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Forum Index > Rifles general discussion > 6.5x55 & 140G Partition.

6.5x55 & 140G Partition.

29 Nov 2020
@ 09:09 am (GMT)

Jon Short

Hi all,

Just back from a trip down Taumarunui.

Shot a good sized Red bush stalking while it was bedded down at about 25-30 yards. I decided to use the 140G Partition rather than the Amax I have used a lot in the last.

I shot it right on the ball joint of the shoulder. It was sitting with its leg back & under its body so the joint was sitting further back than I could envisage. I had discussed this with Nathan some time ago re the risk of bullet blow up on this joint with frangible bullets like the Amax. I have seen it stop arrows back in my bowhunting days.

However, the deer never got up & died instantly. A great result as I had my partner sneaking along behind me with her Go Pro running. It was our first deer together. I good humane kill.

On dressing the deer out I found tha the partition had completely exploded/smashed the ball joint also breaking the leg bone below it. entry through the ribs under was about a 25-30mm diameter hole. What astonished me was that there was also an exit of the same size behind the opposing leg on the other side. The top 1/3rd of the heart was gone & lungs also damaged.

I can see that this projectile is super tough to have destroyed the ball joint, destroyed vitals on the way through & still punched right through the deer to exit. As much as I like the Amax & have shot numerous deer with them, the partition seems to be the right choice for closer range deer stalking in my 6.5x55. I don't think the Amax would have performed the same & likely would have blown up more on passing through the ball joint. I suspect it would still destroy the vitals but doubt it would exit.

I have shot a spiker two years back with a difficult shot & found it performed well where the hip was ultimately taken out at the end of the bullets path through the animal.

Essentially I think that the Partition for the 6.5 is as Nathan advises, in that it is a good choice for closer range deer talking distances reducing the risk of bullet blow up on solid things like the shoulder ball joint at close range high velocities. I'd still go with the Amax out past say 100 yards without any worry.

Interested in if anyone else has found similar results?

Cheers

Jon





Replies

1
29 Nov 2020
@ 11:31 am (GMT)

Scott Struif

Re: 6.5x55 & 140G Partition.
Hi, Jon, and congrats! I don’t have similar results to share, but your story is valuable to all of us who might question whether a partition will hold up to the rigors of a close-range shoulder-shot. Thanks for sharing. I wish you could post the video, but I don’t know if it’s possible on here. If it is, I’d love to see it!
30 Nov 2020
@ 04:45 pm (GMT)

Jon Short

Re: 6.5x55 & 140G Partition.
Will try & get onto the video sorted or a pic or two at some stage as time permits...
01 Dec 2020
@ 05:31 pm (GMT)

Jon Short

Re: 6.5x55 & 140G Partition.
https://i.postimg.cc/Kjpz97Jn/ENTRY-ON-BALL-OF-SHOULDER-RED-HIND.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/Kjpz97Jn/ENTRY-ON-BALL-OF-SHOULDER-RED-HIND.jpg

Attempt at uploading photos
01 Dec 2020
@ 05:32 pm (GMT)

Jon Short

Re: 6.5x55 & 140G Partition.


01 Dec 2020
@ 05:35 pm (GMT)

Jon Short

Re: 6.5x55 & 140G Partition.
Previous photo was entry wound.
Below id the exist where you can see that the ball joint has been completely destroyed, yet the partition still punched right through the far side of the animal to exit, destroying the top of the heart & part lungs on the way. Pretty tough projectile huh?



01 Dec 2020
@ 05:38 pm (GMT)

Jon Short

Re: 6.5x55 & 140G Partition.
The bruising to the leg meat was not too bad either with not much meat lost around the joint. Had it been an Amax at this range, as much as I like the projectile, the bruising & bullet blow up would have made a hell of a mess I think.

Cheers,

Jon
01 Dec 2020
@ 07:56 pm (GMT)

Scott Struif

Re: 6.5x55 & 140G Partition.
Thanks for the pics, Jon. When you said the bullet “exploded/smashed the ball joint”, you weren’t kidding.
02 Dec 2020
@ 10:10 am (GMT)

Jon Short

Re: 6.5x55 & 140G Partition.
Yeah Scott, pretty impressive & goes to show that it is a more suitable projectile than most in the 6.5x55 for close range normal NZ bush red deer stalking.
04 Dec 2020
@ 09:19 pm (GMT)

Ian

Re: 6.5x55 & 140G Partition.
A similar experience to yours Jon. Sambar spiker, weight maybe 150/170 kg. Distance about 120 yards, Standing, angling slightly away and unalarmed. 160 7mm Partition @ 2800 mv.
In behind the nearside leg/shoulder, out the opposite side and direct hit on the ball joint. Pulled up HARD under the skin making the classic lump. Didn't just stop at the skin.
The ball joint was pulverised and the bullet still had plenty of steam after two lots of ribs, two lots of hide and the ball joint. Projectile wasn't pretty, but so what ?
I'm always concerned that an accidental hit on the ball, or even the humerus, may stop the projectile before it can get into the chest, but not an issue with this load on this size animal.
05 Dec 2020
@ 07:26 am (GMT)

Scott Struif

Re: 6.5x55 & 140G Partition.
In spite of conventional wisdom to “use enough gun”, there seems to be a great deal of interest on here to shoot larger deer species with <30 cal. projectiles. It would seem a direct shoulder hit with a partition would “waste” any potential of hydraulic shock, because its soft nose nose would explode on bone/cartilage. Still, the incapacitating effect of such a shot can’t be disputed. If there’s enough left of the bullet to plow through, then mission accomplished. Nathan mentioned in a live feed a few Saturdays ago that he still considers the partition a good design for short-range work, in spite of its age, although he also said it could use revision, without specifying what that might be. Bonding of the rear core, perhaps? I’ve asked about Federal’s new Terminal Ascent bullet, which is essentially a partition with a solid copper rear end, but nobody has tested it yet.
11 Dec 2020
@ 06:27 pm (GMT)

Jon Short

Re: 6.5x55 & 140G Partition.
Thanks fellas.

Good to hear of a similar experience. Right pill for the right range I think is the key & this is a good example.

I had no thought that there was any risk of hitting the ball of the should based on how the deer was positioned when I took this shot. It can be really hard to visualise where that joint is sitting when look through your scope at the animal, pick you spot & take your shot, & sometimes there is not enough time to even consider that either.

Understanding what can go wrong at the distances you are likely to shoot an animal at & the impact velocities is a big factor in what pill you decide to hunt with for that area or hunt.

Cheers
12 Dec 2020
@ 12:17 am (GMT)

Scott Struif

Re: 6.5x55 & 140G Partition.
Jon. Your pics and Ian’s description of the Partition’s performance were helpful to me. I wondered how the rear core would hold up after striking bone. I read a little more about the Terminal Ascent. It evolved from a design Federal has been marketing for years: Trophy Bonded Bear Claw, Trophy Bonded Tip, Edge TLR. It would seem to solve the problem Ian described (i.e., “Projectile wasn’t pretty”). But the nose is bonded, and the rear core is solid, so maybe it wouldn’t not have produced the results you guys achieved with the Partition. Anyway, interesting stuff. Thanks!
18 Dec 2020
@ 09:19 am (GMT)

Joshua Mayfield

Re: 6.5x55 & 140G Partition.
With the current shortage in components I am considering projectiles I had not been interested in previously. One bullet that seems widely available right now in the .264 / 6.5 diameter is the 100 grain Partition. Does anyone have experience with that bullet? The specific hunting situation would be deer likely between 120 and 250 lb live weight at sub 200 yard ranges.
18 Dec 2020
@ 08:18 pm (GMT)

Jonathan Kitterman

Re: 6.5x55 & 140G Partition.
I think you would be fine with that choice and distance limits. I wouldn't think it would be much different that a 243 with a 100 grain Partition. Peek in the Knowledge Base too.

Links from Nolser website on loads. Just compare same weight on the tabs.

<a href="&#13;<BR>https://load-data.nosler.com/load-data/65x55-swedish-mauser/&#13;<BR>&#13;<BR>https://load-data.nosler.com/load-data/243-winchester/&#13;<BR>">
https://load-data.nosler.com/load-data/65x55-swedish-mauser/

https://load-data.nosler.com/load-data/243-winchester/
</a>
19 Dec 2020
@ 06:07 am (GMT)

Scott Struif

Re: 6.5x55 & 140G Partition.
Also take a look at the Knowledgebase article on the 257 Roberts:

“At Roberts velocities, the 100 grain Nosler Partition is arguably the most useful, most versatile bullet available of the .257” offerings. The Partition can be driven at 3000fps or above to optimize wounding without suffering any risk of bullet blow up on medium game. The 100 grain Partition produces violent wounding, its only weakness being a mild BC of .377 which simply cannot be helped. Statistically, this is one of the most common projectiles used in the Roberts on deer in the U.S.”
15 Feb 2021
@ 11:46 am (GMT)

John Smith

Re: 6.5x55 & 140G Partition.
Last Fall I shot a two-year old Whitetail deer in the shoulder
at 80 yards with a Hornady 143 ELD-X bullet using RL-22 powder in
my Ruger No. lA in 6.5x55.
She made one short lunge and died. Shoulder bone was
destroyed. The bullet did not exit.
15 Feb 2021
@ 11:57 am (GMT)

John Smith

Re: 6.5x55 & 140G Partition.
Despite Summer temperatures that day, with quick, proper care
the venison has been delicious.
09 Mar 2021
@ 02:23 am (GMT)

Edelweiss

Re: 6.5x55 & 140G Partition.
Kind Regards,

i´m hunting a long time with 7x57 Mauser 140grain Partition by 2624fps.
Shooting Red Stags in the Bavarian Alps until 250 Meter without any Problem.
Forward hogs on driven hunts without any problem and so one....

Since 3 years I shoot a lot with 6XC (near the same like 243 Win) 100grain Partition with 2980fps.
Distances where all under 200 Meter and getaway was so good like not existence.

The best thing 6XC with 100 grain partition and silencer is very very silence. Shooting Stags from the crowd away and they doesn't notice it. Never have this in another silenced caliber.

For a long time in the 80´s Austria has a ammo manufacture
called Hirtenberger. Nosler was building a 105 Grain Partition only for Hirtenberger in .264. When Hirtenberger change ammo and build only for military never for hunting. Nosler take 5grain away and bring out the 100 grain partition for the .264.

Hirtenberger offerd 3 different ammo types for .264:

100 grain with 3080 fps, 125 grain with 2840 fps and 140 grain with 2650fps

This 3 Versions where for the Austria hunters Godlike For European animals.

For Chamois there is the 120gr Ballistic Tip also a good choose like the 143 Eld-X.

Only for information, I´m a meat hunter and still looking for less damage and short escape.

07 May 2021
@ 09:47 am (GMT)

Warwick Marflitt

Re: 6.5x55 & 140G Partition.
Edelweiss. Slow down and get closer to the deer. Then head(very tricky)or neck shoot them. With good bullet, correctly placed shot! You will have minimal meat loss.... Obviously nearly impossible on a running target unless you're trained to SAS levels of accuracy and using a soon to be, or already banned semi-auto........ sometimes you just have to accept some loss of meat. The dog's always welcome the feed. Just make sure its not full of bullet fragments....
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