Vintage Partition Bullets

[YoteSmoker]

A friend of mine gave me a box of 100 grain Partition bullets to try in my 243 win. They have a canelure in the middle and came in a yellow and black box. I'm guessing they're from the mid 70s? Anyway, I loaded them up and figure I may as well see how they shoot. If they group good on paper, would there be any reason not to use them on game? It makes me wonder if today's Partition design is "new and improved" because of problems with the earlier design. If any of you have any knowledge or experience with this older style, I'd appreciate your thoughts. Thanks.

 

[buckfever]

Thats a good question my grandpa tried some in the late 60's or early 70's in his 270 and didn't like them. He liked Sierra Boat tails and thats all he used but he shot everything in the neck. I have hunderds of sierra B.T. bullets that are about 30+ years old.

 

[JD338]

YoteSmoker

Sounds like the older style that was turned on a lathe.

For accuracy and performance, I would personally use new bullets. Not that there is anything wrong with the older ones, just the latest version would have any improvements that were made.

If I'm not mistaken, the new manufacturing process yeilds a more accurate bullet than the older style. I have had excellent accuracy with PT's in several calibers, accuracy levels that are sub .5".

JD338

 

[R Flowers]

I would be a little carefull hunting with those old bullets. They are a great collectors item, but the new Partitions are much better performers on game.

We tried the old lathe turned Partitions back in the 1960's in our 6mm rifles and found them to be much too hard. We shot the 85 grain bullets in our .244 Remington rifles and they just punched holes through deer like a solid. They did not expand at all that we could tell. We went back to Sierra's pretty quick.

Nosler, like all bullet manufacturers, have changed their bullets over the years. The old, old Partitions are much too heavily constructed, while some of the newer ones over the years were much to soft. (I have a particular lot of 100 grain .257 bullets that have VERY thin jackets and partitions. They surface blew on an antelope on several shots.)

I now shoot Noslers in every one of my hunting rifles, but only new ones. They are great, all the changes over the years have developed them into the best bullets on the market.

Save the old relics for conversation pieces.