All this talk about bullets going to fast has me wondering about bullet construction. Does anyone have any experience as to how fast "too fast" is for proper expansion of a Nosler Partition? Trophy Bonded? Barnes-X?
Posts: 249 | Location: Colorado | Registered: 15 March 2002
I have taken elk and moose with 140 gr partitions launched out of my 7mm stw at 3500 fps.Out of six animals killed I have recovered one bullet that angled lengthwise through about three feet of elk.The rest exited and bullet performance was great.
[This message has been edited by stubblejumper (edited 05-11-2002).]
Posts: 3104 | Location: alberta,canada | Registered: 28 January 2002
It would be interesting, if the bullet makers would test their bullets with some sort of standardized ballistic gelatin, and determine impact velocity ranges that individual bullets would perform well in.
Posts: 586 | Location: paloma,ca | Registered: 20 February 2002
The only Partition failure I've ever heard of was what happened to Terry Wieland... he apparently shot a brown bear up-close with a 300 Wby loaded with 150 gr. Partitions... he related that the partition "came apart" and the bullet did not penetrate (duh!)... obviously a 180, or better yet, 200 gr Partition would have performed much better.
I did a little testing using 115 gr Partitions with my 25-06. I shot into wet phone books at about 50 yards. MV was about 3100. As usual, the front part of the partition was largely gone, but it held together very well. Expansion was very uniform to about 2X caliber. Total weight retention was 68% if memory serves me well. Penitration was by far the best of the bullets I tried. I figured that this was about the highest stress I could put on a bullet I was going to shoot at deer. If anyone is interested I could weight the recovered bullets to make sure on the weight retention. They looked so cool I have kept them through a couple of moves and proudly display them on my reloading bench. ...Oscar
I have used Partitions in cartriges like the 25-06,7mm RM, and 7mm STW. Up close or far enough to be called a bullshitter, I have never had one preform poorly.
I currently shoot 100 grain partitions at over 3100 fps from my .250 sav AI. I have tried them on both wet phonebooks and Waterbottles. Weight retension was 62-66% and diameter close to double the original .257. I'm going to use this load for roedeer when buck season opens on thursday.
The real problem with bullets is they work 95% of the time and that speaks well for our bullet makers...that minor 5% causes all the problems and discussions...
To answer your question direct...I will say that 2800 FPS at the muzzle will about guarentee perfect bullet function up to 400 yds. in any medium bore....2400 FPS in any big bore...
I base this on my experience only, but I am convinced it is very close to correct.
All I know is that Nosler lists an absolute minimum velocity of 2000 fps. And I know that out of my 300 win mag, a 180 gr partition at 3100 to 3150 will not let me down. I have not tested this load yet, but have the up-most confidence in the construction of the nosler partition.
Loaded some 150 gr Barnes X for a friend's 30'06 about six years ago. They Chronied just over 3000fps. Well he shot a Mulie at 60 yards and that bullet DID NOT expand. Punched a pinhole through the buck between the ribs, not hitting bone.
Another hunter shot the buck in the next canyon and upon skinning we found the entrance and exit holes from the unexpanded Barnes X.
Anyway, I threw away the rest of the Xs and went back to the Proven, never failing Nosler Partition.
Posts: 99 | Location: USA | Registered: 27 April 2001
quote:Nosler lists an absolute minimum velocity of 2000 fps
I just read the Nosler manual's section "When to use Partition or Ballistic Tip" and it states "that the low end for expansion with the Partition was about 1,900 fps and 1,460 for the Ballistic Tip." It also states "for any game with a bullet impact velocity in excess of 3,100 fps, use only a Partition."
That means with a muzzle velocity of 3,250 fps with 140 grain bullets, the .264 Win Mag would be adequate out to 400 yards with a retained velocity of 2,482 fps and 1914 ft. lbs. of energy.
I shoulda read the manual...
Posts: 249 | Location: Colorado | Registered: 15 March 2002
It would take a lifetime of shooting lots of game to come to the correct conclusions that Atkinson and others here have.
I have shot a number of bullets into water filled cartons and then you can recover the bullet and compare it. At over 3000 fps impact velocity Partitions loose all of the lead in front but still retain the base lead. The Barnes X bullet that did not loose it's petals retained 100% of it's weight!
For standard bullets the Remington Corelokt does very well.
If a Partition is doing its job, which it virtually always does, you won't recover any pretty mushroom shaped bullets. The front is supposed to fragment and the rear push on through. My experience suggests that is exactly what happens. I have seen the rear section give incredible penetration and I have never had a Partition fail in any caliber.
Posts: 400 | Location: Murfreesboro,TN,USA | Registered: 16 January 2002
