85gr Partitions on deer?

My favorite deer shot, with any firearm, is just at the back crease of the foreleg. That's mostly a soft tissue shot that passes right through, depending on any angling. Given my druthers I'd angle forward. Then if one was off by 3" for whatever reason, the deer still won't go far. That is also about 1/3 up from the bottom.

I have used the 95 grn partition on deer, worked as well as my 308s.
 
Originally Posted By: wisconsinteacherShould a guy go for a on the shoulder shot or the classic behind the shoulder with the .243 and 85gr Partitions.

I'm a behind the shoulder guy, when given a choice. But any shot with that bullet, angling towards vitals, should work on deer........
 
Distance could work against you a little. I like the behind the shoulder shot as well, but have found out that at greater distances, the bullet passes through with minimal mushrooming. That can make recovery very difficult.
 
The way a critter is standing/shot angle, dictates shot placement. Where the bullet is gonna go/end up, is far more important than where it goes in at....
 
I would take the 7RM and leave the little gun at home. I know that is not the question you asked, but we have to remember that the .243 was originally designed as a varmint round, to be used with light weight bullets. And it was phenomenal at it. Accurate as heck and light recoil.

Then we had some hotrod gun writers that decided the rifle would work on whitetails. And it does. But as in a lot of cases, there are better calibers out there. Wisconsin deer are big, and there is a lot to be said for "using enough gun:.

In my estimation, there are too many things that can go wrong with a Partition in the .243. IF you miss bone, that expanded bullet is going to leave a hole not much bigger than 30 caliber. That is not much of a hole for blood trail, and not much for letting in that cold air that leads to early death. Above that, you are starting with only 85 grains of weight, and the front third of that bullet is going to "go away", just like it is designed to. That leaves you with somewhere around 60 grains of projectile to finish the job. Just about the weight of a standard .223 projectile...

If I was going to use the .243, I think I would use a Sierra or similar; they have a thin jacket and will probably do more internal damage than a Partition. But the problem with them is they may not exit, and then if the deer doesn't drop at the shot, you have a heck of a problem.

Just my honest opinion. I have seen Wisconsin whitetails; worked up there twice, will be there again next month. I would use a bigger rifle...
 
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My brother used the 100gr partitions in his 6mm rem (Rem. 660). Shots usually under 100yds and the occasional 150-200yds. Most all shots through the ribs and the exit was a bit bigger than a golf ball. They don't go far with that hit.
 
Originally Posted By: Doubless
If I was going to use the .243, I think I would use a Sierra or similar; they have a thin jacket and will probably do more internal damage than a Partition. But the problem with them is they may not exit, and then if the deer doesn't drop at the shot, you have a heck of a problem.


There's always "something" that comes into play when choosing a hunting round. The .243 is PLENTY of cartridge for any whitetail walking the earth. This comes down to shooter talents and discretion. If you place the shot correctly, there's no problem. And no ... I'm not going to tell everyone how a .22LR can take a deer. But in most any larger game scenario there has to be a certain amount of common sense regardless of the gun being used. A .458 LOTT is a poor choice if the deer is gut shot. A properly placed round from a .243 will drop a deer as fast as most any 24-30 caliber gun if placed in the vitals.

As for the original question .... YES. The Nosler Partition has a long, reputable history as a game bullet. It performs as advertised when used as recommended. I've pulled them out of hogs where they passed through the entire animal and came to rest under the skin on the other side. They retained what looked to be 90% or better of their original weight and expanded as advertised.

Shoot the Partition with confidence ... it's a GREAT bullet.
 
85 partition will penetrate the shoulder and crush the shoulder on the other side...
It's great for 300 pound mule deer out to 350 yards if YOU can shoot that far. A behind the shoulder shot is very good. I try to hit the off shoulder when EVER I can . that way the bullet stays IN the deer and expends all it's energy.
BIG FAN of 6mm/243 Don't under estimate them.
 
Spoken like someone who clearly has no actual experience of the topic at hand.

I have killed dozens and dozens of Wisconsin sized whitetails. If a 85gr Partition don't work, blame the shooter, not the bullet....JME
 
Originally Posted By: 2muchgunSpoken like someone who clearly has no actual experience of the topic at hand.

I have killed dozens and dozens of Wisconsin sized whitetails. If a 85gr Partition don't work, blame the shooter, not the bullet....JME


I am considering using my 6mm for the much smaller TX whitetails and our "everywhere" hog population. (Losing a hog doesn't bother me like losing a deer does, although I don't like to lose ANY game...) For whatever it is worth, what load were you using with the 85 grain Partition to kill all those deer? The rounds are not the same, but maybe I could extrapolate from what you used...
 
Originally Posted By: Doubless?.. I know that is not the question you asked, but we have to remember that the .243 was originally designed as a varmint round, to be used with light weight bullets....
Fact is, Winchester brought out the .243 Win and Remington brought out the .244 Rem (now called 6mm) at almost the same time in the mid-50's. Remington's were 1:12 twists with only lighter weight bullet options in factory ammo for mainly varmints. However, Winchester designed their .243 guns in 1:10 twist and developed factory loads in both 80 gr and 100 gr for varmints AND medium sized big game. The .243 was never intended to be just a varmint round. It wasn't gun writers that made it a big game cartridge, it was hunters that proved it was a reliable medium-sized big game cartridge. It continues to survive the test of time as a deer gun in spite of on-going insistence by bigger bore enthusiasts that it's " not enough gun". That's the main reason why the .243 took off and the .244 stayed behind. I've been hunting deer with the .243 since 1960 and I've been fortunate enough to take a number northern whitetails during 54 yrs of hunting with it. None have ever gone more than a few yards and most dropped where they stood. The cartridge has only gotten better with age as new bullets such as the 85 gr partitions and new powder combinations became available.
 
Originally Posted By: DoublessFor whatever it is worth, what load were you using with the 85 grain Partition to kill all those deer? The rounds are not the same, but maybe I could extrapolate from what you used...

ANY load using a 85gr Partition is adequate. Factory loads and handloads that are somewhere near the middle ground of pressures/velocities. They're all so close in energies that it's a tossup.

There is a thread immediately below this one that discusses loads:

http://www.predatormastersforums.com/for...nt=2&page=1
 
I am a fan of the Partition, having used it from my very first big game hunt in 1970, up until I used my first Barnes X in 1992.

Doubless, if you are concerned with weight retention, use a Barnes in that 243.
 
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