Nosler Accubond LR Results

[Engineering101]

Ihave been keeping an eye out for terminal performance results of the Nosler ABLRs. Once I saw the low weight retention(only the boat tail is left) and the comments from Nosler's head of marketing inresponse to the low weight retention indicating that these bullets "reallyshine" past 400 yards, I pretty much scratched them off the list of bullets Iwould consider for hunting. They weresupposed to solve the problem of being "too close" but that appears to be puremarketing hype. They appear to be assoft or softer than Bergers with similar BCs. So as near as I can tell they add nothing new. Anybody got any results on game?

 

[Pdvdh]

So as near as I can tell they add nothing new. Anybody got any results on game?

They add a tip to initiate expansion, which I continue to believe is a more reliable initiator of expansion - than a hole the size of dental floss.

 

[JackinSD]

Ihave been keeping an eye out for terminal performance results of the Nosler ABLRs. Once I saw the low weight retention(only the boat tail is left) and the comments from Nosler's head of marketing inresponse to the low weight retention indicating that these bullets "reallyshine" past 400 yards, I pretty much scratched them off the list of bullets Iwould consider for hunting. They weresupposed to solve the problem of being "too close" but that appears to be puremarketing hype. They appear to be assoft or softer than Bergers with similar BCs. So as near as I can tell they add nothing new. Anybody got any results on game?

A quick use of the search function found this 21 page thread.

 

[ZSteinle]

i have been using the original accubonds for a while now and close range results appear to be similar to what people are seeing with ABLR's. Shooting the original AB at a moderate speed of 2800 inside 300 yards haven't seen anything more than 60% weight retention.

 

[Engineering101]

JackinSD

What 21 page thread? I've searched and don't find it. Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[drwindmill]

I've recovered several inside of 300 yds out of my 300 WSM in the far side hide of whitetails and have had 70%+ in every one.

 

[FEENIX]

JackinSD

What 21 page thread? I've searched and don't find it. Thanks in advance for the help.

Use the custom search on the top right corner ...

http://www.longrangehunting.com/for...nge-accbond-my-experience-125820/index21.html

 

[Engineering101]

Thanks for pointing out that 21 page thread. It explains things pretty well. The LRABs basically pancake leaving nothing but the boat tail to continue on through the animal. Not exactly ideal if you want to kill something quick, especially something big. Based on that it looks like I'll be sticking with Barnes for closer stuff and Bergers for true long range shots. Nosler had a great idea but it looks like they didn't achieve their stated objective. Too bad.

 

[JackinSD]

JackinSD

What 21 page thread? I've searched and don't find it. Thanks in advance for the help.

I apologize. I was in a hurry, I had intended to include the link but failed. But, I see that Feenix has included it.

 

[Engineering101]

drwindmill

Thanks for the reply. I some how missed it the first time I read back through the thread. If I get what you were saying, you used 30cal ABLRs on whitetails and got 70% weight retention on more than one occasion though you were not at long range. That is very interesting and a much better result than seen with the 270 cal ABLR. Were they all bang/flops or did they run? Which ABLR were you using, 190 or210? Maybe there is hope for the larger cals.

 

[chad]

So 101 are you saying bergers are not good for close shots? By being to soft?

I now shoot accubonds out of my 280 and have had great luck with them. I need to make up a new load because the powder I am using is to hot of a load. Its causing my brass to crack and primers do not look good. Its the only load that the 280 likes so im gonna start over and was going to go with bergers, accubonds, barnes ttsx. Just try a different powder.

 

[thekyrifleman]

I don't give a whit about weight retention......does the bullet do its job or not. See attached photo of an entrance hole, whitetail buck this past season, 140 gr AB, 280 Rem, 2850 fps, 160 yds. Spine shot, dead, yes. My surprise was the magnitude of the damage. Looked more what I would expect from a BT.....

 

[Engineering101]

chad

Bergers are known to penetrate 2 or 3 inches and then expand "rapidly". Some would say blow up. Weight retention is very low. But they kill stuff. DRT is common. Barnes will blow a hole clear through most anything and if you are close you have plenty of energy to kill stuff though you might also hammer the tree behind the animal. Meat damage is minimal but the animal might run 20 yards or so before falling over. At least the stuff I've shot and seen double lunged with Barnes (both deer and elk) has done that. At longer ranges as you get down to 1,800 fps which is the min velocity for Barnes and Berger to exhibit expansion per the manufacturers you don't have energy to waste on the tree behind the animal so it seems you might want the bullet (and all the energy) to stay in the animal which a Berger will do way more than a Barnes. So I'm not saying Bergers are soft. They do what they do and you want to understand what they do so you can apply them to best advantage.

 

[chad]

understood. Thanks. Just looking for a good bullet for my 280. been using accubonds and like them but they only shoot with r19 powder and it is not temp stable. time for a new combo.