# Nosler BT or Partition



## jeep_guy_4x4 (Apr 11, 2005)

I purchased .257 weatherby magnum to hunt Pronghorns out west. I ordered Weatherby 115 grain loads with Nosler Balistic Tips...Nosler claims that this is perhaps the best long range deer and antelope round for long range....

I would also like to use this rifle for hunting in Michigan...most shots are between 15-35 yards...

Do these rounds work well for close range too.... or should I consider a differnt load....

Perhaps the Nosler Partition works better at close range....

I would appreciate comments about these loads... Currently, I don't reload and am only aware of factory loads available form Federal, or Weatherby..


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## Whelen35 (Mar 9, 2004)

For one load=partition.

I find that the 115 BT's work very well at 257 Roberts speeds, 2700fps,
but I would still not want to shooot a deer at 25-35yds with one even at that speed. The partition is your best option for close range shooting, or if you can find a factory loaded barns-x that would be very good, it seems that you can't push then too fast. If yanges were to be expted to be 200yds or more, then the BT would perform very well for the weatherby. I am a fan of the 25 cals, and at least where I hunt, deer are large, with a lot of bucks over the 200lb mark, and most adult does will push 140+ the BT's are great if heavy for cal, and at reduced speeds, or longe range. Just my way of thinking, but I have shot a few deer at close range with BT's, and at high speed and close range the kill is fast, and messy with a fair bit of meat loss. The worst was a buck shot at 20 feet with my 300wby and a nosler BT 150gr at just under 3400fps. You could put your whole arm through the deer where the bullet went. I was expecting a very long shot on my stand, but jumped a very large buck on my way there. Now I have used bt's in this gun after that, but 180's, and will not take a shot that close again with that combo again (unless he is really big) You can use both, but understand how and when to use each.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

My 257 roberts kills them but there is no discernable hole and no blood trail with partitions, this has been my experience with this gun shooting federal premiums with Nosler partitions. Very hard to find deer if they run off in the thick stuff. All above shots are right behind the shoulders in the lungs with no expansion whatsoever. I shot one buck at about 25 yards coming straight towards me and the bullet traveled the complete lenght of his body and was under the hide on the left hip. Bullet was still in good shape, I think they are too tough a bullet for deer, at 257 Roberts plus P velocities anyway. Which is what you would have at longer distance


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## southdakbearfan (Oct 11, 2004)

I shoot a 257 ack, and with the weatherby, I would stick with the partitions. They will explode on the first half or so of the bullet and the latter half will drive through. Pretty much no matter what the range is. Course I prefer penetration with damage over a bullet just exploding too.


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## Sasha and Abby (May 11, 2004)

I have loaded and shot the BT's for over 20 years. I have killed game out to 500yards and as close as 25 yards with them. They shine at longer ranges - that is why they were developed. They will work at short and medium ranges as well. You MAY experience some blow up at close ranges, depending on what part of the deer you hit.

I have shot deer in the neck at 75 yards and you could put your fist through the hole - because the bullet struck the bone and blew it out. I have shot them in the ribs at 50 yards and they jellied the lungs, but did not ruin meat. I say this, because it is all about shot placement and what is hit... all bullets will do these same things to some degree. :sniper:


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