180 VS 200 grain Accubonds

[biggestfish]

Hi all,

I am new to this forum and just getting into reloading. I have been shooting my a-bolt for 5 years mostly with factory 180 grain accubonds. I have no complaints with them, I was just wondering if someone could tell me the performance differences between the 180 and 200 grain accubonds.
I was thinking of working up a load.

Thanks

 

[JD338]

biggestfish

Welcome to the forum.

The 200 gr will start off slower than the 180 gr but due to the higher BC, it will pass up the 180 gr at 300 yds with more velocity and energy.
Here is an example with a 300 Win Mag

180 gr AB BC .507
MV 3000 ME 3597
200 2626 2757
300 2451 2401
400 2284 2085

200 gr AB BC .588
MV 2900 3735
200 2583 2963
300 2433 2630
400 2289 2327

With 200 yd zeros, the 180 gr at 400 yds drops 18.8" vs the 200 gr drop of19.5". The 200 gr will also have less wind drift.

JD338

 

[DrMike]

biggestfish,

Welcome to the forum; glad to have you aboard.

What are you hunting? JD338 nailed it with the information he provided. What you're hunting and your style of hunting will undoubtedly play into what you load.

 

[biggestfish]

Dr Mike,

I hunt mostly deer and moose, and in the future hopefully Elk. I think I will start my reloading with the 180's and then move to the 200's.

Thanks for the info.

 

[JD338]

biggestfish

What cartridge are you shooting?

JD338

 

[DrMike]

Your cartridge will assist in making a recommendation for whether you need the addition mass or not. In a 300WSM, for example, a 180 grain bullet is ample for moose and elk. The greater powder capacity of a 300 RUM or a 300 Weatherby almost begs for a 200 grain bullet, though the 180s perform quite well. A 30-06 may use a 200 grain bullet if anticipating meeting a grizzly, but it will likely give you better performance with a 180 grain bullet, or even with a premium 165/168 grain bullet.

 

[biggestfish]

Sorry guys, I have a .300 win.

 

[DrMike]

A 180 grain AB will serve you well, though a 200 grain AB will also work for you. For moose and elk, the 180 will be more than adequate for most shots. I've taken quite a few moose and elk with less mass. However, your 300 WM is a great cartridge for either of these animals. Of course, it is more than adequate for deer. I lived in the Lower Mainland for eighteen years, fishing many of the streams down there. I also did a fair amount of hunting past Pemberton and above Chiliwack Lake. There is getting to be quite a herd of Roosevelt elk down that way; and you don't have to go far to find moose.

 

[SJB358]

I am still at a loss between the 180 and 200gr bullets for the 300 mags. So far, the smaller WSM has done pretty well with the 180's, but I would still like to monkey around a little with the 200's and see what can be done with them. They both have alot going for them and doubt most of us could tell the difference unless moose was always on the menu, and even then, I am still not sure there would be a big enough difference to tell.

With my old 300 mag, it shot the 200's better than the 180's, so I stuck with them.. Still might try the 200 PT's in the 300WSM, just to see what they do. Scotty

 

[PJGunner]

My go to load for the .300 Win. mag is either the Speer 200 r. Hot-Core or the Nosler 200 gr. Partition. I use a powder no longer on the market but thanks to a good friend I have enough to last me a lifetime. My .300 Win. Mags have 26" barels and I can get 2930 to 2950 FPS average depending on which rifle I'm shooting. About the only time I use them is if I draw for elk in area 1 in eastern Arizona where shots can be way the hell out and gone. I do practice a lot when I draw for that area.
Over the years, I've leaned toward heavy for caliber bullets in the guns I shoot. They just seem to work better for me.
Paul B.

 

[Greg Nolan]

Welcome to the Forum

Which ever shoots the best for you is probably going to take down an animal the best. The AccuBond in any weight or caliber is about as good as it gets for all around use and in a 300 Win Mag it will do a job on the animals you mentioned in either weight.
Greg

 

[FOTIS]

Welcome to the Forum

You're "worried" about splitting hairs Fish. Go with the most accurate one and never look back. I can tell you the 200 gr AccuBond is what I use and it is a hammer.