223...50tsx or 60 partition

[long40shot]

In a 223 being used for deer, any opinions on one over the other?

Thanks
Matt

 

[timeout]

In a 223 being used for deer, any opinions on one over the other?

Thanks
Matt

Of those two choices, and if the twist rate of the barrel is adequate, the Partitions.

 

[JRS]

Partition.

 

[msinc]

No question that the Partition is a fantastic bullet design...but I have never been able to get them to group in any rifle of any caliber, especially the 223. I have seen two rifles in my lifetime that actually did shoot them pretty good {1 1/2"}. I have two different 223 rifles that are both tack drivers and about the best I can do with Partition bullets is 3 inch groups. I guess if you consider a 3 inch group okay for deer then yeah, Partitions....

 

[watercam]

Though I have used Partition bullets and they definitely do the job they were designed for, I prefer the TSX bullets in all game hunting calibers. The Partitions I have used on game typically lose 20-30% of their weight (many have lost their forward lead cores completely). With the Barnes bullet one can use a slightly lighter bullet for better velocity and rest assured that the solid copper bullet with retain all it's weight upon impact. They macerate the heart/lung cavity and penetrate extremely well. I have yet to lose an animal shot well with these.
I think many who have tried the monolithic bullets and decry their lack of accuracy are not adhering to the Barnes suggestion to jump the bullets to a greater degree than cup-and-core bullets. I have found best accuracy jumping from .050" - .080". I have a 300 Weatherby with the typical long leade that shoots best at magazine length but are jumping .125" to the lands. Accuracy has been quite good with that load.
Best of luck with your hunt!

 

[bcott]

I agree with watercam. Barnes bullets ARE accuracy sensitive to jump distances. With Barnes 45gr. TSX bullets in a Rem .223 I am jumping .090" and getting 5/8" to 7/8" three shot groups at 100 yds. Jumping .050"(which is where I started at) was giving me 1 1/4" to 1 1/2" size groups. Twist of this rifle is 1:10" 22" barrel length. The further I jumped them the smaller the groups got. I stopped @ .090" jump. Accuracy was good enough for what I do....predators. Carl L.

 

[Larryh128]

I will agree with both of the previous posts, I have switched exclusively to Barnes for every rifle that I hunt with. They are far more devastating bullets than any cup & core bullet. I have shot deer with the 60gr partition bullet before anything better was available. Will they kill deer? Yes, they will, but the Barnes are a lot more accurate and kill MUCH better. Don't overlook the 62 gr Barnes but you really need a 9 twist or faster.

 

[Toby Bradshaw]

Seating depth test (3-shot groups, 100 yards, off a bipod) with the Barnes 85gr TSX in a 6BR, with 95gr Berger VLD groups at the beginning and end of the test as controls (see below). I have tried TSXs close to the lands (see below) and they really don't shoot very well, just as Barnes claims. But like jacketed bullets they do respond to seating depth changes, although you will end up fairly far from the lands for best precision (but not 0.050 off in my rifle). I've never had any rifle group as well with a Barnes TSX as it will with a good quality jacketed bullet, but I very much like the terminal performance of the Barnes on big game (see some 180gr TSX recovered from kudu and oryx in my 2014 safari to Namibia: http://www.africahunting.com/thread...-with-kowas-beginning-to-the-end.11723/page-2).

 

[AckleymanII]

the partition will do a lot more damage on the internals of a deer. I have killed deer with both.

 

[long40shot]

My rifle is a 20" sps tac. 1-9 twist. I went with the 50grn tsx as an option to gain velocity over the heavier ones. Good or bad?

 

[284winner]

Partition hands down.

 

[NC308]

the partition will do a lot more damage on the internals of a deer. I have killed deer with both.

Is this due to the bullet sheading it's front half during impact??

 

[nakneker]

I've used partitions in both a 22-250 & 220 swift, the results are deadly. Both of these rifles are fast twist barrels. They shoot well under an inch.

 

[AckleymanII]

60g = massive expansion on front end

 

[rifleman700]

Whichever one shoots the best. They are both great bullets.

With the Barnes you need to find powder charge first and then start jumping them beginning at .040" off and just keep seating them deeper until you find the sweet spot. Sometimes this can end up being over .100" jump and other times much less than this. DO NOT EXPECT THESE TO SHOOT CLOSE TO THE LANDS AS SOLIDS DO NOT OBDURATE LIKE LEAD CORE BULLETS AND THERE CAN BE PRESSURE ISSUES UP CLOSE. These bullets will shoot as well as any other hunting bullet out there. I used them for many years and never found a rifle that would not shoot them. Start with a stripped/clean bore before shooting Barnes bullets as their copper is a little softer. There are some who are still saying that the Barnes bullets foul barrels more than traditional bullets but this is false. The "original X" had that problem but the TSX and TTSX being made now use a harder copper and long strings can be shot with no problems as long as the copper from other bullets is removed from the bore first.

My only experience with the Partition is in a 7RM and I killed more game with this combo than any other combo.

 

[284winner]

Is this due to the bullet sheading it's front half during impact??

Not entirely. Yes that's part of it but the partition stays together and pushes into the vitals thru heavier stuff where it needs to go without separating or fragmenting. Fragmentation isn't terrible but on a 224, it's not the best deer medicine. That 60 partition is probably the smallest bullet I'd consider( personally) on a deer and best construction. As ackleymanII experienced with the 7mm, my experience mirrors his. I've had the best success with the 160 Nosler Partitions on deer and larger game. Fabulous bullet for anything big.

 

[AckleymanII]

We have a friend that has an apple orchard here in SC. He has a depredation permit, and kills a lot of deer with a Sako 14T 22/250 loaded with 60g partitions at 3600, glory, they kill heck out of a deer on the spot.

 

[Jaybo]

Definitely the 60gr nosler partition. All 3 of my kids killed there first deer with that bullet. none of the deer went over 50 yards and the bullet place ment was not the best on some of them.

 

[284winner]

Isn't it funny how some people really have issues with using a 22 Cal to harvest deer when KIDS are killing deer cleanly every year with one. Just have to be sensible about what bullet is used. That one is at the top, no doubt. Love to hear about kids killing deer. No better way than with a pleasant gun to shoot either.

 

[long40shot]

I'm a fan of neck shots. The spot I've been hunting the last few years gives me shots around 10-100 yards. I'm thinking the 50tsx would do a number on a deer's neck at that distance.