Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 140 copper vs. 150 partition

My experience has been with 300 WM 180 partitions and 165 TSX and TTSX for elk, all under 150 yds. Broadside, both bullets exit, internals are soup, exit holes, a slight nod to Partition. Quartering towards, the Partition ends up in the hide in the off side, the TTSX exits. All kills within a few steps. Partition will drop some weight, it’s made to expand quick and retain 60-70% of the weight after mushroom. TSX/TTSX looses almost no weight and I think (but can’t prove it) it expands a little bit slower and that why it all most always exits (and almost 100% weight retention). When I use them, I alway step down one weight from a lead core bullet. For instances, in my 300 I would use 180 lead core, for TTSX I use 165, in 7mm-08 for deer I would use 140 lead core, I use 120 TTSX. Put the bullet where it’s suppose to go and you will have no problem with either.

Clockwork: Stick with the Nosler Partitions.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I started shooting the Barnes original X bullets years ago in a 7 mag. I killed a three Oryx and some elk with them in New Mexico. They worked well, UNTIL I bought a newer rifle with a tighter barrel. I had to back way off on the powder to quit getting pressure signs. I went to Partitions and Interlocks and never looked back. These were 7 mags, by the way.

I have taken numerous elk with the 160 Partition. It has never failed me. I would switch to monos ONLY if I had to. You virtually never have to worry about the Partition penciling through anything. There are numerous stories of the coppers doing that. They would be my choice ONLY for heavier game. They are not needed at all for deer-sized critters. Cup and core works great for this.

Unless you are forced to switch, I would stay with your good Partition bullets.

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I use the 150gr TSX in my 7-08 because it shoots better than the NPT's I've tried. Otherwise all my elk bullets are NPT 2nds. Given my observations/experience NPT's tend to be a little more consistent in their performance on elk than the monos, and when I can buy NPT's at roughly half the street price of other elk worthy bullets it's a no brainer.

A few years ago,I bought 4 boxes (200) of Nosler Partitions, 180 gr from SPS for $13/ box. Elk keep dying and none have got up and ran off.

The good news is, there's really no "wrong" answer between the 2.

I've taken a bunch of whitetails, a couple Mule-Deer, 2 Caribou, and an elk w/140gn TSX/270Win combo. I've also watched a cousin and a friend use the same combo on elk and multiple deer. The 1st Mule Deer I took @ ~75yds, bang-flop. Fall of '19 I took a Mule Deer with the same combo @ 560yds, Bang-Flop. Both caribou went straight down as did the cow elk I shot.

No, the BC isn't great, but, I get excellent accuracy and mind-numbingly predictable terminal performance with the TSX. If they became unavailable tomorrow, I could happily shoot a partition.

168 gr TTSX in .300 Weatherby and 150 gr TTSX in 7mm Weatherby have shot extremely well on the range and have been flawless in on-game performance. If the cost of a couple boxes of bullets makes a difference in your hunting budget, you might consider another sport.

I prefer the 140 grain TTSX in my 280 Rem and would not hesitate on any animal in Nort America
They are deadly accurate and very terminal on game

Yep!