225 gr accubonds on elk

[Ultramag45]

I am going on an elk hunt in New Mexico//ondering how 225 gr accubonds will work from my 338 RUM... Awesome on deer and bear. I have always used partitions on elk.... anybodys thoughts or advice would be helpful... thankyou

 

[cross]

Your most likely not going to be able to recover your bullet without a shovel.

I hunted with them in my 338 WM about 5 years ago. I killed a bull moose and a calf elk with them. My experience was that with that much mass and that hard of a bullet you're going to get a pass through. If your expecting a bang-flop you might not get it without aiming for a shoulder. The bullet should expand reliably for the first 1000 yards or so and there should be a nice blood trail leaking out of the far side of the elk if you're shot is closer than 600 or 700 yards. This bullet will also work well if you're a Texas heart shot shooter, although I find this a messy and somewhat desperate measure but I must admit that I have done it, especially after the 1st shot when I'm worried that the critter may be wounded with a less than perfect shot and is making an exit. It should penetrate the length of an elk if you're within a couple of hundred yards or so. I'm a big fan of Partitions but the facts that they don't come with boat-tails and the lead tips of the bullets deform horribly in the magazine after the first shot leaves me looking for something like the Accubond when I'm setting up for long range.

I just loaded up a bunch of them for my 338 WM for my Dad to take hunting in the next couple of weeks. The bullets have a good BC, they expand reliably down to ~1800 fps, and they hold together when you smash them into the shoulder of anything in North America for good penetration. There is no bullet that somebody doesn't have a horror story for but my guess is that if you take a consensus you'll discover that very people will argue with this being arguably as good an elk bullet as any.

 

[Ultramag45]

I Do like to shoot animals in the shoulder, as it anchors them immediately.. i am a little hesitant with the accubonds doing that. ANd like you said if you think you have made a less then perfect shot, a follow up is always next, whether it is the Texas Heart or whatever angle. Just about every deer i have shot in the shoulder has passed through and broken both... wondering if i can look forward to doing that on an elk with the accubonds... I know that partitions will do it... I know that 338 RUM at 3200 might make that accubond blow up if I dead center a bulls front shoulder.... Or am I a little overboard, and accubonds are better then I think

 

[cash338rum]

This is the only bullet I shoot out of mine. The gun loves it and I feel that only a few second shots are needed. Shoulder, back, neck does a great job for me. Longest kill thus far is only 476 on a spike bull. Will look up the load and post. I love the bullet. CJgun)

 

[JD338]

This will give you an idea as to how the Nosler 225 gr AB will hold up.Test media is water.

JD338

 

[royinidaho]

What JD338 says and shows.

GG shot a cow at something like 960 yds or there abouts and it was DRT. Massive shoulder damage.

I'll let ya'll all know if I make the shot. 338 RUM 225 NAB @ 3200 MV.

If the sun moon and stars line up correctly, it should account for a moose and elk this year. If things are normal though she'll just bust a bunch of rocks.

 

[Pdvdh]

You could kill a Cape Buffalo in Africa with that bullet & cartridge.

 

[srhaggerty]

If the sun moon and stars line up correctly, it should account for a moose and elk this year. If things are normal though she'll just bust a bunch of rocks.

So did you get over there for a peek. We will be there Thursday night and ready to roll Friday morning.

 

[cross]

I Do like to shoot animals in the shoulder, as it anchors them immediately.. i am a little hesitant with the accubonds doing that. ANd like you said if you think you have made a less then perfect shot, a follow up is always next, whether it is the Texas Heart or whatever angle. Just about every deer i have shot in the shoulder has passed through and broken both... wondering if i can look forward to doing that on an elk with the accubonds... I know that partitions will do it... I know that 338 RUM at 3200 might make that accubond blow up if I dead center a bulls front shoulder.... Or am I a little overboard, and accubonds are better then I think

Go ahead and dead center a bulls shoulder with that bullet anytime you want. I don't care if that bullet does come apart, it's going to take one hell of a lot of energy to do it and during the course of the bullet coming apart, that bulls shoulder is going to come apart. Accubonds are very good and very tough (and after shooting 2 sub MOA groups at 500 and 700 yards with them through my Model 70 sporter this weekend very accurate). I would wager that the Accubond is going to out penetrate the Partition most of the time because it's going to retain mass better than the Partition (remember I'm a Partition fan). I find it hard to believe that you're going to find anything that is going to give you more reliable performance.

 

[Varminator 911]

Have you considered the 250 accubond? Should give more penetration on a difficult/big bone shot.

 

[hammertyme]

Though it is not in a 338. I spent 4 months taking stern shots in 200 pound deer checking penetration and bullet proformance with the 225gr Accubond from my 358STA.
AT 600 yards I hit right of the exit port breaking the pelvis and the off side front shoulder, finding the bullet under the skin in front of the front shoulder. Intact and full mushroom. The next one taken was shot at 250 and he was aware of my presence. I waited for perfect alignment and took the shot at the base of the tail. The bullet split the back bone for six inches and I found the bullet in the flap skin under the lower jaw. Again the perfect mushroom. More examples with the same results.

Be confident with the bullet choice.

Neal

 

[JD338]

Have you considered the 250 accubond? Should give more penetration on a difficult/big bone shot.

I agree, more of a good thing with the 338 cal 250 gr AB.

Accuracy from a factory M700 LSS 338 RUM is pretty good too.

JD338

 

[elkregulator]

Where are you getting your accubonds? The best price I can find is midway. Thanks

 

[davewilson]

let's see, we have a 338RUM shooting a 225gr Accubond at 3200. for hunting elk, this would be like a sore dick, you can't beat it!