I understand. Especially in the normal hunting weight bullets, it is hard to get something to be accurate and reliable. That was why I had high hopes for the 265/338.
In my experience, all versions of the x have killed very well. I have only one first hand report of an x-bullet "failure," which was a 168/.308 from a friend's 300 wsm. It blew up on a broadside shot in a five pt bull elk at 100 yards. Elk died, but did not bleed out externally at all. Friend had to track him several hundred yards, relying on snow, not blood. I have a 300 ultra that has killed three large bulls (not all by me) with the 180 ttsx, with very impressive results. Two of the bulls were at 640 yards (I shot one, then my dad laid down behind my rifle and killed another that walked up to see why his buddy went down). One bullet in my bull was perfect mushoom that stopped against a heavy bone on far side, other bullets were pass through. The third bull was a 300 yard pass through, one shot kill.
I am not sold on accubond. I admit I have only killed one animal with it, but was not pleased. Shot a 140/7mm out of a 280 AI. Started at 3000 fps, so probably hit bull at 2900 fps. In the lungs, no bone hit. Elk stood there as if not hit, took two steps, and laid down. Died right there, but if he had run, there would have been nothing to track. I had similar problem with the berger 190 vld out of my 300 ultra. Bullet blew up in a bull, but that was at over 450 yards, so it was slowed way down. Also, I can get them to shoot well out to about 500 yards, but they seem to go off kilter after that. Don't know why. I just cannot hold groups with them at long range.
I have since switched to the 210 berger vld out of my carry rifle in 300 ultra. It killed my bull and a friend's this year, one at 505, the other at 460, both one shot kills, with complete pass through shots. Bergers are the most accurate bullet I have used in any 30 caliber rifle, too. Now I get the same accuracy as the 190, but excellent performance, by using the 210.
In my experience, all versions of the x have killed very well. I have only one first hand report of an x-bullet "failure," which was a 168/.308 from a friend's 300 wsm. It blew up on a broadside shot in a five pt bull elk at 100 yards. Elk died, but did not bleed out externally at all. Friend had to track him several hundred yards, relying on snow, not blood. I have a 300 ultra that has killed three large bulls (not all by me) with the 180 ttsx, with very impressive results. Two of the bulls were at 640 yards (I shot one, then my dad laid down behind my rifle and killed another that walked up to see why his buddy went down). One bullet in my bull was perfect mushoom that stopped against a heavy bone on far side, other bullets were pass through. The third bull was a 300 yard pass through, one shot kill.
I am not sold on accubond. I admit I have only killed one animal with it, but was not pleased. Shot a 140/7mm out of a 280 AI. Started at 3000 fps, so probably hit bull at 2900 fps. In the lungs, no bone hit. Elk stood there as if not hit, took two steps, and laid down. Died right there, but if he had run, there would have been nothing to track. I had similar problem with the berger 190 vld out of my 300 ultra. Bullet blew up in a bull, but that was at over 450 yards, so it was slowed way down. Also, I can get them to shoot well out to about 500 yards, but they seem to go off kilter after that. Don't know why. I just cannot hold groups with them at long range.
I have since switched to the 210 berger vld out of my carry rifle in 300 ultra. It killed my bull and a friend's this year, one at 505, the other at 460, both one shot kills, with complete pass through shots. Bergers are the most accurate bullet I have used in any 30 caliber rifle, too. Now I get the same accuracy as the 190, but excellent performance, by using the 210.
