I'm curious too. Back when I used the .338 a LOT put quite a few 250 Partitions into various big game animals. They ranged in size from mule deer bucks to an eland pushing 1500 pounds, and the only 250 that didn't exit was the first shot on the eland. It hit a tiny thorn-branch just in front of the eland. The bullet still landed where I'd aimed, just behind the shoulder, but the twig did turn the bullet sideways, so it punched a perfect Partition silhouette through the hide. The eland took off behind brush, where we found it in a clearing a couple minutes later, standing with its head lowered. A second 250 through the chest, from the other side (which landed point-on), dropped the bull--and exited. Also shot 250s endwise through a mule deer buck and a blue wildebeest bull, about the size of a mature bull elk, both exiting.
In fact the only .338 Partition of any weight I recovered while using that rifle was a 225 from a huge musk ox bull, the size of an average cow bison, which I shot twice. The first shot broke the near shoulder as the bull quartered toward me at around 175 yards, and exited the ribs on the other side. The bull spun around a couple of times, ending up broadside, whereupon I put another one behind the shoulder--which tipped the bull over. It ended up under the hide on the far side, retaining 85% of its weight.
Didn't use the 210 much, especially after finding out how wellthe 200 Ballistic Tip worked, but they all exited too. Though a friend had one stopped by a rear-angling shot on a mature whitetail buck.
Had two hunters that year. 308 win and 168 ttsx. 338 Win mag and 250 partitions. I figured heavy for caliber we were fine in 338. Figured the 308 would be ok also.
The 308 hunter shot was about 120 yards. 2 rounds to the lungs, no bones, last round through base of neck broke neck. All 3 exited.
228 hunter the shot was around 100 yards give or take. 2 shots. Both to lungs, no bones IE ribs only. Both bullets made the first lung and into the 2nd and were somewhere in the off side lung having never made the ribs on the off side. That is another case of yep it died. But man a bone shot with similar results would be scary or in my mind I'd not trust it.
Sooner or later I'll catch a TTSX. And run 225 ttsx in the 338 Win mag and its worked fine. Exits so far. 210 TTSX in the 338-06. No exit on a shoulder/neck shot exiting through shoulder, but the hide caught it as it didn't' quite cut the hole in the off side hide quite enough to get out. 100ish yard shot also.
I've just not been pleased with lack of penetration to exit consistently with partitions, Have to be more careful than I'd have expected. Of course I've used too light for caliber ones, like 180 partitions in 300 wtby and they wouldn't exit a whitetail about 150 pounds. John you told me go heavier. I did. 200 partitions were much more reliable.
Thats what I expected from the big 338 ones.
Granted its only sample of 2. But when ribs and lungs stop em its scary as heck to me.
Why these bullets did that is beyond me. You would think 250 grains of almost anything would go through.
Boils down at this point in time about the only thing I really trust is barnes on big stuff.
I'm not calling you a liar by any means, but my difference in experiences using partitions with the 250gr .338's two big sisters, the 286gr 9.3 and the 300gr .375 is strangely different with stuff I've killed:
57" bull moose at about 75yds, first 300gr .375 was broadside and exited. Second was at about 30 yards as he jumped up, suddenly alive and was shot at a hard quartering away angle. Bullet entered just forward of the hip, traversed chest at an angle, and was found lodged against a neck vertebrae, total penetration about 5' chopping meat and bone as it went. Velocity 2550.
7.75' Brown bear, charging at 12 yards, first 300gr .375 entered front of chest just under the chin. Bear flipped backwards and began trying to get away, I commenced further raking to prevent tracking, bear collapsed at first follow-up shot but then got shot some more just because I was in the mood, four rounds total. Three of the four exited. One, likely the first rear to front shot, was found perfectly expanded and lodged against the back of the skull, which it had cracked. Once again about 5' of penetration, chopping stuff the whole way including the pelvis. Velocity 2550.
8' Brown bear, about 75 yards, first 286gr 9.3 broke the near shoulder and exited behind the off shoulder. Bear fell down and roared, got back up and made for the woods. I swung through and shot again as the crosshairs passed his nose. At the second shot he reared up, pawed the air and collapsed for pictures. Second round entered lower jaw, traversed the neck and chest, and was found lodged in the skin just forward of the hip. Velocity 2400.
I've got various similar experiences, but those are a few that spring to mind immediately. Perhaps the .338s starting velocity of 2700ish makes a difference, but based on my experiences with the sisters I'd happily use a nasty-kicking, no account, unrefined, questionable pedigree .338 and 250s if (gasp!) that's what I found myself with.
