My targets will be rather large Chugach black bear and possibly moose. I'm trying to avoid the usual .30-30's that are designed to expand and penetrate only to deer width. Sounds like the Partitions should be sufficient.
I just don't like the partition, because, as someone up there said, the "expanding" part will just blow up, leaving you with what amounts to a non-expanding .30 caliber solid, which is not particularly destructive. If you want a controlled expansion 170 grain bullet for a .30-30, there's been two out there for years that offer a real improvement over the Winchester Power Point in controlled expansion for tougher and thicker big game animals. They are the Remington Core-Lokt and Winchester Silvertip. These bullets are built a little tougher, as they are intended for larger game animals, i.e., the expansion is slowed down so as to increase penetration. They work just as designed. For that reason, I would not recommend them for hunting standard to smaller sized deer at distances beyond 30 yards, as they will be too likely to pass right on through without having time enough in flesh to expand all the way, but on larger tougher animals, they will expand more reliably while in the vitals and make large exit holes.
Incidentally, at close range, the Core-Lokt and Silvertip are great for boar, bear and standard sized deer, because at higher velocity (which is what you have at very close range) they will not blow up like a Power Point can, i.e., you are assured two holes and more weight retention than you'd get with Power Points at very close ranges.
By the way, I misunderstood your starting post. I thought you were hunting hogs and black bear, and I imagined you were doing so either with dogs or over bait, so I assumed it would be at close range, which was why I recommended the Core-Lokt. Just so happens that Core-Lokt 170s would be a good choice for moose too, if you were determined to use a .30-30 on an animal that big, as they are designed for controlled expansion at typical hunting ranges for the .30-30.
