225 Accubond vs Elk Report
- Thread starter Long Time Long Ranger
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
bigngreen
Well-Known Member
It seems that there is allot of shooting at way to close of range with way to much cal for the job. If you shoot a 338 size bullet in the lower grain offerings and you push them fast enough at close range nearly any bullet will turn into a gernade with all that frontal area with no backside to back it up. I would think that maybe loading down to a lower velocity and using them for close shots may not be a bad idea or having some Barnes loaded up for close work. Shooting a 180 gr bullet in a real large magnum chambering at deer in close quarters is kinda like shooting a coyote with v-max's out of a 22-250.
In the quest of long range we typically build on larger cals and push bullets beyond there design capabilities in the short range to gain ballistics and killing power for the long range kill, during the first few hundred yards many of us are way out of the bullets design capabilities but by the time the bullet connects with our long range target it is within it's design capability and functions as we would expect. I think we have to keep in mind that we are building long range rigs, we don't expect a short range rifle and load to function at long distance why should we expect a long range one to function at close range.
Not trying to ruffle any feathers, just my take on it.
In the quest of long range we typically build on larger cals and push bullets beyond there design capabilities in the short range to gain ballistics and killing power for the long range kill, during the first few hundred yards many of us are way out of the bullets design capabilities but by the time the bullet connects with our long range target it is within it's design capability and functions as we would expect. I think we have to keep in mind that we are building long range rigs, we don't expect a short range rifle and load to function at long distance why should we expect a long range one to function at close range.
Not trying to ruffle any feathers, just my take on it.
Autorotate19
Well-Known Member
A few years ago I shot a big bull that was trotting straight away at around 200 yards with a 7mm rem mag with the 160 gr xlc and it went all the way through hitting the vitals exiting and killing him in one shot. I thought that was impressive as far as penetration but on second hand I worry about those barnes bullets just punching a hole and not expanding enough. I think they are probably great on Elk and larger game but for deer and other smaller game something that expands might be a little better in my opinion. Im using 180 gr accubonds this year for elk in my 300 ultra so I guess ill see how they work. Hope this is helpful...
My one experience with this bullet is a muzzle velocity of 3050 fps and a shot of 320 yds on a bull elk. The first shot was slightly quartering away and went through onside ribs and centered the humerus on the offside, shattering the bone. There was no exit and only bullet fragments were found around the shattered humerus but that is a direct impact on a large bone. Followup shot was quartering towards and went down through neck towards chest. No exit and I did not locate bullet. In both cases, lots of bone was hit and I wouldn't have expected any bullet other than a TSX or such to remain intact. Just my two cents.
JD338
Nice picture display. That's about what my 7mm ABs look like, when they've been recovered in game. About 60-65% weight retention.
Not sure what's up with the 225 338s. Hoping LTLR provides an update and some photos of the bullets he's recovering. I've read of some hunters disappointments with the 225 338 AB on the Campfire site in the past also - based on some game taken in Africa. My tendency was to dismiss it as a fluke, but here's the same kind of incident again. If there's less than 35% weight retention, then their performance is clearly less than Nosler planned/designed for.
Maybe we will see some pics and retained weight data.
Nice picture display. That's about what my 7mm ABs look like, when they've been recovered in game. About 60-65% weight retention.
Not sure what's up with the 225 338s. Hoping LTLR provides an update and some photos of the bullets he's recovering. I've read of some hunters disappointments with the 225 338 AB on the Campfire site in the past also - based on some game taken in Africa. My tendency was to dismiss it as a fluke, but here's the same kind of incident again. If there's less than 35% weight retention, then their performance is clearly less than Nosler planned/designed for.
Maybe we will see some pics and retained weight data.
Outlaw6.0
Well-Known Member
L! I was wondering about that too ...LDHunter
Well-Known Member
I'm following this very closely... The Accubond has killed 4 deer and two hogs for me and none of them were anywhere near the size or toughness of elk. The only bullet I recovered was a 7mm 140gr projectile that traveled through about 3 feet of whitetail doe and was found under the hide in the offside ham. Classic perfect mushroom and DRT which is the almost boringly predictable result with almost all Nosler Bullets.
The only people that I've ever heard disrespecting Accubonds seem to be touting Barnes (insert latest cool multi-letter name here) X bullets.
I have never been a fan of weighting recovered bullets. Seems that the Accubonds do their job without fail and the Partition before it exhibited similar terminal charistics.
YMMV,
Bob
The only people that I've ever heard disrespecting Accubonds seem to be touting Barnes (insert latest cool multi-letter name here) X bullets.
I have never been a fan of weighting recovered bullets. Seems that the Accubonds do their job without fail and the Partition before it exhibited similar terminal charistics.
YMMV,
Bob
LDHunter
Well-Known Member
The Accubond has killed 4 deer and two hogs for me and none of them were anywhere near the size or toughness of elk. The only bullet I recovered was a 7mm 140gr projectile that traveled through about 3 feet of whitetail doe and was found under the hide in the offside ham. Classic perfect mushroom and DRT which is the usual boringly predictable result with all Nosler Bullets I've ever used.
The only people that I've ever heard disrespecting Accubonds seem to be touting Barnes (insert latest cool multi-letter name here) X bullets.
I have never been a fan of weighting recovered bullets. Seems that the Accubonds do their job without fail and the Partition before it exhibited similar terminal charistics. I like to kill and eat animals with little fanfare and have never felt the compunction to weigh recovered bullets.
YMMV,
Bob
The only people that I've ever heard disrespecting Accubonds seem to be touting Barnes (insert latest cool multi-letter name here) X bullets.
I have never been a fan of weighting recovered bullets. Seems that the Accubonds do their job without fail and the Partition before it exhibited similar terminal charistics. I like to kill and eat animals with little fanfare and have never felt the compunction to weigh recovered bullets.
YMMV,
Bob
LDHunter
Well-Known Member
Something more I'd like to point out.... Absolutely reliable expansion of a bullet every time under every situation is what the Partition and now the Accubond have delivered and at the same time they've delivered a minimum caliber sized projectile as deep as your velocity and the density of the tissue the bullet has encountered allows.
This has proven the absolute best method of killing game animals in any situation from any angle for a LOT of years.
The shedding of the "pedals" is something that is going to happen fairly often with a bullet that is both designed to open easily thereby imparting a lot of shock on thin skilled and non-dense tissue animals but still retain the integrity of the base of the projectile to ensure DEEEEEP penetration.
Hunters asked Nosler to provide a bullet with these characteristics and they responded with the Partition and when they asked Nosler to provide one with a greater BC, plastic tip, and better accuracy they responded with the Accubond.
When we clamored for even better Ballistic Coefficients we got the Long Range Accubond which has yet to earn it's reputation.
Y'all can get out your scales and weigh recovered bullets all you want and have your long winded conversations about retained weight but until retained weight proves to be a quicker and more reliable game killer than the Accubond I'm probably not going to change what works for me.
YMMV
Climbing down off my soapbox and looking a bit sheepish.... LOL
Bob
This has proven the absolute best method of killing game animals in any situation from any angle for a LOT of years.
The shedding of the "pedals" is something that is going to happen fairly often with a bullet that is both designed to open easily thereby imparting a lot of shock on thin skilled and non-dense tissue animals but still retain the integrity of the base of the projectile to ensure DEEEEEP penetration.
Hunters asked Nosler to provide a bullet with these characteristics and they responded with the Partition and when they asked Nosler to provide one with a greater BC, plastic tip, and better accuracy they responded with the Accubond.
When we clamored for even better Ballistic Coefficients we got the Long Range Accubond which has yet to earn it's reputation.
Y'all can get out your scales and weigh recovered bullets all you want and have your long winded conversations about retained weight but until retained weight proves to be a quicker and more reliable game killer than the Accubond I'm probably not going to change what works for me.
YMMV
Climbing down off my soapbox and looking a bit sheepish.... LOL
Bob
Broz
Well-Known Member
Bob, whats the longest shot you have ever taken on a game animal?
Thanks
Jeff
Thanks
Jeff
LDHunter
Well-Known Member
Mostly groundhogs in the 400yds to 650yds range... Tough stuff.... LOL
For a true game animal I think I killed an antelope at 425 once and have nailed a few coyotes well beyond that.
Oh yeah.... Once poked a whitetail at 613 but I'm pretty sure I got lucky on that one... I grossly miscalculated the wind and when I got my Kestrel out after the shot it was blowing 7mph and I estimated 15 but was in too much of a hurry to get the shot made. That shot was purely a hail Mary and as I started squeezing the trigger I was already thinking I was taking too much of a chance wounding him.
I swore I saw him run off but when I finally found him he appeared to have dropped in his tracks because the Partition made it through which was another surprise and there was hair and blood just beyond him. It's hell shooting game here in north Florida long range because unless they're standing in a road, as soon as they lay down, they disappear completely until you're standing over them due to the crazy thick vegetation.
Anyway... Why do you ask?
For a true game animal I think I killed an antelope at 425 once and have nailed a few coyotes well beyond that.
Oh yeah.... Once poked a whitetail at 613 but I'm pretty sure I got lucky on that one... I grossly miscalculated the wind and when I got my Kestrel out after the shot it was blowing 7mph and I estimated 15 but was in too much of a hurry to get the shot made. That shot was purely a hail Mary and as I started squeezing the trigger I was already thinking I was taking too much of a chance wounding him.
I swore I saw him run off but when I finally found him he appeared to have dropped in his tracks because the Partition made it through which was another surprise and there was hair and blood just beyond him. It's hell shooting game here in north Florida long range because unless they're standing in a road, as soon as they lay down, they disappear completely until you're standing over them due to the crazy thick vegetation.
Anyway... Why do you ask?
