175 grain ABLR elk recovery

[SJB358]

Here is a 175 ABLR I pulled from a bull from Wyoming. Shot was 605 yards and it smashed the scapulas on both sides and was resting in the meat on the hide on he far side during skinning.











90.4 grains retained weight

 

[gerry]

Looks good Scotty, looking forward to hearing the details of your hunt.

 

[truck driver]

It got the job done Buddy and looks like it held up decently. 75% weight retention out of a big 7mm is a good deal.
Just curious what the bright ring around the case is all about?

 

[SJB358]

It got the job done Buddy and looks like it held up decently. 75% weight retention out of a big 7mm is a good deal.
Just curious what the bright ring around the case is all about?

It's where it rides in the ammo box. I guess 4400 miles tends to make stuff shiny

I'd bet I have a shiny spot on my 5th point of contact with the truck seat as well.

 

[truck driver]

Yeah I have that shiny spot also but it is getting dull since I retired.
But the hospital bed I laid in for a week might have rubbed some of the dullness off.

 

[SJB358]

I forgot to add, these ABLR's are absolute killers. I am waiting for pictures of another one we recovered from a cow elk as well, just about the same shape and final dimensions. Cleaned house. From the Mashburn Super at 3090 to start they were instant elk putter downers. No wandering around or anything. Three elk with that same load. I wasn't sure what to expect, but seeing enough now, I could and will trust them. While they maintain a big frontal area, they retain enough to drive deep while doing incredible damage to the insides for clean, quick kills.

To be honest, I hated them in about every other rifle I tried. I wanted to love them but they just never shot GREAT, well, in the 8 twist Mashburn, they are simply amazing really.



I have shot alot of groups like above to know I don't need to fiddle with the load.

And before someone says, well that was 600 yards, how do they hold up, up close, well, take a look at our bullet test area, you'll see they have been jammed into water jugs at 25 yards and look nearly the same, they violently expand and load 50/60% and the rear stays intact to usually get caught on the far side. Says alot about them to me.

 

[gerry]

Can't beat that kind of accuracy, talk about a stomper of a long range load starting at 3090 fps. Going to have to try the 165 in my 6.8 W when I get to reloading for it.

 

[DrMike]

Classic performance from that bullet. I've had mixed success with the ABLR. When it works, it is awesome.

 

[SJB358]

Classic performance from that bullet. I've had mixed success with the ABLR. When it works, it is awesome.

Same here Mike. They have made me think I’m crooked at times. But boy when they shoot, they do well.

 

[Guy Miner]

Excellent! Thanks for the useful photos.

I think you hit on something important with that 1:8 twist rate...

Guy

 

[41rem]

Time to resurrect this old topic. I'm planning on reloading this bullet in my 28 Nosler. Will test H1000 and N570 in Peterson brass & a 215 cap. Can test to 500 yards on my local range, and then have gongs to ring out a bit further.

41

 

[SJB358]

Just my opinion on the ABLR, It acts like what I hear Bergers do, open quickly and dump a lot of energy in the target, then with the bonded base, they penetrate like a regular AB or PT. They are deadly in the 7 animals I’ve taken with the 129 and 175 ABLRs from deer to elk.

I’ve heard they expand too much or whatever and from what I’ve seen of dead animals nothing is disgustingly huge or whatever you’d see with a complete blow up bullet. Others have been using them a lot as well and their findings are about the same as what I see.

I’m trying the 170 TAs this year from the Mashburn, but in no way do I think it’ll be a “better” killing bullet since at this point, nothing has made it out of the FOV of the optic.

 

[Blkram]

Just my opinion on the ABLR, It acts like what I hear Bergers do, open quickly and dump a lot of energy in the target, then with the bonded base, they penetrate like a regular AB or PT. They are deadly in the 7 animals I’ve taken with the 129 and 175 ABLRs from deer to elk.

I’ve heard they expand too much or whatever and from what I’ve seen of dead animals nothing is disgustingly huge or whatever you’d see with a complete blow up bullet. Others have been using them a lot as well and their findings are about the same as what I see.

I’m trying the 170 TAs this year from the Mashburn, but in no way do I think it’ll be a “better” killing bullet since at this point, nothing has made it out of the FOV of the optic.

So Federal has finally released the 7mm 170 gr TAs as components?
That's encouraging!

So far only my 6.5 PRC is favouring the 142 gr ABLR @ 0.480", and my 7mm PRC is shooting the 175 gr ABLR right at MOA. Have yet to take game with either rifle, as when I packed those rifles last year, I did not have any shot opportunities for deer, or moose and elk.

 

[Hunter26]

Awesome results and recovery. I love the 168gr ABLR in my 20" barreled 7mm PRC and works awesome on deer. The 142gr version is deadly on deer as well from my 6.5 PRC.

 

[35 Whelen]

Cant beat that olde boy, congrats on a fine shotand excellent bullet performance!

 

[PJGunner]

In conversations with different guides on elk hunts, their opinion was depending on the cartridge the distance should be 100 yards or more and with most magnums definitely more.

The only ABLRs I've done anything with were in three 7x57 rifles and a .280 Rem. I never got any kind of decent accuracy from any of those rifles. I always thought the 150 gr. ABLR would be the thing for the 7x57. I figured maybe gaining 50 to 75 yards in range due to their shape but the rifles just wouldn't work with them. The three 7x57s all shoot the Nosler 150 gr. Partition into tiny groups so not a total loss.

I still some of those ABLRs on hand and maybe will play with some powder not usually associated for use in the 7x57. That's worked for me in the past so I just might look into it if I can find the time.
Paul B.

 

[jimbires]

In conversations with different guides on elk hunts, their opinion was depending on the cartridge the distance should be 100 yards or more and with most magnums definitely more.

The only ABLRs I've done anything with were in three 7x57 rifles and a .280 Rem. I never got any kind of decent accuracy from any of those rifles. I always thought the 150 gr. ABLR would be the thing for the 7x57. I figured maybe gaining 50 to 75 yards in range due to their shape but the rifles just wouldn't work with them. The three 7x57s all shoot the Nosler 150 gr. Partition into tiny groups so not a total loss.

I still some of those ABLRs on hand and maybe will play with some powder not usually associated for use in the 7x57. That's worked for me in the past so I just might look into it if I can find the time.
Paul B.

Paul , I took a decent sized Kansas whitetail up close with a 7mm / 175 ABLR . I think my velocity is 3150FPS . I shot him at around 30 or 40 yards . this bullet blew junk out the off side of the deer . it was impressive how he dropped . I don't remember him having a big hole , or anything like that . I worried about up close shots with this bullet too , but not after seeing this .


I have a pic in this thread linked below .

Brass used in Reloading Manuals?

FWIW, I have had similar results on WT deer using the ABLR's... 280AI 150 gr 308 Win 168 gr 30 Nosler 168 gr 338 RUM 265 gr and 300 gr Although most are DRT kills, the off side landscape is littered with biological matter. JD338

forum.nosler.com

 

[SJB358]

So Federal has finally released the 7mm 170 gr TAs as components?
That's encouraging!

So far only my 6.5 PRC is favouring the 142 gr ABLR @ 0.480", and my 7mm PRC is shooting the 175 gr ABLR right at MOA. Have yet to take game with either rifle, as when I packed those rifles last year, I did not have any shot opportunities for deer, or moose and elk.

I bought the 170’s as seconds but they’ve been great so far. Sitting around 3/4” or a touch better around 3100 in my Mashburn.

 

[SJB358]

Paul , I took a decent sized Kansas whitetail up close with a 7mm / 175 ABLR . I think my velocity is 3150FPS . I shot him at around 30 or 40 yards . this bullet blew junk out the off side of the deer . it was impressive how he dropped . I don't remember him having a big hole , or anything like that . I worried about up close shots with this bullet too , but not after seeing this .


I have a pic in this thread linked below .

Brass used in Reloading Manuals?

FWIW, I have had similar results on WT deer using the ABLR's... 280AI 150 gr 308 Win 168 gr 30 Nosler 168 gr 338 RUM 265 gr and 300 gr Although most are DRT kills, the off side landscape is littered with biological matter. JD338

forum.nosler.com

Same experience. Great bullet. For me I start them .050 from a solid touch. Then work back further if needed. Just started loading tonight, trying the 168’s in my 7 WSM. They’re just a whisker shorter than a 180 ELD.

 

[Hunter26]

My 168gr ABLR with 2900 fps MV, hit a nice Alabama buck steeply quartering away. Went through almost the entire length of the deer and found under the skin, 80ish yard shot. I'd have no qualms about upclose shots on deer or pigs. I don't think I'd personally worry about it on bigger critters, but don't have first hand experience with the ABLR's on really big stuff.

PJGunner, I remember you talking about your accuracy issues with ABLR's and your 7x57's. Sucks to hear that and I've heard others discuss how hard it is to get good accuracy from them. I've been lucky then, 3 different guns and calibers with 4 different ABLR's and all have been MOA or better.