Which would you choose?

[Blkram]

I came across a Youtube podcast this evening by The Big Game Hunting Podcast, titled 388: 25 Creedmoor - A triple Threat Cartridge with Richard Mann.

Near the end of the podcast, the interviewer asks a very interesting question:
If you could choose just one cartridge or bullet to hunt with for the rest of your life, would you choose: a cartridge, or a bullet?

I tend to think like Richard Mann in this respect: I would choose a bullet to hunt with for the rest of my life. And that bullet would be the Nosler AccuBond.
Why?
Because, I like to hunt a wide variety of game, and under a wide variety of hunting circumstances, such as in the thick, dark timber to the wide open plains and mountain alpine or tundra, and hunting with one bullet would allow me the choice of several cartridges across a wide range of calibers so that I could still use several different rifles and cartridges to hunt with.
I would be able to hunt with 25 caliber cartridges and rifles from the 250 Savage on up through the 375 caliber with my 376 Steyr, and this covers game from deer and antelope species on up through large and/or dangerous game such as grizzly, buffalo and bison. In between, I would still be able to hunt with the 6.5s, the 270s, the 7MMs, the 30 cals, the 338s, the 35s and the 9.3! 9 calibers with one bullet to cover them all!
The bullet is easy to develop loads for, performs very well on game, and is consistently accurate across the calibers and cartridges I have used it in to date. Hard not to choose this as the bullet!
And with rifles with detachable magazines, I can still hunt with my lever actions such as the BLR and Winchester Model 88, along with my bolt action rifles.

Which would you choose?

 

[TexasLife]

never having or interested in the quarter bore as i'm a big 26cal fan. if i would've found a 260rem ar barrel before the 6.5creed, i wouldn't be owning a 6.5creed! sure it's fine and it does a good job, but not a big supporter of that cartridge. for sa cartridges i'll stuff them into an ar every day of the week and twice on sunday! when i get receivers for la cartridges (magnums) then i won't be owning a ba anymore.....well more of a possibly due to my kids. having a 22-250ai is as close as 1 can get to a 22creed. i like having 15's and 10's with same bore to use a wider range of bullets per caliber which i will likely get the 22c as having a 5.56. not sure if i'd do 25cal in a 15 tho due to it being a terrible decision, but the 25creed has a lot too offer with bullets over 130's. having a 243win in an ar already is THE reason for me NOT getting the 6creed (not enough difference between them). easy enough getting a barrel with the twist you want which takes out buying most factory offerings.

 

[sako2]

I'll take a good bullet.

 

[SJB358]

I'll take a good bullet.

Same here. I’d be fine with an AccuBond or Barnes TTSX/LRX, there are some amazing options nowadays.

 

[AFG270]

Same here. I’d be fine with an AccuBond or Barnes TTSX/LRX, there are some amazing options nowadays.

I would agree, but with AccuBond and Hammer bullets, Hammers work so much better than Barnes for me.

 

[SJB358]

I would agree, but with AccuBond and Hammer bullets, Hammers work so much better than Barnes for me.

Those as well. But their 15 dollar tariff annoys me some

 

[xphunter]

One bullet for hunting... I can't decide right now.
The LR AB would likely be up there because it is softer than the AB, good BC, and has a lower minimum impact velocity than most other bonded bullets.
I am starting off with slower MV's than most for the chambering, and the possibility of me shooting further than whatever the average distances are, makes the LR AB attractive to me. I also know it has proven itself on elk and on African plains game as well.

 

[SJB358]

I do like the ABLRs as well. When they shoot, man they hammer.

 

[diverdown]

I guess I'm going to be old School here and state one bullet, and that would be the Partition. I've used them over a lot of years and they do exactlly what their supposed to do. I've pulled deer and Elk out of the woods many times with this bullet.

 

[JD338]

I've used the PT to take WT and Mule deer, Black Bear, Antelope, Caribou, Elk, Moose and Wild Boar so I'd say the Nosler Partition.

JD338

 

[xphunter]

If we are only talking antelope, whitetail, and mule deer, I am going with the ELD-M's, and any old A-Max's (It's predecessor) I might have.
They Kill Good

 

[RL338]

If you could choose just one cartridge or bullet to hunt with for the rest of your life, would you choose: a cartridge, or a bullet?

I really became fond of the 416 Wby and 350gr TTSX. This combo has filled the freezer for several years. I like rotating firearms to give each one an opportunity to evaluate their performance.

 

[Blkram]

I guess I'm going to be old School here and state one bullet, and that would be the Partition. I've used them over a lot of years and they do exactlly what their supposed to do. I've pulled deer and Elk out of the woods many times with this bullet.

The Partition is an excellent bullet with proven performance on game, and was one I also considered before answering. And I have not had many issues with obtaining good to excellent accuracy with it.
In the end, I chose the AccuBond, for its edge in accuracy, ease of use in finding good loads quickly, and bonded weight retention.
If I would have been asked this question 25 years ago, the Partition would have been my answer.

 

[RememberBaker]

I’d choose a bullet and it would be the Partition, it’s pretty much what I’ve done anyway. The exceptions would be where no Partition bullet is available like .348.

 

[PJGunner]

"f you could choose just one cartridge or bullet to hunt with for the rest of your life, would you choose: a cartridge, or a bullet?"

Very simple. I would choose my semi-custom FN Mauser 30-06. nd the 165 gr. Nosler AccuBond.
I do like the looks of the Nosler 150 gr. ABLR in 7MM but so far it has been a dud in three 7x57 rifles and a .280 Remington. If I could find some in 30 caliber I'd try them in the 06 but so far they've been unobtanium.
Paul B.

 

[Ralt71]

If I had to choose one bullet to stick with from here on out, 100%, hands down in a heartbeat mine would be the AccuBond as well.

This has been my go to bullet since roughly 2005, prior to that I ran the Partitions for over a decade. I was so partial to those that I held out on the AB's for a couple years haha. The AB's just give you so much in all the different needs of a bullet that it's really hard to top.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

If not counting the 35 Rem I could be happy with a Nosler BT for all the deer hunting I do. No BT, AB or PTs made that would be a good fit for this cartridge, but it is an exception for sure.

 

[8mm Enthusiast]

I've used the PT to take WT and Mule deer, Black Bear, Antelope, Caribou, Elk, Moose and Wild Boar so I'd say the Nosler Partition.

JD338

It's such a classic bullet. I really wish there was a lead-free version of the Partition or something similar.

 

[JD338]

It's such a classic bullet. I really wish there was a lead-free version of the Partition or something similar.

Nosler offers the E-Tip monolithic bullet. Very accurate and deadly on game

JD338

 

[Vince]

One bullet?

I’d go with a bonded Norma bullet. I love bullets that have lead over the mono metal bullets. Yes, I’m old school. Although I have liked the accuracy I’ve obtained from the Barnes bullets back when I was reloading my own ammo.

I don’t have the ability to reload currently and likely won’t anytime soon. I’m using factory ammo currently and Norma seems to give acceptable results in my .338 Win Mag. I just wish they loaded for the .375 Ruger. I think they load a solid for the Ruger but I want an expanding bullet.

Vince