nostler partition

[Guest old boy]

I've hunter coues deer for about ten years now. I've killed six or seven. The first four were shot with a 30-06. Two years ago I changed to a .243 and have killed two with a 100 gr nosler partition.

 

In both of these kills, they were not clean, the bullets just did not seem to open up. they merely poked holes through the animals. A friend of mine suggested dropping down to an 85 gr. bullet but using a faster expanding bullet like a core lock and said he has had better luck. His description to me, was that the speed weight ratio of a .243 was poor for the performance of the nostler. Increased speed on a smaller bullet with faster expansion would release the bullets energy better into the animal. I don't know if he is full of sh!t or not. Any suggstions?

 

Both of my shots and kills required 2-4 shots at 250-400 yds. My hunting buddy last year hit a buck twice at 450 - 500 yds twice. I was spotting and it looked like both shots were not great but should have been fatal, just behind the rib cage. We lost his deer. Help?

[Guest Ernesto C]

Old boy,droping to a lower grains wtill not help and the nosler partition is a deep penetration bullet more than expanding bullet,if you want a bullet that expands more and quick you should go to a soft point bullet like a Federal Hi-Shock Soft point for example. What bullet your rifle shoot best? get a catalog from them and you can find which bullets expand more rapidly.

 

Now it looks like if shot placement was not rigth,the rigth place to hit a deer is just behind the shoulder(on a broadside shot) you mentioned that the hit was behind the rib cage,probably it was a liver shot but deer can go a long ways with those shots.

 

One question old boy, if you were doing excellent with your 30-06 why change to a 243? the 243 is good but the 30-06 using heavier bullet is more suitable.

 

Hope this is helpfull to you old boy,thank you for your question and God bless you.

 

Ernesto C.

[More D]

I'm with Ernesto C the partition is a great bullet but seems like maybe it might not be a good choice for the Coues.The partition is an EXCELLENT bullet but only the front half is the fast opening part of the bullet design, the second half is for pentrating. The .243 with 100gr. Partition would be a good choice for BIG mule deer at close range. But for the Coues at the ranges you mentioned and are normal like 250-400yards I belive that a plastic tip is the best bet. Nosler balistic tip, Hornday SST, even Remington has a new one but I don't remember what it is called.

Another point that was made buy Ernesto C is why the change from .243 to 30-06.? Who knows some of us change hunting rifles like we change our socks. Point is that at the range you mention might be the farter reaches of the .243. it will still kill them but you have seen with your own eyes what can happen at that range.

Ultra mags, Lazzeroni's, and Wetherby's won't drop them if shot placement is poor.

 

 

[300 wsm]

I will have to agree with Ernesto C and More D the partition is a great bullet but it is built for deep penetration. Another bullet you might want to try is the sierra game king, they are known for their accuracy, and they open up pretty fast.

[Guest Giladad1]

I also believe Partitions are too "stiff" for Coues. Although, the last two years I shot two bucks w/ Barnes which are even "stiffer". Truth is, shoot em' through the lungs w/ anything and their dead. If you want a bullet that will provide more of a margin of safety on marginal shots, more shock, damage and much bigger hole, use Nosler Ballestic Tips. I've shot several w/ these and every time, you get a loud 'wump', followed by the buck getting slammed to the ground. I use a 7mmWSM w/ 120 grain NBT. MH

[CHD]

I use 100 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips in .25 caliber for Coues deer and pronghorns. Both animals are very similar in size and construction and aren't too difficult to kill. The Ballistic Tips expand fairly quickly yet are still tough enough to penetrate a shoulder. They also are very accurate bullets.

 

Based on my experiences with a variety of game animals, an expanding bullet will kill an animal quicker than a penetrating bullet on broadside heart/lung shots. However, for mulies and larger game, I prefer to use a tougher penetrating type bullet in case I have to penetrate a shoulder or back due to the shot being at an odd angle. I always plan for worst-case-scenario shots on rare, hard-to-find trophy animals.

 

Chris Darnell

[az4life]

Like many other posters have said, the ballistic tips are very good for the coues size game. The only thing is, if the shot is placed incorrectly, you have a lot of damaged meat due to the "Blow out" factor.

My inlaws used 85-120 grain ballistic tips on 3 antelope this year in wyoming. I was amazed at what the 85 grain in a 7mm 08 did to an antelope at 200 yards. I thought no way could an 85 grain slug have enough stopping power, but was I ever wrong! I would guess that the longer range shots need a little more weight to hold together and have enough energy (ft lbs) left to knock an animal down at 350- plus yards.

 

Nuf said, My vote is the 120- grain ballistic tip for small deer or lopes.

[Guest old boy]

I appreciate all of your input. I switched to a .243 simply becuase it was time to purchase a lighter rifle. The old sportsmanized Springfield I packed for fifteen years was just getting to be too much for backpacking and long hikes. I decided on a .243 for a coues and javelina gun. When my son is old enough in four more years, I can give it to him. My next pair of socks will be a .270 wsm. Kimber is now producing a rifle with that cartridge and I'm leaning towards that.

 

I agree, shot placement is vital. I shoot 100's of rounds each year, and feel as confident as any hunter should feel when entering the field. The back of the rib cage hits on the deer we lost was not my shooting. And the shots probably should never had been taken, whose to say, the margin of error at those ranges is slim. One can argue that simply hitting a target at that distance is a good shot, on the other hand the difference of four to six inches cost my hunting party the first unretrievable animal we've ever had.

 

I'll switch to a softer bullet next year and anticipate improvement. Once again I'm glad for all your responses, and God bless you all too.

[coueshunter]

everybodys seems to be on the same page. I was a die hard partition bullet user but have switched to 115 grain ballistic tips out of my .257wby it just blows up the lungs and heart...........Allen............

[Prohunt]

I have had a bunch of one shot kills on Coues with my .25-06 using 100 grain Remington Core-lokt bullets.

Travis

[coues addict]

Old Boy , I Have hunted Coues deer for quite a few years now and I have used nosler Ballistc Tips since they first came out on coues and mule deer. Years ago I used nosler solid base bullets. Then They put the polycarbonate tip on them and sold them as ballistic tips. I am not a big fan of partitions on coues. I also don`t worry to much about the front shoulder meat. I shoot them right in the shoulder . I personally don`t want them to get away. They seem to drop Right in their tracks. I got lucky and drew a Dec. tag this year and took a descent buck. I was way back in there , and sure as H_ _ L did not want to chase him around right before dark. Good Luck Coues Addict

[coues_slaya_jr]

I have used the nosler 100 gr. part. on every deer I've killed and I've never had a problem with them. the deer I've hit that didn't die quickly wasn't the bullets fault it was the idiot pulling the trigger for not having a steady rest or a good squeeze, or just poor shot placement. That idiot pulling the trigger was me not my beloved Nosler 100 gr. partitions.

[Guest Ernesto C]

coues_slaya_jr, I agree with you when you said "it wasn't the bullets fault". I'm sure the nosler partition will do the job the key is shot placement but old boy mentioned before shots over 350 or 400 yds I believe heavier bullets will be better,you want a bullet that also delivers some "punch or knock down" power when it hits.

 

I personally like nosler partitions too but I don use them for coues because a coues is not as tough as an elk.

 

In my personal opinion a 243 cal.should be the minimum or the lowest a hunter should use for coues,use the rifle you shoot best,for example: if you have a 7mm.rem.mag. but you shoot a 243 better than the 7mm. well then use the 243 cal.

 

Another thing we should do after we see a deer is to get in positionfor the shot we must avoid if posible to shoot offhand,maybe we can kneel,get in prone position or use a rock,limb or something to get a steady rest.

 

Is our reponsability before going hunting to practice,practice and practice more, and know where the bullet will hit at 1,2,3,or 400 yds or more and make sure our scopes are not loose.

 

Thanks,welcome and God bless you. Ernesto C.

[coues addict]

Ernesto C.

 

I really appreciate what you were saying to coues slaya jr. about practice, practice, practice. I have been telling my own son that very same thing for quite a few years now. It always helps a dad to here it from someone else.

 

Thanks Coues Addict

 

Oh and welcome coues slaya jr. to the coolest website.