Standard Nosler Accubond question.

[Joshlee9986]

What's the furthest you have successfully taken an animal with standard Nosler accubond? It says they expand reliably down to 1800 fps. Has anyone ever taken an animal at extended ranges, around that 1800 fps Mark? If so, how did it perform? I understand there are multiple "long range" projectiles on the market and not saying I don't use those, I'm just asking to see your experiences, as I know there's tons upon tons of real world experience on this forum. Thanks

 

[bigngreen]

Yes I've pushed some down into the 1800 range and no they were not reliable, I won't drop them below 2200 fps based on recovering bullets and opening up dead animals.

 

[elkaholic]

What's the furthest you have successfully taken an animal with standard Nosler accubond? It says they expand reliably down to 1800 fps. Has anyone ever taken an animal at extended ranges, around that 1800 fps Mark? If so, how did it perform? I understand there are multiple "long range" projectiles on the market and not saying I don't use those, I'm just asking to see your experiences, as I know there's tons upon tons of real world experience on this forum. Thanks

I used them once at long range several years ago
I had a 300 rum with a 30" barrel and was running them hard! I shot an elk at 1025 yards. Two bullets through the lungs and one through the top of the back and into the brisket. He was on his feet for a couple minutes before he toppled. When I gutted him, I found pencil holes in and out of the two lung shots and recovered the bullet from the brisket. The only difference between it and a new bullet was the tip was blown off and not much beyond that.
It was 200 grainer. I started making my own bullets shortly after that and never used them again. As Bigngreen said, you need more than 1800 impact.

 

[MagnumManiac]

880mtr with 200gr AB outta my 300WM.
Was a pass through and wound channel was what I expected. Small entrance and slightly larger exit about 338 cal.
The wound channel was still large, lungs were mush and the meat around the ribs on both sides was bloodshot for a good 10".

I will be trying these at or beyond 1000 as soon as this COVID lockdown is over.
Have just built 3 LR rifles in differing cals/cartridges; 264WM, 7STW & 300WM.

Cheers.

 

[Idaho Hunter1]

200 gr out of a 300 Rum at about 1100yds with vel. of about 1800FPS. Elk dropped with shot through both lungs. Bullet passed through. Chest cavity was similar to 500yd shots. Mix of jello and solid lungs. Groups well and I was happy.

 

[six pack]

My issue with the accubond has been they are too fragile inside 100 yards or so at 3000fps+. I've had a few that dropped the animal within a few yards but didn't exit and nothing but small pieces recovered. I prefer an exit if I need to track the game. Furthest I personally shot them at game animals was 325 yards at an Aoudad and about 600 at a mule deer. Both animals recovered...no complaints.

 

[Alibiiv]

My issue with the accubond has been they are too fragile inside 100 yards or so at 3000fps+. I've had a few that dropped the animal within a few yards but didn't exit and nothing but small pieces recovered. I prefer an exit if I need to track the game. Furthest I personally shot them at game animals was 325 yards at an Aoudad and about 600 at a mule deer. Both animals recovered...no complaints.

This is not a reply about Accubond bullets, however we do share a lot of information on this site and this is on topic of ranges and expansion. I had the same thing happen to me on a caribou hunt one year, only.....it was with a 180 grain Nosler partition bullet out of a 300 WinMag at 60 yards. I shot that caribou center mass as it was slightly quartering from right to left, the bullet exited just behind the left rib cage and I really had to look for the exit hole. The insides were like jello, but....there really was not that much expansion from the tissue damage we examined. I expected that caribou to drop in its tracks, but that was not the case it stood and looked at me for at least a minute; actually thought that I missed the shot. It sort of changed my mind about Nosler partition bullets.

 

[six pack]

This is not a reply about Accubond bullets, however we do share a lot of information on this site and this is on topic of ranges and expansion. I had the same thing happen to me on a caribou hunt one year, only.....it was with a 180 grain Nosler partition bullet out of a 300 WinMag at 60 yards. I shot that caribou center mass as it was slightly quartering from right to left, the bullet exited just behind the left rib cage and I really had to look for the exit hole. The insides were like jello, but....there really was not that much expansion from the tissue damage we examined. I expected that caribou to drop in its tracks, but that was not the case it stood and looked at me for at least a minute; actually thought that I missed the shot. It sort of changed my mind about Nosler partition bullets.

My Aoudad did the same thing you described after two 225g Accubonds out of my 338 Lapua through the chest. I knew he was hit and decided to leave him alone until he decided he was done. He wandered about 20 yards and laid down under a pinion tree and rolled for another 5 minutes. Both bullets recovered...perfect mushrooms...just one tough critter. Your experience with Partitions is fairly normal. Close in, they expand violently, lose the nose core and the jacket folds all the way back so it looks like there has been no expansion on exit. I would guess it did a lot more than you gave it credit for on the way through. Just a guess since I wasn't there.

 

[elkaholic]

This is not a reply about Accubond bullets, however we do share a lot of information on this site and this is on topic of ranges and expansion. I had the same thing happen to me on a caribou hunt one year, only.....it was with a 180 grain Nosler partition bullet out of a 300 WinMag at 60 yards. I shot that caribou center mass as it was slightly quartering from right to left, the bullet exited just behind the left rib cage and I really had to look for the exit hole. The insides were like jello, but....there really was not that much expansion from the tissue damage we examined. I expected that caribou to drop in its tracks, but that was not the case it stood and looked at me for at least a minute; actually thought that I missed the shot. It sort of changed my mind about Nosler partition bullets.

Ive killed a lot of elk with 140 partitions and that's what they do. The front portion (lead) expands fast and jellos the lungs, as you described. The rear portion either exits with a smaller hole or occasionally is found under the hide. Good performance IMO.

 

[beretzs]

Love the Accubonds. They've worked well for us from nearly muzzle burn range to 600'ish.

30-06 and 165 AB started around 2920 and hit a bull at around 250 yards. Crossed him quartering and hammered the far leg joint






200 AB 300 Wby 3050 - bull at 200'ish





200 grain AB 300 RUM 3200 start speed, bull at 560 yards.

 

[Lifeisgood]

I don't own large caliber rifles. But stumbled on Swift A's while trying to find a reasonable bullet for my .270 Ruger No.1. Seven elk and one very large oryx all died very quickly with one shot.
All taken inside 320 yds. I would never choose to shoot at a game animal beyond 400 yds so I cannot speak to bullet performance at what I believe is considered "long range". But I recently purchased a No. 1 in 270 Weatherby (nib) and have ordered Accubond ammo from Midway. But your input and experiences give me cause to be Leary about using on game animals.

 

[RT2506]

The problem that people get into their mind when they see statements made by bullet makers that their bullet will expand down to X muzzle velocity is this mean ANY EXPANSION AT ALL. It does not mean what one envisions as a text book mushroom. In my experience the Accubond is a tough bullet. I am running the 130 gr out of my 264 Win mag from it's 27 3/4 inch barrel at 3350 fps. I have shot deer from 25 to just a touch over 500 yards and it exhibits the same results. Bullet goes in expands and takes out the vitals and then exits with about a thumb size hole. This is the way a BONDED bullet is supposed to work. I lost count how many deer I have shot with this combo but will say 20+ and I have only recovered one bullet with all others being exits. This bullet was placed on the front edge of the left scapula of a buck as it almost faced me with a left shoulder lead at 111 yards. It penetrated length wise of the body and was found against the smashed ball joint of the right ham when I was processing. It was a text book mushroom and weight was 87 grs. Every single deer I have shot with this combo has been DRT. First one was a touch over 500 yards in a green soybean field. It dropped in it's tracks and I like to have never found it. I had to walk the rows and literally tripped over it. It dropped straight down with it's legs folded under it and never moved. Now that is killing one dead on it's feet. LOL

 

[JTB]

A few year back I had a perfectly calm morning and a coues buck grazing in on some scrub oak right at 1000 yards. This was when we were just starting to figure out long range hunting. I had a mark 4 on a 270 WSM with a stock barrel sitting on a Boyd's thumb hole stock. It was dialed in very well with some 140 Acubonds. My boy was ranging and spotting for me. He had just purchased some highly treasured Sworo 15x56s. I had a solid bipod rest atop a good sized bolder. After all the calculating I let one fly and he watched the vapor trail lead to a hit somewhere on the shoulder. He was yelling that "it dropped" and I was waiting to here him say it was getting up but it never moved, never took a step. It was a pass through just under the shoulder and we found the AB on the ground just a few feet from the deer. It had opened up about 3/8"-1/2" from the tip in a spiral fashion. We calculated the impact velocity to be about 1650. Wouldn't take that shot with that combo now days but with the right placement it doesn't really take much

 

[Lifeisgood]

These last two posts add balance to some of the "not so positive" experiences shared earlier. But no telling how long this dearth of factory ammo ( Weatherby 270 accubond) will last - perhaps I need to get going on a new set of dies. Anyone have experience with load combos for the 270 weather by mag? If you have knowledge, especially with Swift As I would be grateful to read.
I bought 1 box of 150 partitions but may regret it down the road.