165 gr. 30-06. Partition or TTSX Do-All Bullet?

[emrah1028]

So for those who have real-world experience with either of these bullets, which would you suggest as a do-all bullet? Deer, hogs and potentially down the road, elk. I've read all the great reputation the Partition has acquired over the past several decades, but what about the TTSX? Does it expand all the time? As well as the Partition?

I know with shot placement dead is dead, but there is a difference between quick dead and longer to die dead. You know?

Emrah

 

[MtnWest]

165 partition in an '06 is a beautiful thing. Killed a nice bear with that combo. Bullet opened and went on through. Partitions aren't all that hip anymore and won't set any 1000yd records but they will expand and penetrate fast or slow which is hard to match. No experience with Barnes so can't comment on them. Good luck

 

[.280 Remington]

I'd say the Partition is more of a "do-all" bullet since it expands a little easier than the X. Not that either couldn't "do all" easily though. I have seen X's shot through critters (in the guts and not from my rifle) fail to expand.

 

[Rooster52]

I have used these 165 partitions for years with no problems but not the most accurate but accurate enough for a hunting bullet. My most accurate bullet in my rifle is the Speer Deep Curl.Shoots the Speer 180 over 61 grains of R22 under 1 inch groups at 100 yards consistently.Lately this has been my deer load.
I never could get an accurate load with the Barnes bullets.And also heard to many storys of the bullet not consistantly expanding.

 

[1_pointer]

There's nothing on your list I haven't or would shoot with either of those bullets, with my preference being the Partition. I'd load both and go with whichever shot the best.

FWIW, a 165gr Partition out of 30-06 is capable of killing 3 hogs with one shot...

 

[noharleyyet]

Guess I'm partial to tipped bullets (TTSX, Accubond in particular) with TSX a close second.

 

[Ben Long]

Partition has withstood the test of time, IMO.

 

[jryoung]

Shoot whatever is most accurate in your rifle, both with make things dead. If I was a lead shooter I'd be shooting a partition.

 

[hank4elk]

I don't reload but use those bullets.
I have several boxes Partitions and just picked up some more cheep. Like stated,good all around,fairly accurate and shoots good in my -06.
But I've used the Barnes 165tsx for years and could not believe the accuracy and how they performed,on deer pigs and elk.
Fed stopped making them(Barnes was sold I was told), And started looking for another factory copper load.
Was told to try factory load that appeared to be similar,the Nosler w/165 Accubond.
Increadably accurate,better performance in punch and how it puts down an elk.
These are the first tipped bullets I've used.
Don't know why Barnes stopped making the tzx untipped.It's the best bullet I've ever used as far as what it does on an animal.Dead/now. 30 cal going in 3/4" coming out. Done deal.
And those Federal Vital-shocks where the best factory ammo...IMHO
But the power and accuracy of the Nosler w/Accubond is right there.
But I did have to put 2 rounds in 2 cow elk now that ran after first shot.Both were running dead and 2nd put them down.Recovered 2 Accubonds so far and the appear to function like a Partition/Barnes petals cross.:hump:

 

[putm2sleep]

20 years of real-world experience (not too much) and I would say the NP is all-around. At least for elk, deer and speedgoats.

.180 gr goes through the all my calibers up to .338 / note: and I am not a real long range shooter, dont want to or need to shoot over 200 yds.

Quick dead is nice. I do not like when dead bulls go marching up and over the mountain - saw it happen once and could not beleieve it??? Long to dead sucks - did the death march straight up, and I could not keep up ....they can soak up some energy and go with a herd and be gone gone gone.
---
Funny story, I shot up all the loads for my .338 sighting in this season, went to get more - OUT! Emrah - I bought a box of TTSX ironically enough, and say that does the job quite well too.

 

[jryoung]

Fed stopped making them(Barnes was sold I was told), And started looking for another factory copper load...Don't know why Barnes stopped making the tzx untipped.It's the best bullet I've ever used as far as what it does on an animal.Dead/now. 30 cal going in 3/4" coming out. Done deal.

Barnes still makes them, but Federals copper bullets are now "Trophy Copper" (outside of their dangerous game loads) which I believe is a Nosler E-tip. The timing coincided with Barnes producing it's own line of ammunition so there was probably an issue of competing products and licensing fees that Barnes wanted to charge Federal.

 

[MKotur325]

Our Family has shot .30 Cal 180 Gr Partitions out of Everything from .308's to .30-06's to .300WSM's for well over two decades. Put them in the right spot and critters die. Flat out. I have only seen one instance in all my years of hunting where a bullet that didn't exit couldn't be recovered. That was a bullet that tumbled in an elk. No bullet was recovered, but that elk only managed one step.

I would have no reservations about shooting 165gr Partitions out of an '06. I would also have no reservations about running any 150Gr or heavier Partition; or 165gr or heavier accubond out of an '06.

I also have no experience with Barnes bullets so cannot comment.

 

[sbhooper]

The joy of the Partitions, is that they function at all velocities, whereas, the all-copper bullets can on occasion fail to expand. Both are good bullets, but for my money, it will always be a Partition.

I have not used them in my .308 yet, as I like Hornady 165 Interlocks in that, but in my 7 mags, the Partitons are 1/2 minute shooters in both rifles. The 160s punch all the way through elk as far as I care to shoot.

 

[MKotur325]

This is an 8mm 200Gr Nosler Accubond I recovered out of a Mule Deer taken at 134 yds. Approx 2640fps impact velocity. This bullet entered the neck, penetrated completely through 3 vertibrae, and came to rest in the fatty tissue between the paunch and the hind quarter. Weight retention was about 68-70% but I wouldn't really expect more after penetrating through roughly 8" of back bone. This is the only Accubond I've recovered, all others exited. I couldn't be more pleased with them, and will continue shooting them for most of my hunting calibers.

 

[Hem]

I don't tend to experiment with bullets a whole lot tending to stick with what has always worked.Not to muddy the waters but simply offer a point of view from experience, I have had great success with the Federal Premium 165 g. BTSP in my 30.06.This bullet has laid out a handful of bulls,deer and antelope.The accuracy has been consistent at moderate ranges,I think the farthest kill shot on a bull has been 250 yds. and in every case the bullet has dropped the elk where he stood.Certainly an off topic comparison but food for thought.

 

[ScottP]

I have had great luck shooting the TSX, not the tipped version though. We shoot copper/mono in all our rifles.

I've shot the last 8 or so WT deer with the TSX and they just don't go anywhere (and I'm not shooting shoulders either). I've shot 2 elk with them as well, with similar results. the only bullet I recovered was from a feral goat that I shot facing me and the bullet was lodged between the rear leg and hide - perfect expansion. the rest were pass through.

I prefer the non-fragmenting solids as well, so I don't get any unexpected pieces in my meat.

 

[Mthuntinfool]

I have shot some partitions and liked them out of my pre-64 m70 -06. no experience with barnes, but plan to reload some for my 7mm rem mag. the partitions gave pass throughs on several whitetail. the hornady 165gr are also a good choice, i have had good luck with them as well.

 

[TheJason]

I have had outstanding luck with Barnes TSX bullets. I've shot Partitions too, and they performed well. However, I didn't like the excessive bloodshot meat, and having kids I didn't like the studies I was reading about lead fragments in wild game.

 

[ScottP]

I have had outstanding luck with Barnes TSX bullets. I've shot Partitions too, and they performed well. However, I didn't like the excessive bloodshot meat, and having kids I didn't like the studies I was reading about lead fragments in wild game.

exactly! no reason to ingest lead when you don't have to... I switched the day I bit down on a bullet fragment in ground meat I had butchered, cleaned, and ground myself. And I've been called 'OCD' when it comes to meat handling....

 

[hank4elk]

Barnes still makes them, but Federals copper bullets are now "Trophy Copper" (outside of their dangerous game loads) which I believe is a Nosler E-tip. The timing coincided with Barnes producing it's own line of ammunition so there was probably an issue of competing products and licensing fees that Barnes wanted to charge Federal.

Heard it thru a Remington guy that Barnes would be making their own and Rem would now use some Barnes. A contract deal w/Fed. like you said.
I had just gotten some Nosler W/Accubond 165's on advice from buddy.Said they had way more punch than what I had been using. He was right. That one I posted was 300 yrds out.
The first one destroyed the opposite shoulder on the way out.