Nosler is an American manufacturer of bullets, ammunition, brass, and rifles, founded in 1948 by John Amos Nosler and headquartered in Bend, Oregon. The company built its reputation on a single innovation — the Partition bullet — and has remained family-owned for over 75 years. Nosler is a SAAMI member.

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Nosler exists because a bullet failed. In 1946, John Nosler's bullet came apart on a moose in British Columbia — inadequate penetration on a broadside shot. He went home to his garage in Ashland, Oregon, and invented the Partition: a bullet with a copper wall separating two lead cores, so the front expands while the rear drives through. That design, largely unchanged since the 1950s, is still the standard by which hunting bullets are judged.
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Key milestones:

• 1948 — Founded in Ashland, Oregon, after John Nosler's bullet-failure hunting experience
• 1950s — Partition bullet introduced; adopted by hunters and ammunition manufacturers
• 1978 — Relocated to Bend, Oregon (current headquarters and manufacturing facility)
• 1989 — Ballistic Tip introduced (polymer-tipped hunting bullet)
• 2003 — AccuBond bonded-core bullet launched
• 2000s — Entered loaded ammunition market; began M48 rifle production
• 2014-2017 — Developed proprietary cartridges: 26, 28, 30, and 33 Nosler
• Present — SAAMI member; family-owned; Bend, OR; bullets, ammunition, brass, and rifles

Product Lines

Hunting bullets (Nosler's core business):

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Partition vs. AccuBond — the Nosler decision tree: Partition for the biggest, toughest animals where you need absolute penetration insurance (elk, moose, bear, African game). AccuBond for everything else — it's more accurate in most rifles, expands more reliably at long range, and handles deer through elk perfectly. When in doubt, AccuBond. When it matters most, Partition.
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Match and competition bullets:

Loaded ammunition:

Proprietary cartridges:

Rifles and brass:

Innovation & Technology

Nosler's bullet technology compared:

Community & Reputation

Common praise:

• Partition is genuinely proven — 75+ years of big game performance
• AccuBond is one of the best all-around hunting bullets available
• Brass quality is exceptional for handloaders
• Nosler cartridges deliver impressive velocities in standard actions
• Family-owned consistency; manufacturing quality is high
• E-Tip is one of the better lead-free options

Common criticism:

• Premium pricing across all product lines
• M48 rifles are good but compete against established names (Tikka, Browning)
• Nosler cartridges burn barrels fast (overbore designs)
• Match bullets lag behind Berger and Lapua for pure accuracy
• Trophy Grade ammo is expensive for what you get vs. handloading

Buyer's Guide

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Bottom line: Nosler is the bullet company that invented the modern hunting bullet. The Partition remains the gold standard for dangerous game, and the AccuBond is one of the best all-around hunting bullets made. If you handload, Nosler bullets and brass are premium components worth the price. If you buy factory ammo, Trophy Grade delivers. The proprietary Nosler cartridges are impressive but overbore — expect 1,500-barrel life on the 26 and 28 Nosler. For most hunters, standard calibers loaded with Nosler bullets deliver 95% of the performance without the barrel penalty.
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References

• Nosler official site: nosler.com
• Nosler company history: "Born from a Bullet Failure"
• American Hunter: "Behind the Bullet" series on Nosler cartridges
• Nosler Reloading Guide (published reference data)
• Handloader community reviews of Nosler components

Read the original article in The Handbook | By Boise Gun Club Editorial Team

Join the Discussion

Have you tried any of the newer Nosler loadings, or are you still running their classics like the Partition or Ballistic Tip?