John A. Nosler, the founder of Nosler, Inc. around 1963.
Written by Jessi Cole
The story of Nosler begins not with an engineer or a factory, but with a frustrated hunter. In 1946, John A. Nosler, a trucking company owner and avid outdoorsman, traveled to the wilderness of British Columbia, Canada, for a hunting expedition. Equipped with a standard rifle and ammunition of the day, Nosler found himself in a difficult situation after shooting a bull moose. Despite hitting the moose with what should have been a lethal shot, it didn’t go down. The frustrating failure in his equipment sparked an idea in John—if the available bullets weren’t tough enough, he would create his own.
John A. Nosler with a moose taken with his own Nosler ammunition, circa 1973.
He returned home with the idea of creating a more effective bullet, one that would not fail in the same way. Nosler started experimenting in his garage, where he sketched out early designs and worked on them in his spare time.
At that point, Nosler was still running his trucking business, but his passion for hunting and problem-solving kept him up late into the night, tinkering with prototypes. After countless hours of trial and error, he created a revolutionary new design that would change hunting ammunition forever. By 1948, Nosler had perfected what would later become the famous Partition bullet. This innovative design featured two lead cores separated by a copper partition, allowing the front core to expand and the rear core to retain its weight for deep penetration. The bullet’s dual-purpose structure provided both expansion and penetration, offering hunters the best of both worlds.
Later that year, Nosler returned to the Canadian wilderness for another moose hunt. This time, armed with his new Partition bullet, he took a shot—and the moose went down instantly. It was the proof he needed. The bullet had worked exactly as intended, and Nosler knew he was onto something that could change the industry. He began distributing these bullets to fellow hunters and friends, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Word spread among hunting circles about the Partition bullet's effectiveness, and soon, demand began to grow.
John A. Nosler in the original Nosler workshop.
At first, sales were driven entirely by word of mouth. Nosler, who was still running his trucking company, found himself at a crossroads. His bullets were gaining popularity, but scaling the operation would require a full-time commitment. Nosler made the decision to pivot completely to the bullet business. He moved his fledgling company to Ashland, Oregon, and Nosler, Inc. was officially founded in 1948. (Nosler, Inc. moved to its current home of Bend, Oregon in 1953.)
However, despite the enthusiasm from hunters, breaking into the larger ammunition market wasn’t easy. Nosler approached major ammunition manufacturers with the Partition bullet, but they were hesitant to adopt it. The companies were concerned about its cost, believing consumers might shy away from the higher price. For nearly 10 to 15 years, the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) market remained elusive, forcing Nosler to focus on selling directly to handloaders. Handloading was a growing segment of the market where individuals assembled their own custom ammunition, and these enthusiasts recognized the superior performance of Nosler’s bullets. This helped sustain the company during its early years.
The original box for Nosler's Partition bullet.
The Partition bullet, turned on a lathe, remained Nosler’s primary product for many years. But innovation was never far from John Nosler’s mind. He continually sought ways to improve production and reduce costs. In the 1960s, he discovered the process of impact extrusion, a technique that allowed for faster production without sacrificing quality. This breakthrough allowed Nosler to scale up its operation and produce bullets more efficiently.
As Nosler’s reputation grew, so did its product line. In the 1970s, the company expanded its offerings to include solid base bullets designed for smaller game like varmints and deer. But the next major leap in bullet technology came in the 1980s when Nosler introduced the Ballistic Tip—a groundbreaking design that featured a plastic tip for the first time in hunting ammunition. The Ballistic Tip was developed with deer hunting in mind and offered several advantages. The plastic tip streamlined the bullet’s shape, allowing it to fly flatter and more accurately over long distances. Upon impact, the tip acted as a wedge, ensuring controlled expansion and delivering lethal stopping power. This innovation cemented Nosler’s status as a leader in bullet design.
John A. Nosler in front of one of the original company signs.
Nosler’s products became synonymous with quality and reliability, and the company’s close ties with the hunting community only strengthened its brand. Hunters trusted Nosler bullets for their consistency and performance. The company’s handloading manuals, released every 5 to 7 years, became essential reading for reloading enthusiasts. These manuals don't just provide technical specifications—they tell the story behind the products and feature contributions from industry icons like Jason Hornady and Adam Weatherby, fostering a sense of community among the hunting industry.
Pat Mundy, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, says, "There's just a little bit of glue that Nosler creates that binds us all together."
As Nosler expanded, it remained a family business, a tradition that continues to this day. John A. Nosler’s son, Bob Nosler, took over leadership of the company, ensuring that the same values of innovation and quality were upheld. Today, the third generation of the Nosler family, with John R. Nosler and his sister Jill Nosler, continues to guide the company forward.
Nosler’s commitment to its customers goes beyond bullets. The company listens to feedback from hunters, constantly refining its designs to meet their needs. Mundy says, "We aim to have two ears and one mouth and really listen to what our customers need and want. The genesis of most product ideas comes from employees and straight from customers."
An old advertisement in a local Oregon newspaper.
This dedication to innovation is reflected in newer product lines, like the AccuBond series, which has gained a reputation for being the ultimate bullet for hunting North American big game, from deer to elk to bear.
In 2023, Nosler celebrated its 75th anniversary. From its humble beginnings in a garage to becoming a cornerstone of the ammunition industry, Nosler’s legacy is one of passion, perseverance, and constant improvement. The company’s partnership with Mossy Oak, a leader in camouflage, is just one example of how Nosler continues to evolve while staying true to its roots. While Nosler is particularly well-known in the Western U.S., collaborations like the one with Mossy Oak are helping to broaden its reach and impact, especially in regions like the Southeast.
Through it all, Nosler remains dedicated to one simple principle: delivering the best bullets for hunters. From the iconic Partition to the cutting-edge AccuBond, Nosler products have become a symbol of trust, reliability, and performance. What started with a single moose in Canada has grown into a brand that serves hunters around the world, proving that a great idea—and the determination to pursue it—can change an entire industry.
John A. Nosler and his son Bob Nosler pose with some of the company's earliest employees.
