Can someone tell me what happened to this bullet?

And at that speed it may have very well deflected and tumbled

It's a bullet that identifies as a banana.

ButterBean said:

What is the minimum opening velocity for that bullet?

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I haven't found an exact number yet, I was sent to maker by the guys at hammer bullets under there recommendation that they would open under 800 fps

You said it was your 3rd subsonic deer. What other cartridges, projectiles were used on those?
I would also actually check the twist on the barrel as it might be slower than what it's marked to be.

Which picture was the entry wound? One looks like it penetrated sideways if that's the entry.

6mm06guy said:

After skinning the deer, I believe it skinned the top edge of the scapula and turned, I don't completely disagree that the bullet may be slightly under stabilized. Maker offers several more options like the 190 gr. I may test next year, but I spent so much time working this up for him and he did a heck of a job this year.

I can't help but wonder if I shouldn't change the bullet if the overall concensus is that the bullet tumbled.

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I just ran your numbers thru 2 stability calculators (Berger & JBM) using a 1 in 8 twist which is standard for the 300 BlkOut and that bullet is very stable per the formulas. I used 50 deg F and 1000 t for altitude

You have a single data point and based on the pic of your son and the deer massive internal damage. I wouldn't change anything. I would add that if the first pic of the carcass is an entry wound that hole looks elongated but that could be just the angle of the photo.

Rig your self up some homemade test media - plywood box stuffed with wet phone books (not perfect, but not bad either) and see if you get any weird results.

And with everything that's been said it very well could have just been a fluke

Looks unlucky ro have the one petal fold in instead of out. Good thing it was pulled from a dead buck. Congrats to you boy.

crkckr said:

The only complaint I have ever heard is that on close in shots, the Nosler Partitions tends to work too well, often destroying a lot of meat. I can easily accept that "problem." I have, in 60+ years of hunting, never had a Partition fail, including a "hail Mary" 700+ yard shot on an antelope that my ex-father-in-law had wounded. I had never taken the ballistics of my Win 270 out that far and had zero ideas what the drop might be but managed to connect after 3 or 4 shots. The poor goat had his lower jaw blown off and was standing there trying to graze. He probably would have died from either infection or starvation as he actually wasn't bleeding that badly. Any 130 gr bullet that will work at that range has my vote! The Partition hit a rib on the way in, expanded perfectly and after passing between ribs on the far side, stopped on the hide. Had I planned on that shot I probably would have used the 150 gr bullets but a shot at that distance had never even occurred to me.
Cheers,
crkckr

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At 1146fps MV, you would shoot a Partition?

6mm06guy said:

I haven't found an exact number yet, I was sent to maker by the guys at hammer bullets under there recommendation that they would open under 800 fps

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According to this guy's test out of an 8.5" barrel SBR with 1050 FPS MV, the velocity at zero feet altitude and sight-in and 59°F is 991 FPS, and the impact velocity at 100Y is 991 FPS.

JasonAL said:

You said it was your 3rd subsonic deer. What other cartridges, projectiles were used on those?
I would also actually check the twist on the barrel as it might be slower than what it's marked to be.

Which picture was the entry wound? One looks like it penetrated sideways if that's the entry.

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Same gun, same bullet, same week.
Whatever bullet is in front of the shoulder is the entry. He was quarterd towards us.

Partitions are designed for each caliber so I would assume (without actually checking, not easy to do since I am currently overseas on vacation and the internet is sketchy here) that the bullet would perform normally at whatever velocity the caliber is designed for. The use of "any old bullet" of the same weight would clearly not work in this case. However one designed to work at the velocities expected should perform perfectly. When all is said and done in this case, the bullet got the job done so there is little to complain about. Personally, I would never use a subsonic bullet on game unless the range was very severely restricted. I generally prefer a smaller caliber bullet at normal velocity for recoil sensitive shooters. They even make a .22 cal. Partition, of (I believe) 65 grains, although getting your hands on them might prove somewhat difficult. I have never seen them for sale anywhere! The .243 is a good caliber for those who don't want or can't deal with .270 or .30 cartridges and I used the 95 gr Partition to very good effect for my (ex) witch to hunt with.
Cheers,
crkckr

It really appears as if the bullet was not traveling fast enough to open

ButterBean said:

What is the minimum opening velocity for that bullet?

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They work down to 600f/s

Thanks

Buck