Hunting Washington Forum

Equipment & Gear => Guns and Ammo => Topic started by: Sage Weasel on January 31, 2009, 05:07:45 PM

Title: Nosler Accubond performance on big game.
Post by: Sage Weasel on January 31, 2009, 05:07:45 PM: Now days you see allot of people asking, "What bullet should I shoot?". Every major bullet manufacturer out there produced a quality hunting bullet and I have used many. Hornady, Barnes, Nosler, Speer and Berger just to name a few and all have taken big game cleanly but the Nosler bullets by far have out performed the other when it comes to dead right there. From the Ballistic Tip to the Partition and finally the wonderful Accubond. People discuss needing a exit for tracking when it comes to premium bullets. I disagree with the exception of bear(I like to blown a big hole clean through one or both front shoulders) there is no need for tracking when you hit a animal with the right bullet, caliber and PLACEMENT. All the big game animals my brother and I have shot with the Accubonds from 30 feet to 560 yards have been down/dead on impact right where they stood.

I do not feel from my experiences that one has to have 98+ weight retention but one needs to have enough. Don't get me wrong I have nothing against Barnes bullets, I just lean towards a different method and theory. This is a couple examples of Accubond fact, not just talk the real world deal. I love the bullet and until Nosler can top this one it's what I'm going to run.

This is a Easter WA Muley(Unit 266) I shot at 379 yards with with a 300 WSM and a 150gr Nosler Accubond. The bullet velocity was a hair over 3250 fps, The deer was shot right in the pocket while walking from my right to left. This deer went down instantly upon impact and the bullet was recovered just under the hide on the off side.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi90.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fk269%2Flandonmoses%2FDSC01501_1-1.jpg&hash=d6972ada5344f638445ef73c34aedfd6aaed65b8)

Here are a couple photo's of the 150gr Nosler Accubond, recovered weight was 105.6 grains.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi90.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fk269%2Flandonmoses%2FDSC02242.jpg&hash=a6d25e12a2a898dc1d645487a96fd860ac1108ed)

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi90.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fk269%2Flandonmoses%2FDSC02243.jpg&hash=4e44ae63af6d2137c121c159f470a1e89b190438)

This is another Eastern WA Muley(Unit 266) I shot at 560 yards with a .375 Remington Ultra Mag and a 260gr Nosler Accubond @ 3050 fps, this buck was shot steep down hill facing me head on. Upon impact I rolled this deer completely over backwards, dead right on the spot. He was shot center of the chest and the bullet was recovered stuck in the hide on the under belly above the pelvic bone.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi90.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fk269%2Flandonmoses%2FDSC01079.jpg&hash=10123c1a42c21173ca6a2449423545b0f56902d2)

Here is a couple pictures of the bullet being found while field dressing the animal.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi90.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fk269%2Flandonmoses%2FDSC01094.jpg&hash=a487bdaebecf85378e62e2a03fc451c89452539d)

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi90.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fk269%2Flandonmoses%2FDSC01096.jpg&hash=772f82a6536e7eb56518b85ecdc125fcfc1aee08)

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi90.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fk269%2Flandonmoses%2FDSC01099.jpg&hash=a9c6b5819c1ba664a5dd8cf35caaba6f97d7d31e)

The recovered 260gr Accubond weighed 226.3 grains.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi90.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fk269%2Flandonmoses%2FDSC01103.jpg&hash=48e3cfae75dcafbd4c28ce144d4e456c4a7cc391)

This is the area I hunt here in Central WA, where I have shot 15+ bucks most within 300 yards of each other. As you can see , the faster and flatter a cartridge shoots the better.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi90.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fk269%2Flandonmoses%2Fanything027.jpg&hash=8c6ac39cb99526cba3a7183a1747bb21de0cf0ab)

Here is a doe my younger brother shot with a .270 WSM and a 140gr Accubond, the doe was facing him head on and was shot right in the chest at the top of the brisket at 30 feet. Ouuuuch! the bullet traveled the length of the deers body and was recovered just under the hide on the inside of the rear thigh. I have yet to weigh the bullet due to the fact it is in Snohomish with him.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi90.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fk269%2Flandonmoses%2FUnknown-7.jpg&hash=4a3da3f401ee6c8e1c5885c07fb78531eddf31f9)
Title: Re: Nosler Accubond performance on big game.
Post by: 270Shooter on January 31, 2009, 05:18:05 PM: I also like the accubonds. They penetrate quite a bit, but not to much, and they expand very well.
Title: Re: Nosler Accubond performance on big game.
Post by: 300winmag on January 31, 2009, 05:35:43 PM: I love this bullet. I SHOOT A 180 GR OUT OF MY 300 WIN MAG . Found all three rounds this year . First went thru the front shoulder of my elk at 312 yards took out the top of the heart and was lodged just under the skin on the opposite side . Second and third were found very similar on my buddies elk ,both right behind the front shoulder and lodged just under the hide on the opposite side.Great bullet hits hard and holds it wieght.
Title: Re: Nosler Accubond performance on big game.
Post by: Wanttohuntmore on January 31, 2009, 06:18:30 PM: I'm a Nosler Partition guy, but think logically these Accubonds should be more accurate. Have you found their accuracy to be great? The few I used matched my partition groups, but I haven't played around with the charge or seating debth much. That's one of this years projects.
Title: Re: Nosler Accubond performance on big game.
Post by: Rick on January 31, 2009, 06:35:53 PM: Quote from: Wanttohuntmore on January 31, 2009, 06:18:30 PM
I'm a Nosler Partition guy, but think logically these Accubonds should be more accurate. Have you found their accuracy to be great? The few I used matched my partition groups, but I haven't played around with the charge or seating debth much. That's one of this years projects.

I've tried the ABs in a .270 Win,.300 WSM,30-06,and a 7mm RM. Non have been very impressive shooting the ABs. I don't re-load so it was all factory ammo. The .270 and .300 WSM are very accurate rifles and generally aren't finicky as to what they shoot well. They just don't like the ABs for whatever reason.
Title: Re: Nosler Accubond performance on big game.
Post by: Bookworm on January 31, 2009, 07:08:50 PM: I too am a Nosler guy. I tried shooting the 200gr. ab out of my 338 Federal. For whatever reason it did not like them :dunno: I had to switch to a Hornady bullet.
Title: Re: Nosler Accubond performance on big game.
Post by: Sage Weasel on January 31, 2009, 07:10:12 PM: I have hand loaded the Nosler Accubonds in 7x57, 8x57(JS), .300 WSM, .375 Ultra Mag, 7mm Rem Mag and .270 WSM and they shoot super accurate just like the Nosler BT's. Two years ago I hunted with a Rem700 .300 WSM, where I hunt is open country and shots tend to be long, I zero my rifle for 300 yards and run my drop chart and target knobs for anything past 400 yards. The picture of the target bellow is the last two hand loads I had after zeroing at 300 yards, once I had my 300 yard zero I fired my last two rounds at 200 yards just to know where I was at. The Accubonds flat shoot.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi90.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fk269%2Flandonmoses%2F100_4766.jpg&hash=4d5b2766b029e2297170187b44b961e0864d7ea4)
Title: Re: Nosler Accubond performance on big game.
Post by: demontang on January 31, 2009, 08:12:13 PM: I shot a muley with the a 200gr accubond out of my 338 win @ 3100 and it traveled from the right hip to just behind the front left leg and was stuck in a rib. The other two deer I have shot where with a 180 bt @3200 and was a nice broad side at 200yd's and the bullet exited. The other was the 200gr bt @3100 at 200yd's facing away up a hill and broad side, one hit next to the spine and came out the shoulder and the other hit right behind the shoulder and was just under the skin on the opposite side in the neck.

With hand loads and double tap I can shoot well under sub moa all day tell my shoulder can take it, but with the federals I can only hold it about 1 moa.
Title: Re: Nosler Accubond performance on big game.
Post by: Jamieb on February 01, 2009, 12:11:35 AM: I've been using 200gr. accubonds out of my 300 RUM for a few years now. 3 black bears 2 bull elk, 3 black tails and one white tail. No complaints about bullet performance. I'm loading the 160gr. accubond in my 7Mag, shoots great, I've only shot 1 white tail buck with this bullet/rifle so far but I'm confident that it will work fine for any of the big game hunting I do.
Title: Re: Nosler Accubond performance on big game.
Post by: Gutpile on February 01, 2009, 08:39:08 AM: Sage weasel,

Great post. I love the recovered bullets threads. I've only ever recovered one though. It was a 180 grain partition that I recovered from a deer about ten years ago. Everything else has passed through. I never used accubonds myself. But have used Interbonds and scirrocos which are very similar. I've since switched to barnes in my deer rifle.
Title: Re: Nosler Accubond performance on big game.
Post by: Wanttohuntmore on February 01, 2009, 08:47:57 AM: I have to say I hope these shoot well in my rifles this year. I like the BC that these have over the Partition, and the price is nice too. With the Partitions I hold about 1 moa, and so far the AB's seem the same. I read some good results with the Barnes ttsx and tsx, but am still reluctant to try them out. I had good and bad experience with the older x bullet. With 5 shot groups where 3 would clover leaf, then 2 fliers 2 inches apart. Made no sense, but that was a re-occuring theme with the x's in all of my loads. I'm hoping the tsx solves those problems.
Title: Re: Nosler Accubond performance on big game.
Post by: Gutpile on February 01, 2009, 08:53:43 AM: The TSX is excedingly accurate in my old 700 30-06. I was floored. They outshoot every load I've ever worked up. Wish I could give an evaluation on performance but I neck shot my deer this year, and at 100-120 yards pretty much every 30-06 load will do what it did.
Title: Re: Nosler Accubond performance on big game.
Post by: buckhorn2 on February 01, 2009, 09:12:29 AM: I load 200 grain accubounds for my 300 ultra mag. and 180 accubounds for out 300 weaterby;s and have been really happy with there accuracy and performance.
Title: Re: Nosler Accubond performance on big game.
Post by: Red Dawg on February 01, 2009, 09:25:53 AM: I love the performance of the accubond but I have found that they a best suited to be at max 3200 fps out of the muzzle. Any faster than that they tend to blow up on impact. That is what I have found. I just wish I would have been able to find even one bullet, but shooting a 300 ultra I have not been able to find one yet.
Title: Re: Nosler Accubond performance on big game.
Post by: Intruder on February 01, 2009, 09:34:36 AM: Hard to argue w/ your results. I see no reason to change if I were you (not that you were going to). There are a ton of good bullets out there... Accubonds, Interbonds, Bear Claws, TSX, A-Frames, etc. Once you get a good load developed w/ 1 of these they're all gonna perform pretty well. The only thing even worth debating from what I can see is the weight retention. 70% is decent but I'd personally like to have more. Again though, your shot placement and the end results can't be debated. :twocents:
Title: Re: Nosler Accubond performance on big game.
Post by: Curly on February 01, 2009, 10:06:13 AM: Quote from: Red Dawg on February 01, 2009, 09:25:53 AM
I love the performance of the accubond but I have found that they a best suited to be at max 3200 fps out of the muzzle. Any faster than that they tend to blow up on impact.

That is good advice, Red. Nosler states:
Quote
Minimum Impact Velocity: 1800 fps; Maximum Impact Velocity: 3100 fps
so 3200 at the muzzle should be about max unless all shots taken are going to be way out there so that impact velocity will be less than 3100 fps.

Although, I am curious how fast Sage Weasel's brother's 270WSM was pushing the 140gr Accubond when he shot that doe at 30 feet.
Title: Re: Nosler Accubond performance on big game.
Post by: demontang on February 01, 2009, 10:12:45 AM: I was shooting the 200gr accubond at 3100 and it doesnt show any signs it was to come apart even at close 50yd's, now the bt seem to be a little fragle at that speed up close :o
Title: Re: Nosler Accubond performance on big game.
Post by: Jamieb on February 01, 2009, 12:07:16 PM: This is the exit from a 200gr. accubond doing 3175fps at the muzzel. Shot was 10 yards, the bear took one step after the shot and went down.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv376%2Felkhunter%2Fbighole.jpg&hash=e8783b2a18d582c25d24c33ce1c076da9c9b5d50)
Title: Re: Nosler Accubond performance on big game.
Post by: Red Dawg on February 01, 2009, 12:24:18 PM: nosler's recomendation is correct. I have had two 180 grain AB blow up on impact, they were flying at about 3300 fps. and these where close shots that hit bone. I slowed it down a bit with a 200 grain at about 2900 and the problem is gone. Plus down range drop is less.
Title: Re: Nosler Accubond performance on big game.
Post by: Sage Weasel on February 02, 2009, 03:25:41 PM: Quote from: Curly on February 01, 2009, 10:06:13 AM
Quote from: Red Dawg on February 01, 2009, 09:25:53 AM
I love the performance of the accubond but I have found that they a best suited to be at max 3200 fps out of the muzzle. Any faster than that they tend to blow up on impact.

That is good advice, Red. Nosler states:
Quote
Minimum Impact Velocity: 1800 fps; Maximum Impact Velocity: 3100 fps
so 3200 at the muzzle should be about max unless all shots taken are going to be way out there so that impact velocity will be less than 3100 fps.

Although, I am curious how fast Sage Weasel's brother's 270WSM was pushing the 140gr Accubond when he shot that doe at 30 feet.

The .270 WSM 140gr Nosler Accubond had a muzzle vel of 3254 fps...It traveled the length of the body from a point blank shot. I just have a hard time seeing a .30 Cal 180gr plus failing on impact at close range but on the other hand I haven't done it.
Title: Re: Nosler Accubond performance on big game.
Post by: gadwall on February 12, 2009, 05:32:12 PM: Thanks for the info guys. Can't wait to see how the accubonds perform in my 7mm Rem Mag.
Title: Re: Nosler Accubond performance on big game.
Post by: Curly on February 12, 2009, 06:56:30 PM: Quote from: Sage Weasel on February 02, 2009, 03:25:41 PM
The .270 WSM 140gr Nosler Accubond had a muzzle vel of 3254 fps...It traveled the length of the body from a point blank shot. I just have a hard time seeing a .30 Cal 180gr plus failing on impact at close range but on the other hand I haven't done it.

I thought it would have been going faster than 3100 fps........it must have hit at 3200 fps. Nosler is probably being conservative with their 3,100 fps value they list as max. I may have to try them. I have two 300 Win mags and the M70 hasn't been shot in almost 10 yrs. I have a great load for my other rifle with 168gr TSX, but I've been thinking about working up a load with Accubonds in the M70.