Outfitter for 33yrs Hunter for 45yrs. As with anything else the old Partitions are not the new. The partition was never designed to blow the front half off, at max on the old design it would be a 60/40 split. With the new technology and bonding partitions are built for caliber. The large calibers also have the partition moved forward for dangerous game. In 1997 my wife and I took our 1st Safari to SA. She was shooting a 280 Rem with factory 150gr, Trophy bonded Bear Claws. Her 1st animal was a Gemsbok at about 175yds slightly quartering towards us. Hit right on the point of the shoulder it spun and took off with no indication of a hit. PH and my wife followed the animal for over a 1/2mile with several other shots inflicted. Final result was failure to expand or very little expansion. Original shot hit the shoulder and followed the shoulder blade to exit behind and no penetration. My wife shot an Impala the following day and had the same result with the bullets not expanding. I shot 2 Black Wildebeest with the same round and they worked very well. After that I switched to 150gr. partitions and had 1 shot kills on several more animals. I shot 12 animals from Cape Springbok to Kudu with a 300 H&H with 180gr. partitions all 1 shot kills. My other 2 hunting partners shot a variety of PG with 7Rem mags 1 with 150gr partitions and the other with 160 parts. Only 1 Blue Wildebeest took 2 shots. 2007 we went to Zim and I shot a Zebra, Hyena, Warthog and several Impala all 1 shot kills from a 7 Wthby and 150gr partition. 33yrs of Outfitting from Bear to Bighorn to Moose and everything in between. Several 100 animals including mine and I never saw a Partition fail. And I hate a bad or misplaced shot but at least we always had a blood trail to follow. If Nosler Partitions have a failing why is everyone trying to improve on their design? That includes Nosler. 60 years and still #1 IMHO!!
