30/06. But.....they can be very persnickety and unless well bedded and tuned can be difficult.

I think the reason is simple. A 180 gr load is a lot of mass to push down the barrel of such a light rifle, and the barrel contour (IMO) is on the ragged edge of being heavy enough for a 30/06.

Put it in a light,stiff synthetic (which does not absorb vibration but rather transmits it) and the rifle will quickly show what it likes and dislikes. Small details become important with a light rifle and powerful load. It's harmonics.

Surprisingly (maybe) 150-165 gr bullets will sometimes shoot better.Matter of fact most of my pre 64 30/06's have been FW's and in general 165's will show better grouping ability than 180's but not always.

What I would try: Check your ammo for run out and segregate ammo using the stuff that measures .005 and under for grouping. Use the other stuff for off hand practice etc. See if that works. With proper bedding I have seen pre 64 06 FW's go from indifferent grouping to small groups by watching run out.I would bet $5 bucks that those "flyers" have excessive run out.

Get a Redding Competition or other straight line seating die and seat bullets straight as possible.Straight seating can be a bigger issue than seating depth.

Also, IMR4350 may not be "the" powder. I would try H4350 and RL 19.

Third, if the 180's still won't do it, switch to the 165 gr Partition. For most uses the animals will never know the difference.

BTW, stick those 180 gr loads in a standard grade and they will probably shoot knot holes. Just more rifle mass to soak up the vibes.

Thanks for the suggestions. Powder is H already, I am using a Redding competion seater- I have been toying with the idea of getting a run out checking tool.

I have had a very accurate 300 WSM with a Krieger barrel that shot everything but Partitions well.

I will keep trying until the box is gone...

I shoot a rem 700 in 300saum, and my old boss shoots a model 7 in 300saum. His rifle loved the 150 Sierra's and mine loves the 165 Partitions. I can easily cover 3 shots with a quarter at 100yds. His sierras shot just as well as my Partitions. I didn't try the Sierra's but he had tried the partitions and he preferred the 150 Sierra's because they were shorter.

my Ruger .308 Win loves 150 gr partitions and max load of Varget. My favorite hunting load.

That 56.5gn load with H4350 is quite mild. I would work up further. Most rifles will take several more grains.

That charge will only be generating around 2600fps, maybe a little more which is under the 2800-2850fps potential for a 180gn bullet in the .30/06.

I use R-22 in 30-06 for 180's. 59 and 60 grains both group about 2" at 300. That is all I can expect from that rifle. I use 60 gr. Could go up further, but the speed matches the trajectory I want, and the sight setting aligns with others I shoot.

I haven't seen problems getting Partitions to shoot well for decades now, and those could have been operator error, for all I know: I was still a kid. My brother and his wife have a pair of 280s that shoot Partitions VERY well, as in 1/3-1/2" at 100. Another guy I load for has a model 70 in 270 that shoots the 150's just slightly worse that the best bullets out of his rifle, about 2/3". I don't think the problem is with the bullets, if anyone has a problem getting them to shoot.

The only ones I've ever had problems with were the 22 cal version, but I've decided that the twist rates in a few guns were too slow to get them to shoot straight. They do as well as anything in a 1:8 twist. Not good for me in 1:10, 1:12, or 1:14.

I have never had a problem getting Partitions to shoot in any of my guns. My 7 mags will both shoot the 160s into 1/2-3/4-minute if I do my part. Same results in my 6mm. I have yet to try them in my .308, but expect the same results with the 165 Partition.

180 gr NP in the 06 usually just works without much drama. I normally run use H4350 or imr 4831 close to book max. I'd try some 180 gr factory ammo and compare.