Nolser BT vs partition

As demonstrated in this thread, you'll generally find two extremely polarized groups of fans of either of these, which don't care for the other.

Personally, I wouldn't use the Partition for deer, and I DO use NBT's. I DO use the 60grn Partitions for deer and hogs in 223, but not in larger cartridges. I'm not the kind of hunter which likes to waste meat by "breaking down deer" with shoulder shots, so I'll stick rapid energy transfer bullets like NBT's through the ribcage into the heart and lungs, and find my deer within a few yards of where I smacked them.

Partitions are fantastic bullets, especially if you jump them far enough to coax them into smaller groups, but they're made for penetrating hard stuff, and frankly, it's just not that difficult to kill deer.

jmr40 said:

there is virtually no difference in performance on game between Ballistic Tips, Accubonds, and Partitions at this point.

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I've killed about 200 deer, most of them with a Nosler Partition. I have limited experience with the Accubonds but they have performed very well in the deer and hogs I've shot with them. However, I cannot and won't put Ballistic Tips in the same company as the other 2. It was noted that Nosler corrected the problem with Ballistic Tips but in my experience the new ones are marginally better but still fragment whereas the Partiions have a minimum of40% of the weight still moving through and penetrating the animal.
If I can't find either the Accubonds or Partitions available, I'll buy a cup & core Hornady or Speer. IMO, a cup and core is superior to a Ballistic Tip ... and cheaper.

Don't remember ever loading a Partition or a Nosler Ballistic Tip bullet. Have killed a large number of deer using .30 caliber 150 grain Winchester and Remington cup and core bullets and the 150 grain Sierra BTSP.

The Barnes .30 caliber 130 and 150 grain TSX bullets do a great job on large hogs. Several years ago i loaded some 250 grain 9.3X62 mm rounds in anticipation of hunting elk, the bullets are the 250 grain Nosler Accubond. Came down with a serious bug no elk hunt.

Last fall a friend needed a rifle to hunt elk in CO and OK. Loaned her my Ruger #1 with the handloads. Lady killed two large bull elk with two shots. One was DRT at about 50 yards, the other was shot at around 225 yards and went about 30 yards after the hit.

Keep looking until you find the 140 grain Nosler Partition. I like them better than I do the AccuBond. I'm basically a deer hunter who hunts big mature whitetail and mule deer bucks and the 140 grain Partition works really good in my 280 Remington with a stiff charge of IMR 4831. To date my longest shot on deer has been about 300 yards. Get on Google and look at Precision Reloading Supplies in South Dakota because they seem to have an in with Nosler and have been getting bullets lately. So far this year I have seen a lot of 6.5 and 30 caliber Accubonds. Another good source for bullets is the Long Range Hunting Forum under Loading Equipment and Components. For some reason my rifle will shoot the 140 grain Partition and the 150 grain Sierra GameKing to the same point of impact at 200 meters using the same overall length and same charge of IMR 4831. The 140 grain GameKing hits high.

troy fairweather said:

Partitions, the bt are still to soft.

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I agree. The BT's open up too quick to suit me especially when pushed above 2800 fps. The light for caliber Accubonds blow a major hole when pushed over 3000. Slower than that when big bone is hit. I shoot a lot of Accubonds in several calibers and have had no problems when shooting the mid-weights, even in hot magnums like 300 WSM and 257 Weatherby. I once took a doe at the long range of 40 yards with the 257 Weatherby 110 gr AB. Took out the shoulder, broke 4 ribs and stopped at the pelvic bone. The recovered bullet retained 75% of it's weight. The 140grain should work well at 280 velocities.

I am with Loonwolf on heavey for caliber bullets. For deer you really do not need premium bullets as the old cup and core bullets perform just fine on deer sized critters.I personally like the Hornady SST in 180 grain in my 30-06. Shoot little tiny groups and leave holes on both sides of every deer I shoot with them. Can’t ask better than that of any bullet.

flatsticks said:

Thanks for the places to check sage5907. would love to find 100 of the 140s until they are around in more places ..

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GunBroker has a box of 140 grain Partition and the current bid is $69.95 plus $10 shipping. They are new old stock. You have to want them really bad to pay GunBroker prices. The seller does except PayPal.

sage5907 said:

GunBroker has a box of 140 grain Partition and the current bid is $69.95 plus $10 shipping. They are new old stock. You have to want them really bad to pay GunBroker prices. The seller does except PayPal.

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I’ll bet he does!!!

Many years ago, my best friend loaded 130 grain Nosler Partitions in his .270 Winchester and shot several deer with them, and watched them run several hundred yards as the bullets seemed to pencil through. Luckily, it wasn’t an area with thick cover and he was able to locate them. He switched to the old Nosler Solid Base bullets and had much better results.
While many reported issues with the original Ballistic Tips, the redesigned versions worked well for my son and I. He prefers the 150 gr. in his .270 WSM, while I used the 130 gr. in my .270 WSM. All of the deer we have taken have been pass throughs with the Ballistic Tips.
Since their recent spotty availability and ever increasing prices, this past season I went to the old school Hornady 130 gr. Interlock in a .270 Win and it performed just fine on a nice Montana mule deer. I guess my take is use what you choose, if you are using enough gun, and you and your load are accurate, then even the old cup and core bullets get the job done in a .270, .280, and up.

Only shot one deer with a BT, it exploded on the hide and although it did kill, never hunted with them again. Been shooting Partitions only, never had a penetration problem. Mostly .30-06 165 gr.

2ndtimer said:

Many years ago, my best friend loaded 130 grain Nosler Partitions in his .270 Winchester and shot several deer with them, and watched them run several hundred yards as the bullets seemed to pencil through. Luckily, it wasn’t an area with thick cover and he was able to locate them. He switched to the old Nosler Solid Base bullets and had much better results.
While many reported issues with the original Ballistic Tips, the redesigned versions worked well for my son and I. He prefers the 150 gr. in his .270 WSM, while I used the 130 gr. in my .270 WSM. All of the deer we have taken have been pass throughs with the Ballistic Tips.
Since their recent spotty availability and ever increasing prices, this past season I went to the old school Hornady 130 gr. Interlock in a .270 Win and it performed just fine on a nice Montana mule deer. I guess my take is use what you choose, if you are using enough gun, and you and your load are accurate, then even the old cup and core bullets get the job done in a .270, .280, and up.

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That bit about the old Nosler solid base bullets is good to know....I just loaded up a bunch of 30-06 rounds with them.

My next work-up will be with 165-grain Hornady Interlocks.

Savage30L said:

That bit about the old Nosler solid base bullets is good to know....I just loaded up a bunch of 30-06 rounds with them.

My next work-up will be with 165-grain Hornady Interlocks.

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BLUF: They're going to work, cause deer aren't hard to kill.

IMHO the older solid base Noslers are inferior to the modern "Hunting" BTs due to the tapered jacket in the new BTs VS the old solid base construction. Neither are something I'd put into a shoulder knowing I was going to hit bone, without understanding I'd lose some meat. Even the Partitions will do some serious damage because the front section IS soft and designed to transfer energy. The big difference is the 2nd section will drive on through. From Nolser:

The Nosler® Partition® bullet is the cornerstone upon which the entire company was founded on in 1948 and built upon since. It is the bullet that brought hunters from the Dark Ages of thin-jacketed, cup and draw style bullets and into the modern age with a complex jacket design that makes use of two lead cores, separated by a monolithic partition. The front lead core is designed to expand and transfer massive shock and energy while the partition houses the rear lead core to maximize weight retention. The Nosler® Partition® delivers bone-crushing energy, a massive wound channel, and deep penetration.

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I've killed elk and deer with Partitions and the damage to a shoulder was extensive, but there always was an exit. 90% of my deer shots I don't "need" an exit, I also don't need a $1.00+ bullet.

The issue is guys want "everything" from a bullet; rapid expansion with energy transfer, penetration, and not screwing up meat when we hit solid bone. But it just doesn't work that way. Maybe with the monolithic bullets, but IMHO cup and cores can't do both well (penetration AND rapid expansion). At work we call this "expectation management", which is something the ammo makers don't do a real good job of apparently. My organization assisted with a study on small arms lethality during OEF, and the conclusion was basically the same, bullets have tough jobs, and it's impossible to build one that has great penetration along with easy fragmentation.

My solution is to use a bullet suitable for the game and conditions, conditions being the terrain and expected impact distance/velocity. I even go so far as to use a different caliber and rifle set up. 95% of my deer hunting is from stands or overwatching row crop fields, deer are relaxed and I have time to pick my shots, so I use BTs. For drives/still hunting when I can't wait for a great presentation, I up caliber, go for moderate velocity, and use bonded bullets or interlocks so I get penetration.

When I have to, or decide to, break a shoulder, my "expectation" is to have more dog food than when I double lung.

I've read at least two posters bringing up the Hornady Interlock bullet. Other than a Partition of 160gr in my .270 Win for a Colorado elk, the Interlock FB bullets are all that I've ever used.
No failures of any kind. 120's on 25-06, 139 or 154's in 7x57, 154's in 7mm RM, 170's in 30-30 and 165/180's in 30-06. No failures.

flatsticks said:

Thanks for the find on gunbrokers they are priced high as other have said for old stock.
To pay that much will wait it out and fine some new stock ..

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I think it's a mental thing for young people to always want to buy something new. Bullets that were made 5 years ago by Nosler were probably made on the same machine that is making them today. In fact, quality control of the older bullets may be better than what you can buy new today. I have no problem with buying new old stock bullets as long as they are in new condition and have been stored properly. When I buy Nosler Partition bullets either new or new old stock I try not to pay more than $1 for each bullets and I use them only for hunting. For target practice I use Sierra GameKing and work to find a load that will have the same point of impact at 200 meters as the Nosler. The Sierra's are a great general purpose bullet and half the cost and shoot smaller groups than the Nosler. The Nosler is a great hunting bullet that takes away some of the bad things that happen when bullets fail. I spend a lot of money each year setting myself up for a big game hunt and Nosler Partition bullets are a small price to pay for success. I just bought 120 30 caliber 165 grain new old stock Nosler Partitions on the internet for $110 shipped and I think I got a good deal, and the game animals won't know that they are new old stock.

What many people don't seem to realize is that Ballistic Tips are just hollow points with a piece of plastic stuck in the nose. The hunting Ballistic Tips are hollow points with a bit thicker jacket.

Like the IRS says: "If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it probably is a duck."
If it shoots like a hollow point, and expands like a hollow point, it probably is a hollow point.

Patocazador said:

If it shoots like a hollow point, and expands like a hollow point, it probably is a hollow point.

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I used to go to the Oklahoma Taxidermy Convention each year to learn new tips about how to do a deer shoulder mount. One of the big complaints of the taxidermists was getting a deer taken with those so called "nipple nose bullets" because they made big ragged holes in the skin that had to be repaired. With a large ragged hole it was best to cut away extra skin so that the line of sewing was a straight line. This also removed the short hair that was cut by the bullet and the removal of skin and straight line sewing would hide the skin damage caused by the bullet. Many of these deer had been shot more than once. A standard cup & core bullet was a better friend to the taxidermist.

Patocazador said:

What many people don't seem to realize is that Ballistic Tips are just hollow points with a piece of plastic stuck in the nose. The hunting Ballistic Tips are hollow points with a bit thicker jacket.

Like the IRS says: "If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it probably is a duck."
If it shoots like a hollow point, and expands like a hollow point, it probably is a hollow point.

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love me some hidden pocket hollow points, especially if they are match bullets lol

Patocazador said:

What many people don't seem to realize is that Ballistic Tips are just hollow points with a piece of plastic stuck in the nose.

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Not so different than saying many lead soft point bullets are the same construction as ballistic tips, but with lead in the nose instead of plastic.

sage5907 said:

I think it's a mental thing for young people to always want to buy something new. Bullets that were made 5 years ago by Nosler were probably made on the same machine that is making them today. In fact, quality control of the older bullets may be better than what you can buy new today. I have no problem with buying new old stock bullets as long as they are in new condition and have been stored properly. When I buy Nosler Partition bullets either new or new old stock I try not to pay more than $1 for each bullets and I use them only for hunting. For target practice I use Sierra GameKing and work to find a load that will have the same point of impact at 200 meters as the Nosler. The Sierra's are a great general purpose bullet and half the cost and shoot smaller groups than the Nosler. The Nosler is a great hunting bullet that takes away some of the bad things that happen when bullets fail. I spend a lot of money each year setting myself up for a big game hunt and Nosler Partition bullets are a small price to pay for success. I just bought 120 30 caliber 165 grain new old stock Nosler Partitions on the internet for $110 shipped and I think I got a good deal, and the game animals won't know that they are new old stock.

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Keep an eye on Shooters Proshop for Nosler stuff, Ive never been able to tell a difference on a Nosler "blem" .

Since switching to mostly round nose bullets I find my self buying mostly new old stock. Most of them over 30 years old. Deer and hogs don’t seem to notice.