SMK vs. AccuBond

[lerch]

I just had a customer/friend of mine come in our shop and he showed me something interesting. A while back me and BJ were shooting at milk jugs at 940yds, BJ was using his 300 RUM with the 240gr SMK. We recovered one of his bullets from our back stop and found it to measure the following:

Length: .576
diameter at widest point: .715
weight of jacket: 52.8
weight of core: 66.3
weight total: 119.1
% weight retention: 49.58%
The core had seperated from the jacket and only a small piece of lead was recovered.

THe buddy of mine shot a 300WSM with the 180gr AccuBond into a similar backstop but at 300yds. His recovered bullet wieghed as follows:

Length: .604
Diameter at widest point: .752
Weight total: 133.00
% weight retention: 73%
The AccuBond did not lose its core and expanded to a decently larger diameter.

I know this is not the most acurate or precise test ever produced, but I still thought you all might get a kick out of the info

take it easy
steve

 

[HooterShooter]

What was the MOA accuracy of both loads at those distances?
I keep threatining to try some AB's.

Sound like it would have been a dead animal either way.

Good Post!

 

[bailey1474]

I can't speak for the 180 gr but the 240 will shoot well under MOA @ 940 yds. I would guess just over half MOA, but maybe less.

I know we'll get a rise out of POP on this one /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif!!

 

[davewilson]

i guess i'm struggling to see any importance in this comparison.i'm assuming you're shooting into a hard bank,which is not a good test medium, and one is impacted at 3x the distance.for long range,based on the info, it looks like the sierra wins hands down.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I have killed exactly ONE biggame animal with the SMK bullet, so my personal results are (statstically) meaningless. However, based on what I have read on many boards where shooters regularely hunt biggame with the SMK, I have come to some conclusions.

The heavy SMK's, particularely in the 30cal + 33cal are very effective at taking large game at extended ranges when the shot placement is good. Using an accurate bullet like the SMK certainly helps with proper shot placement over the long haul.

In the smaller calibers, the SMK seems to frequently hold up better than other "match" bullets due to its thicker jacket. However, reports on terminal performance of the smaller SMK's seem to vary enough to question their application for hunting biggame. Using "hunting" bullets in these calibers may give shooters a little more comfort.

Now that the industry is producing "hunting bullets" with higher B/C's and improved quality control for better accuracy, I think that many shooters will not be as likely to look at match bullets for longrange hunting.

Just my 2 cents

 

[lerch]

Not really trying to do a real comparison here, I just felt like reporting some interesting results I had found.

This is in no way a attempt to reopen the debate on SMK's killing ability.

I just thought it was interesting how the SMK hit a dirt bank and substantially less speed and the bullet opened up dramatically and lost its core. The accubond slammed into a dirt bank at 1/3 the distance and substantially faster and preformed perfectally.

Your remark that the SMK won, even though this isnt a contest, is pretty hard to understand. \

I know a dirt bank is not a good test medium, I guess I forgot my ballistic gelatin. Just thought I would remark on what I saw out of the 2 bullets

steve

 

[Michael Eichele]

Not trying to start a war here but I personaly gave up using the SMK's for big game hunting. I have had too many inconsitencies with them. The 168 performed perfect on caribou at 25 yards and 300 yards. Penciled through a dall ram at 763. 190's have penciled through 2 dall rams at both 300 and 600 yards.

Too bad Hornaday doesnt make a 190 AMAX /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[FnSpr1akid]

the smaller SMK's get ?exlpodish? (I like that word need to copyright it.) at highspeed I blew an armadillo all to hell with 150gr out of 7mag..then again it was on the really long side of a 5 yard shot.. the litte smks blow up on me alot though the bigger 190's shoot nice the 175's at 300yards splattered on a 1/2" plate and made barely a 1/4" whereas 180gr Gameking shoots sub moa and shot through the plate. I am becoming a fan of the Gameking bullets they are decent BC with a great penetration at low price, for me that all equals alot of dead piggies.

 

[Gixxer]

Besides the backstop not being a real good test medium, remember the Accubond has a thicker jacket than the SMK, not to mention the Accubond has the bonded core. Theres some food for thought. I dunno if the AB would pencil through @ extended ranges. the jacket is supposedly designed to open up @ slower velocities, and hold up @ higher V's. Check out the Nosler website and look @ the cross section, you can see the jacket get thicker from tip to base. I have not shot my 375cal AB's out to 900, but it is pretty darn accurate and bucks the wind out to 500.

As far as the range difference in the first post, you would have to examine the law of averages on that one, 2 different carts, different MV's, bullet weights. Who knows what the terminal V was for each. But if you really think about it, the 240 @ 900 is more likely to be going slower than the 180 @ 300, so that would show the SMK as being more "fragile" if you think about it.

 

[bailey1474]

[ QUOTE ]
But if you really think about it, the 240 @ 900 is more likely to be going slower than the 180 @ 300, so that would show the SMK as being more "fragile" if you think about it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ding, ding!!!! We have a winner!!!! That is exactly what he is trying to say.

There is absolutly nothing scientific about this. A customer brought in the AB, I had the SMK and Lerch did a little comparison. I'm very impressed w/the AB. Much higher velocity on impact and yet more weight retention. Not to mention the fact that weighed 60 gr less to start with!!

 

[Buckmaster]

I haven't used a SMK on game, but did use a cauterucio in 7mm 156. It took out a deer nice at 120, but I'm concerned if I shoot a deer at 40 yards. I could use a txs or bear claw, but I like the long range shot so the AB could be the best of all worlds.

300 smk in the big 338's are another story.

Thanks for the info.

 

[goodgrouper]

I've used one MK, several Bergers, and lots of AB's to kill game at long distances and I would say the most important thing is, "put it were they live" with any of these bullets and they will do the job. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Jimm]

Amen

Jim B.

 

[jeff 300]

[ QUOTE ]
I've used one MK, several Bergers, and lots of AB's to kill game at long distances and I would say the most important thing is, "put it were they live" with any of these bullets and they will do the job. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[/ QUOTE ]i shoot 4 hogs this weekend with 69gr smk out of my 223 two over 200yrd and two over a 150yrds all of shoots where in the head and they dropped in there tracks you put the bullet where it needs to be and they don't go any where /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif