Partition 416 : any opinion?

[Wyatt Smith]

I like @One Day... fighter analogy, the big difference is that an F-22 cost a whole more than an F-16, while a Nosler partition cost about the same as a swift, and possible more than a Barnes. For that reason I would skip Nosler, provided they were all available. Why not have the extra weight retention, and penetration. I do understand that nowadays, you have to take what you can get.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Straight on shot with buff just not enough penetration.Partitions are not my choice for DG. Leopard fine but after that,I want something tougher.

Someone in our group lost a buff bull a few weeks ago, frontal skot in the whithers with an expanding bullet. There was no blood. It died later a way off. Kevin Robinson relates a similar experience in one of his books.

 

[Phil Giordano]

I like @One Day... fighter analogy, the big difference is that an F-22 cost a whole more than an F-16, while a Nosler partition cost about the same as a swift, and possible more than a Barnes. For that reason I would skip Nosler, provided they were all available. Why not have the extra weight retention, and penetration. I do understand that nowadays, you have to take what you can get.

Yes, you know...A Frames are totally impossible to find, don't even mention the Woodleighs.
So I'll start to experiment with the NP
We'll see...

 

[BeeMaa]

Other than the NP, what bullets are available to you? I'd even take a Hornady DGX over a NP because the DGX is bonded.

 

[Phil Giordano]

Other than the NP, what bullets are available to you?

I have in back order the new Hornady DGX Bonded that should work very well.
Other than that, it's impossible even to order any other bullet. Not A Frames, Barnes, Woods, nothing.
Maybe in a German site, in a couple months I could find 350gr TTSXbut I would stay with 400 gr.

 

[BeeMaa]

I have in back order the new Hornady DGX Bonded that should work very well.
Other than that, it's impossible even to order any other bullet. Not A Frames, Barnes, Woods, nothing.
Maybe in a German site, in a couple months I could find 350gr TTSXbut I would stay with 400 gr.

What's your timeline? Are you in a hurry for an upcoming hunt? There are a few members in the EU...you may be able to work something out with them.

 

[Phil Giordano]

What's your timeline? Are you in a hurry for an upcoming hunt? There are a few members in the EU...you may be able to work something out with them.

Well I have a lot of time
No rush
Just I'd like to start reloading and experiment with my pet rifle
I would be great to keep in touch with some other EU members!

 

[Desperatezulu]

Sure the NP's are a bit softer than some modern (bonded) bullets and monos. I'd hazard a guess that NP's have downed a helluva lot more buff than the DGX and maybe more than A-Frames too.
Bear in mind this is a 416 going at 2400 at the muzzle - very different to a magnum PG round at 3000f/s which will cause the front section of an NP to shed.

We all agree there may be even better bullets for buff than the NP but I wouldn't be cancelling my hunt if NPs were all I had.

I'd even take a Hornady DGX over a NP because the DGX is bonded.

I wouldn't!

 

[Desperatezulu]

Someone in our group lost a buff bull a few weeks ago, frontal skot in the whithers with an expanding bullet. There was no blood. It died later a way off. Kevin Robinson relates a similar experience in one of his books.

With respect, was this a marksmanship issue, a tracking issue and/or a bullet failure issue?

At the risk of sounding argumentative, it's not obvious from the info above where or why the bullet was at fault. The buff died so penetration was evidently adequate and no blood sign suggests internal haemorrhaging and no lung damage, thus probably liver if not the heart. The bullet made it to the vitals. Would a solid with the identical placement have performed better in this scenario?

 

[Desperatezulu]

I have in back order the new Hornady DGX Bonded that should work very well.
Other than that, it's impossible even to order any other bullet. Not A Frames, Barnes, Woods, nothing.
Maybe in a German site, in a couple months I could find 350gr TTSXbut I would stay with 400 gr.

Have you considered Peregrine http://peregrinebullets.co.za/vrg1-2-3-2/ Or Kriek bullets https://www.facebook.com/kriekbullets/ in SA?
Both make monos for 416s and usually have stock or can make you for you at fairly notice. Shipping from here to EU would be a bit of a hassle but should be manageable.

 

[Phil Giordano]

Have you considered Peregrine http://peregrinebullets.co.za/vrg1-2-3-2/ Or Kriek bullets https://www.facebook.com/kriekbullets/ in SA?
Both make monos for 416s and usually have stock or can make you for you at fairly notice. Shipping from here to EU would be a bit of a hassle but should be manageable.

Yes, another friend advices me about Peregrine an Greywolf, this evening as soon as I back home I'll give a look at both! Thank you!

 

[Phil Giordano]

Sure the NP's are a bit softer than some modern (bonded) bullets and monos. I'd hazard a guess that NP's have downed a helluva lot more buff than the DGX and maybe more than A-Frames too.
Bear in mind this is a 416 going at 2400 at the muzzle - very different to a magnum PG round at 3000f/s which will cause the front section of an NP to shed.

We all agree there may be even better bullets for buff than the NP but I wouldn't be cancelling my hunt if NPs were all I had.

I wouldn't

In fact I guess that part of the bad reputation NP has in Africa is due to the fact that many used it in a PG caliber.
I bet a 416 @2400 would retain 75/80%, sure a lot less than A Frame and TSX but still enough.
Maybe ..."enough ain't enough" for Cape Buff - this is also true.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Used 300Gr Nosler Partition out of a .375 Holland & Holland Magnum for lion and leopard. Very very good for the felines.

A long time ago, a local (African) friend used 200Gr Nosler Partitions in a .30-06 to shoot several Cape buffalo for the butcher at the Wankie colliery to feed the workers. He reported that they worked wonders if a perfect broadside shot behind the shoulder was taken. But also said that it’s suicide to attempt to use any Nosler Partitions (regardless of caliber) for frontal shots on Cape buffalo. I’m inclined to believe him.

 

[Phil Giordano]

Used 300Gr Nosler Partition out of a .375 Holland & Holland Magnum for lion and leopard. Very very good for the felines.
View attachment 478072
A long time ago, a local (African) friend used 200Gr Nosler Partitions in a .30-06 to shoot several Cape buffalo for the butcher at the Wankie colliery to feed the workers. He reported that they worked wonders if a perfect broadside shot behind the shoulder was taken. But also said that it’s suicide to attempt to use any Nosler Partitions (regardless of caliber) for frontal shots on Cape buffalo. I’m inclined to believe him.

Bad (mixed) news from a good source...
But ...Sir, what a lion!

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Bad (mixed) news from a good source...
But ...Sir, what a lion!

Thanks, son. But I know you’ll get a bigger one.I’ll add that one of my white hunters used a single 500Gr Nosler Partition (traveling at 2100fps) to stop a charging male lion in Botswana (from 20 yards range). Rifle was a pre ‘64 Model 70 in .458 Winchester Magnum and ammunition was Nosler factory loads. The cat was HAMMERED, as if an 18 Wheeler rammed into him.

 

[Philip Glass]

'Morning Friends, I plan to find a good recipe for my 416 Rem - I will start in autumn but I'd like to ask an advice to you all well in advance.
I have Norma 203B, Norma Brass, Fed 215 and.... Nosler Partitions 400 gr.
Now : I know it's not the first bullet that comes to mind talking about African Buffalo. A Frames, Woodleighs, Barnes come first. As you know, all impossibile to find by now (and I guess for a long time) at least here in Italy. I'd like to know if any of you have any good/bad experiences with them in that caliber/weight/velocity combination - to say : any of the 416 firing that bullet.
I have great confidence in Partitions in 30 and 338 cal, but I know African DG is a totally different game.
Any opinion?

Partitions would be just about last on my list for Africa. The problem with reloading for hunting is that so many tinker with the velocities and bullets they use and only shoot paper. It’s best if you are going to reload to prove your load on game. There are so many stories of failures, jams.etc when it comes to hunting Africa with reloads.
Best of luck with your .416!
Philip

 

[Phil Giordano]

Thanks, son. But I know you’ll get a bigger one.I’ll add that one of my white hunters used a single 500Gr Nosler Partition (traveling at 2100fps) to stop a charging male lion in Botswana (from 20 yards range). Rifle was a pre ‘64 Model 70 in .458 Winchester Magnum and ammunition was Nosler factory loads. The cat was HAMMERED, as if an 18 Wheeler rammed into him.

Great to know deeper details about your Lion hunt - I can figure out the effect of that slug when you say "hammered"...
Ok : so it seems that at least I have some Lion bullets!

 

[Phil Giordano]

Partitions would be just about last on my list for Africa. The problem with reloading for hunting is that so many tinker with the velocities and bullets they use and only shoot paper. It’s best if you are going to reload to prove your load on game. There are so many stories of failures, jams.etc when it comes to hunting Africa with reloads.
Best of luck with your .416!
Philip

Thank you Phil! Ok - I'm a passionate reloader since maybe 20 years, so I suppose I know what I'm doing, but you're plenty right, and I'll double check every aspect of my recipe, you bet!

 

[Challer]

Swift has loaded 416 A Frames on their site just now.

 

[BeeMaa]

Swift has loaded 416 A Frames on their site just now.

The problem is the OP's in Italy.