Accubonds or Siroccos??

[elkaholic]

A Scirroco is one of the best performing bullets made "if you can get them to group"? They use a pure copper jacket, which is better, IMO, and a bonded pure lead core, also better. This is more malleable than the hardened lead used by the Accubond and therefore is more predictable. I'm not saying the AB's are not a good bullet; they are. If the Scirrocos will group, use them. If they won't, use the Accubond. They usually group well in most rifles.....Rich

 

[HammerB1]

Very well said Rich. From what I've seen, the sciroccos will retain around 80% weight. The accubonds I've recovered retained from around 60% to 80%. If you can get them to shoot, it would be my choice of bullets mentioned. If they were not so hard to get, I would shoot only GS bullets.
Brian

 

[Firecat]

LOL. If Swift offered 50 per box for $28.00, I wonder if everyone would still think that they are overpriced? Perhaps swift should as a marketing strategy. I'll bet it would work.

 

[cross]

LOL. If Swift offered 50 per box for $28.00, I wonder if everyone would still think that they are overpriced? Perhaps swift should as a marketing strategy. I'll bet it would work.

Right you are Firecat! Sciroccos aren't that expensive to shoot but they are expensive to try. I'll bet they would do more business selling boxes of 50.

 

[elkaholic]

Right you are Firecat! Sciroccos aren't that expensive to shoot but they are expensive to try. I'll bet they would do more business selling boxes of 50.

Right on! I still have a box over half full because I could never get them to group....Rich

 

[Firecat]

You boys raise a good point. Having to buy a hundred to test is quite a commitment. There is no doubt that you can know in 50 rounds whether or not you are headed in the right direction with a rifle/bullet combination. Rich, What are the Scirrocos that you have? May be willing to work a deal with you. PM Me.

 

[meatyrem]

What could be the deal with Sciroccos, less bearing surface? Or maybe something else? Maybe require a faster twist than usual? It doesn't seem that there is a significant difference than the others. What gives?

 

[HARPERC]

I shot the 180 Siroccos in a .300 H&H, and those first boxes shot great. However, later lots never "measured up". Given the variations in weight I decided quality control wasn't what it once was at Swift. Also, we shot a lot of them into test media (old hog meat, and bones) expansion was always great, retained weight excellent, penetration not so much. Field results about the same. I recovered 2 from a big bodied mule deer, shot at about 600 yards, and again penetration could have been better. In fairness though I have given up on all 180gr bullets in .30 caliber for big game due to issues of penetration. Respects to John Nosler, but his 180gr partition didn't completely solve the problem of being able to break a moose shoulder. I've seen bull moose, and bull elk that stopped .300 magnum 180 partitions with a shoulder. Good fortune, and repeated shots allowed recovery of these animals.
I can't say enough good about the Accubonds I've used. I have played this game for a while though, and it will be interesting to see what happens to quality at Nosler as they try to catch up with production since their little mishap.

 

[elkaholic]

They have a secant ogive, which is a little more finnicky, but more than that, they have a pretty thick jaket to control expansion. This always makes accuaracy more difficult to attain.That is why target bullets always use as thin a jacket as they can get away with....Rich

 

[FAL Shot]

In .224 caliber, the 75-grain Scirocco II has a much longer bearing surface than the 60-grain Partition. Have not shot 62-grain Barnes Triple-Shok X yet.

In my CZ 527 Kevlar Varmint 24" heavy barrel with 9" twist, the Scirocco II has been stable if shoved hard with a hot load (23.1 grains IMR 4895, seated .050 off the lands). In a 15 MPH crosswind it achieved a 1.2" group at 200 yards. Accurate enough for me. Completely stable at temp of 40F at 3000 feet altitude. I had one keyhole shot one day at -6F, but from a dirty bore and 22.7-grain powder load. The previous 9 shots were stable with even less powder.

I did not test the Nosler Partition against the Scirocco II that day, as I was working up a Scirocco II load only. But I do know for sure based on my 100-yard test of the Partition that it would not have grouped as well as the Scirocco II. The Partition load is for whitetails in brush at closer ranges. It has nowhere near the BC or SD of the Scirocco II.

I wouldn't shoot more than 10 shots of Scirocco without cleaning my bore, and I have gone to a 6-shot cleaning schedule as groups will be opening up by 10 shots, per many observations besides my own. 6 shots is twice as many shots as you should ever see in a day of deer or antelope hunting.

Plan on using this load on mule deer, whitetail and possibly antelope this next season. I might be getting a custom .224 Clark by then, and the Scirocco II is at the top of the list for bullets to try, as well as Barnes X bullets. The .308 Win with Ballistic Tips just ruins too much meat and is way overkill for young deer and antelope of good eating age.

Using M-Pro 7 LPX oil and M-Pro 7 gun cleaner reduces copper fouling and makes it much easier to get out than any of the old fashioned bore cleaners and Lubes. Throw the Hoppes 9 garbage in the trash if using Scirocco bullets.

 

[elkaholic]

You make a good point on pushing the velocity to get better accuracy. This is often the case with thick jacketed bullets. It takes more pressure to cause the bullet to obturate in the barrel......Rich