180gr Accubond Recovered From Red Stag

[remingtonman_25_06]

We used the 180g NBTs for around 10-15 years and probably close to 100 elk, before nosler came out with the 200g ABs and I switched everyone over to it just for the added penetration insurance up close, and the added BC for longer range up there which is typical. The 180g NBTs still worked every time though from 100-800 yards from the 300 Win Mags. We only found a few bullets under the offside hide, the rest always exited. I always said the heavier for caliber NBTs are excellent deer and elk killers. Better than a lot of people think really...

 

[SJB358]

We used the 180g NBTs for around 10-15 years and probably close to 100 elk, before nosler came out with the 200g ABs and I switched everyone over to it just for the added penetration insurance up close, and the added BC for longer range up there which is typical. The 180g NBTs still worked every time though from 100-800 yards from the 300 Win Mags. We only found a few bullets under the offside hide, the rest always exited. I always said the heavier for caliber NBTs are excellent deer and elk killers. Better than a lot of people think really...

Totally agree about the 180 BT. One of the great 30 caliber bullets out there.

A great buddy in Idaho uses them exclusively from a 300 Wby. His pile of animals taken with them is very impressive. You couldn't make him swap bullets.

 

[gerry]

@TXbaldhunter as someone who likes the 308 Norma Magnum what is your load with the 180 gr AB and what kind of rifle do you have?

 

[TXbaldhunter]

@TXbaldhunter as someone who likes the 308 Norma Magnum what is your load with the 180 gr AB and what kind of rifle do you have?

I have two,one is built off a Ruger 77 Tang Safety with a 26" Shaw barrel.The other is a Remington 700 with a 26" Hart barrel.They both shoot about the same.The 308 Norma Mag brass I have is way softer than any brass I've ever used.I have to load a grain or two less with the Norma or I get loose primer pockets.I have used necked up Winchester,Remington and Nosler 7mag brass and have never had one loose primer pockets with those brass even at heavier charges.I've had loads that have been a little over 3100fps with the 180's,but the Norma brass usually maxes out around 3050fps,so I've kinda kept that as my max.Here are some of my loads.The WXR is supposed to be the same as Reloader 22,just different lots.The numbers like 2.750 are comparator lengths.The Accubonds and Ballistic Tips shoot the same point of impact.

 

[gerry]

Nice, the speed and accuracy sure is there! WXR/ RL22 sure is working well for you. Hard to beat the AccuBond and Ballistic Tip for all around use.

When I had my 308 Norma it had a 24" barrel. I used the 180 gr Speer Mag Tip with IMR 4350 and necked down W-W 338 WM brass for about the same speed as you are getting. MRP was a stand out with the 200 gr Speer G.S. and 220 gr Partition, Used Norma 308 Norma brass for those. Had a load with the 180 gr Partition Gold Nosler used to make, probably used IMR 4350 too for that one.

 

[FOTIS]

Nicely done!

 

[Blkram]

Too bad they discontinued WXR as it is a good performer.
I borrowed load data from DrMike and have great results with it in my 300 WSM;
69.5 gr in WW cases, with WLMR primers, and 180 gr AccuBonds produces 2978 fps (SD of 7) and 0.442" groups @ 100 yards from my rifle with a 23 1/2" barrel.
Has accounted for wolf, black bear, and a number of moose and elk over the years.

 

[35 Whelen]

Having hunted wild Red Deer on New Zealands South Island in the late 1970s and thru the 1980s. I used a common 6.5x55 with factory Norma ammo to harvest lots of big Stags both from the ground and from the Hughes 500's. The 6.5 worked wonderfully on them. Interesting side fact; the standard caliber all the professional shooters used in those days, was a .308 with 150gr ammo........
When my American hunters would show up with new shiny Magnum rifles with massive objective lens scopes the guides would commonly say something like " what the bloody hell is he going to do with that"........ lol.
If I were to pick a caliber to shoot Red Stag under 400 yds it could easily be a common .270 or .280. Either one a perfect match for any Red Deer.
To be down and dirty in thick bush and have a hot stag roar less than 50 yds from you: will bring the hair up on the back of your neck!
E

 

[TackDriver284]

I killed this Red Stag with a 308 Norma Magnum using a 180gr AccuBond.I guess you could say this was a good test for the AccuBond and shows the importance of using a stout bullet when shooting larger elk type game animals.Hitting heavy bones can happen and really do a number on a bullet.I shot the stag at 185yds.Mv was around 3050fps and at 185yds,the impact velocity would have been a little over 2800fps.The bullet hit the onside shoulder right in the big joint below the scapula,traveled through the heart and tried to exit behind the offside shoulder but the thick hide held it back.He went about a 100yds before going down and not one drop of blood was found.If the bullet would have exited,I'm sure there would have been blood everywhere.The recovered bullet weighed 89.4grs,so the retained weight was 49.6%.The meat loss was a little less than what I expected at 2lbs.Mostly due to the bone shrapnel around the wound channel in the onside shoulder.A mono bullet probably would have held up better on the bone,but a lighter jacketed bullet may have blown up right there in the shoulder and may have failed to enter the chest cavity.Bob Hagel once wrote a few words that should be engraved in the mind of every big-game hunter. He stated, “You should not use a cartridge that does the job when everything goes right; you need one that works when everything goes wrong.”View attachment 22116View attachment 22117View attachment 22118View attachment 22119View attachment 22120

Nice write up. Great harvest and congratulations on a fine red stag. 180 AB performs perfectly. I would never pass on them when it comes to tough critter hunting, like nilgai.