Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting Nosler Partitions For Long Range?

Shot the 140 grain Nosler Partition out of my .264 just an hour ago out to 780 yards.

Conditions:
60 degrees, 86% RH, 24.87 inches HG (station).

Wind was nonexistent or so you would think.

At 550 at least 3 inches "wind" or spin drift
at 650 at least 5 inches drift.
at 780 bullets impacting 10" right of target.

Ballistic FTE shows some kind of drift in "0" wind conditions at most ranges; I assume that is Spin Drift which I have activated. At 780 yards in zero wind, the program shows 5" of drift.

With the 130 Scirocco the program shows 3.3" of drift in zero wind.

Elevation data was good at 3150 for the Partition, but it was remarkable how much "drift" there was in conditions akin to shooting in a tunnel

I haven't Played with the 140 NP too much but used the 125 via .264 for years on big mule deer out to 500 yds and never found myself wanting more. The 140 should do great although not the sleekest as you mentioned but with turrets or hold off dots in the reticle it's not a huge issue to me either.

Rick,

Haven't killed anything yet with the 140 PT but they do shoot nicely in my -47.



402 yd head shots.



Alan

I maybe don't belong in this discussion because I have no real opportunity to shoot beyond 600 yards for continued practice,so anything that happens past that is a moot conversation for me.

I can say that I have sent a few thousand Partitions out to 600 yards(mostly 300-500)over the years with generally good results;and have killed with them between 400-500 yards myself and watched others do it to those distances.Results have been good with elk being pretty much floored where they stood and these involved mostly the 160 7mm and the 180 gr 30 caliber.

As to wind I have experienced the vagaries myself and have concluded that if I feel the wind is full value won't stretch things on a game animal;varmints and targets wang away ( how else can you learn anything but on game animals I won't risk it if the hold is more than a few inches.

I killed a big mule deer one time at about 500 yards in Wyoming when the wind was just licking,but it was not full value,and judging from his position he seemed to be in the lee,so my solution was to not allow for the wind at all Load was a 140 Partition from a 7 RM at about 3250,and I hit pretty exactly where I wanted....sometimes we get lucky.

Past two years a pal and I have been shooting the 160 and 175 Partitions from the 7mm Mashburn Super from a couple of different rifles.Other bullets have been the 162 Amax and 160 AB (both really good),and my Mashburn will put a 160 Partition and 162 Amax to the same places to 600 yards without touching the sights....(reason is the 162 Amax is impacting 2.5" high at 100 and the 160 Partition is a half inch higher at 100, or 3" high.)

With this sight setting the rifle will also stick the 175 gr about 4" lower than the other two at 600 yards.

The accuracy with the 175 has been good enough that it has been the "standard" for 175 gr hunting bullets for us staying consistently in about 6" at 600 yards...this may not sound like much but these are both mountain weight rifles weighing under 8 pounds with pretty standard scopes so we'll take it.

If I specialized and needed a bullet for continued use beyond 600 yards a Partition would not be "it",but since I would not shoot an animal any further than that (and I would,and have,deliberated greatly at that distance)I know a Partition properly placed will kill very effectively.FWIW.

I think the answer to the 264 Win Mag question is the 140gr VLD.

Why give up anything as the VLD kills better and flies better.

If you have a finicky rifle the hybrids are supposed to answer that question.

I have burned 0.110 out of my throat in just over 1500 rnds and just moved my seating depth for the first time. The gun shoots at least as good as it ever did and maybe just a little better.

While there is no question Partitions will work, and work well, it seems to me the VLD allows us to have our cake (High BC) and eat it as well (Devastating terminal performance at both close and far range).

Just my unsolicited opinion but because Rick and I have always seen eye to eye I was just sure he wouldn�t mind.

Just funnin Rick, but I have been very happy with the VLD in the 264 Win Mag. Good Luck.

Thanks JB and Bob,

I appreciate yours and everyone's input!

After seeing how much the Partition drifts and the fact that Pat had good results with the Scirocco .005" off the lands, I went back to the drawing board with it. Looked at a couple of Audette's I had shot in the past and tried a load in the higher velocity node as well at the existing load and just did a seating depth test. I was able to get it to shoot well with both so I opted for the High Velocity Node at .035" off ... Shot a tiny group at 550 on steel.

I was surprised how well it shot right on the lands as well. I remember talking with the owner of Swift about the bullet years ago. He insisted it needed to be jumped at least .050"

Hey JB,
The Berger sounds good but for elk? What do you think?

Hard to argue with John Burns on elk bullets....'cause he kills lots of elk...

I'm sure someone will come along to argue, just to stir the pot. I agree with you. JB sure seems to back up what he says with experience. YMMV

I have had nothing but stellar results on elk from 100yds to 1102yds with that 140gr VLD. For me it offers the perfect balance of between killing and shooting.

Easy to shoot and just lethal on game including elk. That balance gives me the most reach of any bullet/cartridge I have ever shot at an elk.

I have posted this video before but when a shoulder shot bull just crunches to the ground what more can we ask of any bullet?

Nice shooting John...

Alan,
Trying to figure out what kind of head you are shooting at, at 402yds it look's like steelhead.

Here ya go. This my 30-06AI with 180 BT @ 818 yds. Neck shoulder junction was a good aiming point.

Alan

JB,
I figured you'd have a video

Nice shooting and spectacular results. It looked like he was slightly quartering. Was the POI behind the shoulder?

How does the VLD act when some big bones are hit?

Also after looking at the Berger chart, I'm guessing that the bullet you are using is the Target model and the difference between the Target and Hunting models it that the Hunting model has a thinner jacket?

Alan,

I've seen that pic a number of times and every time I look at it that group looks great!

GSSP - that is some fine shooting indeed. My friend has a .30-06 AI and just bought some 180gr BT for loading. Do you have any suggestions for loads?

Thanks in advance.

Rick,

I always like to hit bone and am not in the least bit afraid of elk shoulders at close range when shooting VLDs.

That hit was centered on the scapula and the bullet was the hunting (thin jacket) version. I have not used the target versions on game for the simple reason I find the original to be perfect for my applications. The target version might work just as well but the last thing I want is any more penetration than I already get with the hunting VLD.

On some shots I wouldn�t mind them opening a little sooner.

My expereince with Nosler Partitions at longer ranges and lower impact speeds has all been pretty good. They have alwyas opend well at 1800 fps or even less for me.
I'd point out two things.
First of all, they, the Partitions, will hold together and penetrate as well as anything will. Particularly up close and at bad angles. Don't make the mistake of assuming that shot must or will be taken at 500 yds. plus. Critters have a bad habit of not following the game plan.
The second is be very careful in making a wind call. The best plan I know of is to have a fellow hunter back you up. Tell him what you are doing, and, if the shot goes bad, he can do the follow up shot alot faster than you can. Elk are very tough animals. They can go a very long way in some really nasty country if they have a mind to do so. E

Not to hijack this thread, I love the 150g Partitions in my 270 Win, but now that I have a 270 Weatherby with a 26" tube, I'm looking serioiusly at the .277 cal Matrix 165g VLD. Anyone used any of the Matrix VLDs on elk? My problem is my shots can vary from between 15 yards and 500 yards, I need a bullet that will hold together at 3200 fps impact velocity and still expand at 2000 fps ... Partitions tend to fill that bill, just wish their 160g .277 Partition had a decent BC

Probably don't need to worry for more than 2 minutes about a big BC if you're shooting tops out at 500 yards on game... The 150 and 160 NP are plenty of BC in a 270 Bee.

Thanks Tanner, if my 270 Win fit the bill, the 270 Bee should be just a tad better. Gave my prized 1968 BDL in 270 to my son, he got his first elk with it last year and won't give it back!

I'd start pumping the 150gr NPs out real fast and learn your drops out to 500! That'll kill nicely.