redchinviking
Well-Known Member
Ok I'm sure there is plenty of info to dig up on bullet performance but I'm really wondering where you all sit on this and why.
After having a hard time finding h1000 for my 190 LRAB load this year in a 300rum and seeing dads 300 rum shoot vld's incredibly well I decided to try out a retumbo vld load and found incredible accuracy quickly so decided to give em a try mid season.
Fast forward to the end of the season and I end up shooting my elk with the 190 accubond and my deer with the 210 vld. The cow elk was a little smaller and deer was a larger body 4x. Both broadside and slightly quartering to. Both bullets enter the 'sweet spot' behind the elbow between two ribs and hit vitals but exit the diaphragm and hit guts.
Elk was just under 400yds. 190 LRAB found under the hide on far side intact, no exit, diaphragm punctured but minimal stomach contents in cavity. weight retained was 143gr. Ran under 30 yds.
Deer was 365yds, almost same poi but of course vld does as it's designed and explodes into a million pieces. No exit. Diaphragm punctured and the entire body cavity is a mix of lungs and guts. Total destruction. Somehow found the base of what was left and weight retained was only 35gr!! Ran under 30 yds.
below is a picture of what was found. I know this is kind of apples and oranges, but I have a hard time deciding which I prefer and why. Dead is dead but I still find myself going back and forth. Meat hunter part of me prefers the accubond. Trophy part of me prefers the vld. The deer meat definitely seems like it was somewhat compromised from the contamination. Holding em both in your hand you can tell it is two far sides of the spectrum when it comes to bullet construction and maybe somewhere in between is optimal with a hybrid but what a difference. What would be a good happy medium between Accubond bonded and vld shrapnel? What do you prefer and why?
After having a hard time finding h1000 for my 190 LRAB load this year in a 300rum and seeing dads 300 rum shoot vld's incredibly well I decided to try out a retumbo vld load and found incredible accuracy quickly so decided to give em a try mid season.
Fast forward to the end of the season and I end up shooting my elk with the 190 accubond and my deer with the 210 vld. The cow elk was a little smaller and deer was a larger body 4x. Both broadside and slightly quartering to. Both bullets enter the 'sweet spot' behind the elbow between two ribs and hit vitals but exit the diaphragm and hit guts.
Elk was just under 400yds. 190 LRAB found under the hide on far side intact, no exit, diaphragm punctured but minimal stomach contents in cavity. weight retained was 143gr. Ran under 30 yds.
Deer was 365yds, almost same poi but of course vld does as it's designed and explodes into a million pieces. No exit. Diaphragm punctured and the entire body cavity is a mix of lungs and guts. Total destruction. Somehow found the base of what was left and weight retained was only 35gr!! Ran under 30 yds.
below is a picture of what was found. I know this is kind of apples and oranges, but I have a hard time deciding which I prefer and why. Dead is dead but I still find myself going back and forth. Meat hunter part of me prefers the accubond. Trophy part of me prefers the vld. The deer meat definitely seems like it was somewhat compromised from the contamination. Holding em both in your hand you can tell it is two far sides of the spectrum when it comes to bullet construction and maybe somewhere in between is optimal with a hybrid but what a difference. What would be a good happy medium between Accubond bonded and vld shrapnel? What do you prefer and why?
