 Nosler Partition Bullet Nosler provided me with limited quantities of the following bullets for product testing. 6 MM 70 grain BT
As is my policy I'll not address the specifics of groups shot here with these bullets but rather in the reviews of the guns used in their testing. These guns were: 6MM Browning Low Wall .243 Winchester and TC Custom Shop barrels in 6 TCU in both 15" and 21" lengths. .30 Caliber Remington Model 700 LSS Mountain Rifle in .30-06. These reviews can be viewed on the Product Test Page when completed. Starting with the 6 MM bullets I fired the 70 BTs in the two 6 TCU barrels and found both liked this bullet quite well. For some reason the bullets in the 65-80 grain range are what works best in both of these barrels. I was hoping to find the Nosler 55 BT which I had bought before Nosler send me these would do great and that I could get 3000 fps from the 15" barrel. Well I managed the 3000 fps barely but accuracy with the light 55 BT as well as Hornady's 58 V-Max was dismal at best. I guess the twist rate just isn't going to allow me to use them as I had hoped to do. We don't always get what we want I suppose. The 80 BT was the bullet I loaded up in the .243 Winchester caliber Browning Low Wall for the Second annual get together of the regulars on my Single Shot Rifle Forum when we gathered in MS in April 2001. Except for a major mess up on my part I probably would have taken first place in the scoped rifle match with this combination. I had been shooting this load and a couple others on my home range just before going and was getting consistent groups in the 0.4" to 0.75" range with all. I didn't decide while on the range which load to use but waited until I got there at the shoot and had all with me. The first one I checked was the Nosler 80 BT and I hit the metal silhouettes at 100, 250 and 400 yards all so felt it must be close. I figured rather than put it on paper I'd just adjust after my first shot during the match. Bad move! I hit high in the 4 ring and made what I thought was the correct adjustment only to hit low in the 5 ring the next shot. I realized my hold was off a bit and made another correction. All the rest were in the 8, 9 and 10 rings. Had I been correctly sighted in I'm sure all would have been in the 8/9/10 rings and I only needed five points to tie and 6 to take first place out right. I think I could have picked those up if I'd been correctly sighted in before the first shot. However take my word these little BTs and my Low Wall sure do like each other. The single best load I've found so far for my Rem. 700 LSS is using RL-19 and the Nosler 180 BT but the same load with the 180 PT is so close it makes me shiver. I have loaded up a bunch of both for use in hunting with this rifle and expect to find out how they perform on game next opportunity. As if I didn't already know! I've used Noslers PTs and BTs both on game for many years and neither have ever let me down yet. The BTs give massive tissue damage and quick kills, some times they exit and some times they don't but generally it doesn't matter as game goes down in sight. The PTs just about always exit and give an excellent blood trail for those times when needed. Yeah I know some folks love and some hate the BTs saying they blow up and aren't game bullets. I say poppy cock! Used in accordance with Nosler's recommendations the BT is an excellent game bullet. I've even seen the .270 130 BT kill elk but don't consider that the proper use of that bullet. Still it worked. The PT is consider by most to be the gold standard by which other bullets are judged, it was the first premium bullet I suppose and is still as good a choice as you can get when tough bullets are needed. I've heard some say the PTs aren't accurate also. Can't agree! I've never had a problem keeping them in an inch to inch and a quarter from most any gun I've used them in and in an old Rem. 700 Mtn. Rifle of mine the Federal Premium load (.270 Win. 150 Nosler PT) is the most accurate I've found consistently shooting 1/2 to one inch groups at 100 yards. Nosler has a winner in both the BT and PT bullets. I highly recommend them to you. Both have the Graybeard Seal of Approval from long use as well as the subject test bullets.
I tested the Nosler 260 grain PT-HG bullets in both the Freedom Arms Premiere and Taurus Raging Bull .454 Casull caliber handguns. They will shoot right up there with any other bullet I've tried and oh the way the look after firing. Makes a heart glad to see a bullet mushroom so beautifully as these do. Every single one I've recovered no matter what it hit has mushroomed fully and the lead in the front portion is staying intact and not separating. I don't think they are bonding it but it sure is hanging on like it is bonded. I can't imagine a more picture book perfect expansion than I've seen from these bullets. I am really anxious to try the 300 grain version when I get some. I've not had the chance to try this one on game yet but will as soon as I can. I have an adequate supply loaded up and ready for the first opportunity to test them on game. I know they will do great tho as all PT bullets do and the way they are expanding they can't do otherwise. They are a bit pricey like all PT bullets but you sure get a lot for the money when you buy them.
Nosler Bullets have the Graybeard Seal of Approval for excellence in performance every time I've used them. GB
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