I have recently acquired a Model 70 in 416 Remington as well as well as 4 boxes of Nosler ammo featuring the 400 grain Partition.

The plan is to go to Africa and use the rifle and ammo for Cape Buffalo.

It appears that some now consider the 416 partitions to be on the soft side making them perfect for big cats but suspect on Buffalo.

Hoping someone here with experience with partitions on Buffalo will share their findings.

Few equals and none better .

In my experience that "some" are mistaken. Have used 400 .416 Partitions on three buffalo, and seen hunting partners use it as well, in both the .416 Remington and .416 Rigby--which unless the Rigby is handloaded hotter develop the same basic muzzle velocities.

Have recovered two, one from big-bodied Botswana bull--and Cape buffalo do vary in body size, with Botswana's tending toward bigger. It entered the rear edge of the ribs on the left side, and ended up in the right shoulder, retaining 83% of its weight--at least six feet of penetration, and maybe more. The other was a shot through both shoulders of an even bigger water buffalo. That one retained 95% of its weight.

Also put one just behind the shoulder of Cape buffalo in the Selous Reserve of Tanzania--which are smaller-bodied than buffalo in other regions (though still big enough to stomp you flat). Aimed behind the shoulder because the bull (one of four) was only 30 yards away in medium-thick cover, and shooting at the shoulder itself was blocked by a thick-leaved branch. That one exited, and we found not only a copious blood-trail, but chunks of lung. It went about 60-75 yards.

If anything, the 400 .416 Partition may penetrate more than many PH's prefer for hunting in herds, where there may be unseen buffalo beyond the bull you shoot.

I used the 400 grain partition successfully from my 416 Taylor to take a buff in Zimbabwe.

I used 300 grain softs from a 375 hh on a. 44 inch bull in the Caprivi Strip just a few months ago. Per directions from my PH. Remember, buffalo are tough and tenacious but they are not bullet proof .

That's an impressive bull!

The 300-grain .375 Partition was what I used to take a bull bison in Wyoming 25 years ago. The late Tom McIntyre set up the hunt on a ranch near his home in Sheridan. This turned out to be much less of a hunt than it was supposed to be--but I did recover two bullets. (Either would have killed the bull, but it was well below zero, and the outfitter/rancher said their metabolism really slows down in real cold.)

Anyway, the pair of bullets retained 87.7 and 88.7% of their weight--which surprised me. I'd been using Partitions since the last year or two of the lathe-turned models, and those recovered weighed the typical 2/3 of their original weight we still hear quoted by many hunters. So I asked Nosler what was up, and they explained that they'd started putting the partition farther forward in heavier, larger-caliber bullets a few years earlier, so they'd penetrate deeper on the heavier game such bullets were usually used for.

This was news to me (and a bunch of other people) because Nosler hadn't advertised the change. As a matter of fact I showed Phil Shoemaker the pair of bullets not too long after that. He and Rocky were driving through our area during their winter "vacation" time, and spent the night. Phil and I naturally started talking rifles and bullets, so I got out the pair of .375 Partitions--and he was as surprised as I had been, saying, "That's perfect!"

Anyway, one thing I've learned in the three decade since most of my writing income has involved hunting guns is many big game bullet companies tweak their products pretty regularly in order to improve performance. Another example is Barnes--which around the same time was really getting a handle on their X-Bullets, in large part due to being able to afford more consistent copper. I know this from talking extensively to Randy Brooks during a Sonora mule deer hunt we did together in 2005--where I used a 168-grain TSX to take a very big buck. But I already knew how well TSX's (back then the "new and improved" X-Bullet) worked because Eileen turned out to be the first hunter to provide Coni with a field report on a bull elk, after using a 140-grain .270 in 2004.

The same thing occurs with a bunch of other hunting bullets, but manufacturers don't always publicize each change, instead letting their bullets do the "talking."

I wish Nosler would move the partition forward on all their bullets, or at least the heavier .308s. I've got no experience with the .416 partitions, but the 300gr .375s are spectacular on brown bears.

I have been using 200 & 220 gr Partitions on large bears now for over 40 years and they work great.

I figured as much, but I've only used the heavy ones on deer so far. Good to know Phil.

I have never used the .30 220 Partition on game, but have been using the 200 since it was still lathe-turned, back in the mid-1970s. Have never taken dangerous game with the 200, but have used it on several elk from the .30-06, and the .300 Winchester and Weatherby Magnums. Have yet to recover one, though one did stay inside a bull after a rear-end finishing shot from a .300 Weatherby at around 375 yards. Traced the wound channel into the chest cavity, but never found the bullet.

Also once put one into the left shoulder joint of a 6x6 bull, quartering toward me at 75 yards in thick cover. It exited at the right rear of the ribcage.

Ruraldoc, I shoot a 416 Hoffman, so nearly identical to your Remington. While I haven’t yet shot a buffalo with a Nosler Partition (I usually am shooting TBBC’s in my 416), I wouldn’t hesitate to shoot a Buffalo with a 400 grain Partition. In fact, I have a box of 50 that I’ll happily hunt with if I ever get around to loading them.

Despite having so many great choices in premium bullets today, the tried and true Nosler Partition is still an excellent choice.

This post doesn’t help my ADD with bullet choices for my 2025 Buff hunt. Lol. I’m picking up a 416 Rem mag and have on hand 350 and 400gr TSX, 400 partitions, 400 A-frames and 400 TBBC. Was leaning toward the Bear claws but who knows now. Lol. I guess whatever shoots best.


Roy

I have some personal experience with the 400 Trophy Bonded Bear Claw as well, and it will definitely work.

Like many bonded bullets it tends to open widely, so often doesn't exit--which as mentioned earlier many PHs prefer in thicker cover to avoid wounding another buffalo beyond the one you shoot.

For the same reason they tend to prefer lighter TSXs, and other brands of similar bullets.

One thing that I plan to do when I get the 416 scoped is to shoot some hogs with it. I can shoot big ones lengthwise to check penetration and small ones broadside to check expansion.

I have a Boarbuster Trap and have caught 291 so far.Have been able to field test a lot of bullets.

Not a Buffalo,but still worth checking.

Some friends killed 34 critters with TBBC last year. Three buffalo and plains game from impala to eland. Everyone used 416s with 400 grain Bear Claws for everything.

I was unable to obtain Bear Claws but have 4 boxes of Partitions

In my experience both the 400 Partition and TBBC retain about the same average amount of weight, but the Partition tends to penetrate a little deeper, due to the "mushroom" not being as wide. (As mentioned earlier, bonded bullets tend to result in wider expansion.)

In fact, the diameter of the mushroom has at least as much to do with penetration as retained weight, and perhaps more. Have seen this many times both in "media" testing, and on big game.

But either bullet will work fine on your safari. Also, I doubt you'll be able to see any difference on pigs--unless some are "Hogzillas."

[quote=RTSJ]This post doesn’t help my ADD with bullet choices for my 2025 Buff hunt. Lol. I’m picking up a 416 Rem mag and have on hand 350 and 400gr TSX, 400 partitions, 400 A-frames and 400 TBBC. Was leaning toward the Bear claws but who knows now. Lol. I guess whatever shoots best.

You can’t make a wrong choice among those bullets. I’m biased toward 400’s and those are all excellent bullets. Find what you like best, load them to 2,300-2,400 fps and as long as you put the bullet in the right place, you’ll be taking lots of pictures with your buffalo.

Anyone care to share some load data or pet loads for the 416 Rem Mag with 400gr TBBC? I have lots of primers(all flavors) and Rl 15, Varget and H4350 on hand.

Next question is mounts. Big fan of Talley lightweights myself and have lots on other rifles but not sure what to put on this. Any recommendations? No sights so don’t need QD. Was looking at having sights installed though and if I go that route I’d probably invest in Talley QD rings and bases.


Roy

RTSJ, Sights would be a great idea for back up and versatility, but don't just have them put on, shoot with them, alot. Based on two sets of torqued-to-spec talley lightweights that I had crack on a .308 and a .300 WSM, I'd never trust them on any flavor of .416, even with a light scope like the Leupold 2.5. The Talley QDs are another critter entirely. The ones on my '06s, 9.3s, .375, .416 and so on have been stellar over the course of many, many rounds.

Roy,

I put together a .416 Remington Magnum around 1990, before Varget appeared, but would suggest trying it in your rifle. The powders that worked best in mine were around that burn-rate range, such as IMR4895, IMR4320 and IMR4064. It's also far less temperature-sensitive than RL-15.

Hodgdon lists 77.0 grains as maximum, but with 400-grain Hornady bullets. TBBCs tend to generate more pressure (and hence velocity) than typical gilding-metal jacketed bullets, so would watch the chronograph while working up. The velocity they list for the Hornadys is 2407 from a 24" barrel.

Having had several 416 Rem rifles since it was introduced, I think any of the bullets mentioned should do just fine on buffalo. My own experience has been with original TBBCs and Sledge Hammer solids, but expect the current versions to be just as reliable. That said, if I were going today I’d go with a 350gr Barnes TSX. I’ve always reloaded with R15 and never found another powder to be any better. Always worked up my loads in warm to hot weather so it’s temp sensitivity has never been an issue. Also used it in my 450 Dakota with zero issues.

@ruraldoc, Sir, you can trust the wisdom of Mr. 458win and Mr. Mule Deer regarding the Nosler Partition. FWIW, The Partitions worked for me on a Cape Buffalo back in the day.

Loaded 400 NPT and 400 SAF in my bud’s gun, same one as yours. They both were equally accurate over 4064, using Bill Hober’s Swift factory load data. Spoke to him personally. Nice guy, very helpful.

Bud’s PH liked the A-Frame better, so used that one.

From what I’ve read, not much difference in performance between those two. Both were very accurate, better than I expected.

DF

Holy smokes! A Partition sighting! That's as rare as a Moose tag in-hand.

Midway pinged me they have the Federal 300 grain Partition loads now in-house.

Without help from a Fire contributor, I wouldn’t have been able to load my Bud’s 400 NPT ammo.

DF