Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Elk and Moose and a 30-06 with three bullet choices... which one?

Interestingly, the 200-grain Partition is incredibly accurate. I was in Nosler's Ballistics Lab a few years ago and one of the guys was exclaiming that this was so.

And he fired four or five five-shot groups with the 200s in their .300WinMag barrel to show me. All groups were in the 0's.

Unbelieveable.

Steve

I'm glad there are still guys out there that like heavy for caliber bullets....I'd also run the 200gr. partition. They have been damn accurate in my 30-06's...

That says a lot for the good ol 165gr. Hornady interlock. My 30-06 also loves both the SP and BTSP. They sure do kill stuff well too...

200 partition.

Going deep long before the mono-metals with the added benefit of lead 'shrapnel' to aid in bullet effect...

John,
Thanks for your note. I am indeed "leaning" toward the 200g Partition because it arrives downfield at very close to the same speed and trajectory of the other two bullets, but should be quite a "driver" with the additional mass and sectional density. Am going to order some and give it a try. My 06' has an 11-twist barrel, and that should be a great fit to the 200 spitzer.
Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Great info, Steve.
Nothing like witnessing the results right in front of your eyes.
I am looking forward to working up some loads after Christmas!

I won't argue with you about the interlocks....
My Dad and Uncle both ordered pre-64 300 h&h's many moons ago, and had Winchester ship them directly to Weatherby to get them chambered for the 300 Weatherby. Then, they used nothing other than Hornady Interlocks for 30 years of additional hunting in Eastern Oregon. (successful hunting)
Uncle Walt hand loaded for both Dad and himself, buying Weatherby brass and putting 180 grain interlocks on the nose.

Old Crab,

The Interlockeds are not a mistake either (Fireproof suit just put on :grin).

I used 180-grain Hornady SPBTs on my last safari and took about twenty-five animals with the bullet. All were one shot kills and the game varied from impala and warthog to a huge "blue bull" eland that weighed 1069kg ... 2,352-pounds.

I've also killed several bull elk with the Hornady 190-grain Interlocked SPBT in both the .30-06 and the .300 WinMag and have experienced nothing but one-shot DRT kills.

This is seemingly the Golden Age of bullets and rifle barrels. We are fortunate indeed.

Blessings,

Steve

Steve,
I did pick up a box of 165g spbt's (interlocks) and am adding them to the mix to do some fun load work-ups this winter.
Your safari sounds like you had a great time! That Eland was a real monster..wow.
Thanks for all your input.

to help at any time.

Merry Christmas to you and yours,

Steve




1,069Kg eland.







This is by far the heaviest-horned impala I've ever seen. And not only heavy, his horns measure 27"X27" inches in length. He is a true monster impala ... if such a thing is possible.




Rowland Ward bushbuck. Took me three days to close the deal, but it was worth every second of it. Gorgeous critter.

Steve

Steve, thanks for posting those great pics of your safari, and many blessings to you and yours through this Christmas Season and into 2016!

Yeah they've worked great for me.

Try all three, find the most accurate for the rifle and use that bullet. All three listed will work, one will probably be more accurate. My .06 likes 180gr bullets better than any other weight. Knowing if presented the long range shot can be taken with confidence. My 2 cents worth.

Old Crab, Obviously "reasonable" hunting rifle accuracy must be considered.If all bullets achieve your accuracy standards, then the Barnes(IMHO) would be the best choice. When the 200 grain Partition loses it's typical 35%, the Barnes 165/168 grainer will retain more weight.Which should equal greater penetration,which is beneficial with larger game. memtb

I have seen Barnes .30 180 TTSX shoot through both shoulders of a 06 and exit. Both with a 06 & .300Win. No small feat.

Lefty C

In the same camp as highlighted in bold. See earlier post. Also all of the elk I have shot with .30 Barnes bullets, from 90-300 yd, didn't go farther than 20 yd after they were hit.

memtb,

Unfortunately, retained weight doesn't have nearly as much effect on penetration as frontal area of a bullet. As noted in my previous post, I've shot animals with both the 168 TSX and 200 Partition, and in my experience their penetration is similar--but have never recovered a 200 Partition, even though I've shot more animals with it, and have recovered 168 TSX's.

leftycarbon,

Have never had the opportunity to put a 200-grain Partition through both shoulders of a broadside elk, but have seen a 150 Hornady Interlock from a .30-06 through both shoulders and exit. A lot depends on what part of the shoulders they hit. In the instance of the 150 Hornady it went through both shoulder blades.

Perhaps the most impressive penetration from a 200 Partition I've seen was on an average 6-point bull. The bullet hit the middle of the big shoulder joint and exited at the rear of the ribcage on the other side.

Have shot lengthwise through a big mule deer buck with a 200-grain Partition, and have recovered a 168 TSX from a big mule deer from an angling shot that went in just in front of the left hip. The bullet ended up in the right shoulder.

I am not saying which bullet is superior, just saying that people who haven't used the 200 Partition shouldn't assume a TSX will always penetrate deeper.

180 gr Nosler Partition.

Good Grief, that critter should have been domesticated because it looks like it could pull a 4 bottom plow without the use of diesel!