Performance of 30-06 180 BT vs 180 Partition

[DON]

Need some feed back on this subject taking Whitetail Deer. Some of you may have read my threads stating the meat damage on deer this past season while encountering bone using the 165 BT from my 30-06.

What's eating me is this. Is the 180 BT as fragile as the 165 BT given similar velocity in the 2700-2800 fps range? I know it's not as stout as the 180 Partition as I plan on load developing that for next season. Will the 180 Partition frontal area expand as rapidly as the Ballistic Tip? I have both bullets on hand to work with too.


Thanks,
Don

 

[HeathSexton]

A lot of reading but you can see how they stack up here, older ballistic tip tested early, new one tested late.


http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthread ... 219652/all



Test:
I ordered 50lbs of cow leg bones from a butcher I know. All shots were through the joint (thickest part of the bone) portion. I also put a 2" thick piece of neck trim (muscle, silver skin and connective tissue) in front of the bone and behind it to simulate meat on the way in and on the way out. All measurements are of the depth of penetration into the newspaper ONLY. For total penetration add 4" of meat and another 5-6" for the bone to the numbers I will post for each bullet. Soaked newspaper over night and taped them together in stacks of ~5" with ductape.
These bones were all shot at 5m to simulate an absolute worst case scenario for a bullet. Max impact speed as well as the animal taking a step prior to the shot which turns a easy broadside shot into something else since there is a big elk/moose leg in the way now.

This is not scientific, valid, don't throw out the bullets you've been using for 30 years etc. I did this to satisfy my own curiosity and as much as it sucks to haul a bathtub full of wet heavy newspaper around, it's also fun.


Bullet: .308 168gr Nosler Ballistic Tip
Penetration: 9.5"
Weight retention: 98.6gr (58.7%)
Expansion diameter: .641"
Impact speed: 3100fps

Bullet: .308 180gr Nosler Ballistic Tip (OLD jacket as per picture posted above)
Penetration: 7.5"
Weight retention: 87.5gr (48.6%)
Expansion diameter: .720"
Impact speed: ~2900fps

Bullet: 180gr Nosler Partition
Penetration: 13"
Weight retention: 96.2gr (53%)
Expansion diameter: .760"
Impact speed: ~2900fps

Bullet: 180gr Nosler Ballistic tip (new, tough jacket)
Penetration: 13"
Weight retention: 80.7gr (44.8%)
Expansion diameter: 548"
Impact speed: ~3050fps

 

[DrMike]

That's a lot of work, to be sure. I was intrigued at the evidence that the older style BTs performed reasonably well. Still, the increased penetration in the newer lot should comfort those who choose to shoot BTs.

 

[Guy Miner]

Tell ya "fragile" is not how I'd characterize the newer Ballistic Tips... Not at all.

Link: viewtopic.php?f=50&t=18211

Haven't been able to recover one from a deer, ever. Always penetrate, right through the shoulder blades even. Have been shooting my mule deer with the 115 gr .25 cal version at pretty decent velocity and almost always get complete penetration as well. Finally recovered one of those from a pronghorn I shot, facing me, in the chest. It almost exited after penetrating most of the animal.

Guy

 

[Guy Miner]

But I don't think the Partition is ever a bad choice for hunting! :mrgreen:

Guy

 

[Guy Miner]

This forum though, shows how the different thought process works. Right now we've got one fellow asking about deer & big PA bear with 125 gr .30 cal bullets, and another hunter asking about 180 gr .30 cal Partitions for deer hunting...

Some folks like 'em heavy, some like their bullets light. Nosler makes a lot of different bullets, so you can pick what you want. :grin:

I seem to favor the mid-weights. 165's in the .30 cal, 115's in the .25 cal, 95's in .24 cal. 260 gr bullets from the .375 H&H.

Regards, Guy

 

[DON]

Heath,
Thanks for the reply, your testing is amazing, great job and that is a lot of work too. I think after reading it all, I will give the 180 BT a try. The heavier jacket on the newer version should work.

Expansion should be good, considering getting velocities in the 2750-2800 fps range.

I have a few powders to work with: R-22, H-4350 and Ramshot Hunter. I plan on using CCI-250 primers and Winchester brass.

Anxious now to get some loads together.

Guy,
Thanks for your input as well.


Don

 

[HeathSexton]

I wish I could take credit for the testing but I can't. The guy who did that testing did do an amazing amount of work though. I just look at it a lot, lol.


I have used the newer 180's from my 30/06 @ 2737fps and it's only a sample of 1 but I hit a nice buck 170-180lbs @ just over 100yds through the shoulders a couple years ago. 2 busted shoulders, meat damage was not bad and a short heavy blood trail. Bullet was not recovered.

 

[DON]

Heath,
My bad, sorry but thanks for referring the info anyway. Based from your experience it looks like the 180 BT did the job on that buck.

Thanks buddy,
Don

 

[SJB358]

I load the 180 BT for a good friend In his 300 WBY Don. He hasn't recovered a bullet yet but they've all been on rib shot elk and mule deer. I was skeptical at first but he continues stacking animals up yearly. I'd imagine the 180 BT at 30-06 speeds is going to act more like a PT or other premium sorta bullet.

 

[truck driver]

Don, I've never shot a deer with a BT but do favor the Hornaday 165gr SP flat base inter-lock for white tail deer and switched to it after what I considered extreme meat loss with Sierra's 150gr GK SP. I tend to load the 165's a little warm since that's the way my M77 likes them. I find them very good for harvesting White Tail Deer, minimum damage or meat loss as long as I don't hit bone but will liquify the vitals and exit. They will destroy a should when or if you hit one. All kills have been very humane and all but one was DRT. The one that wasn't the bullet had been deflected by a limb and tumbled still striking the aiming point but tumbled threw the body coming to rest under the hide in the right rear hind. I had to track it for 200yds and couldn't believe it made it that far after dressing it out and seeing the internal damage that bullet had done bouncing off the ribs. The deer was a Doe which I killed on a crop damage permit and the shot was taken at around 50yds.

 

[jason miller]

I don't know if it's much help, but I shot a 180 nbt into milk jugs full of water out of my 30-06. Muzzle velocity was a shade over 2700, and I set the jugs up at either 20 or 25 yards. The bullet passed through 5, entered the 6th, and left a small cut on the back wall of that 6th jug. Retained weight was 66%.

Also, a couple years back I shot a 200 AccuBond, 180 Partition, 168 ballistic tip, and 150 ttsx into a box full of magazines. All of the bullets looked good when cut out, but the 180 Partition penetrated noticeably further than the other 3. The other 3 penetrated close enough to the same depth that I can't remember any differences.

 

[nvbroncrider]

I personally think damaged meat is caused by all the extra hydrostatic pressure released when a bullet hit. IE over 3000 fps. I think either will do fine.

 

[DON]

Thanks you guys for the input. I believe now after absorbing all the good replies I couldn't go wrong with either the 180 BT or the Partition. I'm leaning towards the BT but think I will load up both to see which one my gun likes. Don't really need penetration on whitetails like with Elk, just trying to reduce a little meat damage somewhat after hitting some bone.

I think either on will work for me considering 2700 fps velocity.

Don

 

[nosler06]

I have shot many Whitetail and Mule deer with my 30-06 and have been using the 180gr NP exclusively. I have never had alot of meat damage on animals of deer size even after hitting shoulder bones. My velocity runs around 2686fps. I have not personally had any of my partitions blow apart after hitting a shoulder even on elk and moose like I have witnessed other bullets. This is why I have stayed with the Partition after 30+ years. Animals do not go very far after being hit with a Partition. Being from BC I want that extra just in case of a grizzly bear encounter and they do work very well on large black bears to. Never seem to have large exit hole damage on bears, which is great for when you make a rug out of the hides.

 

[Guy Miner]

Very nicely stated.

The 180 Nosler Partition is a .30 cal big game classic.

 

[Vince]

I have shot many Whitetail and Mule deer with my 30-06 and have been using the 180gr NP exclusively. I have never had alot of meat damage on animals of deer size even after hitting shoulder bones. My velocity runs around 2686fps. I have not personally had any of my partitions blow apart after hitting a shoulder even on elk and moose like I have witnessed other bullets. This is why I have stayed with the Partition after 30+ years. Animals do not go very far after being hit with a Partition. Being from BC I want that extra just in case of a grizzly bear encounter and they do work very well on large black bears to. Never seem to have large exit hole damage on bears, which is great for when you make a rug out of the hides.

Well said.
I agree with Guy.

Very nicely stated.

The 180 Nosler Partition is a .30 cal big game classic.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk

 

[DON]

Thank-You for sharing your experience with the 180 Partition. Back in my Pennsylvania Deer Hunting days , as I recall most of us in our hunting camp had 30-06 rifles and almost all of us shot 180 grain bullets. My cousin shot 180's in the 2600 fps range like yours and he dropped deer every year with one shot. I do recall I was shooting Hornady 180 Round nose bullets then and never had much meat damage even hitting shoulder bone.

When I get to the loading bench, eventually, I plan on trying both the 180 Partition and the BT.

Don

 

[nosler06]

Thank-You for sharing your experience with the 180 Partition. Back in my Pennsylvania Deer Hunting days , as I recall most of us in our hunting camp had 30-06 rifles and almost all of us shot 180 grain bullets. My cousin shot 180's in the 2600 fps range like yours and he dropped deer every year with one shot. I do recall I was shooting Hornady 180 Round nose bullets then and never had much meat damage even hitting shoulder bone.

When I get to the loading bench, eventually, I plan on trying both the 180 Partition and the BT.

Don

Hi Don

It is funny you should mention the 180gr Hornady Round Nose. My dad picked up a box of them cheap when I was away at college and ask me to load them for him for deer hunting. We met up for a weekend deer hunt in the East Kootenays, and dad did manage to shoot a very nice 4pt Whitetail buck at about 100yds. When we got up the the deer yes it was dead with a nice 3/4" size entry hole, but when I rolled it over you could fit my size 9 boot into the hole. We that was the last he ever shot those bullets. I think I still have that box of bullets in my reloading cabinet.

 

[Oldtrader3]

For hunting deer, I use the 165 Partition (since 1963) and have never had a failure to kill. For elk, I have used the 180 grain Partition and it always performs the same and usually does not stay in the animal, unless you hit a heavy bone.