7mm Rem Mag 175gr Accubond LR Report

[Alibiiv]

Not to start a -----storm with some of the guys here but I can't understand why anyone would want to use a non-bonded Bullet on an elk sized animal. I can't imagine having to take a quartering away shot on an elk in which the bullet will have to penetrate 3 feet of elk before it gets to the chest cavity, or break a shoulder first.

I think that some guys are so caught up in the Berger hype that they use them when they shouldn't be

My 2cents anyway

No storm here. I like either the Barnes 225gr TSX or the Nosler 225gr Accubonds in my 35 Whelen. There are other bullets that are more accurate than the Barnes bullets, but nothing performs like them. I've never recovered a Barnes bullet, always large entry hole and a lot larger exit hole.

 

[jshepherd61]

I just returned back from Zimbabwe where I used my handloaded 175gr ABLR's for my 7mm Rem Mag. MV is 2,850fps.

I shot 7 Baboons but all of the bullets fully penetrated the animals. All dropped to the shot.

One Zebra was a broadside pass-through, behind the shoulder, both lung, one shot kill, with quarter-sized exit. Ran approx 100 yds. 180 or so yards.

Zebra #2 pictured below was struck slightly quartering on. Bullet broke the shoulder bone, penetrated both lungs, and was recovered under the skin on the far side. Range was 150 yrs and animal dropped after 80 yard run.

Impala#1 was shot at 50 yds broadside behind shoulder crease and exited with nickle sized wound. Fell over dead.

Impala#2 shot at 50 yrds quartering away, bullet entered flank, penetrated and broke far shoulder, and was recovered under skin. Made 50 yds before falling over.

I have to say that I am very happy with the ABLR performance...especially on the second Zebra where the shoulder bone was broken and the bullet still penetrated body cavity and both lungs of an 800lb animal.

In all cases, impact velocity was still pretty high at around 2,800 for Impala and 2,700 ish for Zebra.

Bullets look pretty much like they do in the Nosler ads.

I'm very happy with the performance of these bullets.

Have been using the 168 ABLR since they were released and I swear by them! Last three elk, two deer and an antelope all taken between 700 and 1,200 yds single shot never had to track a wounded animal. 7mm STW 3,352 fps. My go too bullit!!!

 

[Ingwe]

No hype, I have just used them and they have worked well for me. I inderstand others have used them with results that don't mirror mine, but many people have also used bonded bullets and report very negatively on their use as well, I am considering both options. In my personal experience, and the 40+ animals I have taken or whitnessed taken with them, the bergers have done well, and all exited on everything up to and including bull elk.
And I'm sure you feel the same, but I would not intentionally take a hard quartering shot on any large animal at long range, the purpose I shoot long range is to have the ability to make a precise and calculated shot, so there isn't really a good reason to take a lower percentage shot than necessary, or any hard quartering shot, I'll just wait for the animal to turn, or pass the shot. However, my cousin had a large cow elk turn at the shot at a little over 500 yards, and the bullet ended up entering the point of the shoulder, and after busting the shoulder socket, penetrating the lungs, stomach, and entire hind quarter including the femur bone, ended up under the hide in the opposite rear leg. It was a 180 Berger vld from a 7mm rem mag. That is the only experience with long penetration we have seen with the Bergers. All others have been broadside or only slightly quartering.

With my brush and short range guns, such as my 20" barreled .308 win, I use heavier constructed bullets for these reasons, I may not have to opportunity for the perfect shot, velocity will be higher, and I may have to bust through heavy bone or take a hard quartering shot, and long range performance is not a consideration as 300ish yards is as far as these type guns will get used.

These are just my thoughts, we don't have to agree, and that is perfectly fine!! We are not democrats, we don't have to force eachother to buy into our beliefs ha ha

I love your last paragraph brother!! So true!

 

[kfreeze]

Thanks for the info. I will be taking 190 grn ablr's to Africa for a 300 win mag and was wondering how they would do on game up to zebra size. Nice to see the 7mm doing it. I like my choice even more now.

 

[jshepherd61]

No hype, I have just used them and they have worked well for me. I inderstand others have used them with results that don't mirror mine, but many people have also used bonded bullets and report very negatively on their use as well, I am considering both options. In my personal experience, and the 40+ animals I have taken or whitnessed taken with them, the bergers have done well, and all exited on everything up to and including bull elk.
And I'm sure you feel the same, but I would not intentionally take a hard quartering shot on any large animal at long range, the purpose I shoot long range is to have the ability to make a precise and calculated shot, so there isn't really a good reason to take a lower percentage shot than necessary, or any hard quartering shot, I'll just wait for the animal to turn, or pass the shot. However, my cousin had a large cow elk turn at the shot at a little over 500 yards, and the bullet ended up entering the point of the shoulder, and after busting the shoulder socket, penetrating the lungs, stomach, and entire hind quarter including the femur bone, ended up under the hide in the opposite rear leg. It was a 180 Berger vld from a 7mm rem mag. That is the only experience with long penetration we have seen with the Bergers. All others have been broadside or only slightly quartering.

With my brush and short range guns, such as my 20" barreled .308 win, I use heavier constructed bullets for these reasons, I may not have to opportunity for the perfect shot, velocity will be higher, and I may have to bust through heavy bone or take a hard quartering shot, and long range performance is not a consideration as 300ish yards is as far as these type guns will get used.

These are just my thoughts, we don't have to agree, and that is perfectly fine!! We are not democrats, we don't have to force eachother to buy into our beliefs ha ha

I like the Berger VLD's for my comp guns but have had bad luck with the hunting VLD's tried them in my 26 Nosler 30-378 and my 7mm STW. They all disintegrated 20 to 50 yds from the muzzle velocities on all three are above 3400 fps. Called Berger and they said if I want to use them above 3,200 fps I would have to anneal them! Annealing brass takes enough of my time so went with the ABLR no annealing needed at least up to 3,648 fps in my 30-378. Do love the Berger VLD's in my 6.5 Creed and 6 BR though!

 

[Ingwe]

Thanks for the info. I will be taking 190 grn ablr's to Africa for a 300 win mag and was wondering how they would do on game up to zebra size. Nice to see the 7mm doing it. I like my choice even more now.

That's a perfect load IMHO.

I used the 175gr ABLR in my 7mm so I would think that a 30 cal 190 would be even better

 

[Ingwe]

I like the Berger VLD's for my comp guns but have had bad luck with the hunting VLD's tried them in my 26 Nosler 30-378 and my 7mm STW. They all disintegrated 20 to 50 yds from the muzzle velocities on all three are above 3400 fps. Called Berger and they said if I want to use them above 3,200 fps I would have to anneal them! Annealing brass takes enough of my time so went with the ABLR no annealing needed at least up to 3,648 fps in my 30-378. Do love the Berger VLD's in my 6.5 Creed and 6 BR though!

Anneal bullets....Jesus

I just don't understand the cult like following for those bullets.

 

[jshepherd61]

Anneal bullets....Jesus

I just don't understand the cult like following for those bullets.

It is a little strange, don't get me wrong they are extremely accurate and consistent for the proper use; target under 3,200 fps, but I prefer the DTAC for that purpose. Just not for my long range hunting guns as they are all above 3,352 fps.

 

[cohunt]

Anneal bullets....Jesus

I just don't understand the cult like following for those bullets.

Heard of people doing the same to tips of hardcast bullets, softens the tips for better expansion on hardcast heat treated bullets

I just watched a video about annealing a berger bullet tip and the guy said he does it to soften the tip and promote expansion at low speeds/long ranges....seems counterintuitive for +3200fps expansion like berger said

Annealing makes them softer so they will expand more/better/@slower speeds

 

[jshepherd61]

Heard of people doing the same to tips of hardcast bullets, softens the tips for better expansion on hardcast heat treated bullets

I just watched a video about annealing a berger bullet tip and the guy said he does it to soften the tip and promote expansion at low speeds/long ranges....seems counterintuitive for +3200fps expansion like berger said

Annealing makes them softer so they will expand more/better/@slower speeds

According to Berger when I called them the softening also holds then to gather at velocities above 3,200 otherwise the tip cracks at around 3,200 and causes them to break apart. Due to the ultra thin brass shell.

 

[Deviant]

I just returned back from Zimbabwe where I used my handloaded 175gr ABLR's for my 7mm Rem Mag. MV is 2,850fps.

I shot 7 Baboons but all of the bullets fully penetrated the animals. All dropped to the shot.

One Zebra was a broadside pass-through, behind the shoulder, both lung, one shot kill, with quarter-sized exit. Ran approx 100 yds. 180 or so yards.

Zebra #2 pictured below was struck slightly quartering on. Bullet broke the shoulder bone, penetrated both lungs, and was recovered under the skin on the far side. Range was 150 yrs and animal dropped after 80 yard run.

Impala#1 was shot at 50 yds broadside behind shoulder crease and exited with nickle sized wound. Fell over dead.

Impala#2 shot at 50 yrds quartering away, bullet entered flank, penetrated and broke far shoulder, and was recovered under skin. Made 50 yds before falling over.

I have to say that I am very happy with the ABLR performance...especially on the second Zebra where the shoulder bone was broken and the bullet still penetrated body cavity and both lungs of an 800lb animal.

In all cases, impact velocity was still pretty high at around 2,800 for Impala and 2,700 ish for Zebra.

Bullets look pretty much like they do in the Nosler ads.

I'm very happy with the performance of these bullets.

Holy crap I didn't even know you could should those ugly little buggers. I fricken hate monkeys of all species not sure why but they bug me. I guess I need to win the lottery now so I can co blast some.

 

[Jrainey]

That's better performance than I've been led to believe. What are you guys seeing accuracy wise for the ALR?[/QUOTE

 

[Ingwe]

It is a little strange, don't get me wrong they are extremely accurate and consistent for the proper use; target under 3,200 fps, but I prefer the DTAC for that purpose. Just not for my long range hunting guns as they are all above 3,352 fps.

I hear you brother but for hunting purposes, how much accuracy do we really need? Shooting an Elk or even a Deer sized target is a pretty big target....how much accuracy do we really need or are we splitting hairs here?

Again, just me speaking for myself but I just can't see going throught the trouble of annealing a bullet when there are so many good choices out there.

 

[Jrainey]