Nosler long range accbond. Any kills???

[beretzs]

Nope, haven't put them into anything with bones/blood or skin as of yet. They did get to 4 jugs at 10 yards. Completely redneck way of testing, but the same test at the same distance, the 264WM 140 AB at 3200, 300RUM 200 AB at 3250, 7mm WSM 160 AB at 3100, and the 270WSM 140AB at 3200 will only go 5 jugs.. Not saying it means a whole lot, other than the bullets do penetrate pretty well and stick together. I don't shoot any Berger's, so I haven't tested to compare.

Have a few friends that have taken elk and deer, no bullet recoveries on them at approx 200-250 yard shots.. Seems like they are performing as they were intended.

 

[HuntFarther]

I was all pumped for them and didn't have that good of results as I personally was hoping for. I am hoping was a fluke but can see the same results in what I had happen with some others. I will give them they hit really hard.

 

[smalltruck]

Would it make you worry if a 6.5mm 130 ab from a 6.5-284 at > 3000fps didn't pass through a 172 pound whitetail buck from SC at a distance of about 1 yard?

I killed my buck, dropped him at 60 yards with a pass through, with the first shot, walked up on him and he was still blinking so I put a second one in him at point blank and I recovered that bullet. I'm not sure what to think about that myself.

On noslers website they have a video talking about these bullets. About 45 seconds in they talk about penetration problems if you are too close with high BC bullets.lightbulb

Are we as reloaders using them wrong in a situation under say 300 yards? I am way to unschooled on this, so I ask this question to learn and not point fingers.

 

[smalltruck]

In fact I found this on Noslers website FAQ for LRAB

It is important to note that the advantages of the AccuBond® Long Range don't begin to play a role until the range begins to exceed 500 yards or impact velocity drops below 1800fps.

 

[cohunter14]

On noslers website they have a video talking about these bullets. About 45 seconds in they talk about penetration problems if you are too close with high BC bullets.lightbulb

Actually it says that the ABLR should eliminate that problem, which is found in other high BC bullets. That doesn't help, but just throwing it out there that Nosler isn't saying to not use them at close ranges.

As far as the FAQ section goes, I think that is 100% correct assuming you are comparing it to a similar Accubond or other bullet of similar weight. High BC numbers aren't really beneficial until you get out there a ways. Unfortunately, there still is no perfect bullet that can be used at 30 yards and 1,000+ yards and function the same. I think that was Nosler's goal with this, but we will have to see more results to decide one way or another I think.

 

[Greyfox]

Good thread. I'm very interested in the performance of the LRAB's, particularly the 210gr. After a few years of excellent terminal performance with the 140gr Berger VLDs, I'm not so satisfied with the 210 VLD Hunting Berger's at 2904FPS out of my 300WM. While they are superbly accurate well past 1000 yards, the performance on a half a dozen deer and antelope shot this season between 400 and 600 yards was poor. They were all chest shots and while the animals were killed and recovered, the hits were pass throughs with no expansion or internal disruption with the exception of a 30 caliber hole. I have some 210 LRAB's coming and was hoping I could achieve the same ballistic performance and accuracy with greater expansion on medium game.

 

[HuntFarther]

If any of you haven't seen my write up in long range hunting section, It is my experience with the lrab. I was not very pleased, but have not tested them much. And don't plan to. If I right now had to pick a good antelope, whitetail, coues type bullet this might be it. But to hunt coast to coast on crumbs of toast and have to rely on it, I need something a little better.

 

[jesterg]

Well early this year looking for something new, my buddy ordered a new custom. He had a semi custom but with all the Bear hunting he does he wanted a .30 instead of a .284. He also wanted to find a bullet that held together somewhat better than the HVLD
In 168 and 210.. I have taken several big game animals with burgers and love them, he has had a few bad experiences with bears only and wanted something different. So when we got the new Gun...
300norma
26 Lila + break
Jewell trigger
McMillan stock
With a thousand of the New Nosler 210 LRAB it was on!!!!
The gun shot .20 @ 100 and several groups just over 4 @ 1000yrds. Shooting 91gr of RE 33 @ 2980.. And now it's hunting season..
First suspect was actually my wife's Blacktail. We spotted it within 5 minutes of getting to our hunting spot and knew it was a shooter.
It was bedded @ 425 Yrds at a 13' down hill looking towards us and down hill and head to the right, if you a get the picture. The LRAB entered just in front of the right shoulder and 3/4 high on the shoulder it contacted the shoulder socket on the opposing side and the whole shoulder was destroyed!!!! The buck never twiched.The casing was found on the fur besides small pieces that I almost broke my tooth on a few weeks ago..lol But it never exited.. It turned out to be a little bigger than we thought, real big body with lots of fat on him and 19.5 wide big 3x3 with guards.
Next was my Buddy's wifes blacktail. It was at 615 yards. I was a 18" 4x4 standing just beyond broadside head to the right again, the LRAB did sweet again one shot and a dead buck within seconds. Bullet hit and preformed great if you like lots of carnage..
The third buck was my buddys, it was also the biggest we harvested this season another Blacktail. This buck was @ 1055 yards.. ya over 1k. It was in the steep country like almost verticle steep standing straight away. So it was head,neck and spine all the way.. With no wind it was an easy decision. With an easy setup he was on target. The first 210 LRAB entered just under the top of the shoulder blades and took out about 2" of spine and went through the vitals in pieces. DEAD Deer.. But at that range in this country you don't want them to travel down hill, so he decided to send another one with the buck laying sideways on the hill, the next LRAB entered on the shoulder and ruined it. trauma was horrible, all the meat was completely bloodshot and bone was everywhere.. No bullet was found besides fragments. Really nice 20" 4x4 and he broke my long range record of 752yrds..

The next harvest was the highlight of our year. My younger brother drew a trophy Elk tag out of complete luck. He never even applied for it before. (Sometimes even a blind squirrel finds a nut).. Lol. We glassed through probably a hundred bulls and his was the biggest we had seen. In country we were prepping to start shooting at 1k he ended up getting his 334" 7x7 @ 280 yards the first 210 LRAB hit the passenger shoulder and came apart on contact huge entrance and very small hole in the blade of the shoulder. parts and pieces went everywhere,and extreme bloodshot wound. The elk soaked it up like it never was hit. Other than me and other bro on spotters seeing the fur move you wild have thought he was shooting at the 6x6 standing above him. So he obviously shot again the second one hit tip of shoulder and came apart as we'll. Bull hit the dirt. Bullet fragments made it into the lungs so yes a vital shot but on an elk would like 2 holes one in and one out. With some pieces taking out the Vitals..
This new bullet has worked well so far, but we are waiting for spring bear season to give them the real test..
That's my story enjoy..
Jesterg

 

[elkaholic]

I do agree just wondering if it is blowing up still or opening really well what is it going to do if driven hard and close on tougher skin animals?

I've been cruising through a few LRAB threads today, and don't have time to read everything but here is my take. I did some limited testing with the 150 LRAB for expansion this summer and found them to open easier than ANY hunting bullet that I've shot! Admittedly, I have not shot any game with them, but my gut feeling is that they would work well at EXTREME distances but I would be quite leary of shooting something like an elk at close range. (I'm talking shoulder/quartering shots, etc.) Weight retention was way down for a bonded bullet at the velocities where I would have expected much more. My opinion......Rich

 

[HuntFarther]

Jesterg,

Congrats on the success. I am glad you had good luck, and really glad you took the time for the write up. Thanks

 

[cohunter14]

Well early this year looking for something new, my buddy ordered a new custom. He had a semi custom but with all the Bear hunting he does he wanted a .30 instead of a .284. He also wanted to find a bullet that held together somewhat better than the HVLD
In 168 and 210.. I have taken several big game animals with burgers and love them, he has had a few bad experiences with bears only and wanted something different. So when we got the new Gun...
300norma
26 Lila + break
Jewell trigger
McMillan stock
With a thousand of the New Nosler 210 LRAB it was on!!!!
The gun shot .20 @ 100 and several groups just over 4 @ 1000yrds. Shooting 91gr of RE 33 @ 2980.. And now it's hunting season..
First suspect was actually my wife's Blacktail. We spotted it within 5 minutes of getting to our hunting spot and knew it was a shooter.
It was bedded @ 425 Yrds at a 13' down hill looking towards us and down hill and head to the right, if you a get the picture. The LRAB entered just in front of the right shoulder and 3/4 high on the shoulder it contacted the shoulder socket on the opposing side and the whole shoulder was destroyed!!!! The buck never twiched.The casing was found on the fur besides small pieces that I almost broke my tooth on a few weeks ago..lol But it never exited.. It turned out to be a little bigger than we thought, real big body with lots of fat on him and 19.5 wide big 3x3 with guards.
Next was my Buddy's wifes blacktail. It was at 615 yards. I was a 18" 4x4 standing just beyond broadside head to the right again, the LRAB did sweet again one shot and a dead buck within seconds. Bullet hit and preformed great if you like lots of carnage..
The third buck was my buddys, it was also the biggest we harvested this season another Blacktail. This buck was @ 1055 yards.. ya over 1k. It was in the steep country like almost verticle steep standing straight away. So it was head,neck and spine all the way.. With no wind it was an easy decision. With an easy setup he was on target. The first 210 LRAB entered just under the top of the shoulder blades and took out about 2" of spine and went through the vitals in pieces. DEAD Deer.. But at that range in this country you don't want them to travel down hill, so he decided to send another one with the buck laying sideways on the hill, the next LRAB entered on the shoulder and ruined it. trauma was horrible, all the meat was completely bloodshot and bone was everywhere.. No bullet was found besides fragments. Really nice 20" 4x4 and he broke my long range record of 752yrds..

The next harvest was the highlight of our year. My younger brother drew a trophy Elk tag out of complete luck. He never even applied for it before. (Sometimes even a blind squirrel finds a nut).. Lol. We glassed through probably a hundred bulls and his was the biggest we had seen. In country we were prepping to start shooting at 1k he ended up getting his 334" 7x7 @ 280 yards the first 210 LRAB hit the passenger shoulder and came apart on contact huge entrance and very small hole in the blade of the shoulder. parts and pieces went everywhere,and extreme bloodshot wound. The elk soaked it up like it never was hit. Other than me and other bro on spotters seeing the fur move you wild have thought he was shooting at the 6x6 standing above him. So he obviously shot again the second one hit tip of shoulder and came apart as we'll. Bull hit the dirt. Bullet fragments made it into the lungs so yes a vital shot but on an elk would like 2 holes one in and one out. With some pieces taking out the Vitals..
This new bullet has worked well so far, but we are waiting for spring bear season to give them the real test..
That's my story enjoy..
Jesterg

Jesterg, thanks for the report! So if I understand you correct, you are seeing the LRAB actually fragment quite a bit? Did it hold together and mushroom at all in any of your experiences? It sounds a lot like the performance of Bergers in your report, which is interesting. Also, how was the penetration on the shots?

Thanks again!

 

[WildRose]

I've been cruising through a few LRAB threads today, and don't have time to read everything but here is my take. I did some limited testing with the 150 LRAB for expansion this summer and found them to open easier than ANY hunting bullet that I've shot! Admittedly, I have not shot any game with them, but my gut feeling is that they would work well at EXTREME distances but I would be quite leary of shooting something like an elk at close range. (I'm talking shoulder/quartering shots, etc.) Weight retention was way down for a bonded bullet at the velocities where I would have expected much more. My opinion......Rich

Pretty much my thoughts as well. I think till I see more results with the 30 call and smaller diameter bullets I'd limit my shots to heart/lung or neck shots at ranges where velocities are still going to exceed 2400fps on anything larger/thicker bodied than the average white tail.

Maybe Nosler should consider putting a cannelure in the jacket to help with weight retention at higher velocities. Not sure what that would due to the bc's considering the effect it would have on SD but I'd think it would be worth at least trying.

Once again we just arrive back at the "there's jut no magic bullet" axiom.