Are Partitions misunderstood? I know for a long time they were by me. I had always used the softest cup&core bullets and wanted rapid expansion on our small deer. On behind the lung shots I wanted 'mushy lungs'. I had always considered Partitions a big game bullet, only suitable for large game, something that needed deep penetration. they deserved the deep penetration reputation. What I didn't understand was that the front lead used was especially soft to encourage fast expansion. I use them almost exclusively in my 7x57, except when I am hunting pigs at 100yds or so, when I use 175 round noses. I think many, as I did, only think of them as deep penetrators. What are your thoughts? captdavid

For me they are still the gold standard... they open close and far, light animals and large, explosive initial penetration, with deep secondary penetration.

They are not tacticool, but I'll take them over tinfoil bullets any day... and mono's too.

I think of them as sort of the best of both worlds. They expand sufficiently, yet the rear core penetrates on through.

For what they are though, Nosler has priced them beyond what I'm willing to pay. I pick some up here and there, but have been just as pleased with other designs.

I view "premium" bullets like premium gas. You may get slightly better performance, but you'll still get there, and maybe have a dollar left in your pocket.

My thoughts are, after using them for almost 40 years, that they are the best of both worlds. They shed weight, sending shrapnel throughout the target that helps kill animals quicker, all the while staying together to make a very good, penetrating bullet. Other's have been trying to play catchup for 60 years now. The accubond, at least IMHO, performs much the same.

Most naysayers will state that you don't "need" them for smaller, medium sized game. Fact is they kill the crap out of those too.

Not the most accurate bullet in my shop but, They will kill!

If I had only one bullet to choose from, it would be the Partition. The only reason I've gone to the TTSXs is they are significantly and consistently more accurate penetrate deeper and open very reliably at the speeds I use.

captdavid,

Yeah, you're right. Many hunters misunderstand Partitions. Many make the comment that they're too "tough" for deer-sized game, or assume because the exit hole can be pretty small, a Partition didn't expand--which as I've noted before, makes me wonder how many hunters axctually field-dress their own game.

The front core of Partitions consists of 2.5% antimony lead alloy, softer than any of the cup-and-core big game bullets I know of. The rear core alloy contains considerably more antimony. If I recall correctly, in most models it's 5%, but can vary slightly depending on the specific bullet, not only due to the game it might be used on, but accuracy. Some bullets shoot better with a slightly harder or softer rear core.

The jacket conformation can also vary, both over the rear core and front core, depending on the usual use of the bullet.

Years ago I was also of the understanding that they were only needed for "BIG" game like moose and elk. Then I found out they work just fine on deer sized game and much smaller animals as well. It has been my go to big game bullet in several calibers for 20 years. I shoot others also, and I know there's a lot of other options that work as well. Some of my rifles prefer other bullets accuracy wise, but for just killing stuff, the Partitions just seem to work.

Agree.

As far as accuracy is concerned, when they hot, they hot...

Some rifles shoot the NPT more accurately than any other bullet. I have one, a 240 HS Precision that goes half MOA with the 100 gr.

Across the board, I find other bullets out shooting the NPT, some maybe not by much.

Terminal performance on game, the NPT is the gold standard as you say, the one others are compared to.

I like'em for what I do. I'm not into long range shooting where high B.C. long, sleek bullets rule. In my neck of the woods, Partitions rule.

DF

Last fall I shot a coyote with my .280AI and a 160NP at nearly 200 yards, the bullet hit a front shoulder and blew a softball size hole through him. That indicates to me that expansion was immediate and violent. A few days later I shot a six point bull elk with the same bullet/rifle combo and the NP completely penetrated the elk's chest leaving a quarter sized exit hole. I did a gutless method on him, so I don't know what his lungs looked like but I'll bet they were a mess as he was pretty much dead on this feet after the shot. I only use Nosler Partition because I know what to expect from them. They may not be perfect, but they satisfy me.

I did see a 130gr 270cal fail to expand on a deer shot with a 270 Weatherby Magnum mv around 3300fps back in 1983.My Dad shot three,times all hit the deer tight behind the shoulder and the deer just stood there as the bullet just penciled through.It did kill the deer,but the wound channel looked like it was made by a full metal jacket.Must have been a bad batch of bullets.t

I shot an antelope with a 150 grain core-lokt and it almost blew the offside shoulder off. Some animals are not bound together as tight as others.

Partitions have an established record, but there are others that will hang with them for expansion, penetration and weight retention.

130gr .308 TTSX that made its way down a couple feet of spine.







62grain .223 that did about the same.

To me that they are just about perfect. I like a bullet that loses some weight so I've never been a big fan of the monometals, but partitions just seem to hit that sweet spot of losing enough to kill fast but keeping enough to penetrate through just about anything

Another way I look at it is below 2700 FPS the NP (if it shoots in your rifle) is the standard. Above that, they TTSX and for calibers above say 375 H7H, TTSX all the way.

At 2700 standard CnCs work great, too. No need for a PT at in that velocity range

Google SPS and buy them for half. MB

+1

Speed is an important factor with bullet choice. You gotta match speed with bullet type and construction for optimal performance, IMO.

DF

I had a lot of trouble in the 243 with bullets blowing up inside and not coming out. I tried 100 gr Sierra BTSP, Hornady 100 gr round nose, 90gr Ballistic tips and I do not remember what all else. The problem came when the shots were inside 100 yards. Changed over to a 100gr partition and it ended all my problems. Never had a bullet not come out on a deer no matter what distance or angle I shot them at.

How far were the deer going w/o exit holes?

I've also never caught a 6mm Partition in a deer. They are always great for making the 243/257 stuff more reliable on exit holes, and they seem to kill about as quickly as the cup/cores of similar weight and speed. I loaded some 100gr Partitions for a friend's 243 recently, as she was not getting exits on deer and hogs with any angle involved or bone hit (Gameking factory loads). I told her that a 100gr Partition at 3,000fps is near-about a sure thing.

At $13 a box of 50 from SPS, they are perfect for my elk hunting.If I get 1" to 1&1/2:" groups at 100 yards and dead elk , I'm happy

Anywhere from 20 to 50 yards. That might not sound like far but when there is a nice big thicket 20 feet from them, it can make it tough to find them if you do not have a blood trail. Never lost one but did have to go back the next morning one time and look for him again before I found him.

Partitions work great if you match grain weight of the bullet to weight of the game.

How do you know? Guidelines?

130’s work fine for Deer, but not Elk?

Never had a problem with a Partition and velocities as high as 3100 fps. Had lots of problems with Barnes early mono's. Got sick and tired of spending good money for unreliable bullets. Supposedly they work now but I will never buy another Barnes bullet.

The thing that confuses a lot of people about Partitions, is that it is a premium, but also fills in for a standard bullet. It expands at low speeds and then steps up to penetrate extremely well, also. It is like combining a standard c and c and a mono metal. They do not always shoot well in every rifle, but I have not had any problem getting them to shoot in the rifles that I have tried them in.

I have had nothing but stellar results on elk shooting the 160s from my 7 mag at 3000 fps.

Often a couple of feet, straight down...

DF

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^THAT^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Top target 85 Ballistic Tips, bottom is 100 Partitions @ 100 yards, back to back.



I've taken a number of hogs and deer with Partitions and without fail it works like this: Bang-Flop.

I remember when bonded bullets became popular, people would trash the Partition for it's 65% weight retention. People were shocked to find out it was designed that way. Now the fad is ultra high BC.

True, but BC doesn't kill.

Another quotable...

DF

Keechi Kid,

WTF?

That original thought can only come from Nosler placing those pics of game animals on the box.

The 140 gr 6.5 mm and 150 gr .277 didn't shoot as accurately as other bullets for me in two rifles but the 200 gr 8 mm is amazing in my Rock Creek barreled 8mm Rem mag. If I do my part half inch 100 yard groups are pretty routine and when shooting at 200 yards before an elk hunt two years ago my three shots printed four tenths of an inch. The bullet I recovered from the off shoulder of my big bull shot at 450 yards looked just like every other picture of a recovered Partition. My big 8 will never launch a different bullet.

Agree, Sambo.

When I find a tight shooting NPT load for a rifle, I quit load development and load up a good supply.

When the NPT is hot, to me it's like hitting a home run.

Hard to go wrong there.

DF

Have probably mentioned this before, but Eileen and I have taken more than 20 species of big game around the world with Partitions, from the 60-grain .224 to 400-grain .416.

I started using Partitions at the tail end of the lathe-turned era, and while once in a while a certain bullet refuses to shoot in an inch or less, even those first bullets with the "relief ring" would do an inch or less, in the Remington 700 ADL .270 and "sporterized" 1903 Springfield that were only two big game rifles I owned at the time. (The Partitions were 130 .270's and 200 .30's.)

This doesn't mean I consider Nosler Partitions the only premium big game bullet. Have used a bunch of others, mostly with good results Eileen was the first hunter to provide a field report on elk with the 140 TSX, back when TSX's were introduced in 2004, but I had already used various versions of the original X-Bullet on considerable big game. Have also personally used, or witnessed, the results of many other premiums on big game, including some no longer made, such as the Winchester Fail Safe. Most have worked great, though there have been a few failures, whether in expansion or penetration.

Every year we both use several different kinds of big game bullets, either to see how they do, or because we like how they work for specific jobs. Last fall we used the Barnes TTSX, Hornady GMX and SST, and Tipped Trophy Bonded on our big game animals. Please note there wasn't a Nosler Partition (or indeed any Nosler bullet of any kind) among them.

But so far, over 40 years of Partition use, I haven't found another bullet that kills game significantly "better," or penetrates meaningfully deeper IF the right Partition is chosen for the job at hand, whether shooting pronghorns at 400 yards or buffalo up close.

Moderate expansion, deep penetration, and consistent terminal performance across the widest range of velocities of any bullets I've observed. I know that many will say a premium bullet isn't needed for deer, but there has been occasions when I was glad to be using Partitions when I've shot mature muleys.

Plus, when I can have Partition 2nds delivered to my door for almost half the street price, it's an easy choice........

I shot several deer with them over the years. Small hole in and out and mush inside. The only reason I don't use them for everything is cost.

Shop SPS. They don't always have your bullet, but sometimes you'll find a deal you can't resist.

http://www.shootersproshop.com/loading-reloading-bullets.html

DF

I shot several moose, caribou and a few black bears with the .338 Winny and the 250 grain Partition and recovered three bullets that weighed about 178 gains. I switched to the Barnes X in the late 80's and shot more Alaskan critters with them and recovered one 225 grain bullet that weighed 224 grains, never recovered a 250 grain X bullet.

The thing is, all the critters died and none went very far. I will never shoot enough critters to know which is the best killer. At this stage in my life I can live with either bullet, but the edge goes to the Barnes X of some flavor as I can shoot lighter weight bullets that perform like heavier Partitions and my old shoulder appreciates that!

My Mod. 70 "Stainless Classic" .338 has the worlds best factory barrel and it loves Barnes X bullets and Nosler Partitions. I am a blessed man!

Indeed.

Partitions are like Ford, Chevy or Dodge. Model 70 or 700. Many think their choice is always the way. Partitions are an easy band to follow, but today there are more than a few others that play just as well.

What did I say that is odd or confusing? It's as simple as different grain weights in the same caliber perform differently depending on the size of animal you are shooting. At least in my experience.

I shoot a couple hundred hogs and deer a year. A 150 grain partition out of a 270 Winchester performs markedly different on a pig if it is 200 pounds than it does if it is 75 pounds. The 150 partition doesn't kill the small pig as quickly as the 130 would. The 150 being a bigger, tougher bullet doesn't kill quite as violently on the smaller hog, though it still kills it.

Again, in my experience it is a matter of degree. Striking a balance between penetration and expansion instant drops. They will all kill, but as many as I shoot, I try to find the one bullet that will do instant incapacitation across the broadest spectrum of weights and sizes.

One of the big advantages of this board is the advice you get from many good hunters.
Because of that advice, I've settled on two bullets for my 06', a 200 grain partition, and a 168 grain TTSX. Both work really well and importantly, shoot well in my barrel.

Reflecting back, though, I've been very happy with Hornady spire points, Sierra Game Kings, and Remington Core Lokts.

Even though all of them worked really well, I'm more enlightened now with my current choices.

For WT's and such, try the 130 TTSX at 3K fps out of your '06. I like that combo. If a bullet will more likely than not shoot thru an animal, may not need a heavier bullet in that application.

For bigger stuff, I'd go heavier, maybe 150 TTSX. To me the 168 TTSX is perfect for the magnums, good buds shoot them in their 30-378 and 300 RUM. Devastating.

Monos do their best, IMO, lighter and faster.

DF

Keechi Kid,

Sorry, your first post seemed to suggest something like a precise correlation between grains of bullet and pounds of big game.

I've used Partitions for over 40 years now, on big game up to 1500 pounds, but haven't found that magic grain weight yet, partly because velocity seems to modify the equation considerably, I would guess due to the front core disintegrating more violently at higher speeds. Have used Partitions at muzzle velocities up to 3300 fps, and find speed increases their "killing power" more than bullet weight--and even more than speed increases killing power of monolithics, the reason I suspect the results involve the front core.

For WT: And the 7mm 140 and .308 150 Accubond, and .308 150 Nosler BT, and .223; 55, 62 and .308 130 TTSX, have all shot thru WT's. And have been more accurate from the bench then any partition, not enough to make a difference in the field, but better.

140 Accubonds have also shot thru a Mountain Goat.

When it comes to WT's I can pass on partitions and not feel the need for more of whatever it has to offer.

Truth; and there you have it, condensed down to one sentence that more or less says it all.

I've used Partitions to kill more animals than anything else, & though I've tried & like other bullets, namely TSX & TTSX, I've never seen the Partitions lacking & little reason to change to the flavor of the year.

A couple of pic of recovered bullets...................doesn't get much better.

MM

Dirtfarmer,
Thanks for the advice!!
Will give the 130 TTSX a try and see how it groups. (a good reason to get some additional trigger-time!)
Cheers.

Your reaction makes more sense now lol. I didn't think I had said anything particularly controversial. I like partitions a lot. They were my preferred bullet for a while. Lately though I have been playing a lot with the Hornady ELD M's. 208 grains from my 30-06 have been good up and down the weight ranges so far.

The ones I have used open up like a Ballistic Tip, and penetrate like an 'X.' I don't think I have ever recovered one from the deer I have shot with them. My only hangup is they aren't generally the most accurate bullet you can use, but they still shoot well enough. If I were ever after Elk, Moose, or something that could eat me back, they would be my go-to bullet.

The typical Loony wants his hunting rifle to shoot one hole groups. I know, I'm one.

But, unless one is shooting at extreme distances, field accuracy may be OK at 1.5" or so. If I have a rifle shooting the NPT at 1.5" at a hundred, I consider that a failure and keep looking. If I'm shooting less than 300 yds, which is about 99% of my hunting experience, 1.5 MOA is good enough.

My thinking, I want the gun to be about perfect so it's not part of the variables that I bring to the equation. But, most shooters out in the field would do well to shoot 3" at a hundred; I doubt most could do that well. I missed an 80 class pronghorn at less than 100 yds with a half MOA .240. Awkward shooting position, fighting with a Harris bipod that should have been folded. These things happen.

I don't have a gun that won't shoot NPT's at 1.5 MOA....

DF

Dirtfarmer,

Guilty as charged!

We certainly seem to be on the same page.

I know you already responded in depth, but my take is 1 grain of Partition is good for 1 ton of critter. Therefore with proper direction we all have rifles suitable for the Jurassic Era.

DD, I like your calculations...

DF

I just had too many lung hit deer run off at last light hit with Partitions and do most of their bleeding internally. The last straw was a 10 point that I had to track by the scuffed up leaves to tell where he went from a 140 grain Partition from a 7mm-08. I probably hit that one a little too high in the lungs about half way up to put a lot of blood on the ground. Oh Partitions are probably in the top 10 in my estimation, but not number one in my book. What I am looking for would be more of a cone shaped wound channel with about a 2" exit diameter that isn't going to close over with fat, hide or hair. I suspect that a cross section of a Partition wound channel would be more the shape of a football with that front section doing all the internal damage and the smaller back half making the exit.

Windfall,

The cross-section of almost all expanding bullets is a "football" near the entrance hole, with the rest of the wound channel a lot smaller--though exactly how small depends on the expanded frontal area of the bullet. I don't know of ANY expanding bullet that creates a "cone-shaped" wound channel.

For your wishes one of several bonded bullets would tend to produce a bigger exit hole, such as the Norma Oryx, Swift A-Frame or Scirocco II, Trophy Bonded Tipped, Woodleigh Weldcore or even the Nosler AccuBond. All tend to result in a wider mushroom than the Partition. The downside is the wider mushroom causes them to stop under the hide on the far side more often, which of course doesn't result in a wider exit hole!

When I want to make sure a deer doesn't run far in thicker woods (or down into nasty canyons) I shoot 'em through the shoulders and spine, not the lungs. Holding directly in line with the front legs, about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way up the body, does the trick. In fact my wife shot her biggest-bodied whitetail buck (and she's shot quite a few) that way, because it was almost the end of legal light, and she was hunting a thick riverbottom. The buck dropped right there, the bullet a 100-grain Nosler Partition shot from her .243 Winchester--which exited.

FWIW, my theory on how to get a good blood trail is first to use a bullet that'll give a pass through, after tearing up the innards, and also to keep shot placement below the half-way point on the chest, well below in fact. I try to hit the top of the heart. A higher hit means more blood has to accumulate before it can leak out the holes, and even then it must run down the side through the hair before it drips to the ground. A heart shot starts leaving sign very quickly. One doe I actually hit too low with a 150gr .308 NP, just above the sternum, still had her heart shattered by the fragments and made it maybe 20 yards. Deer shot high through the lungs can go far, leaving very little sign, sometimes almost none. A deer with no heart, or with the heart disconnected from the major blood vessels can only travel as far as the oxygen in its muscles will allow; that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Both went into the shoulder of a descent size Black Bear at around 30 yards. 180gr started out of a .30-06. Found in the opposite shoulder. He made it about 100yards pushing off his back legs and rolling downhill. What do we have here?

Looks like my Winchester 180 grain "Power Point" that use for elk in my 30/06. Bob

Pappy,

That's been my experience as well. For a more reliable blood trail, shoot them below the mid-line of the chest.

For shorter blood trails (none needed) shoot them above the mid-line, right in line with the front legs.

Could not agree more. Still the best.

Old school Remington Core-lokt.

The round nose one?

Been so long I'm not sure.

They were still making the old-school (thick shank jacket) Core-Lokts in the round-nose models a few years ago, but it's been a while since I sectioned any. They quit making old-school Pointed Soft-Point Core-Lokts around 1990.

Those old .30 180 RN Core-Lokts would penetrate just about anything it seemed.

Then either way, these were old-school.

I once put three of them into a trotting young Doe and she kept coming. Number 4 into a shoulder when she stopped to look at me ended it. She was tore up something awful.

I agree with Brad. They have been around for a long time and are the gold standard. Of course there are other newer bullets that work well too. But, for me, it's hard to deny the ability of the partition bullet for any big game hunting.

Yep, guys that don't go to SPS are really missing the boat. And By a long shot too..

I had a m700 .270 in the late 1960s that loved core-lokts for accuracy, that combo made me look good at the range or deer camp.

This has been an interesting thread, and it got me to wondering about using Partitions in reduced loads. If the lead in the front half is softer than used in many C&C bullets (I'm thinking perhaps Interlocks, in particular), and the base keeps the momentum going for deeper penetration, it sounds like it would be an ideal bullet for use in a reduced load deer load, say a 140-grain NPT at about 2300 fps in a 7x57/7-08. It would probably still punch through our little southern deer and leave a good blood trail, but at the same time keep recoil and report to a minimum. Or am I missing something?

RM

I wouldn't think it a bad choice at those speeds, but then again, a cup/core of that weight is good at those speeds too. I've had good luck with the 140 NBT at those speeds and even slower. Punched through on lung shots. The Remington 140gr Reduced Recoil load is much the same and it kills fine too.

Mike,

Nosler lists the minimum expansion velocity of Partitions as 1800 fps, and I've generally found that to work out, though it also depends on rifling twist and what they hit, especially bone.The 140 at 2300 should expand easily out to at least 250 yards.

John:

That's sort of what I was thinking: just work out the trajectory and it should be fine within that range.

1800 fps is exactly what my chart from Handloader magazine of 180 grain .30 caliber shows for Partitions expanding. At 1900 fps the three bullets into the medium penetrated 18.3" with all three mushrooming and retaining an average of 171 grains. At 1800 fps the same load penetrated 57.7" and retained a 175 grain average with only one of the three slightly mushroomed. The best bullet on the chart of 38 different bullets expanding all the way down to 1400 fps with the classic mushroom shape is the 180 grain Remington round nose Core-Lokt. In our deer camp we never lost a deer hit anywhere with that bullet from the .308's and .30-06's.

I used the Nosler 150 Partition @ 3200 from a 7mm Rem Mag for East Texas and Georgis whitetail. Perfection, and no big bloodshot under the entrance hole. My friends 30-06/150 Winchester Silvertips made bigger mess...

Mike:

The most major point missing, is the ability for a 2300 fps reduced load to group tight enough, to allow for an accurate shot at the outer end of a 2300 fps load’s range, 275 yrds. (1811 fps), at deer sized game you mentioned you will be hunting.

2300 fps loads are not shown on Nosler’s site for 140g bullets.

At Nosler, click on the “140 Grain” load section at the top, you will see the three slowest fps 140g loads, with the best accuracy (* denotes best accuracy), are the following powders and fps:

Viht N150 – 2515 fps
H414 – 2538 fps
A-2520 – 2550 fps
https://load-data.nosler.com/load-data/7mm-08-remington/

To save yourself wasted time, you just need to bump the load up to the 2500 fps area, and determine which of those powders / loads will group in your rifle sufficiently enough for your satisfaction. 200 fps faster above 2300 fps will not be that noticeable in your quest for the lower recoil you are seeking.

Additionally, 2550 fps will allow for a flatter trajectory and ability to reach further out, if necessary, to 400 yards, where 1816 fps still allows for full expansion.

100 ft. - elevation
2300 fps 3.2 @ 100yrds., with a 200 yrd zero.
2550 fps 2.4 @ 100 yrds., with a 200 yrd zero.

He doesn't want to reach further out, and in fact probably can't even shoot to 250 where he hunts.

32-34 grains of H4895 will do the 2300 fps trick.

I think I might try some slow 150s as well since I have a bunch of them. But that loping 140 sounds interesting.

I am tempted to try the 150 gr. Partitions in my 30-30 AI. Should be able to easily get 2400 fps and this would make a good timber load along with being useful to 250 yards covering the vast majority of Whitetail hunting.

I'm hard pressed to tell the difference in wound channels in hogs between a 140 partition and a 139 Interlock at any speed a 7-08 (or 7x57) will launch them at.

A partition will work but at those speeds I'd use a 139 Interlock. They're cheaper and work great.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/galleries/13163254/red-nosler#Post13163254



Well I did find a red box of Nosler bullets. Surely not the originals but still probably old.

Took a moose with a 150 gr Partition out of a 300 Savage last week. My first shot, in a sideways rainstorm, hit high in the liver. Next shot, thru the heart and lungs, at 65 yards, rolled him instantly. Was on my knees, in knee high brush, with no kind of rest in sight.
Been a fan of Partitions for 4 decades, yet to be disappointed.
Other 3 guys in camp were using various 300 mags with 180 gr bullets, not Partitions. Guy using Trophy Bondeds shot his 3 times, 1st shot was bad and last shot un-necessary. Other 2 got 1 shot kills, 1 with Interlock and don't remember what bullet other guy used. All shot their bulls thru the shoulder at 200-250 yards. Ground up some meat, but collected their bulls.
Something to be said for rifles and calibers that make it easy to put a bullet in the right spot.

Great story about Partitions and Savage rifles. I assume you shot the moose with a Savage 99. Which model 99?

Jerseyboy,
it's a 1899 EG takedown with a Redfield peep. Just right in a rain blowing sideways.

Nice Rifle Fish,
any pictures? That is a classic and a fine choice in Cartridge. Glad you were able to get on game this season. Sounds like a freezer full.

Got a pic posted down in the image gallery. Hope you all enjoy my camo pants. Pics where the moose went down did not come out well as it was seriously raining, so picture is back at cabin later in the afternoon.

fishdog,

Congratulations!

But I have heard, especially on the Campfire, that Partitions aren't accurate enough and lose too much weight to kill any sort of big game well. How did you ever manage a moose?

Now this is some good humor.....

If I may tag along, I've said I prefer the A-frame to Nosler's partition because the A-frame does not shed the front core.....this yields weight retention. It also has been my experience that A-Frames are slightly more accurate..... that said, it's never been my experience that Nosler's partition isn't fully adequate to what ever task is at hand. It's entirely possible that spending more on a bullet over the price of partitions from Nosler is a complete waste of money.

One can look all over the forums on the internet and he can find some negative reports on just about every bullet made......except the partition from Nosler. I've never found anyone that bad-mouths this bullet.......and that's saying a lot.

First post. I started using Partitions in the late '60's and they have treated me well. I shot my first moose in 1959. My dad always preached neck/back of the head shots. When we moved to central Alaska in 1951 he bought a new Model 70 30-06 with a Williams receiver sight, and he was a deadly shot with it. All of these years I followed this method. .375 H&H, 7mm mag, 30-06 it didn't matter. I probably didn't need the Partitions for this particular shot, but they shot well and gave me confidence in bear country. We never lost a moose. This year my son tried a lung shot on a 2 year old at 50 yds. Bullet entered right behind the near leg and exited the opposite side slightly forward hitting the far leg, but no bones were hit, not even ribs. The bullet did a good job, the moose was down in 30 feet. I was amazed at the amount of lost meat in the far shoulder. A lot of blood shot all through that shoulder. Load was a Federal High Energy 30-06 with the 180 grain partition. I am thinking seriously about changing to the 220 grain partitions at slightly reduced velocity of 2400 fps for the future. The longest shot I ever had to make on a moose was 300 yds. (but most are much closer) and the 220's should hold up well in this application. Maybe less meat loss and better bear protection in the woods.

I have killed a total of 15 elk in my life so far and way too many deer and pigs to count and all but a few were shot with 180 30 cal Partitions.
I now use Accubond's mostly as I can get better accuracy than Partitions but I still love the old Partition and use them every now and then.

DropShot nice to hear from you!!!! Partitions are great!! Been using Accubonds a bit lately!!

Mule Deer, do you happen to know the material makeup of the core of the Lapua Scenar? Specifically the 139gn 6.5. Reason I ask is I shot them into a target made of 1.5” particle board, then a stack of somewhat damp magazines. The 139 out penetrated every other bullet to include a 140 Partition and 127 LRX. It acted much more stout than the 147 And 143 ELDs as well as 140 Berger. The core acted differently and left me wondering what was different.

I agree, they suck...

It's the indian, not the partition??

Native Indians gave up stone and bone for copper and partitioned heads years ago. In this picture, a representative of Barns shows interested onlookers at last years's SHOT their latest innovation - the Barns Copper Head Tomahawk.

It's always the Indian.

It's not the size of the tomahawk,

It's the way it's used?

Geno

Just a heads-up: I called Joe at RMR to ask if they had any 140-grain 7mm Partitions laying around. They didn’t have many but did have some. There are a couple hundred left, and the 8% discount applies. I’ve used a lot of RMR’s pulled bullets and have never had an issue. Get ‘em while you can.

RM

Nosler Partitions I have always liked using this bullet in my 257 Weatherby Mag this bullet has been accurate on game and I have never had to look for a deer,elk,caribou or antelope while using a Nosler Partition bullet either. I also plan on using a Nosler Partition bullets next year in my 7 mag when I go to Alaska for moose. my favorite 2 bullets for hunting are either a Nosler Partition or Swift-a-frames that`s all I ever use now.i even use 60 grain Nosler Partitions in my 220 Swift for coyotes smacks them real good and does not wreck the hide ,I may even shoot a deer with this 60 grain Partition bullet this year ?

Pete,

What twist is the barrel on your .220 Swift? The reason I ask is my experience is sometimes spotty accuracy in the classic 1-14, but much better in faster twists from 1-8 to even 1-12 in various cartridges from .223 Remington to .223 WSSM and .22/6mm Remington.

Heard way back when the 60 Partition was introduced that it was designed around the 1-12 twist of most .223 Remingtons back then, which would make sense.

Have used it on animals as small as prairie dogs (in a 1-12 twist .22 High Power Savage 99) and as large as deer with great results--except for the spotty accuracy in 1-14 twist .220's and .22-250's.

my new 220 swift is 1-12 twist in my new Ruger #1 ,that I had Greg build for me 26 inch barrel, I plan on using 60 GR. Nosler Partitons for coyotes and maybe even deer ? 220 swift is sighted in using H414 for now, shoots 3 shot groups are 3/4 groups. once its cold after the deer seasons, I plan on trying some maybe cold weather powder so case is very full for good ignition once its cold.after about 20 shots I did put a rag thru the barrel with wipe - out bore cleaner no brush,that will be the last time I clean this rifle tell spring some time . Berger`s book say`s 1-12 twist is best for 60 grain bullets so that`s what I used ,right or wrong ? I did

Never accurate for me.

Define never accurate. Will they give you 2 MOA? If they will, that's a minute of moose at 300 yards.

A 2" group at 100, provided it's centered, means no shot is more than 1" from point of aim. Thats the width of my thumb. And it's more accuracy than I can use most of the time.

I've got a Remington LTR in .308 that will clover leaf from the bench. But as soon as I get off the bench it doesn't equate to anything practical or useable when shooting from a field position. A rifle that will clover leaf off the bench is fun but it doesn't usually mean much because most people can't shoot up to it's capability in the field. Then it might as well be a minute of moose.

Could you explain what you mean by them not grouping accurately enough on the lower end? I've been loading some 175s on the low end - between 2100 and 2300 fps - and they group sub-moa, so I'm not sure I'm following.

Thanks

RM

3/4 of a inch is good enough on running coyotes in my swift, the most important thing is don`t ruin the coyote hide ! its worth money to us. worried about accuracy ? then shoot a different rifle I have plenty bench rifles that shoot 2`s -3`s all day long. this 220 swift is fast and was built to kill things and save the hide with a small bullet hole that`s why I use 60 gr. Partitions ,when shooting at running coyotes you need a fast rifle that shoots flat ,when that coyote breaks across a field you have no ideal how far or close this coyote is ,your lucky if you even have a tree or a car door to lean on ,so you take the shot quickly.

The best I’ve gotten from them is 1.5 MOA. That is unacceptable to me.

Go ahead, let me have it.

OK.

I expect to get sub-inch 3-shot groups with Partitions, and have in dozens of rifles chambered for cartridges from the .243 Winchester to .375 H&H.

Same/same, as to the thread title, I thought that way back in the late 80's to early 90's, shot deer with 180 and 200gr partitions from 300 mags, hmm, they died quick, went on an elk hunt with my FN Safari 375 H&H and 300 gr partitions, didn't get an elk of my own, but assisted on putting one down a bud had hit earlier, knocked that bull all googley legged as he headed for the bottom of the canyon, he didn't make it, a day later I got my mule deer buck with the 300 gr partitions, 40 yards broadside straight lung hit, hmmm, again, it ran 20 yards and nose dived in the pine needles.

Big, little, near or far, the partitions simply work.

I would guess that someone who contends that they have never experienced accurate loads with Partitions has:
little experience or,
has issues with their loading techniques or,
simply has never really used them.
In ~50 years of reloading, my experience has shown Partitions and Sierras to be easy to find accurate combinations in a wide variety of calibers and rifles.

Well, I'm here to tell you that absolutes (except death and taxes) are wrong. I've had several instances where NPs just don;t shoot accurately in several calibers and rifles. As to Sierras, never used them...

my first 257 Weatherby mag was built by Jerry Siminson back in the late 80`s on a Remington 700,i used a Lilja barrel and that rifle at 100 yards shot 1/2 inch at 100 yards with 100 grain Nosler Partitions at 3800 fps. yes those cartridges were hot but that Partition still shot well and at 600 yards I could keep them in a 4-5 inch group with a bi-pod laying down,i did use a 20 power scope and at a measured 625 yards I killed a real nice buck antelope on the first shot with a 100 grain Nosler Partition. nobody is ever going to tell me that old Nosler Partition is not accurate enough for hunting, matter fact I have a stash of a couple thousand just in case, next year I will be making my first trip to Alaska for moose and my handloads will all be loaded with Nosler Partition bullets , my reason is I can always trust that Partition bullet to get the job done.

Some rifles don't seem to like some bullets. I'm big fan of Partitions, almost all my rifles have a Partition load I've developed for them, but have a 243 that I cannot find a load that will shoot 100 gr NPt's--H4350, H4831, RL-26, IMR-7797, WW or Hornady brass, WW or Fed primers, no combination has produced anything less than 2" groups. But it shoots 95 gr NBT's great. Go figure..........

I've seen this mentioned a few times through the years, mostly by MD. Are you guys using Game Kings or Pro Hunters to match up with the Partitions?

Interestingly, Game Kings have provided same POI (or at least close) out to 400 yds in some cases. In one instance though, POI was the same at 100 yds, but longer ranges it began to diverge a fair bit.

Teeder,

I've used both, though probably more GameKings than ProHunters. Some rifles just don't like boattails much, so in those I often try ProHunters--or flat-based Hornady Interlocks.

Thanks. I was assuming the Pro-hunters would be closest, but there are a lot more GK varieties.