Excellence  -  Integrity  -  Service

It all started when…

In the fall of 1946, a stubborn, mud-caked Canadian moose failed to go down, despite a well placed shot from John Nosler’s 300 H&H. On the way home from that trip, John started thinking about a way to make a bullet that would perform well every time, no matter what the size of the game or the shot angle.

Over the next year, he experimented with bullet design, finally settling on a unique, dual core bullet that was really the first Partition®. The following fall, John and his friend, Clarence Purdie, both killed moose with one shot using John’s new bullet. In 1948 the Nosler Partition Bullet Company was formed.

After a few years of production on lathes, John developed the impact extrusion method of manufacture. This ground breaking method produced bullets with extremely concentric jackets that could be optimized for a wide range of uses.

John’s next hunting bullet design was the Solid Base®, unique because of its thick, solid base and tapered jacket. This streamlined boat tail set a new standard for aerodynamics among hunting bullets, but also provided incredible terminal performance on deer-sized big game. Solid Base® varmint and target bullets were built on the same principal, and these quickly set a high standard for accuracy.

Then, in the early 80's, Nosler® set out to design a bullet that would combine the accuracy of a match bullet, the reliable expansion and penetration of the Solid Base®, and the ability to resist recoil-induced deformation in the magazine. The result was the Nosler® Ballistic Tip®. This hyper accurate bullet with the colorful, color-coded polymer tip quickly gained favor with deer, sheep, caribou and antelope hunters.

Thinking that varmint hunters would appreciate the same aerodynamic traits in their bullets, Nosler® soon introduced Ballistic Tip® Varmint bullets. These revolutionary bullets redefined accuracy, explosiveness, and aerodynamics among discriminating varmint hunters.

Also introduced in the 80's was a full line of handgun bullets. Built to the same demanding standards of Nosler’s rifle bullets, the handgun bullets quickly found favor among handgun hunters, target shooters, and competitors. They are accurate, reliable and affordable.

In the 90s, Nosler moved forward again. This time, the product was the Partition-HG™, a handgun hunting bullet incorporating the same internal construction as the legendary Partition® rifle bullets. Now, handgun hunters can tackle any game with total confidence. The same bullets are also sold as muzzle loading sabots for the black powder hunter.

Nosler® also reintroduced match bullets in the 90s. The Nosler Custom Competition™ is available in 22, 6mm, 6.5mm, 308, and 45 caliber configurations. The bullets use conventional cup and draw construction that combines the legendary Nosler jacket of benchrest fame with Nosler’s own, ultra precise lead alloy cores. The result is a bullet that will shoot as well as anything made and is perfect for target, law enforcement, and silhouette applications.

The 90's also brought a strategic alliance between Nosler® and Winchester®. The result is a full line of innovative Combined Technology®, (CT®) bullets. These bullets incorporate advanced features to provide the hunter with the ultimate blend of in-flight and terminal performance for a wide range of shooting and hunting applications.

In 2001 Nosler introduced another advancement in bullet technology. The Nosler AccuBond® is a polymer tipped, bonded core bullet that combines the penetration of the Partition® and the brilliant accuracy of the Ballistic Tip®. The Nosler® AccuBond® is the benchmark of all bonded core bullets.

2005 marked the beginning of NoslerCustom® and with it the introduction of the NoslerCustom® Rifle, NoslerCustom® Brass and NoslerCustom® Ammunition. Hunters could now enjoy the same quality and reliability that they have come to expect from Nosler bullets in their rifles, brass and ammunition.

2006 brought a new Nosler® Rifle, the Model 48. Named for the year that John Nosler began selling the now legendary Partition bullets – 1948 – it embodies the performance and quality that the Nosler name has now become synonymous with. Made more for the field than the showroom, the Model 48 is a true hunting rifle.

2007 was indeed a year to remember. The introduction of the E-Tip® to the Nosler family of bullets started the year out with much excitement and anticipation. The new E-Tip® is an all copper bullet with a polymer tip that flies true, exhibits quick expansion, and delivers 95%+ weight retention. The 2nd Edition NoslerCustom® Rifle chambered in 280 Ackley Improved was announced in January and has been a hit with everyone that has purchased one as well as the industry writers that have used them. The 6th Edition of the Nosler Reloading Guide was also released in fourth quarter 2007 with much anticipation, followed by praise.

Along with a slew of new products, 2007 was also a very large year for awards. Early in the year John A. Nosler was awarded the inaugural Golden Bullseye Pioneer Award from the NRA for his innovation and development in bullet design and ballistics worldwide. The Oregon Hunter’s Association also awarded him with their Lifetime Achievement Award. The NoslerCustom® Model 48 Rifle won the coveted Best of the Best Award from Field & Stream Magazine, giving it the top spot in a very competitive and prestigious category.

2008 was a year filled with many new additions to current Nosler products and the introduction of Nosler Solids™. The largest Partition ever produced also began production in 2008. The .458” 500 grain Partition compliments its Dangerous Game brother well, the Nosler Solid™ of the same caliber and weight.

The patent pending E-Tip® also saw a dramatic increase in offerings for 2008. The E-Tip® is now available in 6mm, 7mm, 270, and 30 calibers with a 338 soon to follow. Its performance and accuracy has been recognized industry wide by winning the Field and Stream Best of the Best Tester’s Pick Award for ammunition.