Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles The Nosler Partition Rehab Program

I've been a Nosler bullet bigot since, well, forever.

So, I'm in my local SW as my usual last stop on my weekly vittles run into town. And from way over there I can see newly stocked boxes of Nosler bullets. Awesome.

I walk over there, and holy smokes, they're Partitions. 6.5mm Partitions. Then I look closer, and OMG, they want $72 for a 50 count box of Nosler Partitions.

Then, in a flash it hits me; Nosler is tired of making Partitions and they want old fuds like me to move on to NABs and E-tips. How do ya do that? Why price them Partitions out of existence.

The problem with the plan is COVID. Yup. The last two years when Partitions and NABs were unobtainium, I used 4 - 143 grain ELD-Xs on 4 elk. Hmmm...

So, I think their Rehab Program is gonna work, just not the way they think it will. I also have a bunch of 165 gr. CXs loaded up to test in the .30-06.


I wonder if the Rehab Program graduates will be having reunions....? dunno.

Same boat as you. Still use a bunch of Nosler's, but hell if I am paying that sorta money for them.

Midway is $75 a box for that same bullet. I cannot see it. E-Tips are also $60-75 a box. I might buy Ballistic Tips here and there for a rifle that loves them, but that's going to be about it in the future.

6.5mm TTSX bullets are $45 a box at Midway. It wasn't long ago that a TTSX and a Partition cost about the same.

I’ve even stopped buying the seconds at SPS, they’ve raised the prices to more than I’m willing to give for firsts.

I’m rapidly becoming a Hornady man.

Hornady has been the only company in the past 3 years that has been able to both supply the shelves and keep prices reasonable.

I’ve worked up great loads with Hornady that I wouldn’t have done otherwise, and with the cost of load development, primers, and powder - I’m not about to go through that process with another bullet that cost twice as much.

Especially since I found that the Interlocks are amazingly accurate and have great terminal performance.

Nosler and Sierra missed the boat.

I've moved to the Accubonds over the Partitions but not necessarily because of the prices. I've had very good luck with the Accubonds in several rifles and will probably move all my rifles to them soon. My 26 Nosler loves the 140 ABs and even my 338 also shoots them very well. I've never had what I would call a failure with the Partitions, but I have had them come apart and cause more damage than I thought necessary. My son and brother have noticed the same thing on deer and elk we have shot .
Of course, after I switched the prices have gone up so much I'm probably not going back , but then as well as the ABs work I don't have any reason to...

This. I've got enough Interlocks to keep me shooting for a very long time.


Okie John

i will buy nosler when a good deal is to be had but as stated hornady was the only company to put hunting bullets on the shelves the last few years with minimal price increases so i have gradually switched over to

Yup. I've enough 250 gr. NABs for chasing Sable, and the 180 gr. NPT has been dialed in with the .30-06 since forever.

But when they're gone, they're gone. Movin' on.

I suppose I've got several thousand Partitions in 6.5, .277, and .308. I'm set for a couple of lifetimes. Ditto Accubonds and Ballistic Tips. Thank you SPS, and pre-2020 purchases.

Starting out I'd go with Hornady, Sierra, Speer, and Lapua and likely bypass most of Nosler's offerings.

F'em.

Switched to Speer Grand Slams years ago, for both the .270 Win(150 gr.) and 6.5x55(140 gr.)... for ~ $0.22/pop.

Pushed at moderate velocities (2800/2700 fps, respectively), the game won't know the difference.

Lose a coupla points of BC, but not enough to rule out 350 yd. shots, or even further.




GR

Ironic: Hornady bullets replacing Partitions now. It was a Hornady bullet failure that prompted John Nosler to design his iconic bullet.

Indeed... 70 years ago!

I never knew it was a Hornady.. not doubting, just never read anything that said that. I didn’t think Hornadys were around till years after the PTs were around.

See my Avatar.. ha ha..

Good man, I mean "kid"..

They have kept me supplied with good pistola bullets as well. Was at a store last Saturday and paid $19.99/box of 124gr XTP'S for my 9mm. Yes, hornady was the only bullets on the shelves too. Fu ck Nosler...

I have plenty in 6mm, .270, and .30 for my hunting and probably my sons’ hunting for the foreseeable future. Just loaded 40 150gr for my new ‘06, and have an order for some 160gr .270s from the son who has my old pre-64. Have one box left of those.

At the prices quoted here, I won’t be buying more either. Years ago, Grafs had 150gr Partition Gold (steel cup in the base) for $8 a box. Still have three boxes. Only been a couple of years since SPS was selling 150gr overruns for $20.

Due in part to COVID's money showers from the government, current inflation, and lack of a work force, many companies are attempting to make big decisions about their image and path forward. Lots of them see a chance to reinvent themselves as boutique companies who cater to those who want the best and don't mind paying for it.

This streamlines things for the corporation... economies of scale, less SKUs, fewer worker salaries, etc.

But a lot of them are about to find out that when every company read the same books and went to the same seminars, some are going to lose. All consumers cannot choose the buy once cry once model in every facet of their lives. At some point, consumers will have to choose between their premium car, premium cable, premium ice cream, premium silverware, and platinum dipped coat hangers...only so many dollars available. So not every company can belong to the diamond stickpin set.

Someone still has to invent, manufacture, and sell the average person an average product that works...well...well-enough.

So we will find other options while the $3 per bullet companies will either find a way to compete or go out of business still blaming we rubes for being too dumb to understand. Lol