I have a .264 Win Mag that I've got running 140 grain Partitions at 3300 fps that it shoots less than an inch. I've shot a few antelope and a couple of pigs with it. On the 110 pound sow pig, I hit it right dead in the shoulder and it got up and ran about 70 yards (lifting it's leg) before it hit a fence and fell dead. I have no idea how far it would have run had it not hit the fence. The entry hole was larger than the exit. I assume the top half of the bullet came off when it hit the shoulder and the bottom made the small exit wound. Yes, the pig was dead but it could have run quite a bit further had it not hit the fence. The boar pig I shot was a little high and it took a second shot to finish him. All my antelope have fallen dead in their tracks.

I will use this rifle for elk and mule deer next and, given the performance on the pigs, I'm thinking I'll give the A-Frame a try. I tried Barnes-X bullets but they weren't nearly as accurate as the Partitions. I like having one bullet to hunt everything and am wondering how those A-Frames would do on pronghorn. I'm guessing fine but wanted other people's opinions.

A-Frames are tough, accurate bullets. There isn't a pronghorn alive (or really anything in North America) that will survive a 140 grain A-Frame from a .264 through the vitals. In my experience, they are a much "harder" bullet than the Partition, so you may not see the violent reaction to the shot you've experienced with Partitions, especially as the distance stretches out there. The bright side to that is that you'll probably have less meat damage on those tasty pronghorns!

You don't really need a premuim bullet for mule deer but they are recommended for elk. Try the 130gr Accubond. I think you might really like them for all the applications you mentioned.

Swift A-frames will be massive overkill on pronghorn. I have shot dozens of pronghorn (one of my absolute favorite game animals!) and you don't need much bullet to drop them in their tracks (my specialty pronghorn rig is a .25 WSSM shooting 100 gr Hornady Interlocks sub-MOA at 3225 fps) . Any soft point in the chest cavity and they will be done.

A pig is much more dense which is probably why you didn't like the partition's performance. I have seen partitions go to pieces on entry many times and it is probably a function of impact velocity.

Your .264 partitions won't likely come apart on pronghorn unless you get a shot under 100 yds. For shots >200 yds it will have slowed down enough to hold together. Even if it does go to pieces in typical partition fashion a pronghorn will be DRT!

For elk and mule deer I would definitely go away from partitions as I have seen many examples of partitions failing and blowing up on shoulders. TTSX might be the best all-around bullet if you use the .264 wm for everything.

Thanks for the responses.

I know the A-Frame is overkill on pronghorn and, arguably, deer. Heck, the Partition could be considered overkill as well on pronghorn. They really are fragile creatures.

My rifle didn't shoot Barnes-X bullets well at all so I've not tried other all copper bullets.

I'm going to see how the A-Frames work and, if they shoot like the Partitions, they'll be my go-to bullet.

Thanks everyone!

I think you are going overboard on the thought of using a Swift A-Frame on antelope. That is a pretty tough bullet and may not give quick kills at all.

I think a plain old fashioned Sierra or Hornady would work fine and if you like Swift bullets, I believe the Scirocco would be a better choice.

Too bad you have not gotten good accuracy with the Barnes bullets. I have shot antelope with the 80 grain Tipped TSX used in my 25-06 and the 110 grain Tipped TSX used in my 270 WSM and I can tell you they drop antelope in their tracks.

I think I should have been a bit more clear. Antelope isn't the primary species but I do hunt them. I was just wondering if it was a stupid thought altogether to use the A-Frame on them.

Part of the reason I reload is to use different bullets for different hunts. But I well understand the desire to use one load and one bullet for the 264. I have the same thing with a 257 Weatherby. It likes the Nosler ballistic tips. A lot. Kind of a fragile bullet, but it has worked well for me on antelope, mule deer and pigs.

Still, I wouldn't recommend that one or the partition for the heavier game you're talking about. I do like the Swift A-Frame construction. My wife and I shot two cape buffalo with two different 375s, and weight retention of these wonderfully mushroomed bullets was north of 95% on both. Not the same as mulie or elk, of course, but an indication that the bullet will both penetrate and hold together. If the Scirocco will shoot in your gun - might be slightly better than the A-Frame for antelope. But for sticking to one bullet, you're really on the right track.

By the way, I've been very disappointed with Accubonds and their lack of penetration. Just sayin'.

They don't make the scirocco in 140 which is what my rifle seems to like. Otherwise, I'd probably be trying that. If the a-frame doesn't shoot well I might just try it anyway.

I initially, 12 years ago, was going to use 120 ballistic tips for antelope but once I started reloading it became more of a pita when I knew the partition would do just fine. It drops antelope dead. However, I wasn't impressed with the two pigs even though they were just as dead.

If the a-frames shoot well and similar to the partitions, I may just keep 20-30 partitions loaded for antelope and pull the bullets on the other loaded rounds and reload them with the a-frames. That will save me some prep time on the finished hunting rounds. I really hope the a-frames shoot the same. I haven't compared the bearing surface between the two bullets but I hope they're close. It's been a while since I worked up loads for this rifle.

I would look at dropping the weight on the Barnes bullets and see that helps accuracy. I would look at 100 grain TTSX and see what it does for ya.

Additionally, I would look at the 130 grain Accubonds.

Good luck!

Last year a crew of people watched me crawl up on this young buck and shoot him north to south with a 130 grn Accubond from my .270.

Accubonds are all I shoot anymore unless I'm just shooting paper....then it's B-Tips

Pronghorn are small fragile animals so a premium bullet is not required

I used 100gr tsx in my 257 Weatherby last year and the antelope was just the right amount of dead.

The reason I suggested the 100 gr TTSX is because of the shorter length of the bullet compared to the heavier TSX bullet. I am assuming the 100 gr TTSX will be closer to the same length as the Partition your gun preferred previously.

Ted, that picture of us never gets old! I might need to frame that one for the wall when Dave gets my man cave completed!

In general, I would expect a lope to go further when hit in the same spot with a A-frame than with a Nosler Partition and even a shorter distance with a non-bonded core bullet such as the Hornady or Speer.

465H&H

I shot antelope with 7mm magnum using 140-grain Partition bullets, not much different from the 264 magnum. They work nicely on everything and are accurate. I've more-or-less quit experimenting with other bullets.

Just my opinion here, but I think a person should use whatever bullet their rifle of choice works the best with accuracy wise.

Pronghorns are not that hard to kill with a properly placed shot, who really cares if the animal runs a few yards before going down?

It is not being hunted in black timber. From my limited experience, speedgoats die easier and faster than white tail or muley's. Others mileage may vary.

quote:

Originally posted by parshal:
I think I should have been a bit more clear. Antelope isn't the primary species but I do hunt them. I was just wondering if it was a stupid thought altogether to use the A-Frame on them.

No, not stupid at all. Antelope are not the toughest critters. Punch a hole in one with an A frame and he will die. Sure, there may not be the expansion you might find in a partition, but it will work just fine.

I wouldn't worry for a second about using an A Frame on speed goats. I like to find a load that works, that is accurate and shoot it all the time.

One tiny bit of advice, if you hit the goat wrong like a real high lung or worse and you are using tough bullets like the A frame that won't expand much with the light Antelope resistance you may have a long follow up on your hands. Antelopes aren't tough but there is something about them that if they aren't hit right they can embarrass you plenty and they get their adrenaline up and are way tougher to kill than they should be.
If you hit them right like a heart or low double lung or shoulder them you are fine.
Just relating quite a bit of experience here.

Like any game, where you hit them is more important than what you hit them with. That being said, pronghorn are not a big animal. I don't think I've ever seen one that would top 130 lbs. You simply don't need the premium bullets for that size game animal.

My go to rifle for pronghorn is a 6.5x55 loaded with factory 131 gr soft points from S&B. I have never had a pronghorn do anything but fall over when I have hit them with that rifle. Now, if you want to use A-Frames and your rifle shoots them well, then by all means do so. But a common bullet from Hornady, Speer, Sierra etc... will kill any antelope that has ever lived if you place it in the chest cavity.

Antelope are not bullet proof any decent cup and core bullet will kill one dead as long as you don't believe the crap about 600 yard shots.
I "end to ended" this one @ 230 yards with an 80 gr TTSX at 3997 fps from a 25-06. Bang flop.

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1885 Browning 30" 1 in 13" bbl (factory)