140 gr Accubond vs. Ballistic tips

[Silentstalker]

I am new to reloading and looking at several bullets. The question I have right now is this: Since the AccuBond and BT have the same Ballistic coefficient, would they impact the same on paper if shot from the same rifle with the exact same load?

 

[DrMike]

The simple answer is ... perhaps. There are other differences to consider. I have a load worked up in my 7RM that uses 175 grain TBBC bullets. Fortunately, for me, the 175 grain Hornady SP has the same POI. I believe this is the only load I shoot out of multiple rifles that will reliably impact identically. There are slight differences in bearing surface, in jacket thickness, in weight distribution for the bullet, etc., to ensure that POI may shift, even if only slightly. Truthfully, you won't know until you actually load up and shoot a load.

 

[Silentstalker]

Thanks. I kind of figured that would be the case. I will buy some and give them a try. Ultimately I want to shoot the Accubonds. It would be nice if they were close though! I could practice with the BT and hunt with the AB.

 

[SJB358]

Mike is right on with this. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you'll have a slight POI Shift. For practice a few clicks isn't too big a deal and you can verify come Fall with your hunting loads. Good luck. Which cartridge are you shooting?

 

[velvetant]

I worked up a load in my 270WSM with a 130 NAB/H4831SC then switched to a 130NBT.
Everything else was the same, Seating depth, primer, powder charge.
P.O.I. was different and groups much larger.
Didn't work for me but each rifle is different you may have better luck

Funny thing is I also have a different load, different bullet(150gr Speer), different powder(H1000), different seating depth
That prints same P.O.I as the 130 NAB/H4831SC load.....go figure

 

[SJB358]

I worked up a load in my 270WSM with a 130 NAB/H4831SC then switched to a 130NBT.
Everything else was the same, Seating depth, primer, powder charge.
P.O.I. was different and groups much larger.
Didn't work for me but each rifle is different you may have better luck

Funny thing is I also have a different load, different bullet(150gr Speer), different powder(H1000), different seating depth
That prints same P.O.I as the 130 NAB/H4831SC load.....go figure

My 270WSM prints the same with the 150 BT and PT. Same everything except the PT has a .5gr less powder.

Wonder if it's just the node it's hitting with a certain charge has more to do with it than the actual bullet?

 

[DrMike]

There are so many variables involved that it is almost impossible to speculate as to what is happening when you do find two different loads hitting the same POI. Still, when it happens, it can provide some very pleasant results, especially if you are able to substitute a cheaper bullet for one that is more expensive. It does happen on occasion.

 

[Coyote Hunter]

Several of my rifles (most? all but a couple?) use different bullets for hunting and practice. POI isn't always the same which means I launch a few more hunting loads down range just before hunting season.

In many cases the practice bullets are quite different (162g A-MAX practice / 140g TTSX hunting), sometimes they are similar (225g SST practice / 225g AccuBond hunting), and sometimes they are nearly identical (150g Ballistic Tip practice / 150g AccuBond hunting).

For practice it generally doesn't bother me if the POI is a little off as I'm generally shooting clay pigeons at 500 and 600 yards and adjusting for wind and elevation anyway. If hunting season is a long ways off, though, I sometimes adjust the zero for the practice loads.

 

[joelkdouglas]

Silentstalker,

They don't print to the same from my rifle, but I can get them close.

I also shoot the Custom Competitions often. They're even cheaper than the Ballistic Tips. And don't think of them as "match" bullets; they're just great practice bullets that fly really well.

Enjoy the shooting.

v/r
Joel

 

[JD338]

Only your rilfe will know for sure. Shoot them both to verify POI.

JD338

 

[Silentstalker]

Thanks for all the input guy's. I am shooting a 7mm-08. Working up a load for my wife and daughters to shoot. I will get a load for both and just adjust the scope as suggested.

I shoot a 7mm Rem mag. It loves 162 gr. SST's and 160 grain Accubonds. They definitely shoot a bit different.

Thanks again for all your help.

Chad

 

[Oldtrader3]

My .270 Winchester shoots 130 gr CT Silvertips or BT's into pretty much the same group but other calibers vary a little. Sometimes 7mm 160 gr Accubonds will shoot in my 7mm Mag the same groups basically as Partition 160 gr bullets. It is a SWAG beforehand.

 

[SJB358]

Well, I just looked at a target I shot on the same day and I was wrong.. They do print a little differently... I will be eating crow...

 

[DrMike]

It wouldn't make much difference at 100 yards, Scotty. It might make a significant difference at longer ranges, however.

 

[SJB358]

It wouldn't make much difference at 100 yards, Scotty. It might make a significant difference at longer ranges, however.

You aren't kidding Mike. It is only a few clicks to fix, so I don't mess with it. The 150 BT is more of my target range bullet and a quick couple of clicks for the PT's gets me on pretty fast. The PT's and BT's seem to fly about the same, ballistically out to 600, so I don't sweat it too much.

 

[Oldtrader3]

Actually, statistically if you look at the groups another way, 5 of the 6 shots are within an inch. The uppermost one may be the flyer?

 

[Songdog]

Anything I'd shoot with a .22-.30 caliber AccuBond... I'd shoot with a ballistic tip... just pick one and shoot it.

 

[Wincheringen]

In my 7mm-08 they shoot exactly the same. I haven't tried that with any other cartridge. My handloads actually print exactly the same with the Nosler Trophy grade 140 AB ammo too.