A hunting companion called me last week inquiring if I had any luck locating the Long Range AccuBonds (LRAB) for his 7 Rem Mag he recently purchased. "Not yet," I informed him. He has portrayed several times not being comfortable hunting with what he called "exploding" bullets. With the new line of LRABs advertised, he was quite interested in their performance. I informed him I had recently acquired two boxes of the 30 Cal 210 LRAB's and would be willing to test a few around 1000 yards with the results used to help him with his decision on a direction for a bullet to use in this new rifle. I also was not willing to invest more than 40 total rounds during tests to save barrel life on my rifle.
With the name Long Range, an appropriate starting point for testing would be with bullet consistency and evaluating the advertised G7 ballistics coefficient. I used the Berger 230 Grain Hybrid Tactical OTM with an advertised G7 BC of .368 for comparison to the LRAB advertised G7 BC of .366.
Pictured left to right for visual comparison are the 30 cal Berger 230gr Hybrid OTM, 30 cal Nosler 210gr LRAB, 338cal Berger 300gr Hybrid OTM, and 338 cal Nosler 300gr AccuBond.
I decided to evaluate the LRAB with comparison to the Berger OTM in four areas:
1. Base to Comparator length.
2. Weight.
3. Short range precision to include muzzle velocity variation.
4. Computer generated G7 BC drop results tested at ranges near 1000 yards specifically for the LRAB. I have shot the OTM's for the past few years and have confidence in their advertised G1 and G7 BC's.
Base to Comparator Length and Weight
Twenty bullets each were randomly selected, measured, weighed and placed back into their box. Sorting was not conducted. Length was measured using a Sinclair bullet sorting stand and quick sorting comparator. Weight was measured using a Sartorius M-prove scale.
Berger OTM
Average Weight - 230.07 grains
SD .091 grains
Average base to comparator length - .789"
SD .00074"
LRAB
Average Weight - 210.31 grains
SD .221 grains
Average base to comparator length - .766"
SD .00078"
Short Range Precision (Group Size in MOA) and Muzzle Velocity Variation
Three shot groups were taken with each bullet at 100, 200 and 300 yards. Average group size was measured in MOA. An Oehler M-35p chronograph measured the muzzle velocity of each shot. The rifle used during testing was an accurized Remington 700 LA fitted with a 30" Lilja 1-10" twist barrel chambered with a SAAMI reamer in 300 RUM and skim bedded in an HS Precision stock. A Nightforce 8-32X56 NXS scope with NP-R1 reticle topped the rifle and finished with a Sinclair bipod. Rounds were loaded three grains below estimated MAX charge with an OAL of 3.660" thus allowing just enough room for clearance in the magazine. Free bore was approaching 170 thousandths of an inch for each. Keep in mind load development was not conducted and results could have varied by conducting load development. I was more interested with the muzzle velocity standard deviation results considering the LRAB was not as precise in bullet weight as the Berger's.
Berger
Average three shot MOA .64
Average Muzzle Velocity 2960 ft/s, SD 15 ft/s
LRAB
Average three shot MOA .96
Average Muzzle Velocity 3136 ft/s, SD 11 ft/s
LRAB G7 BC
Ten additional LRAB's were loaded using an estimated MAX charge and zeroed. The four shot average zero muzzle velocity was 3222 ft/s.
The next morning a target was set up at 960 yards. Adjustments were made for wind and spin drift. Three shots were taken using the advertised G7 BC of .366 utilizing my ballistics engine. The group measured 18" low and 9" in size.
Note the vertical.
The target was then placed at 1095 yards for my last three shots. The first shot hit low just missing the target. I adjusted up 2.25 MOA and fired my last two rounds. The two shot group measured 12" low and was 11" in size.
Note the vertical.
The advertised LRAB G7 BC of .366 is significantly above a corrected G7 BC required for my particular firing solution for the ranges noted above.
Of particular interest is the vertical displacement of the two groups. While two groups do not support near enough data to draw any form of validity, the results look promising. Both LRAB groups additionally measured approximately the same average MOA as in the short range testing while under slight wind and mirage changes (less than 3 MPH). The vertical displacement appears promising. I would consider the LRAB of having the potential of being a formidable long range hunting bullet compared to their current AccuBond design with further tested G7 BC validation and hand load development.
With the name Long Range, an appropriate starting point for testing would be with bullet consistency and evaluating the advertised G7 ballistics coefficient. I used the Berger 230 Grain Hybrid Tactical OTM with an advertised G7 BC of .368 for comparison to the LRAB advertised G7 BC of .366.
Pictured left to right for visual comparison are the 30 cal Berger 230gr Hybrid OTM, 30 cal Nosler 210gr LRAB, 338cal Berger 300gr Hybrid OTM, and 338 cal Nosler 300gr AccuBond.
I decided to evaluate the LRAB with comparison to the Berger OTM in four areas:
1. Base to Comparator length.
2. Weight.
3. Short range precision to include muzzle velocity variation.
4. Computer generated G7 BC drop results tested at ranges near 1000 yards specifically for the LRAB. I have shot the OTM's for the past few years and have confidence in their advertised G1 and G7 BC's.
Base to Comparator Length and Weight
Twenty bullets each were randomly selected, measured, weighed and placed back into their box. Sorting was not conducted. Length was measured using a Sinclair bullet sorting stand and quick sorting comparator. Weight was measured using a Sartorius M-prove scale.
Berger OTM
Average Weight - 230.07 grains
SD .091 grains
Average base to comparator length - .789"
SD .00074"
LRAB
Average Weight - 210.31 grains
SD .221 grains
Average base to comparator length - .766"
SD .00078"
Short Range Precision (Group Size in MOA) and Muzzle Velocity Variation
Three shot groups were taken with each bullet at 100, 200 and 300 yards. Average group size was measured in MOA. An Oehler M-35p chronograph measured the muzzle velocity of each shot. The rifle used during testing was an accurized Remington 700 LA fitted with a 30" Lilja 1-10" twist barrel chambered with a SAAMI reamer in 300 RUM and skim bedded in an HS Precision stock. A Nightforce 8-32X56 NXS scope with NP-R1 reticle topped the rifle and finished with a Sinclair bipod. Rounds were loaded three grains below estimated MAX charge with an OAL of 3.660" thus allowing just enough room for clearance in the magazine. Free bore was approaching 170 thousandths of an inch for each. Keep in mind load development was not conducted and results could have varied by conducting load development. I was more interested with the muzzle velocity standard deviation results considering the LRAB was not as precise in bullet weight as the Berger's.
Berger
Average three shot MOA .64
Average Muzzle Velocity 2960 ft/s, SD 15 ft/s
LRAB
Average three shot MOA .96
Average Muzzle Velocity 3136 ft/s, SD 11 ft/s
LRAB G7 BC
Ten additional LRAB's were loaded using an estimated MAX charge and zeroed. The four shot average zero muzzle velocity was 3222 ft/s.
The next morning a target was set up at 960 yards. Adjustments were made for wind and spin drift. Three shots were taken using the advertised G7 BC of .366 utilizing my ballistics engine. The group measured 18" low and 9" in size.
Note the vertical.
The target was then placed at 1095 yards for my last three shots. The first shot hit low just missing the target. I adjusted up 2.25 MOA and fired my last two rounds. The two shot group measured 12" low and was 11" in size.
Note the vertical.
The advertised LRAB G7 BC of .366 is significantly above a corrected G7 BC required for my particular firing solution for the ranges noted above.
Of particular interest is the vertical displacement of the two groups. While two groups do not support near enough data to draw any form of validity, the results look promising. Both LRAB groups additionally measured approximately the same average MOA as in the short range testing while under slight wind and mirage changes (less than 3 MPH). The vertical displacement appears promising. I would consider the LRAB of having the potential of being a formidable long range hunting bullet compared to their current AccuBond design with further tested G7 BC validation and hand load development.
