Bullet failure 130 grain nosler partition with 6.5 creedmoor

[richhymas]

I thought about a Barnes or other solid bullet but I have seen those go right through without expanding at all, especially if the entrance is between the ribs.

 

[dennisinaz]

I can't think of a better bullet than that one. Keep using it. Stay off the leg bone. NOTHING will do better.
My Africa trip this summer showed me that the TSX and kin are not all that great. They penetrate well and ultimately kill but EVERY animal shot with one (other than head/neck shots) took his sweet time to die. I killed 10 animals with 150 grain Partitions from my 300 H&H and they all dropped within a few yards. I shot a big blue wildebeest at 50 yards and he only went 30 yards. They are supposed to be bullet proof! Keep using the Partition.

I killed my bull elk last year with the 143 ELD-X and it dropped him and exited.

 

[richhymas]

I agree with the Barnes comment. Shot right through the ribs of a cow elk with minimal trauma. Follow up shot to the neck put her down. Glad to hear the ELD-X works. I have some of those too. I may try them.

 

[the444shooter]

I would stick with the partition. I believe yours is a fluke scenario, and the gun is sighted in for them. 180* opposite from the above experience, but I've used the Barnes family of bullets with great success, and typically they're one of my first recommendations. The ELD-X, however, gave me iffy results in 7mm Rem Mag (akin to what you experienced with the cow elk and partition) with minimal penetration, but preformed with aplomb on a mule deer.

If you're concerned about bullet placement, and your daughter might hit heavy bone, DO NOT use the ELD-X bullet--it has less of a margin for error as your current load with the 140gr Partition.

The 140gr Partition will work for you for the remainder of the season, and if you're that rattled about their performance, then maybe re-evaluate for next season when you have time to clean and re-zero for another bullet.

 

[Canhunter35]

Consider moving closer to provide a more surgical hit and more energy on target.
Last year a buddy borrowed a 308 to go moose hunting. Using 180 gr corelokts I told him to stay inside of 250yds.
Point is, know the limits of ur shooter and rifle so they have positive experiences.

 

[Pulpwood]

Elk are tough , glad to hear you guys did recover his animal. Good luck with your daughter, maybe alittle closer shot would make it easier for her to get behind the shoulder just a bit . Let us hear how it goes for her. Good luck but ex specially enjoy the time outdoors with your kids and family Happy hunting

 

[Pulpwood]

Just remember dad a 325 yd shot under hunting conditions is a lot to ask of a excited young 11 yr old man ( Im Just glad it turned out ok this time )

 

[dennisinaz]

I think the ELD-X is a great bullet for the guy that expect to encounter some long range stuff. It still holds up at closer range. My shot was 215 yards, bullet went through the spine and exited. I have seen great stuff with bullet so far. I still don't think it is the equivalent of the Partition but it is so much more streamlined to make it a great bullet for long range and still good enough for the closer stuff.

 

[quarterman]

I had a nosler partition fail about 18 or 19 years ago, It was a factory loaded 200 grain partition from my 300RUM, shot a nice four point mulie in the shoulder, broad side at 250 yards. The bullet blew up and didnt penetrate through the shoulder blade, it just blew all the meat off the bone. My second shot which i put behind the shoulder, put it down. Ive still never used a partition again. I know they arent suposed to fail but it does happen. My guess is there must have been an internal flaw in the partition.

 

[Edd]

If I was choosing a Partition for a Creedmoor, I would choose the 125 gr.

 

[antelopedundee]

We quartered it out gutless. First bullet may have deflected low. Second bullet was centered on the shoulder (scapula I believe). The quarters are on ice. When I cut and wrap after my deer hunt I will look carefully for the bullet or fragments thereof. I will give it one more shot next month with the 6.5 but will probably use a different bullet. I will also instruct my daughter to stay behind the shoulder. Hopefully she doesn't stay too far back and get a gut shot. Any recommendations for a good bullet choice for a 6.5 on cow elk out to 400 yards?

There is another recent thread about preferred 6.5mm bullets. You might find your answer there.

https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/preferred-6-5-hunting-bullet.207066/page-2#post-1494863

 

[Hand Skills]

I will also instruct my daughter to stay behind the shoulder. Hopefully she doesn't stay too far back and get a gut shot. Any recommendations for a good bullet choice for a 6.5 on cow elk out to 400 yards?

I hear you on new shooters, better too far forward than too far back!

I thought about a Barnes or other solid bullet but I have seen those go right through without expanding at all, especially if the entrance is between the ribs.

I've seen the same thing with a .260 and Barnes X. High lung shot resulted in a very arduous recovery. Turned me off of monos for a good decade. Things have certainly changed with the TTSX, and I'm slowly coming back around. Trying the peregrines next - their design makes the most intuitive sense to me and offers better BC's too. Everyone who has tried those Hammers seems very pleased as well!

 

[MagnumManiac]

Wow!
I have used all the 6.5 offerings in Partition and Accubond in 260AI, 6.5x55, 6.5x47 and 264WM.
Not one has ever failed to penetrate, I believe you that it failed to bring it down, I just don't believe it was a bullet problem per se'. More a fact of poor bullet placement, which is not a criticism of anyone's shooting skills.
I have had very few bullet failures, of those I have had, most were with factory 300WM 180gr Power Point loads where the bullet blew up on the hide.
One other notable failure was with a Nosler 260gr .375" pill shot from my 375 Weatherby @ 3000fps at a Water buff here in Australia. The first shot broke the onside shoulder, then the bull spun offering only a hip shot as it departed, the bullet entered with the leg at full stretch right in the hip joint, when it hit the top of the femur, it had hardly expanded and was sticking out of the bone. A third and final shot that went through both lungs and exited was required. I still have both bullets here, they look completely different to each other, the first is perfectly mushroomed like in the Nosler pics in their manuals, the other looks alien with most of the shank intact and the expanded petals broken off. Very weird performance indeed.

I agree, with smaller calibres, a behind the shoulder shot is called for providing a double lung hit in most cases.

Cheers.

 

[richhymas]

Just remember dad a 325 yd shot under hunting conditions is a lot to ask of a excited young 11 yr old man ( Im Just glad it turned out ok this time )

Agreed. It was a very controlled shot though. Scope was dialed for elevation. 22 power. Shot off of a very stable tripod with broadside animals, but I agree. Closer is a good idea. There was no getting closer to these elk but we could have looked for a different herd in a closer location. I think more practice in hunting like situations will help too.