Partition noses

17 July 2003, 03:52

Stonecreek

Partition noses

This came up briefly on another thread, but was never fully explored:

Is the front jacket on a Nosler Partition any thicker, or the nose otherwise made "tougher", on heavier bullets WITHIN THE SAME CALIBER? That is, does the 250 grain .338 have a less expansive nose than the 210 .338? My understanding is that the nose jackets and lead composition is very similar in all weights within a caliber (although the partition positions are certainly different), while others argue that they are "harder" with the heavier weights. How about it, all of you bullet-sectioning fanatics?

17 July 2003, 09:13

Jay Gorski

Stonecreek, Nosler's # is 1-800-285-3701, J

17 July 2003, 12:13

Wstrnhuntr

Does it matter? The fact that they reliably shed the frontal core kind of makes this a moot point IMO.

18 July 2003, 04:59

Stonecreek

quote:
Originally posted by Wstrnhuntr:
Does it matter? The fact that they reliably shed the frontal core kind of makes this a moot point IMO.

It is, admittedly, a somewhat academic question. I ask it because there seems to be an impression with some shooters that the additional penetration with the heavier Nosler Partitions is due, in some way, to a different design of the nose. I do not believe this to be the case and am seeking the opinions/experience of others on the subject.

BTW, in my opinion, it is the relatively rapid expansiveness of the Partition's front "half" that has given it its reputation as a sure killer, much more so than the penetration qualities of its rear "half". Elk usually die from having their hearts and lungs shredded by the action of the front portion, not from having their off-shoulder drilled with a caliber-size hole from the rear portion. There are occasions in which the action of the rear portion is important, but they are the exceptions and not the rule. We all like the "insurance" of the deep penetration of the rear core in those relatively rare circumstances.