Guys, anybody shot deer with the nosler partition 85 grain bullet from the 243 and if yes comments on the bullets performance?

I use the 85gr Partition in my 6x45 with great success.
With my .243, I think any hunting bullet under 100gr is losing the advantage of the bigger case. The 100 grainers shoot more than fast enough and hit a whole lot harder.

85 gr partition in 243 would do a dandy job. 100 gr would be a bit better. Although you didn't ask, powders along the lines of IMR 4064 seem to work well in 308 cases...

John

I've heard good things about the 85, 95, and 100gr Partitions in the .243 from folks around here. Several guys shoot them in our area. 85's and 95's mostly. Our deer are smallish. Ranging from 80-160#'s on the hoof.

Tommo,

I use the .243" 85 gr. Nosler Partition exclusively as a game load in my .243 Winchester Blaser R93.

I am very satisfied with both the accuracy and terminal perfomance of theis bullet load combination.

I've settled on a load using VV N560 but also have had very good results using VV N160, and both H & IMR 4350 & 4831's. I've gotten all of these powder/bullet combinations to shoot three shot clover leaves in my rifle.

Let me qualify with what Trex mentioned though. The vast majority of my game shot with this load are Roe Deer which are very small (50 lbs.) but I use this load right on up through Fallow Deer sized Hinds & Calves, too and that would fit in right in with his description of those VA whitetails.

Accuracy actually is not very good in that bullet...

I'd recommend a Barnes 85 grain XLC if I was going to use that bullet weight...

This coming from a Nosler fan, and a guy who is not usually a cheer leader for Barnes..

Nosler has two partition bullets that stink for consistent accuracy in my experience... the 85 grain 6mm Partition and the 22 caliber 60 grain partition...

If you want to stay with Nosler, the 80, 90 and 95 grain ballistic tips are a better choice.. as are the 95 and 100 grain Partitions....

my first choice is still gonna be the 85 grain XLC Barnes...

cheers
seafire

quote:

Originally posted by Tommo:
Guys, anybody shot deer with the nosler partition 85 grain bullet from the 243 and if yes comments on the bullets performance?

I use them in a 6mm-284, dumps antelope in their tracks. Rifles are all different, this one shoots 1/2 MOA consistently.

Seafire,

I have a 6 x 47 barrel coming soon that I need a deer bullet for. I was planning on trying the 85 gr partition myself in that smaller case. Is it just the accuracy you're not getting, or are you seeing terminal performance issues? It has been my understanding that in the .243 diameters that the ballistic tip bullets are thin jacketed varmint bullets? I was wanting something in the 80-90 gr range for the smaller case of the x 47...

I have used Barnes bullets in larger calibers in the past with good success, but I haven't shot any of the "new" banded ones much.

I have always been VERY suspicious of ANY "mystery" coatings on my bullets... so I seriously doubt I'd give the XLC's a try.

Slowpoke: The 90 grain and larger 6mm Ballistic Tips are game bullets -- the 55-80 grain Ballistic Tips are varmint bullets. You may find the 90 grain Ballistic Tip somewhat longish for your 6x47 magazine, depending on what action it's built on.

I wouldn't hesitate to try the 85 grain Partition as it may be as accurate in your gun as it is inaccurate in Seafire's.

An excellent deer bullet in your 6x47 might be the old 85 grain Nosler Solid Base, but I haven't seen any of them offered in the last ten years or so. Any of the 90 grain spitzers originally designed for the 1-12" .244 Remington would probably do well enough. Sierra's 80 grain spitzer is a varmint bullet, but I'm not so sure it wouldn't also do fine.

Depends on what you classify as deer - (the weights vary somewhat!) but I have used ordinary mid weight bullets on deer and found them to work exceedingly well. For really big deer (reds) I do go up to 100gr partitions or 105gr speers.

For the somewhat reduced velocity of the 6x47 (the 222rem mag case as opposed to the Lapua offering?) I would think the partition unecessary providing the deer are average white tail sized and you are placing your shots.

I have pretty much settled on either the 90gr BT (superb - the best compromise IMHO) the 85gr speer BTSP with which I just shot quite a few fallow deer at 6x47 velocities all died very well indeed) and the old sierra 85gr BTHP.

If you shoot a deer with one of those bullets and cannot recover it then you didn't hit the vitals or your trailing was flawed.

This is a Contender carbine barrel, so mag length doesn't matter. It's actually going to be my daughter's deer rifle. The deer we're after are very small, a monster toad buck MIGHT go 100 pounds. I will be standing next to her and limit her shots to an absolute MAX of 150 yards, if I think she can shoot that far after practicing all summer.

I don't want to go any lighter than 80 grains, and was hoping to stay between 80-90 grains in the small case. It's 222 rem mag brass. That's why I wanted to try the 85 partition, thought it would split the difference nicely, and I knew it wasn't a varmint jacket.

That's where I kind of wonder over the 6mm's bullets, some are "varmint" and some are not, and bullet makers don't always do a good job of stating which one they are in my opinion.

While the Nosler partitions are a good bullet, do not overlook the 85gr Speeer BT as it is an excellent deer killer.

Im with seafire,couldnt get it to shoot. The rifle is a VLS 700 varmint that shoots almost everything well.Gave up on the 243 and now use it just for paper.

my .243 seems to love the 95gn partition.
these are four i shot using 39gns of vhit N160.

nothing special, just a fire forming load for the AI.

Gidday Tommo,

Where are you mate?

Unless you are down in Fiordland and regularly shooting Waps your best bet is probably going to be a 90gr Speer hotcore or another goody is the 95 gr Nosler balistic tip. I have shot hundreds of reds and japs back in the 70s and 80s with the Speer and they work exceptionally well.

A couple of mates use the balistic tip and they have yet to have any issues or lose a deer.

The load for both is over 42.2gr AR2209. It is bloody accurate too.

The usual work up precautions apply

Happy Hunting

Hamish

I have used the 85 gr. Noslers but I don't like Noslers in calibers less than .308..They shine in the larger bores IMO...

The 6mm does not leave a very good blood trail with the 85 gr. Nosler as a rule..

I use the 75 gr. GS Customs and the old 75 gr. Barnes X in my 6x45 for deer and hogs etc and it kills them well, sometimes they run a 100 yards or so and don't leave any blood on the ground...I only use the 6x45 in open country, it kills well but where a blood trail is necessary I would opt of a larger caliber.

About 20 years ago I killed a very large NY doe one Thanksgiving morning with the 85 gr Partition shot from a 20" 6 x 47, velocity about 2600 ft/secs. Placement was excellent, center lungs and the quarter size hole was drilled completely through her at approximately 80 yards. She ran about 35 yards and piled up. Upon feld dressing her I was amazed at the LACK OF DAMAGE INTERNALLY. Then about Five years ago I used a 6/284 Win and the 85 gr Partition at 3600 ft/secs on a Texas buck, range 125 yards. Results to the eye were the same, but let me assure you the internal damage was considerably more.

In general I am not a fan of small bore rifles for deer size game, curiousity does occasionally overwhelm my good senses!

1894 & 30378,

+1 & +2 for the Speer 85 gr. BTSP's - in my youth when I originally used thes bullets found their terminal perfomance & accuracy outstanding as well.

I have since become more affluent & a bullet snob in the meanwhile so am simply forced to use the 85 gr. Partitions - Gee, why, I couldn't say; I've still got many boxes of the Speers on the reloading shelves?

If I were setting up a small cased 6MM for deer the first bullet I would try would be the 80 grain Remington PSP. This bullet is not all that soft but it will expand and penetrate. I have used this bullet at 2800 fps with excellent results. It even works at 3300 fps out of my 6MM Remington. Best of show is the 95 grain Ballistic Tip though.