Partitions Vs E-Tips ?

[Guy Miner]

Looking for info comparing the two - particularly on-game performance of the E-Tip. I just don't read much about that bullet and have never used it.

The specific combo I'm considering is my 30-06, 24" barrel, Rem 700 for African plains game.

I've had excellent success with the 165 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip at 2940 fps via H4350. And the 165 gr Partition is well known to me as well. I've already ruled out my 165 gr Ballistic Tips for this hunt, though they've performed well for me here.

Do I gain or lose anything by going to the 168 grain E-Tip, instead of the 165 gr Partition?

Any info on making E-Tips shoot well, and any accounts of them on game, are much appreciated.

Thanks, Guy

 

[jmad_81]

Hi Guy. I've hunted with the 200 ET as well as a large variety of Barnes bullets in my 338WM for a lot of years. All of them work just fine. At lower velocities they do tend to not open up much. In my opinion this doesn't result in the energy dump that a Partition will deliver (due to the fact that it will have a larger diameter mushroom), and may result in a higher percentage of pass throughs.

The ET is a good bullet, but I don't know that I would replace a perfectly goo Partition load with them.

Jake

 

[6mm Remington]

What are you planning on hunting on this trip Guy?

My son has used the 90 gr. E-tip in his 6mm Remington at 3170 fps on quite a few antelope, one buck mule deer, and one cow elk. They worked very well and by all accounts as we never recovered any that they also expanded nicely.

On the antelope they made quick kills and most of the three he shot with the E-tips were roughly 300 yards away. They did not run very far if at all if I remember correctly. His shots were in the lungs. His buck mule deer was about 200 yards away and was standing quartering to us. He hit the shoulder and it exited out behind the opposite shoulder in the lung area. His cow was 350 yards broadside. He hit her tight behind the shoulder and the bullet exited out the center of the off-side shoulder. She staggered about 20 yards and dropped.

I have no reason why I haven't loaded any in my own personal rifles as they have really worked extremely well. In my water jug tests I have recovered E-tips at 25-100-300-& 400 yards. I just didn't feel the need to do 200 yards as I knew what the E-tip, Partition, and AccuBond would look like. I have not shot one into water jugs yet at 500 yards. The weight retention was amazing and the penetration was right on par with the AccuBond and Partition. I noted that at 400 yards, the E-tip still opened nicely too.

I would possibly think about using the 150 gr. E-tip as you cold load it to where it would be going quite a bit faster and as you know the weight retention would make up for the 15 grs. difference between the 165 gr. AccuBond and Partition. It should penetrate like a champ. Of course there would be nothing wrong with the 168 gr. E-tip in your 30-06. It should be able to be loaded to a pretty good fps also I would think.

I've read that they like some jump to the lands. I do not recall what jump I am using in my son's 6mm Remington. Good luck on this.

 

[6mm Remington]

Like Jake it's hard to beat the 165 gr. AccuBond and as you already have the load worked up for the 165 gr. BT you might be surprised that the same load would shoot very well, or maybe with just a bit of tweaking would shoot very well also. I've sure like the performance of the AccuBond. My grizzly bear did not like it so much.

 

[Divernhunter]

Shoot the partitions. Or Swift A-Frames.
I have use Barnes TTSX and Swift A-Frames on 2 Africa trips. I prefer the A-Frames. Animals seem to drop/die a bit faster. Shot about 75 animals with both bullets.
IF you must use e-tips then use 150gr. Do not use BT bullets at all!!

 

[Guy Miner]

What are you planning on hunting on this trip Guy?

Oh, I have my heart set on gemsbok, but mostly I just want to hunt Africa. :grin: We're talking about gemsbok, kudu, wildebeest... Whatever is just over the next rise. :grin:

Likely to be a LOT of shooting, he's anticipating that we'll be doing some culling. South Africa, likely both the North Cape and the Eastern Cape as he hunts both places. Next summer, about a year from now.

I was thinking of my 375, but he said "Bring 80 rounds of ammo" and the 30-06 suddenly seemed a better option. :mrgreen:

Have to admit that I considered cape buffalo, but that bumps the cost way, way up...

Thanks for the input so far. I have a very large supply of 165 gr Partitions, and they shoot well from my rifle. I also have about 150 of the 168 gr E-Tips, as yet untried.

Guy

 

[HAWKEYESATX]

Guy,

I would use the 165 gr partitions, since they work very well.
If you wanted to add a flatter shooting 165 gr bullet, and one that performs as well as a Partition, my suggestion would be an AccuBond. That 165 gr AB should penetrate, and expand and dump its energy better than a an e-tip, I believe.
But anyways, thems my 2 cents worth.

Also, like you, my one rifle I would take would be my TC Venture .280 Remington.
The one rifle that can shoot small animals to big animals, and not have to switch rifles, and ammo. Plus not beating you up in the process. And it being amply light enough to not feel like you're lugging around an M60 at the end of the day.

Hawk

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[gerry]

Congrats on the trip Guy I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time. I would expect the Partition to have an edge on smaller game and also longer range shots over the E Tip so if you only choose one that's what I would use. Honestly what I would do is bring some of each bullet and alternate between them, you have the perfect opportunity to test both out on this trip.

You could do something similar with your Ruger No. 1 375 H&H using your 260 gr AB load and maybe something like the 250 gr Sierra or 235 gr Speer to see what they all work like.

 

[6mm Remington]

Think I'd load your 165 gr. Partitions and 168 gr. E-tips. Try a few of each. Sounds like you have a good Partition load already. Maybe the E-tips would shoot to the same POI, or close enough you could try both.

 

[Guy Miner]

Think I'd load your 165 gr. Partitions and 168 gr. E-tips. Try a few of each. Sounds like you have a good Partition load already. Maybe the E-tips would shoot to the same POI, or close enough you could try both.

Based on years of experience swapping between various 165's and 168's, I'm reasonably sure that out to 300 yards or so they'll hit "close enough" to the same point of impact that it really doesn't matter on big game.

PH asked me what I wanted to hunt. I told him "Gemsbok and other big antelope." He laughed and said that was good, he had plenty and that he'd likely ask me to shoot some smaller stuff as well. :grin:

He's a great guy. I think we're going to have a good hunt.

Guy

 

[Guy Miner]

Congrats on the trip Guy I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time. I would expect the Partition to have an edge on smaller game and also longer range shots over the E Tip so if you only choose one that's what I would use. Honestly what I would do is bring some of each bullet and alternate between them, you have the perfect opportunity to test both out on this trip.

You could do something similar with your Ruger No. 1 375 H&H using your 260 gr AB load and maybe something like the 250 gr Sierra or 235 gr Speer to see what they all work like.

Tell ya Gerry, I'm really torn between the 30-06 and the 375, 'cause I like them both so much. I know that the 30-06 is all I'll need, but I kinda want to smack some African game with a 375, just because... It just seems right.

We will see. Maybe I'll get silly and take both rifles?

Guy

 

[gerry]

I don't know how transporting rifles works but if you can take both that would be the way to go. I think you would regret not taking the 375 as well since you clearly want to from your posts.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

Guy haven't shot the 168 Etip but the 150 gr out of a Rem 700 30-06 22in barrel on whitetail deer. Load was 61grs RL19. Shot was 281 yds broadside thru both shoulders. Entrance wound was bullet size exit was dime size. Deer turned around went about 2o yds fell over hill. No blood from point of impact to where it laid. Wasn't impressed. Have shot several with the 165 PT from 40-350 yds. Good exit wounds and internal damage. Take the partitions. Take your 375 also just because you want to. Good hunting, Dan.

 

[JD338]

Guy,
My only experience with E-Tips has been on paper and water jugs, nothing on game to date. I've used the .257 100 gr., 7mm 150 gr., 338 200 gr, and 308 110 gr Blackout bullets. Penetration is very good but expansion starts to decrease àt longer ranges like 300 yards. I found my best accuracy when the bullet was seated .100" off the lands.

JD338

 

[Elkman]

The Partition, is never the wrong choice. It's been around for 50+ years and few bullets out there can match its performance.

 

[Guy Miner]

Well, the trip is still a year out - but I'm thinking that the practical answer will be:

30-06, Rem 700 6x scope, 165 gr Nosler Partitions at 2900+ fps via H4350...

It's almost the same as my very successful 165 gr Ballistic Tip load, with a bullet that is likely to penetrate a bit better. Accuracy has been good with the Partitions, and I'm not real worried about shots much past 300 yards anyway. Maybe I should be? I dunno.

I do have a large number of the 165 Partitions on hand anyway - and a real good number of 180 Partitions as well. Was moving them at 2800 fps via the H4350 when I worked that load up a few years ago before the grizzly hunt.

Don't have a lot of 200's on hand - but that was a dandy load at 2600 fps with excellent accuracy. It's tempting.

I'll mess around with some different loads, then settle on one. Tempting to take some other rifle, a Ruger single shot, the beautiful Model 70 375 that was made for Africa, but... I'm pretty much a 30-06 guy at heart.

Guy

 

[6mm Remington]

Guy you really should try some of those 165 gr. Accubonds. Man they shoot good and work well on game.

 

[Joec7651]

With the exception of a 223 Rem (it loves the 55gr ET) I always end up having partitions in my rifle when I go after game. They are accurate and don’t fail.
I also have great loads worked up with E-Tips in .223 Rem, .270 Win, .308 Win, and 7mm RM. I don’t think you can go wrong with either. Find the load you and your rifle likes and run with it.
My 308 Win likes the 150gr E-Tip and Partition at a hair over 2900fps. So it’s a coin flip there. It doesn’t like the usual long jump to the lands with E-Tips. 2.800” COAL for both PT and ET. Like I said I don’t think you can go wrong with either.

 

[Alderman]

Very limited experience here but this 150 came out of a deer I harvested with a 280. Close shot went into the spine from behind and stayed together well.

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[FOTIS]

Partitions