Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 165 grain Nosler Partition, .30 cal., on Elk, Your thoughts?

x2. I did use Partition Golds when they were out in the late 90's they were 180gr WS ammo...loved them. I too prefer 180gr in the 300WM/WSM. Switched to 180gr Accubonds in 2004 and never looked back. Shot both the factory and now reload since 2005.

I cannot see why the 165 PG wont work. Couple of friends reload 165gr AB's in their 300WSM and love them.

capt: I have seen bull elk drop on the spot,run,walk a short ways,and do all sorts of un[redictable things hit with 30/06's and 300 mags using 165,180,and 200 gr Nosler Partitions.Which of these three a guy uses has very little to do with how fast the elk hits the deck,and seems to depend more on where he is hit...it is hard to generalize.Just the way elk are sometimes.

There does seem to be a difference in the penetration capabilities of the three bullets and the 200 gr will out penetrate the lighter bullets, generally.

One pal of mine did not lead a running spike enough at about 75 yards in the quakies....hit it in the pelvis broad side and busted the hips with 165 NPT from a 30/06...the bullet exited and the elk skidded on its' nose...was dead when he got there.I suspect the femoral artery was ruptured.

I have also seen the 165 go from the base of an elks neck(quartering away),travel the length of the neck and blow out the side of its head at about 500 yards.....the 165 seems to have enough mustard and tough enough construction for any rational shot at any elk.Deer and black bear barely slow the things down when fired from a 30/06 and they are hell on wheels on big mule deer and whitetails as well....even more so when fired from a 300 mag at 3200 fps+ but I prefer 180's from the magnums....that said we have used them on everything from elk down from the magnum 30's as well.

Although this is an elk thread, I mainly use my 30-06 as a backup for my 7x57(shorter ranges) or my 280(longer ranges.) I mostly hunt deer and pigs, and those two kick less than the 30-06. I decided on the 165PT, because it seems truely an all around bullet. capt david

One of my best friends here in Montana has used the 165 Partition from his .30-06 for all his elk hunting for at least 25 years now, and he gets an elk most years. He's recovered very few of the 165's.

I recall a great article Mule Deer did on the 30/06 and the 165 years back in (IIRC)Rifle Magazine....he mentioned Peter Barrett, former F&S editor who hunted Africa a lot,and his light rifle was a 30/06 with the 165 gr Nosler Partition.

If I could afford an elk hunt, that bullet would be my first choice.

Have shot elk with 150's, 165's, 180's, and 200's in .30 cal..the 165 is a favorite wt. for me..and the Nosler Part. is the fav. bullet..Like Bob said, how soon elk drop can depend on where it is hit..the nice thing with a part. is one can drive it though bone to hit the vitals..as far as penetration, I think the 200 has that hands down..Hagel said the only bullet that traveled farther for him though an animal was the 175 grain Part. from his 7mm mag.

With that result why would you need to recover the bullet. Dead elk at your feet equals great performance.

That gives me an idea to fire up the .308 and the 165NP for next years bull hunt. I better make sure I have enough Varget.

If'n a 308 wont' shoot a 165/168 and Varg then it aint overly smart...

That's my Montana's fav load.

Dober

Wouldn't a TSX be better....?

Why?

I'm sorry. I was just kidding.



Currently running 165 NAB's in my '06 for what it's worth.

Good thread, it's nice to hear the success stories with the 165/elk combo!

Geezus BW,don't you and Dober have 30/06's?

Yes Bob I do. Used a pre '64 '06 to bring back this years cow.
Just trying to allow for "equal opportunity" between the rifles.
Better yet, for next years bull, I should fire up the Montana .338WM with either a 225gr. NP or a Sierra Pro-Hunter.

Have any of you guys used the 165 Hornady flat base interlocks on elk? and how have they performed? All I own right now are 30-06's. Of course I have everything from 110 gr plinkers to 220 gr RN's. I'm just curious as they have hammered the chit out of the deer and black bear I've shot and I've yet to recover one.

I load them for my sons -06. I prefer my elk 30's to weigh 200 and leave at 3000.

I am getting a Model 70 in 06 and have not really thought about what to shoot from it - it would make sense to use the same load my son uses.

I killed three cows with that bullet out of a 3006 with imr4350. Watched my old man kill a few more, not to mention who knows how many deer. Nothing wrong with it and it works pretty damned well. Wouldn't think twice about using it again.

I have killed a couple elk with them in an '06...excellent performance. Could never tell the difference between the Horn or a NPT.Superb bullets.

That's good to hear Ingwe. They shoot extremely well (sub MOA) in my No.1 RSI and my Hawkeye with the same load. It's nice to have a primary and backup shoot the same fodder that well.