The Federal Terminal Ascent is a solid copper base bullet; a later generation Jack Carter Trophy Bonded Bear Claw bullet. It has higher BC values than the original Jack Carter line of TBBC bullets. I've never shot the Federal Terminal Ascent bullets. IF their terminal performance is similar to the TBBC bullet, it would be my preferred choice.
The TBBC has been my favorite bullet for closer range shots on Alaskan brown bear and moose since 2001. It's what I load and carry in the magazine for bear and camp defense bullets hunting Alaskan animals. It's provided an ideal blend of expansion, weight retension, penetration, and has delivered tremendous knockdown effect. Even wounded, adrenaline-charged brown bear have been stopped cold by TBBC bullets.
Performance on moose has been similarly good.
Because of their lower BC values, the best application of TBBC, Swift A-Frame, and Nosler Partition bullets is closer range use (IMO) . Say within ~200 yards. My experiences with these bullets has been yardages between 50 and 225yds. Specific bullet experience is based on use of 225gr TBBC and 275gr Swift A-Frame 338 caliber bullets. And 160gr TBBC 284 caliber bullets. I do have some 30cal 200gr TBBC bullets, which I exclusively load and carry in my magazines as bear/camp defense bullets in 300 Win Mag and 30 Sherman Mag cartridges. I've never shot a large game animal with them. Not yet...
I have more limited experience with Swift A-Frame bullets on AK brown bear and caribou. Observed very good terminal performance and knockdown energy.
Nosler Partition bullets will shed more weight and give up some depth of penetration on large animals, compared to the TBBC and Swift A-Frame bullets.
If the Federal Terminal Ascent bullets perform similarly to TBBC bullets, my preferred ranking of the bullets you're considering would be Federal Terminal Acent, Swift A-Frame, Nosler Partition.
Having stated this, North Slope grizzly bears and caribou will not be exceptionally large-bodied animals. You wouldn't be handicapped using Nosler Partitions on North Slope grizzly bears.
memtb
