I have killed 7-8 elk with conventional, and rather fragile bullets, and I have witnessed a LOT of elk killed with conventional jacketed bullets--which is why I have learned to like premium bullets.
Once again.....the Partition is SUPPOSED to shed the front core as it travels through the critter. But often the front jacket remains, just like the petals on a X/TSX or the other monos I have seen. In the end frontal area of all them are very similar in diameter. I have seen X/TSX's shed the petals and still be caught in the critter, and I have seen Partitions with part of the front jacket gone and the remaining front jacket pined tight against the shank. Again, the frontal diameter was similar for each bullet.
Llama bob,
Weight retention has little if anything to do with penetration or the size of the hole as the bullet travels through the critter, instead, it's about frontal area. Smaller frontal area translates into greater penetration, larger frontal areas less penetration. The trick is the optimum compromise between the two--which will never work perfectly every time.
