bullet choice

[hoggunner]

If the following bullets shoot with the same accuracy which would you choose for the bigger big game, elk, bear, buffalo. This is a 338 caliber gun and I want to know which one you think kills deader than the others. they are running about 2900 fps and are 225 grainers.
vote for
 hornady interloc
seirra gameking
nosler partition
Thanks and remember you can only vote once, unless you are an illegal
Hoggunner

[2ndtimer]

My order of preference would be
Nosler Partition
Nosler Accubond
Hornady Interlok


Sierra Game King
I would use either the Partition or the Accubond, depending on which one was more accurate in my rifle.

[DennisB]

Partition

[Drilling Man]

If the following bullets shoot with the same accuracy which would you choose for the bigger big game, elk, bear, buffalo. This is a 338 caliber gun and I want to know which one you think kills deader than the others. they are running about 2900 fps and are 225 grainers.
vote for
 hornady interloc
seirra gameking
nosler partition
Thanks and remember you can only vote once, unless you are an illegal
Hoggunner

  I've NEVER seen ANY bullet that can kill something "deader" than another, BUT some do get you there faster.   

  Because you added buffalo, i choose the partition for it's deeper penetration.  It's easily the best all around bullet for varied sizes of animals that's ever been offered to big game hunters.

  DM

[Grumulkin]

If the following bullets shoot with the same accuracy which would you choose for the bigger big game, elk, bear, buffalo.

It's unlikely that they'll shoot with the same accuracy and accuracy would be my guide.

[Drilling Man]

If the following bullets shoot with the same accuracy which would you choose for the bigger big game, elk, bear, buffalo.

It's unlikely that they'll shoot with the same accuracy and accuracy would be my guide.

  It's also VERY likely that "all of them" will shoot plenty good enough for hunting big game, and that's why i don't always pick the most accurate bullet for hunting.  I choose the BEST bullet for the job..

  DM

[BBF]

         Without a doubt  Nosler PT's !   If you had added A frames, that would be the runner up

[nomosendero]

Sticking with your choices only, I would go with the Partition & it's great terminal performance.

Not trying to combine 2 vastly different opinions, but I would also say that the accuracy won't be the same, but at least for 300yds. & under if one shoots MOA & the Partition shoots 1.5" for example, I would go with the Partition as the accuracy will work at that yardage for the careful hunter. Some gun writers years ago wrote the Partition was not that accurate & in some minds it's with us today, but I have several rifles that shoot them very well.

If you go longer, then you will need a closer at accuracy & then you might look at other choices. But remember & I figure DM was illuding to this, bullet performance is paramount because that's the only thing contacting the animal.

[Lloyd Smale]

im not a big fan of premium bullets. I think standard cup and core bullets do just fine if you match the weight to the game. Ive shot truckloads of animals with sierras and nos bts and have yet to have an animal walk off after being hit. That said id do like the partitions and those and the speer grandslams are about the only premium bullets i will spend my money on. Partitions are a hell of a good bullet and they will never let you down. Only downside to them is the cost. To me again if i match the caliber im using and the weight of the bullet i think there a bit of an overkill but what they allow me to do is to use a lighter bullet in a smaller caliber to take a game animal i wouldnt normaly hunt with that gun.  Say if i was going after those same animals with a 2506 vs you 338. Using a 338 on those same animals about any bullet you put in it is going to bring home meat.

[Coyote Hunter]

Lloyd -

While I agree with much of what you have said, I’m a big fan of [carefully selected] premium bullets – particularly North Fork, Trophy Bonded, TTSX and MRX. Also Grand Slams which worked flawlessly for me for 20 years but were never consistently accurate as other bullets.  Ditto the accuracy problem with Partitions and although I’ve seen the on-game results with partitions, I’ve never personally used them on game.

One thing I like about the aforementioned premium bullets [North Fork, Trophy Bonded, TTSX and MRX] is that they provide consistent performance  from the muzzle to as far out as I’d be willing to shoot.  Further, because they don’t fragment like some bullets, meat damage tends to be relatively low even with high impact velocity.

While I don’t use premium bullets for everyday plinking, I do try to minimize their cost by developing practice loads that have approximately the same ballistics.  In any given year, and excluding load development and a handful of practice shots, the money I would save using standard cup-and-core bullets on game instead of premium bullets wouldn’t buy me a good cup of coffee. 

[Cabin4]

As others have said, I would let accuracy be my guide. All those bullets will kill well enough. I have killed elk, bear and pigs with partitions and interlocs. Neither has ever let me down. Never used gamekings in the field or on larger game.

[Drilling Man]

  I've seen many bullets come apart in an animal, and not give the kind of penetration i want and expect.  I shot a moose two times with a .338 loaded with 250 Gran Slams, and both bullets came apart and didn't penetrate nearly as well as i expected them too.

  Anyway, i want a bullet that expands even on small animals, but will drtive in deep on the biggest animals, and NP's do that for me, every time.

  As for the accuracy of NP's.  I've never owned a rifle that wouldn't shoot NP's better than i needed for hunting, and i've fired them in one he!! of a lot of rifles.

  Here's a couple NP groups,







  DM

[Cabin4]

Many thought a 140 grain from a 270 was way to lite for elk. I got complete pass through with an interloc on a mature 700lb-ish bull from 215 yards. Expansion seemed to be just fine from the looks of the wound channel. It anchored him in his tracks. The advancements in bullets over the years is outstanding but you do need to pick the right bullet for the job. There are many choices. Once you got that covered, its all about finalizing selection based on best accuracy.

[Drilling Man]

Many thought a 140 grain from a 270 was way to lite for elk. I got complete pass through with an interloc on a mature 700lb-ish bull from 215 yards. Expansion seemed to be just fine from the looks of the wound channel. It anchored him in his tracks. The advancements in bullets over the years is outstanding but you do need to pick the right bullet for the job. There are many choices. Once you got that covered, its all about finalizing selection based on best accuracy.

  And if the elk had come out at 30 yards, and you hit some bone, i'll bet you that 140 interloc would have come apart.  I've seen it happen too many times.

  That's why i always chose a bullet that will work at all ranges that i will shoot at an animal.

  DM

[Grumulkin]

As others have said, I would let accuracy be my guide. All those bullets will kill well enough. I have killed elk, bear and pigs with partitions and interlocs. Neither has ever let me down. Never used gamekings in the field or on larger game.

I do use premium bullets when they give the best accuracy but, premium bullets aren't needed for deer.  I've actually never used Nosler partitions on game and when I tried them for target shooting they were not satisfactory accuracy wise in the gun I was shooting them in.  I did use .375 caliber 270 grain Speer cup and core bullets (similar to Sierra GameKings) on Blue Wildebeest,  a couple of Warthogs, an Impala, a Blesbok and a Zebra and each animal needed only one shot.  I've used various types of Hornady bullets on a variety of game with entirely satisfactory results.

By the way, Drilling Man, I'm quite impressed with how well your drilling shoots.

[Cabin4]

As others have said, I would let accuracy be my guide. All those bullets will kill well enough. I have killed elk, bear and pigs with partitions and interlocs. Neither has ever let me down. Never used gamekings in the field or on larger game.

I do use premium bullets when they give the best accuracy but, premium bullets aren't needed for deer.  

I won;t disagree with that. But the subject is for bigger game elk, bear, buffalo.

[Coyote Hunter]

I do use premium bullets when they give the best accuracy but, premium bullets aren't needed for deer.

I’d say that is a subjective matter and depends on what a person wants.  Personally, I prefer bullets that hold together at any range/impact velocity from the muzzle to as far out as I’d care to shoot.   Cup and cores can ruin a lot of meat quickly but they do kill deer.  TTSX and MRX kill just as dead, usually with minimal meat loss and regardless of range – plus they provide great penetration even with lighter, flatter shooting bullet weights.

One important note – just because a bullet is expensive and has a fancy design it does not necessarily follow that such a bullet will perform as desired.  On the two recent antelope hunts we used AccuBond and Scirocco II bullets, my first firsthand experience with either.  The AccuBonds (.30-06/150g) worked weel but wasted more meat than necessary.  The Scirocco II (6.5-06AI/130g) didn’t waste much meat going in but didn’t exit, either.  Next year I’ll likely be using TTSX again, which is one of the bullet we’ll be using for the upcoming elk hunt.

[nomosendero]

That is true & within one style of bullet, their are variations with weight, etc. The heavier Accubonds of a given caliber are pretty thick jacketed & behave on game much like a Partition. I found the 270 cal. 140 gr. Acc. to be tough, any tougher & the expansion would be too slow. My 270 with that bullet has accounted for 7 big game animals, all pass throughs except for 1 buck I shot at a sharp angle thatwent in the front shouler & was on the skin at opposite flank. With it's .496 BC, expansion & penetration I can't imagine a better 270 bullet. Oh, BTW the first group was .187" (3-shot) & will go under .5" on a regular basis.

The 180 ACC is thick jacketed as well, my 300 accounted for a Cow Elk with that, blew out both front shoulders (sorry GB about the shoulder slang) & blew out a quarter size hole with very good terminal effect.
I don't think the 150 would have done so well, but I would not expect it to for an Elk. 

[Lloyd Smale]

I guess when i hunt killing the animal cleanly is just as important as whether or not i waste a couple lbs of hambuger meat. that been said ive seen some of the most impressive meat damage and wound channels with bullets like partitions. even more so then with bullets like sierras or bts. A partition will always give complete penetration guranteeing that if you hit one shoulder your going to take out both where a bt or sierra will sometimes stop inside the animal and not ruin the off side shoulder. I guess if my main consern with shooting game animals was meat damage id load fmj bullets or take head shots because in my experience you put any expanding bullet out of anything faster or more powerful then a 3030 into the shoulder of a deer and your going to ruin that shoulder. I shoot a number of deer every year with various caliber guns and have found that when it comes to meat damage that shot placement is a much bigger variable then what caliber or bullet i use. This has gotten to the extreem where on guy thinks even a 338 using grand slams isnt enough. Hell i know friends out west that have hunted elk with a 257 roberts and 270s with cup and core bullets for years and dont feel the need for anymore gun. Why? Because they know how to shoot there guns and dont blaze away shooting an elk in the but as its running away.  At some point a guys got to quit blameing the caliber and bullet selection for his poor results and start looking in the mirror. truck loads of elk have been cleanly harvested using 130 cup and core bullets that arent even as good as the cup and core bullets on the market today. You guys must be hunting a hybrid bullet proff elk.

[nomosendero]

I must not be in that "you guys must be hunting a hybrid bullet proof Elk" group, as I have no idea what that means, I meerly stated the result of an Elk taken with a 180 Accubond, which was perfect performance. I have no worrys hunting Elk with a cup & core bullet as long as it is a proper match in bullet weight & velocity& for the really big animals, caliber.

LLoyd, I do know what you mean in stating that some have taken the tough bullet deal too far. I have a friend that thinks in terms of penetration & tough bullets even for Whitetails, why I have no idea.

BTW, I use the 140 Accubond in the 270 for 2 reasons that have nothing to do with Premium bullet Terminal performance.
1. Accuracy, in the case of this particular rifle this is the most accurate bullet tried.
2. BC, with a BC of .496 it is a very flat shooter, the Hornady SST wil run with it, but I don't get the accuracy. the 150 Berger beats it in BC only, but the vel. loss makes it a little less worthy.
I loaded this for Western Antelope & Mule Deer hunting, & I have killed a bunch of those with cup & core bullets with zero issues, but no load in my 270 gives the combination of accuracy, ballistic efficiency & terminal results of this load.

[Lloyd Smale]

if it were the most accurate bullet ive tried in a gun i might use it myself. Bottom line is my shelf has quite a few boxes of bonded bullets and ive yet to buy a second box of any one of them due to the fact that ive never seen them shine in my guns.

[nomosendero]

Funny how rifles prefer certain bullets, that will never change.

[Cabin4]

Funny how rifles prefer certain bullets, that will never change.

Does the rifle prefer a certain bullet or does the bullet prefer a certain rilfe? That is the question!

[nomosendero]

Funny how rifles prefer certain bullets, that will never change.

Does the rifle prefer a certain bullet or does the bullet prefer a certain rilfe? That is the question!

Typically, it's easier to change bullets than rifles. 

[BBF]

The wives don't get upset if you walk in with a box of new bullets.

[hoggunner]

Thanks for all the feed back. Some of it is useful some not. My ? was 225 grain bullets in 338 cal for bigger big game and alot of you started talking about 140 grain 270 bullets and deer. good info but not what I had asked about.
Thanks to all who stayed on track
Cracker

[Graybeard]

To answer the question asked directly I'd chose the Nosler PT as a first choice and would really have no preference between the other two as #2 and #3. BUT for buffalo I personally would step up to the Nosler 250 PT from the 225 PT. I'm not saying the 225 won't do the job just that with an animal that big I'd want the heavier for caliber bullet.

To expand on that and discuss why one over another I offer this.

When you are shooting a non magnum round such as the .270 mentioned or any round based on the .308 or .30-06 case if you use a heavy for caliber bullet then cup and core bullets like the Hornady and Sierra are fine. For magnum with their higher velocity I think a tougher bullet and/or a heavier bullet should be used. Velocity especially on up close shots can destroy a light weight cup and core bullet and not give you the performance you need.

I think of 225s not really as light weights but rather as middle weights in the .338 Win Mag. The 250 is generally the heavy weight here tho some few heavier ones are out there but not really needed.

Bottom line all three of your choices should work fine but I think the Nosler PT would do so more often and from all angles and all ranges as compared to the other two cup and core bullets.

I own only one belted magnum rifle a .257 Whby Magnum and I shoot only premium bullets in it and only heavy for caliber bullets at that. Both the Nosler 120 PT and the Barnes 115 TSX shoot half inch 3 shot groups at 100 yards from it so they are my choice. Of course it's no .338 Magnum and wouldn't be taken on hunts for the larger game you are asking about.

[Swampman]

Nosler Partition would be my only choice.

[nomosendero]

Thanks for all the feed back. Some of it is useful some not. My ? was 225 grain bullets in 338 cal for bigger big game and alot of you started talking about 140 grain 270 bullets and deer. good info but not what I had asked about.
Thanks to all who stayed on track
Cracker

In my case, I only mentioned the 270 and the Accubond to show there can be other reasons to use a given bullet (premium or not) other than terminal performance alone, even though a premium was not need for killing effect only. That is a principle that would apply to 338 cal, 308, or most any. Since that is a general principle, that may not help you, but may help others & made a decision to mention it.

In my first post I gave my opinion to your direct question of bullets you specifically asked about, the Nosler Partition.

[Larry Gibson]

Like Lloyd I've seen too many Nosler Ps really damage too much meat and not kill elk any better than standard Speer, Sierra or Hornady C&C bullets. Yes, I have personally used the Nosler Ps but don't anymore.  I have been using the Hornady's for many years with complete satisfaction. I also would use the Hornady 250 gr in the .338 Win Mag without any qualms on any of the game listed.  Were i using a gawd aweful magnum that could push a bullet over 3000 fps then I would consider a real "premium" bonded bullet.  However, at 2900 fps and under in a 338 Win Mag either the 225 or 250 gr Hornady will do splendidly.

Larry Gibson