In wet pack tests w/ the 7mm/160gr (nonmoly), I found the NPG to be much tougher than the NP. I would use it in my 7mag for all purpose but reserve it for woods ranges in the .280. I don't think expansion is going to be good under 2500fps.

I am planning to develop a 180 gr PG load for my 300 WM for moose hunt this coming season. Typically in Ontario, the distance is 50-100 yards. It is good to hear that PG is good for high speed.

Danny Boy

I agree with Ray as to the general quality of the Nosler Partition. In all honesty, I've never used a bullet that shoots better in as wide a variety of rifles, and works as dependably on game across the board. It's just a super bullet, and the regular Partition is my standard bullet in the .338 Win. Mag., the .270 Win. , and the .300 Win. Mag.

I know that some rifles do indeed shoot the Partition Gold better than the standard Partition (and vice versa), so I would base my selection entirely upon which shot better in my own individual rifle.

AD

What is the difference between Partition and Partition Gold?

According to the Nosler web site, it sounds like PG is a tougher bullet and yet is suggests that PG is for medium to large games. That gives me a feeling that the PG would expand like the Ballistic Tip and not really suitable for high speed and short distance (<100 yards). Does anyone have any practical experience with the PG on deer, elk and moose?

Danny Boy

The moved the partition further forward in the Partition Gold and thats about it..therefore it retains more weight that the standard partition...I doubt if there is enough difference to set the world on fire...I can't tell any difference on the game I have shot with both...both BTW are absolutly the best of bullets IMO....

about five bucks a box.............

I wouldnt want a "tougher" Nosler Partition. If I was looking for something "tougher" than a NP, I would go for an X or something else. Two wonderful qualities about the NP is that it expands rapidly over a wide range, and it penetrates well.

I have shot Deer for years with the original Nosler Partition with my .300 Win mag, never lost an animal. I went to Partition Gold for a Alaska Yukon Moose trip to Alaska and got a one shot dead in his tracks kill with my .340 Wby. That same year I took a Bull Elk, Mule Deer buck and Whitetail buck with the same rifle and load. If either shoot well in your rifle you will be okay. The only bullet I now shoot more often than the partitions is the North Fork, which in my opinion are the best bullet on the market today, bar none. Good luck and good shooting.

Here are some sectioned partitions from my collection:



L to R: .30 cal 180 gr PT Gold, .338 cal 250 gr PT, .375 cal 300 gr PT

The PT Gold has a faster taper in the jacket and a thicker jacket at the partition. I actually recovered a .30 cal 180 grain PT Gold from a Blacktail deer I shot in Alaska last fall. I took the deer at about 15 yds in the alpine with my .30 Gibbs at a MV of about 2,950 fps. He was beded down and I felt that if I tried to get him up, he would run off. It was a stem-to-stern shot, penetrating 30+" and I recovered the bullet in one of the hams. I will get that bullet pic scanned in sometime.

Me thinks the Partition gold was designed with the idea to keep the bullet in one piece. I've seen the tail of the Partition seperate, travel in odd directions to the original bullet path. Animal still ended up dead. I've shot elk and mullies with the Partition Gold out of my .338ultra, but also have been using Accubonds.

MuskegMan:

Thanks for sharing the info.

Up to this point I have been hunting deer with Hornady Interlocks out of my .270 with perfect results. However, I am moving into moose hunt this year with my 300 WM (maybe an elk hunt out west if I can find time). I don't have the confidence using the Interlocks and would love to try NP or NPG, if that is in fact better. Our hunting season is very short and I can't take the risk in using anything less than NP. To me, confinence is everything.

Regards...

Danny Boy

I switched to Partition Golds non-coated in my 7mm Dakota & .330 Dakota. The higher impact velocities were really deforming the standard Partition bullets in both of these calibers. The basic differences with the Golds are a thicker jacket (making for a longer OAL) and most importantly, a steel cup in the rear core to prevent bulging.

If you recover Speer A-Frames, you will generally see a considerable amount of rear core bulging. Partition Golds solve this occurrence. Golds maintain a very high weight retention over the standard Partition which generally loses everything in front of the partition.

Make sure you order them non-coated unless you want to mess with moly coated bullets...

ZD, I have a #1 rechambered to 7mm Dakota. I really like this round & am thinking of rechambering a M70 to .330Dakota. Have you got any loads for the 7mm you want to share? My working load is 72gr RL22 or 73gr IMR7828 under any of the 160gr bullets. I have taken a spike bull, pronghorn & Thar w/ the 160grNP. Groups hover @ 1MOA, sometmes better. I thought of this rifle as a long range stalker but the farthest I have had to shoot is 120yds!

Fred - I am loading max weight with RL-22 at 75.5gr behind a 160 Nosler Partition Gold. I am getting 3250+/-. I also had very good accuracy from H-4831 with 75gr but was getting about 50 to 60 fps less than RL-22. I have had the best accuracy from the 7mm Dakota at or near max pressure loads.

Note all the usual disclaimer stuff - Both of these loads are max charge weights. Work up your loads carefully and watch for pressure signs...