From my experience with the AccuBond, what is the point. I just took a cow elk out with the 200 grain version in my .300 Winchester Magnum (2nd elk in as many years). The bullet crushed 12 inches of spine and lodged in the loin. Recovered weight was just as advertised at 60%. The mushroom is perfect. Nosler designed the AccuBond to act like the Partition, it is bonded, so why bond the Partition?
THe Nosler Partion is not a boat tail and in my experince most boat tails shoot better. Me and my wife and two sons shoot olny bonded bullets in various guns. And have not had a failure yet. In my opinion bonded bullets are what the doctor ordered. For years it was hard for bullet manufacturers to build a bullet that shoots great and kills even better. Nosler got it right.
i see no point in a bonded Partition. it already acts in this way, due to the Partition,fast opening, deep penetration. and the AccuBond is a good bullet.
My experience is exactly the opposite regarding boat tail bullets. Usually the flat base bullets are more accurate out to normal hunting ranges, say 300-350yds. I like the NAB but a bonded Partition, especially the lighter wts. & DG bulelts they would sell, look @ Swift. I don't want Nosler to change the Partition but add a bonded Partition, maybe drop the PG, a complicated bullet to say the least.
If you bonded the Partition then it would be a Swift A-Frame. Partitions have given stellar service just the way they were designed, create a large wound channel and penetrate. Bonding them would likely decrease penetration.Rick.
Does it do any harm? No. But do we need it? I don´t think so. Partitions are fine as they are and do 100% what they are designed for. The same goes for Accubonds. With all the flora of tipped or bonded bullets around it´s simly starting to be confusing. Sort of having so many decorations that you don´t know any more wich ones to put on the tree.
I really see no need for a bonded Partition with the introduction of the AccuBond. The Partition is a proven design and has always worked great. No need to mess with perfection! :grin:
Only in the large calibers .338 and up and in the heaviest caliber weights would a bonded Partition be beneficial for use on Dangerous game (brown bear on up to elephant). For moose on down either the Partition or Accubound is perfect, just use whichever one groups the best at the ranges you'll be hunting. The normal Partition doesn't penetrate as much as an A-frame or Trophy Bonded, but I feel it is defintely more accurate than a Swift and kills game quicker than a Trophy Bonded. I think Nosler has the field basically covered, but there does exist a niche for a bonded Partition as a Dangerous Game only bullet for cape buffalo, rhino, elephant, and extremely large brown or polar bears say in .338, .358, .366, .375, .416, and .458 calibers with SD's over .3.
The reason I would like to see a bonded partion is because they have dropped the CT (moly free) 180 30 cal. Let me tell you, this was one heck of a bullet out of my 300 weatherby. Held up to very high speed and torque. The AB's do not hold uo as well. they are a great bullet but are not what the CT was. Also had great accu. compared to the AB.
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I see no need for a bonded Partition. Part of the effectivness of the PT is that the front lead core produces secondary projectiles that enhance the killing power of the PT bullet.
Secondary projectiles? Exploding tips? Better yet, how about poison tipped bullets?
Meanwhile back at the ranch...
Although I have killed/witnessed 35-40 elk killed with Partitions, I would like to see the front half NOT "wipe off" quite as quickly. Yes, I know what Nosler's reasoning is for this behavior, and I don't entirely disagree, but I think a bonded Partition that continued to perform across a range of velocities but retain a tad more of the front half would be a improvement ( and no, nor have I ignored the Partiton Gold--pricey and generally not as accurate as the regular grade Partition).
Only two bullets that I know of have absolutely unassailable reputations, Nosler partitions (hunting) and Sierra MatchKings (target). They have these reputations because Nosler and Sierra found formulas that worked and kept them virtually unchanged over many decades. IMHO it would be a mistake to make the Nosler Partition into a bonded Partition. I say, don't change it at all.
Guys I'm not saying change it, I'm saying add a new bullet. It would be better than the Swift as it's a gilding jacket that will generally shoot better than the Swift for most of us. The NAB is a good bullet but actually very close to the NPO in performance. I'm thinking drop the CT all together & make a "Super Partition" or "Partition Supreme" or something liek that. I see real value in the bigger calibers, say .338 & up (especially a .423/400gr for my .404jeff).
Love the concept and I would have to try them. Got to love exit wounds especially on elk. There have been lots of elk lost to coyotes that died within a couple of hundred yards of where they were hit. Most entry wounds don't produce enough blood to follow them up especally in the new growth jungle or when the tracks get scrambled with other elk. I always try to take out a shoulder but sometimes it just doesn't work out.