[Zorro]

Anyone else have a Nosler Partition fail?

160 Grain, from a 7MM Remington Magnum, at about 40 yards.

It just shattered in the shoulder joint of a wild hog. Mangled the joint, but it didn't penetrate.

Probably impacted at 3000-2900 FPS.

I would have expected it to stay together and get into the lungs.

[mete]

Any bullet , driven above or below its design range, can fail to perform as it should . The operating velocity range should be printed on the box. The Nosler partition is a good consistant performer though there have been rare failures, that I have heard of. In your case I would ask why do you use a magnum at a 40 yd range ?

[dakotasin]

at that range and at that velocity, there was nothing the bullet could do, but to fail.

the 7 rem mag is an awesome chambering, but it needs to stretch its legs a little. if your typical shot is sub-100 yards, you either need to go to 175 grain bullets, or a milder chambering (7-08, 280).

going to the heavier bullet will bring velocities down, and in the case of the 7 mag, velocities will be running at a range where more bullets can operate in.

[griz]

Would you give the particulars of the failure? I’m talking about how you finally recovered the animal, the damage the bullet did to the shoulder, what the bullet looked like when recovered things like that.

Thanks, griz

[BHP9]

I am very surprised by your story. Although the front end often blows off the Nosler (not necessarily a bad thing) but the rear portion with the partition is desgined to hold together and penetrate. If the bullet hit a bone anything could of happend. The bullet may of even bounced back out and therefore you would not have found the rear portion of it.

[H&Hhunter]

I find that Nosler partitions are some of the most over rated P.O.S. on the market. I have a simular story on a hog at about 15 yards out of a .308 at about 2600FPS. These bullets more often than not, will come apart. In the above mentioned scenario the bullet compeletly seperated front and rear.

I've never had this type of failure with a Barnes X or even a grand slam. A PH friend of mine tells me that he recomends against using 300 gr .375 Noslers on Buff because they have a better than even chance of not getting through the shoulder.

If you really need a penetraiter go with a barnes X or a trophy bonded or a woodleigh or a grand slam. Especially out of a higher velocity round. having a sectional density off 300 or better really helps as well.

In real life hunting conditions we need a bullet that will hold together at any range at your chosen velocity. It is totally unrealistic to think that you can just wait untill the critter gets out to 200yds so as to keep your bullet from failing. So use a better bullet. I've found no better than a Barnes X they stay together at close range and open up at extreme range.

[HSMITH]

This is a classic case of pushing a bullet too fast for the circumstances it was used in. That same load would have performed EXTREMELY well at 250 yards, but up close it was a dismal failure. A Trophy Bonded is the only conventional bullet I know of that will not fail in the same circumstances, I have never used the Grand Slam though.

I prefer Sierra Gamekings in my 7mag. They are as accurate as any match bullet at hunting ranges and hold together really well. I shoot 160 HPBT GK's, and keep them down around 2950 MV. The HPBT type of Gameking is a tougher construction than the SPBT, and designed for higher impact velocities. Even so it would have been seriously challenged by the shot you took. Up close the shot must be perfect for a bullet to survive and perform, out a little further you have a lot more room for error before the bullet blows up.

[Zorro]

Actual story is a shot on a 150-200 pound hog; in a place I expected a 200 yard shot.

Only about 4 inches of penetration and a 6 inch + plus wide, but shallow wound.

The exact load was the Federal Premium 7MM Magnum 160 Grain Nosler Partition load.

I was astounded, Nosler Partitions are NOT! Supposed to break up in ANYTHING! At least in North American sized animals.

Beside the fact 160 Grains is a heavy bullet for 7mm Magnum.

[griz]

I would have also exspected a lot more penetration. That's the first time I've heard of the damage from a game bullet (as opposed to a varmit round) that was wider than it was long.

What killed the hog?
What did the bullet look like?

[Zorro]

Griz:

Second shot thru the ribs, fist size hole and a cone shaped spray of lungs and blood on the otherside.

Best guess is a brittle copper jacket that fragmented against the shoulder bone mass?

The rear half of the bullet isn't known to shed the Lead core, at least so far as I know.

That is why I ask for other cases.

There was no bullet to recover from shot #1, Shot #2 went through and into the grass somewhere.