Anyone load the Nosler 120gr Partition for hunting?

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  • Armadillo66
    Bloodstained
    • Dec 2017
    • 88

    Anyone load the Nosler 120gr Partition for hunting?

    I have always had excellent luck utilizing Partition bullets. 165gr in 30-06, 180gr in 300 Mag, 100gr in .243, 60gr in .223.
    I am curious if I can get a 6.5 125gr Partition to shoot good. I prefer Varget powder, have quite a bit of in my loading cabinet.
    Anyone played with this combination?
    Last edited by Armadillo66; 12-11-2017, 01:14 PM.
  • VASCAR2
    Chieftain
    • Mar 2011
    • 6219

    #2
    I've got some 125 grain and 100 grain Nosler Partitions to try but never got around to loading them. Nosler's website states 1800 FPS as the minimum velocity for expansion. The Partitions have been used a few times by forum members maybe they'll chime in. General consensus, Varget is to slow in the 6.5 Grendel to achieve good velocities. Doesn't hurt to try as each bullet may behave differently on how they build pressure.

    AR Comp is gaining interest by forum members as it is a very temperature stable powder but produces good velocity. Leverevolution and CFE223 give good velocity with heavier 120 grain plus bullets but are more sensitive to temperature change. Another powder which produces good velocity and is temperature stable is IMR8208XBR but you have to be careful as pressures spike quickly with 8208.

    I've been very interested in the 100 grain partition for the 6.5 Grendel as the construction should ensure deep penetration and the lighter weight will enhance the velocity from the Grendel's limited case capacity. The Partitions don't have as high of BC as the Nosler ABLR or other newer designs but the 6.5 Partitions should prove dependable at typical hunting distances.


    Nosler Partition bullets are the cornerstone upon which the entire company was founded on in 1948 and built upon since.
    Last edited by VASCAR2; 12-10-2017, 05:31 PM.

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    • RiverRider
      Warrior
      • Oct 2017
      • 104

      #3
      I've shot the 100-grain Partition in my 16-inch Grendel using several different powders. Reaching 2700 fps appears to be no problem in this barrel length.

      I have yet to try any 120-123s as of yet. I may at some point, but I'm not through fiddling with 129-grain LRABs. It appears as though 2300 fps will be the most I can get with that bullet with powders I am willing to work with (I have NO interest in working with CFE223), but that should be enough to make the LRAB perform. I am waiting for a good chance to see if the accuracy will be there. The last three trips to the range have been a three part episode in an epic comedy of errors.

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      • Cornbread
        Warrior
        • Dec 2015
        • 288

        #4
        Varget is too slow. Plus you'll have a hard time getting enough in the case. xbr 8208 Cfe or leverevolution. I worked up a load with lever that was moa at 2468 from 18". No published data for lever so your on your own. Member data can be found here. Nosler lists 8208 as most accurate tested but lever was better for me.

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        • Wafavre2
          Warrior
          • Feb 2017
          • 142

          #5
          I load the 125 gr with 28.3 gr of IMR 8208 XBR and CCI 450 at 2530 fps from a 20” Bartlein PF Barrel. Great accuarcy at 100 yards, good enough hunting accuracy at 200 yards and that is as far as I am willing to go with it. The expansion and retained weight to 200 yards will get the job done on yotes, pigs and deer.

          Will

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          • Cornbread
            Warrior
            • Dec 2015
            • 288

            #6
            Originally posted by Wafavre2 View Post
            I load the 125 gr with 28.3 gr of IMR 8208 XBR and CCI 450 at 2530 fps from a 20” Bartlein PF Barrel. Great accuarcy at 100 yards, good enough hunting accuracy at 200 yards and that is as far as I am willing to go with it. The expansion and retained weight to 200 yards will get the job done on yotes, pigs and deer.

            Will
            At that velocity you will still have over 1000 ft/ lb at 300 yds and still be over 1800 Fps.

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            • Wafavre2
              Warrior
              • Feb 2017
              • 142

              #7
              It’s not the energy or speed. The 125 Partition groups open up beyond 200 yards due to the bullet design.

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              • kmon
                Chieftain
                • Feb 2015
                • 2095

                #8
                Originally posted by Wafavre2 View Post
                It’s not the energy or speed. The 125 Partition groups open up beyond 200 yards due to the bullet design.

                Really, where can I find that information? I haven't found it on any range, they are not the most accurate bullets I have shot but far from the worst either. On game performance is outstanding.

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                • Cornbread
                  Warrior
                  • Dec 2015
                  • 288

                  #9
                  The partition is not the most accurate bullet out there but it will hold moa with a decent load and rifle out to 300 easy.

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                  • Wafavre2
                    Warrior
                    • Feb 2017
                    • 142

                    #10
                    Originally posted by Wafavre2 View Post
                    I load the 125 gr with 28.3 gr of IMR 8208 XBR and CCI 450 at 2530 fps from a 20” Bartlein PF Barrel. Great accuarcy at 100 yards, good enough hunting accuracy at 200 yards and that is as far as I am willing to go with it. The expansion and retained weight to 200 yards will get the job done on yotes, pigs and deer.

                    Will
                    “As far as I am willing to go with it”

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                    • grayfox
                      Chieftain
                      • Jan 2017
                      • 4295

                      #11
                      I have shot a few sets of the 125 under cfe in my 18" AR and the load seems to be 0.1 gr higher than my 123sst load, the sst is at 30.8 (2505, sd=8) and the 125 NPT 30.9, 2510, sd=5.
                      Group size at 100 yd was about 1.0".
                      I think I tried it in my Howa HB but did not record the data.
                      I want to go back and do some more testing on it but other loads are a higher priority right now.
                      "Down the floor, out the door, Go Brandon Go!!!!!"

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                      • Armadillo66
                        Bloodstained
                        • Dec 2017
                        • 88

                        #12
                        I would figure that the 125gr Partition is shorter overall length, you could seat out of the neck a little further and create more powder capacity than other longer projectiles and still fit in magazine
                        I would be tickled to get 2450+fps out of 18" barrel with them and hold 1" groups at 150yds. That is enough energy on target to hunt elk, black bear and big pigs with

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