What do you writers and others with a lot of experience say the best accuracy Nosler Partitions are really capable of out of a rail gun or any gun capable of extreme accuracy. I'm thinking along the lines of an average of twenty, five shot groups out of a .270 or larger caliber. Whatya think?

no rail gun but moa out of both 3006, 260, and 350.

Maybe three years ago I added up ALL the groups I've shot with scoped rifles and Nosler Partitions, and averaged them. This includes Partitions from .224 to .416, in most calibers, and several weights in some calibers. This was ALL groups, not just the most accurate loads in any rifle. Three-shot groups averaged 1.01 inches at 100 yards.

That ain't bad, and will do for all but the most extreme-range big game hunting. But of course some rifles and bullets only averaged 1.5 inches or so, while others shot much better. Some rifles and loads averaged 1/2" or so for 3-shot groups.

My experience is that a lot depends on the rifle and particular lot of Partitions. (Of course, all bullets vary in accuracy from lot to lot, even target bullets.) I will note that the first big game rifle I ever owned that would average 1/2" for 3-shot groups at 100 yards was my grandmother's old Remington 722 .257 Roberts, and the load was a stiff charge of IMR4350 and 100-grain Nosler Partitions.

Lately, one of my most accurate big game rifles is my E.R. Shaw 6.5-06, which averages 1/2 MOA out to 700 yards with 140-grain Berger VLD's (again, 3-shot groups) and H1000. I have tried a BUNCH of bullets and powders in this rifle, and the second most accurate load is the 140-grain Nosler Partition and the same charge of powder. Or at least that's the case with my present lot of 140 Partitions.

I have no idea how well a top-notch lot of Partitions would shoot in another rifle.

I love Partitions and am very biased towards them. That being said, back many years ago, their accuracy was not the best in my opinion. I know that is a broad, very generalized statement, but it was true in my case.

Now, they are, in most cases, very accurate in 90% of my guns, approaching the accuracy of my Accubonds and BT's I am proud to say. I have to believe the greater accuracy can be attributed to improved manufacturing techniques by Nosler.

Just an observation.

My personal experience over the past 25 years loading Partions in a multiple of cartridges has been very positive and among the biggest reasons why I have been reluctant to load other options for hunting.

There have been a couple of situations where the Partitions did not work well but after twisting on a new tube, I was back in business.

If I was forced to come up with an average, I'd pin the tail on 1.25" over a broad range of groups. Many have been stellar and well under an inch and the rifles that have produced them are still in my cabinet.

Generally speaking, It has not been difficult getting Partitions to shoot well. I'm a huge Partition fan so having that said, the rifles I own either shoot them well or get new tubes or get sent down the road.

.25-06, 6.5x55, .270, 7-08, 8x57, .325wsm and my brother's .30-06 all have been able to get sub MOA with the weight of partition the rifle liked. For my brother and I re-loading starts with Nosler Ps.

I also load Sierra, Hornady, Speer, Barnes and Swift. GRF

That's been my experience too....



I generally shoot 5 shot groups. And I can get Ballistic Tips or Sierras to shoot slightly smaller groups than Partitions.

Many years ago, back in the 1970's, I decided that the terminal performance of the Partitions was good enough to outweigh their modest accuracy, in some applications.

Several years ago I figured out that Nosler had done a fine job of improving the accuracy of the Partition, when I was able to fire sub 3" groups at 300 yards with several different hunting rifles, using Nosler Partitions... Whatever they've done, and I suspect they got the whole two-core thing down real well, it's working. Now we get all the terrific terminal performance of the Partition, along with MOA or better accuracy.

What's not to like?

IME depends on the rifle,and sometimes,loading dies as well...,ie, I've cured a couple of rifles that were not shooting Partitions well by following JB's advise on straight seating....have seen this make a world of difference.

The accuracy potential is there in the bullet,and I've had rifles that would cluster 3 shot groups(all touching)at 100 yards with Nosler Partitions....an example is one pre 64 M70 FW in 270 Win that would do this routinely with the old screw machine bullet.

I can't say I have had any real problems getting them to shoot when the rifle was "good",and after using them since the early 70's I've about concluded that if they don't shoot,it is a rifle issue and not the bullets.And like CLB above, if a rifle simply refuses to shoot them,it, or the barrel, goes down the road.

I had a Kimber Montana in 257 Roberts that would put 3 shots reliably into a 1/2" with the 100 gr Partition.Several 270 M70's that would do the same;and a host of Krieger,Douglas,Shilen,Lilja, etc that shot them well.

I have enough confidence in the bullets that with any new rifle I start with Sierra's,or maybe BT's,and quickly move to the Partition.....when I get to them,I know I have a reliable load for hunting.And from there I can play with anything else I want to see if they do any better.

My experience parallels CLB. I can usually get them to shoot 1.25 in most guns, some much better. Having said that, I've had several rifles lately that took a bit to find what it liked.

I like the terminal performance of the Partition so much I'll trade a 1.5" group with Partitions for a 1/2" of a standard cup/core. To date, Partitions have never let me down.

Bob, I have a custom 257 on a small ring Mauser and the 100 grain partition is the only thing it will shoot well...about what you are getting with your Kimber. Anything else and we are talking 2" plus groups. It loves the 100 gr PT, a "medium" dose of IMR 4350 and WLR primers...period. And everything I have shot with it goes straight to the ground with that load.

Take care.

My experience with them mirrors alot of whats been said. I have never had trouble getting them to shoot inside an inch in virtually any rifle... getting them to do markedly better than that doesnt usually happen.
Exccellent hunting accuracy and one of the few sure bets in life, performance wise...

Yup, there's nosler patitions, then everything else.

Seriously, I've used them in 270s, a 45-70, and 30-06. They've never let me or my son down.

That being said, I'm finally going to be using something besides noslers on my next hunting trip. 300 gr. Hornady DGS and DGX, in Zim., next summer.


maddog

Godogs; I don't mean to imply they all shoot into tiny groups....but it happens frequently enough that I'm not surprised when they do...

More importantly,they go where they should at 300-600 yards,and the times I've killed at over 400(really relatively few)that was the bullet that did it.

Frequently, they will go the same POI and group right along with Sierra's and BT's which makes a good mix for working up loads for development and practice.

My 7 mag will group the 150BT and 150 Partition together to 400 yards...far as I have taken the Partition in that rifle.

I've a .250 Savage that shoots Partitions better than BTs and that's something to smile about I suppose.

Second round of load work. Boring gun, no challenge at all. BT group on top, NP on bottom. Gun consistently does this with both.

DD: Well......sure! Sometimes!

I don't know for sure,but suspect that when you boot a Partition in the arse hard enough, the exposed base obturates into the grooves for a tighter fit in the bore,giving results like you see.

This ain't uncommon...maybe part of the reason(among others) one sees accuracy get "better" as top end loads are approached.

I have seen (for example)Bitterroots shoot better as loads get "hotter",because the heavy jacket/base does not obturate sufficiently to squeeze down into the grooves,until you get near "max".....also, a lot of modern slow powders are designed to work better at "max".

Bob,
Your methods and experiences are the same as mine. I figured out 20+ years ago in my 270's NBT's and Sierra's will generally shoot to the same POI as Partitions.

I've even alternated BT's with Partitions and shot into the same group at 400 yds to see if POI was the same......

Hey Bob,

Do I infer from your post that Sierra's and PT are similar enough in shape that load development can be done with Sierra's, then tweaked with PT's? Looking at a 30 cal, 180 in both varieties, they look remarkably similar.

Bob Hagel loaded the BBCs in various calibers "at or near max".. with factory hunting rifles and achieved some surprising results..

I have experienced the same results with the old style NP in 130 and 165 using Pre-64 M70 in 270 and 30-06

In the late 60s I got a pre-64 M70 in 338 and I shot it alot. Mostly I used 210 Partitions, and like I say, I shot it alot. The best group I ever got was .56", but it shot between an inch and .63" when everything came together. One inch groups were something I could pretty much count on.

B:That has been my general experience,but "discretion is always the better part of valor",and it is never a bad idea to back off a couple grains and come back up when going from the Sierra to the Partition......doing so I have generally wound up in the same place,or very close to it....this is little trouble and can be accomplished easily....

The Partition has that....well....Partition.....and this may be a bit "harder" than the CC construction of a Sierra, so it never hurts to be careful.

Casey and OU76 have a handle on this as it looks like they have been doing the same thing for quite awhile as well..

MD is correct. Bullets are literally a batch to batch item. Once, it was common thought that the heaviest weightes in each caliber shot best but then next box can disprove that.

John

I have been using Partitions for a very long time and I too believe they've gotten better in the accuracy department. One thing I've noticed is that I get fewer unexplained fliers these days than I used to get. But then I'm better at putting together straight ammo now, thanks to Mule Deer.

Bob,
Mind if I ask what your load was on that one?? I've got some 100 partitions to try out in my Bob as well... I'm thinking 46 to 47 grains H4350.

In several 30-06's and one 9.3X62 Partitions have been the most accurate bullet. The only down side is cost.

Marty it was 47 H4350,WW case and LR primer.....it would do the same thing with 100 Sierra's.

I recently loaded some 180 gr partitions in .30-06 with Ramshot Hunter, JB's recipe. It is the most accurate load (of ANY bullet weight) I've shot in several different '06 rifles. In 4 rifles, they all do 3-shot groups of 3/4-7/8".

Hello,

Just 3 hours ago I checked my 7x57 and .375 for next week Red Deer hunt with my son.
As usual I confirm their regulation at center at 200 meters. The 7x57 with 175 grs Nosler Partition old semi-pointed, at 2650 fps, made 2" at that distance.
The .375 with 260 grs Nosler partition at 2800 fps, made 2,5" at 200 meters.
As usual!

Regards

PH

It has worked for me in 270's with 150 grainers and in a 30-06AI with 200 grainers--out to 400 yds. That doesn't mean all calibers annd weights will "crossover" though.

Is that corelation between Partitions and Sierras with Pro-Hunters or GameKings?

I haven't found any noticeable difference--except that some rifles shoot one or the other a little more accurately.

I have got better accuracy from the Combined Tech. Partitions.

I only wish I had the same luck with Partitions as the folks on the board here are having. I shoot them and love the performance but have NEVER had a Partition be the most accurate hunting bullet I have tried in any rifle from .224 to .375. Just last week I tried 5 or 6 different loads with 125's in a 260 and the BEST group was just over 1.5. The Ballistic tips averaged .64 with the exact same loads Love them just can't get the accuracy I would like with them, I'll keep trying and keep shooting them but wish I had your experiences.

In my case it was GameKings.

Partitions have always been accurate in every hunting rifle I own.

Me too. They were great bullets.

John

My favorite hunting bullet for years. I've used them in the 223, 250, 260, 6.5x55 and 308. Always 1 moa or better. Alot of guys have trouble getting the 224 version to shoot but my 223's love them, and they are deadly. Heres a typical 223 group...

What twist are you shooting here????

These were fired in a 1-9. Currently I have one 1-12, three 1-9 and a 1-8 on the way from Pac-Nor. I have not tried them in the 1-12 as I just picked up this rifle lst week. The 1-9's all love them.

I have never had a problem getting sub MOA accuracy with Nosler PT's, even factory seconds.
Here is a 4 shot group of 338 250 gr seconds shot from my stock M700 LSS 338 RUM.

JD338

that pretty much sums up my expierence as well. 163bc

Oned thing I have found about Partitions over the years is that sometimes they don't seat as straightly as some other bullets, probablu due to the relaively sharp "edge" on the rear of the bullet. A long-angle chamfering tool helps reduce this tendency, but what really helps is checking the bullet alignment of loads rounds--and correcting it if possible.

One of the reasons that many rifles show decided preference for certain bullets is that some bullets simply seat straighter than others--and they're not always bottails.

The trick of using a HEAVY chamfer and/or a VLD chamfering tool is key in getting a lot of bullets to shoot well. If there is a sharp edge in the case mouth, then it can actually shave off part of the bullet as it is getting seated and seating it crooked at the same time. The bullet has to get started straight in the barrel.

Best Accuracy that I have had with partitions was with 25 Caliber, 100g patitions, otherwise about 1"- 1/2" are normal.

They are a big game bullet.
They will shoot well enough to kill any big game.

I love the Nosler Partition. I shoot them in almost every hunting rifle, with the exception of a few spitting Accubonds.

I have found almost any rifle I tried them in will shoot them well under 1"

The accuracy did improve over the years for sure.

Mule Deer, I agree that some bullets seat straighter that others, but could that be due more to the seating die and the shape of the dies seating cup than to the bullet?

Hey, I'd give you 49 cents for that group. I've got some just like it, wonder how much they are worth??