Partition question

I recently bought a Sako L61R in .270. I ordered some 140 gr Partitions from SPS. When I got the length to the lands figured I backed off .010" and set the seating die. I usually check a few as I go along. I was going to load 24 rounds, 8 each at different powder charges.

As I seated the bullets I checked one now and again with a Hornady comparator to see that I was getting what I wanted for length to ogive. One came up being .020" shorter. I thought, hm, odd bullet, set it aside. Checked a few more and before I had 18 loaded I had 3 culls, each off .010" or more.

I checked the rest of the 50 bullet pack with the comparator, measuring each bullet from base to ogive. They were from .589" to .614." I pulled the loaded rounds and checked those bullets, they were in that range. Of the 50, 26 were from .594 to .600", 6 were .592 or less, the rest were .604 to .614. One of the 50 didn't have a lead tip, it looked like a Berger hollow point nose. The weight was from 139 to 141, but pretty tightly clustered around 140.

The pack of bullets is marked P 270 / 140Sp, Factory Seconds.

I've bought a few bullets from SPS for the .25-06's and never seemed to run into this much variance in a batch. Anyone else seen this, or is this normal for factory seconds ?

I'm a long ways from being an expert reloader, but it seems it would be hard to load consistent ammo with those bullets. I'll send them an email and offer to send the bullets back for them to examine. Any thoughts ?

Seems about right... That missing lead tip is concerning and I would probably send Nosler an email focusing on that.

The .308 diameter, 180 grain Nosler Partition factory seconds I have vary quite a bit in length and ogive. I don't recall how much off the top of my head, but it was significantly larger than 0.01", a max variance of 0.018" sticks out in my mind. I marked the outlying cartridges for fouling & practice and verified that they are not getting overly close to the lands.

Edited to include - I've not seen much variance in the .308 and .284 diameter AccuBond factory seconds I've purchased. The Accubonds were seconds because of the addition of a cannelure. I have seen greater than 0.01" variation in the CC and NP .308 diameter factory seconds.

Worth remembering that they're "seconds."

And, I'd take a look at the results downrange, on target. Might be better than you expect!

Regards, Guy

I am with guy, unless your rifle is very picky about AOL, i doubt you will see any difference. I have used both seconds and first run Partitions for years and really cannot tell the difference.

+3 They are 2nd's for a reason.

Thanks for the replies.

Just checked a batch of 150 Partitions, seconds, .308, they were fairly close, .494" to .499", only a couple of the longest ones, they seem to shoot well, too.

Great rifle had one in a Carbine
My load was 270 Win

Reloader 22 @ 61.0
130gr Nosler P
WW brass with Fed 210M primers

I very rarely buy Nosler first bullets and shoot a lot of the SPS seconds.
I have found as long as I adjust the seating stem for each bullet I can get them seated to the same OAL. I also use a Redding micrometer seating stem which I back off a couple of thousandths before seating each bullet.
I don't get in a hurry when reloading and enjoy trying to duplicate every round the same.

I try to slow myself down, too, when loading. It was the extra checking that turned up the variance.

I emailed Nosler, they said to send 'em back and they'd send replacements from a different batch. Nice to see some good customer service, it will keep me coming back.

They're good people.
If you can keep your distance to the ogive consistent the rest should be fine.

I had a similar issue last year. Loaded 180 Partitions in my 30-06 that were seconds from SPS. Checking them with the comparator, like you, I noticed the variation in seating depth of my loads, 75% of them were off. It wore me out changing and tweeking the seating die to make them the same.

The range results matched the problem too. Nothing would group very well. Changed to 180 Ballistic Tips, seconds from SPS. They have been very consistent, seating has been near perfect. Range results have been pretty good too.

The Partition is an excellent bullet. I believe my experience had something to do with the seconds I loaded. I have used new 1st quality 180 PT's in the past in my 300 RUM with no issues.

Don