Nosler accubond

[Daves762]

Did the bull die? The bullet worked!!!! Don't overthink it. I use bullets rated for deer "thinned skinned game" or target bullets, and they die every time. I'm good with that. I keep being told on the interwebs that I can't kill elk with those bullets. Yet the freezers are full and the walls are covered in elk mounts...…….. Don't over analyze it. Just fire up the grill, get a good bourbon and EAT!!!

 

[littlewhaler]

I agree to center punch a elk in the shoulder is less than desirable and it was a quick shot as he was leaving I guess I just expected better out of the Ab my son had a similar situation in 2016 on a bull with a hornady Eld x and there was more bullet found in the end.

Not sure any bullet performs flawlessly under all possible scenarios but lots good reports on AB bullets and of course the Partitions. I prefer AB's for medium/large game. Also use Sierras and Hornady SST's. All performed for me over the yrs. Like you, most hunters know you bang a shoulder you probly give up a lot for eating it and elk shoulder bones are thick and hard to penetrate. AB's are pretty tuff well made and have filled a lot of freezers but most shots probly are well over 50 Yds. I have never tested AB's at 30 yds with an old saddle backed with frying pan and phone books but probly wudnt get many pass thrus due to high velocity stress on AB bullet hitting very solid mass shortly after muzzle blast velocity. Sometimes you get a real anomaly head scratcher hunting. I prefer AB's overall for what I call boiler room shots(top of heart and bottom lungs.) AB's make confetti out of them and pass thru in my 280AI 140's, 300 WSM 150's out to 400 yds. Elk, mule deer, blk bear, goats.

 

[Buano]

I'm shooting a 700 Remington 24" factory barrel in 7Stw with a 160 Nosler accubond @2974 fps I shot an 5 pt bull last weekend over in Idaho my question is any of you have problems with accubonds disintegrating on impact. The shot was 60ish yrds

YES! I had a 160 grain Accubond from my 7-mm Rem mag explode on a shoulder shot bull elk at 9-YARDS. The shoulder muscle was shredded but nothing made it to the chest cavity — or even past the leg bone. THANKFULLY I already put a lethal shot in his lungs. As I cut open the shoulder I saw the bullet came apart after less than 2" of penetration. The shoulder looked like a 10-gauge shotgun with #4 pellets was fired into it at point-blank range. My research at the time showed Accubonds are great up to a certain velocity, beyond which they can occasionally blow apart on impact. While they shoot well and are great in most situations, I'll never use them on a big game hunt again.

 

[mrultramag]

Ive run 257 110 at 3500, 7mm 140 at 3500, 30 200 at 3150, 7mm 160 at 3050. All all accubonds never an issue. Also 270 130 at 3450 and 338 225 at 2950 both interbonds and no issue with those either.

 

[ron jaege]

I'm shooting a 700 Remington 24" factory barrel in 7Stw with a 160 Nosler accubond @2974 fps I shot an 5 pt bull last weekend over in Idaho my question is any of you have problems with accubonds disintegrating on impact. The shot was 60ish yrds

i have no experience with nosler accubond bullets. have shot 12+ elk with 280 rem using handloaded 175 gr hornady interlocks or nosler partition at ranges of 25-400 yds. muzzle velocity was 2750. put shot on the shoulder, was advised to shoot bone on elk. all penetrated thru vitals and recovered buet imbedded on backside hide. i would suggest a 175 gr for more penetration and both bullets previously mentioned are great penetrators

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

This little critter in the pic took a 140 nos ab from my 7stw to the top of the head at a bit over 300 yards right at the base of the antlers last fall. Launch vel. is about 3350 fps... Nothing special, but it'll run below an inch at 200 yards consistently... As to the bullet, nope, didn't fail. It cut a hole through the top and went all the way through... Second critter I've skull capped with the rifle; the last one blew the top off the head. If you take out the central nervous system or cardiopulmonary system they are dead and the bullet did its job, weight loss be dammed...

 

[JohnMill]

Is the Elk dead?

Me & you, Smack. These guys shoot the critter with a howitzer, it drops like it was struck by lightening, and they found something to complain about

 

[crkckr]

Firstly, I've had little luck with AB's when it comes to accuracy (.308, 30-06 & .338WM; they shoot ok out of my buddies 300RUM, but the Partitions are more accurate), so I've never hunted with one. I probably wouldn't anyway, since I've had such good results with the Partitions. As long as Nosler makes them, I'll keep hunting with them.
Cheers,
crkckr

 

[mnoland30]

My butcher used to put all of the recovered bullets in a pan on the counter. The Barnes bullets all looked just like the advertisements. I never even saw one with the petals broken off, although I have heard that it can happen. I've never had a Barnes fail to penetrate. All that srapnel ruins a lot of meat, and I've heard that eating lead isn't good for us. Just in this thread, I've heard of a bunch of failures from the AB. Guess I won't be trying those.

 

[wbm]

I've heard of a bunch of failures from the AB. Guess I won't be trying those.

And therein lies the problem with these kids of threads. Because someone said bullet X is no good and a few more pile on then it must be true that bullet X is no good. A few pages on an internet site "proves" that bullet X is no good? Thats just stupid.

 

[JDBraddy]

That's what happens when we listen to more experienced idiots. When I started shooting small-bore competion in high-school, a lot of competition shooters said you should never clean your rifle and I believed them. When I started shooting benchrest a hall of fame shooter told me to buy a borescope, and learn how to use it, so I did. Now I clean every 10-20 rounds, and shoot a whole lot better.

 

[owlman]

I shoot 180 grain Accubonds out of a 300 WSM. Attached is a picture showing four different bullets recovered from four bull elk taken in four consecutive years. Distance of the shots ranged from 265-400 yards. All were one shot kills. Below each bullet is what they weighed after recovery. 60-70% retention rate as advertised. I'm perfectly happy.

 

[MZmoose]

If the AB didn't perform to your liking then shoot a tougher bullet. Lots of great hunting bullets on the market. A hotrod cartridge is not the best choice for a 60 yd shot on a tough animal, it will stress any bullet. But that's why we shoot magnums kills em close and far.

 

[bedrok]

And therein lies the problem with these kids of threads. Because someone said bullet X is no good and a few more pile on then it must be true that bullet X is no good. A few pages on an internet site "proves" that bullet X is no good? Thats just stupid.

I agree 100%. Years ago (about the time I switched to Accubonds) I got 2 boxes of partitions that completely vaporized no matter what they hit-moose rib at 150 yds, between ribs at 460 yds, a couple caribou. And a bunch shot into a cardboard box full of wet topsoil from 100 to 250 yds. I chalked it up to a bad lot. I'm not about to bad mouth partitions from that limited experience. Besides, saying partitions are bad is like insulting your mom to some people.