165gr Partition on Blue Wildebeest / Kudu?

PHOENIX PHIL · Nov 24, 2012

Okay gents, I certainly welcome all responses but I'm hoping to also get some of our PH's thoughts on this question. For all intents and purposes I've started all over again with load development for my son's rifle in .308 Win due to seeing the temp sensitivity of RL15. I'm playing with H4895 and Varget.

As fate would have it, I've kind of bumped into a very accurate load and that ancient technology known as the Nosler Partition, a bullet I've had nothing but great results with. On the menu for my son is Blue Wildebeest, perhaps as tough an animal he'll shoot barring maybe Kudu.

Is it crazy to think of him shooting either of these with a 165gr NP even at 2600fps muzzle velocity?

Cliffy · Nov 24, 2012

I shot 13 head including Blue Wildebeest in Zimbabwe in 1999 with .308/180 Partitions at 2500. On the 2000 lb eland I recovered the bullet on the opposit side just under the skin. Almost 3 feet of penatration. He should do just fine with the 165s. My partner used 165s in Namibia this year on Blue Wildebeest, Red Hartebeest and Eland in his 308. 165s did just fine. I like Partitions. Have used them 3 times in Africa. They always lose the front lead but the rear pushes through all the way to the other side.

KMG Hunting Safaris · Nov 24, 2012

The 165's will do just fine. My personal opinion is that the BWB is a bit tougher than the Kudu. I use 130gr in the .308 and they knock down anything on the Plains Game list.
If the 165's are giving you the best accuracy, then I believe that you already have your answer.
Enjoy!

Bob Nelson 35Whelen · Apr 27, 2020

PHOENIX PHIL said:
Okay gents, I certainly welcome all responses but I'm hoping to also get some of our PH's thoughts on this question. For all intents and purposes I've started all over again with load development for my son's rifle in .308 Win due to seeing the temp sensitivity of RL15. I'm playing with H4895 and Varget.

As fate would have it, I've kind of bumped into a very accurate load and that ancient technology known as the Nosler Partition, a bullet I've had nothing but great results with. On the menu for my son is Blue Wildebeest, perhaps as tough an animal he'll shoot barring maybe Kudu.

Is it crazy to think of him shooting either of these with a 165gr NP even at 2600fps muzzle velocity?

PHOENIX PHILL my 15 year old son used a Howa 308 on everything in Namibia including a big Burchells zebra and Oryx using 150 grain accubonds loaded with cfe223.
Sgt Zim seems to be doing good things with his 08 and cfe223 with 168 grainers
I would go the 165 accubonds or the 150 Barnes TTSX for the blue wildebeest, other wise the 150 accubonds will be fine.

My son with his zebra taken at 180 yards with 140 grain Australian made OUTER EDGE projectiles. Thru and thru with massive damage.
Hope this helps with you decision.
Cheers mate Bob

MarkCZ · Apr 27, 2020

I have taken dozens of animals in SA and Namibia the biggest was an Eland , smallest Jackal and every thng inbetween always using 180 or 165 Partitions never a problem. They have been around for a very long and are still going strong. Love this bullet.
MarkCZ

Divernhunter · Apr 27, 2020

It will work just fine. Just do not down load it.

shark_za · Apr 27, 2020

I have seen that exact bullet take Blue Wildebeest cleanly, don't be worried to find a tiny rear core as the only thing on the opposite side if the shot is taken from close in, the bullet will do its job.
In fact the slower the impact velocity the better it will hold together and penetrate.

Terry Blauwkamp · Apr 27, 2020

should work just fine ( but not long range), bullet placement is what counts.

Wyatt Smith · Apr 27, 2020

It’s an old thread, how did they work Phil?

PHOENIX PHIL · Apr 27, 2020

Bob Nelson 35Whelen said:
PHOENIX PHILL my 15 year old son used a Howa 308 on everything in Namibia including a big Burchells zebra and Oryx using 150 grain accubonds loaded with cfe223.
Sgt Zim seems to be doing good things with his 08 and cfe223 with 168 grainers
I would go the 165 accubonds or the 150 Barnes TTSX for the blue wildebeest, other wise the 150 accubonds will be fine.
View attachment 344521
My son with his zebra taken at 180 yards with 140 grain Australian made OUTER EDGE projectiles. Thru and thru with massive damage.
Hope this helps with you decision.
Cheers mate Bob

Appreciate the feedback Bob. My post is a little dated however. I ended up developing a great load using 165gr North Fork bonded cores for my son. While I wouldn't recommend it, he used his 308 and that load to kill a nice bull eland.

PHOENIX PHIL · Apr 27, 2020

Wyatt Smith said:
It’s an old thread, how did they work Phil?

See above post, ended up using NF bonded cores.

archer36 · Apr 27, 2020

Shot Kudu, Wildebeest, Gemsbuck, Impala, and Blesbok, all with ONE shot each. Nosler 180 gr. Partitions.

AES · Apr 27, 2020

It will for sure work, but I must ask, why not just load the 180 gr Nosler Partitions? I shot a Muskox with those and fully penetrated.

deepwater · Apr 27, 2020

For future reference:
While perusing the African country information threads, I noticed that some countries forbid "assault" style firearms and CARTRIDGES. .308 Win not allowed but .30-06 Spfd, . 30 Win mag, etc. permitted. Do not assume that you will be able to bring in a .308 Win. rifle or ammo.

Webmaster - maybe post this warning in a more prominent location.

John Telford · Apr 30, 2020

Phil the 165 NP at 2600 will kill sufficiently proved your son does his part which is correct shot placement. I have culled BWB with a 6.5 grendel (Howa) using 123 grain Hornady bullets before but I had the utmost faith in that little gun as I could shot a tick off his ear at 200 m its so accurate. In my 308 I like using 18o grain Nosler on BWB since I prescribe to the slow and heavy theory for the bushveld which I would rather you to use on BWB. It’s a tough animal and Since you will most likely aim for the boiler room minute of dinner plate accuracy is sufficient.meaning as long as you can hit a grapefruit sized target at 100 m you will be fine. Kudu in the mountains Is another story and if you are thinking of shots up to 250-300 m the 165 would be a better load. Having said that if 165 is all you bring and you son shoots well with it then that also ok.Enjoy the process Phil hunting is not just about pulling a trigger....

PHOENIX PHIL · Apr 30, 2020

John Telford said:
Phil the 165 NP at 2600 will kill sufficiently proved your son does his part which is correct shot placement. I have culled BWB with a 6.5 grendel (Howa) using 123 grain Hornady bullets before but I had the utmost faith in that little gun as I could shot a tick off his ear at 200 m its so accurate. In my 308 I like using 18o grain Nosler on BWB since I prescribe to the slow and heavy theory for the bushveld which I would rather you to use on BWB. It’s a tough animal and Since you will most likely aim for the boiler room minute of dinner plate accuracy is sufficient.meaning as long as you can hit a grapefruit sized target at 100 m you will be fine. Kudu in the mountains Is another story and if you are thinking of shots up to 250-300 m the 165 would be a better load. Having said that if 165 is all you bring and you son shoots well with it then that also ok.Enjoy the process Phil hunting is not just about pulling a trigger....

The 165gr North Forks did great. With the high weight retention bullets like the North Forks, my thought is you can step down a step in bullet weight in comparison to others such as the Partition. Don't get me wrong, I've used the Partition with great success on animals here in the U.S., but bullet technology has improved.

35bore · Apr 30, 2020

Phil, technology has advanced. Though I've only used partitions a handful of times they have always preformed well. The 308 was developed in 1952 and you are allowing him to take the old cornerstone, so why not the partition? In my opinion, neither need to be improved.

PHOENIX PHIL · Apr 30, 2020

35bore said:
Phil, technology has advanced. Though I've only used partitions a handful of times they have always preformed well. The 308 was developed in 1952 and you are allowing him to take the old cornerstone, so why not the partition? In my opinion, neither need to be improved.

This thread is a bit dated, started a few years back prior to our hunt in 2015. My son ended up taking a bull eland at just shy of 200 yards. If I knew that scenario would come up again, and as much as I revere the Partition, I'd feel that much more confident with a North Fork.

If John Nosler were still around, I believe he'd see the A-Frames and NF bonded cores as an improvement on his bullet, even if only occasionally that improvement being necessary.

I'm a fan of the Partition, there's an elk and a Shiras moose on my wall both taken with the 7mm 160gr NP as proof of that.

35bore · Apr 30, 2020

PHOENIX PHIL said:
This thread is a bit dated, started a few years back prior to our hunt in 2015. My son ended up taking a bull eland at just shy of 200 yards. If I knew that scenario would come up again, and as much as I revere the Partition, I'd feel that much more confident with a North Fork.

If John Nosler were still around, I believe he'd see the A-Frames and NF bonded cores as an improvement on his bullet, even if only occasionally that improvement being necessary.

I'm a fan of the Partition, there's an elk and a Shiras moose on my wall both taken with the 7mm 160gr NP as proof of that.

Well, that definitely proves that I've been away from the site for too long. Congratulations to your son.

165gr Partition on Blue Wildebeest / Kudu?

PHOENIX PHIL

Cliffy

KMG Hunting Safaris

Bob Nelson 35Whelen

MarkCZ

Divernhunter

shark_za

Terry Blauwkamp

Wyatt Smith

PHOENIX PHIL

PHOENIX PHIL

archer36

AES

deepwater

John Telford

PHOENIX PHIL

35bore

PHOENIX PHIL

35bore

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