Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 180 gr. Federal Throphy bonded vs the 180 gr. Nosler Partition

Mule Deer, my factory 24" barreled .30-06 shot the High Energy at exactly the same as yours (2,940 fps. average). That is amazing that our factory rifles shot identically. I shot them over a couple of different chronographs, because the guys at the range didn't believe the readings I was getting. I don't know why they discontinued it, it was fabulous ammo. With the new plastic tips, it would be even better.

I loaded the .270 loads for my buddies rifles for their elk hunts. The loads were 150 grain partitions coming out of their 22" barrels at 2800 fps average. Definitely not speed demons, but accurate. They were cow hunting and I was playing "guide" since I knew the unit.

We tracked a herd of elk and jumped them in a meadow. Both buddies busted a cow at about 40 yards. One was hit high in the lungs and again in the rump as it crested the hill. I'm glad their was snow, because there was only a few drops of blood. We found the cow about 300 yards away walking around in a tight circle with her head down. We finished her off and that was that.

We recovered the bullet from the rump. The lung hit exited out the off side with a caliber sized exit hole. The bullet we recovered from her rump looked like a wadcutter and only penetrated a few inches, stopping against the pelvic (weird).

The other cow that was hit in the liver, went about 100 yards and laid down. The entrance hole definitely had the 5 inches or so of fast expansion, then the bullet did the wadcutter thing and exited.

The other two bulls (340 bull and a rag horn) were shot with 7mm mag 160 partition and .30-06 165 partition. Both were shot under 200 yards. All the bullets penciled through from entrance to exit.

The .30-06 rag horn was heart shot, no trauma to the heart, just a pencil hole. I shot it again through the shoulder two more times. The holes through the scapula looked like they had been drilled with a bit. No blood shot meat, just neat holes. No blood trail, bull was on his feet for 5 minutes, while I cleared a case head separation (BAD Ruger chamber).

The 7mm mag was lung shot. Bull traveled 200 yards, no blood trail. Again, bullet penciled through the lungs, very little trauma, but he did die Anywho, that has been enough experience for me with partitions. I know guys love them, but I have found ballistic tips and regular Hornady flat base bullets kill SOOO much quicker and have been more predictable. I don't care about exit holes, but I do love LOTS of internal trauma and hydrostatic shock. Flinch

In the Trophy Bonded versus Nosler Partition debate I'm left wondering whether the same animal would die quicker shot with either bullet?

And yes I do expect what make of bullet that works better in a 30'06, and what works better in a 375, probably will not be the same brand bullet.

In my experience, although limited as listed above. The TB kills SOOO much faster with much better tissue destruction. Plus they look cool when recovered Flinch

I have only taken a caribou with the TBBC, have taken numerous animals with the NP. In my experience of 1, the TBBC did a fine job, but did not do the internal damage the NP does. I got the distinct impression when field dressing that the TBBC was a bit harder than the NP.

Flinch,

I have no doubts that what you describe with the Partition is exactly what happened. But in my experience the results weren't normal, though normal doesn't always happen.

I have killed a little over 100 big game animals with Nosler Partitions, and probably seen at least that many shot with Partitions by other people. I have never seen one pencil through without expanding--though I have seen a few expand early on bone, and then not do much damage to the interior organs after that. And once in a while they live longer than they should have.

But generally they either drop or go 50-75 yards and keel over, depending on whether the bullet was small and fast, and whether the animal was small or big. The animals ranged from springbok and pronghorn to moose and Cape buffalo, but the results are almost (not always) in that range.

I think it boils down to what a guy likes. I don't care about exit holes, but when a bullet does exit, I want a "hole", not a pencil hole.

I hunt public land that is often very competitive. I don't want to track or chase animals that are fairly hit. I want them down right now...on the spot. Ballistic tips and Hornadys have given me the DRT results I like. I find them very predictable.

I have had two bull elk, a small buck and a trophy buck taken from me at gun point, due to the critters making the "mad dash" for 75-100 yards before piling up. I knew EXACTLY where I hit the animals and they were dead on their feet. Since a couple of other hunters shot at them while they were making their death run, they figured they hit them. I didn't even know there were other hunters in the area. The shot angles and position of the bullet holes ruled out they hit them, but they were willing to shoot it out for the heads, no matter how I explained it to them.

I just don't get DRT with partitions, but no animal I have hit yet with the ballistic tip has gone more than a step or two. I don't always get exit holes, but have never had to track a ballistic tip hit critter. They aren't for everyone, because everyone rates a bullet differently, but they work for me. The hydrostatic shock and stirred up innards are amazing. Flinch

Personally, I've never not had a Partition deliver substantial internal trauma. I've taken 7 or 8 bull elk with various Partitions. Two that I remember dropped in their tracks with lung shots. Never had one go more than 50 yards.

But I really like Ballistic Tips too...

I thought I gave them a pretty fair shake. I am VERY unlucky though. Flinch

I've been very unlucky with a bunch of stuff I test, especially scopes. Have also had a little bit of bad luck with Barnes TSX's (non-expansion), though when they work, they work great. But my wife and I have switched to either Tipped TSX's or Nosler E-Tips when we want to use a mono bullet in smaller calibers. So far those have all opened up nicely.

But I also try to incorporate the experiences of others in my evaluations, partly because I've had a much higher percentage of scopes fail than some of my friend do, who shoot a lot as well.

However, there ain't no flies on the recent generations of Ballistic Tips, whether we're talking about sudden kills, accuracy or penetration. Which is why I use them more and more often, for a wider variety of game. Have taken a BUNCH of larger than "deer-sized" game with them in the past decade, with zero failures, and a lot of sudden death!

John,
How can that success with the BT be possible? I mean, our resident expert says they don't work!

Amazing, ain't it!

Ditto

If these danged 150 BT's did not shoot such good long range groups from the 7 Rem Mag, I could maybe ignore them....as it is I may try them.

It is all Dober's fault......

And now I gotta listen to the glowing reports....

Bob, I'm there with you. Only have about 500 factory seconds left to shoot up to decide if I like them...

I am getting so sick of those people with experience, that keep posting facts as to how various bullets work in the real world.

Sheeesh you guys, how are the posers supposed to get a word in edgewise.

Great info from btdt crew as usual.

JB: This makes sense,as I have seen it....I spotted a large mule deer at about 500 yards,and dropped down the mountain to get closer....caught him walking out of a draw at about 70 yards,and shot him broadside through the lungs with a 140 NPT started at 3250 from a 7Rem Mag....he took two steps and collapsed.The bullet exited and the off side was a train wreck,all blood shot over a wide area...speed seems to deliver its' own type of trauma

My only Accubond kill was also the biggest bodied muley I have ever killed (a real giant that still holds the unofficial camp record)..it was a 140 from a 7 RM as well,at 3250....this bullet hit the point of the shoulder,went to the opposite side where I found it in the back ribs....the buck reared like a bronco,spun and ran about 15-20 yards, piling up as he went...he blew blood from nose and mouth the whole way.....

Not much to complain about in either instance......

Dober told me to try the 150 BT's and I have put a couple hundred downrange to 600 yards...it has been easy to be impressed with the accuracy...

Same with me when it comes to the X-Type "expanding-monolithic" bullets

Bob,
When I first bought my 7WSM Classic I found it really, really liked the Federal factory 140 grain Accubond. So when MidwayUSA closed them out at under $15/box, I bought about 25 boxes (didn't reload then). Also found that my Montana likes them too.

Maybe I should just quit dicking around with reloading for it and just go kill some critters. BTW I'm getting around 3,280 from that Fed round so it's good to hear of your experience with the 140 AB at that velocity...

I have used both the 180 grain (.308) and 140 grain (.277) Trophy Bonded by federal in Lew of my laziness not have my Nosler reloads by hunting season ...Excellent bullets and excellent results.

But I am a die hard Nosler Partition fan and use the 180(.308) Partition and 130(.277) Partition as my to go bullets in each caliber.If Trophy Bonded were more available and cheaper,I certainly would use them if Nosler went out of business...

Have I seen any difference in performance between the two..Not really but I don't measure wound channels just dead and immediate effect which there both on the same trail.

Jayco

seems like you were fortunate to find a factory load that works so well. now you have more free time to focus on your other guns and loads
smile and be happy