338 Federal 180gr Accubond

[thatguySHM]

Hey there, first time post, amazing information here.

I recovered a 180gr AccuBond from my deer this year, shot out of my Ruger M77. Using H335, I get 2735 at the muzzle. Buck was quartering towards me, 130 yards, shot behind the front left shoulder and recovered under the skin Infront of right rear quarter, approximately 22-23" of travel.

Here is the recovered bullet, 146gr

Entrance wound

Exit wound

Very impressed with this pairing.


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[JD338]

Welcome to the forum, glad you have joined us.
That's some impressive performance and penetration from the .338 180 gr AB.
Congratulations on a nice bullet catch and filling the freezer.

JD338

 

[thatguySHM]

Thank you very much. Forgot him hanging.

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[DrMike]

Welcome aboard. That is a fine looking buck. Looks as if that bullet did whack him good! Don't imagine he travelled far after that hit.

 

[truck driver]

Welcome and a nice looking deer you have there.

 

[Charlie-NY]

A surprising amount of damage for a bonded bullet shot at modest velocity. The quartering angle probably played heavily into the terminal performance seen.

Nice buck.

 

[salmonchaser]

Welcome, you'll enjoy visiting here. You will find a significant number of AccuBond believers here, but it's not an exclusive club.
That is a fat deer, congratulations.



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[thatguySHM]

Thank you everyone. I found this forum yesterday and it gives the type of information that I enjoy. I cast and powder coat my own bullets and am constantly checking to see how they do. Just recently got back into hunting, he's my second deer ever and I doubt I'll ever top it but I'll keep trying.

Maine winter here and it's dumping snow on us like you wouldn't believe now, so I can't test much of anything for a few more months.

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[Blkram]

I'm looking forward to harvesting a bear with my 338 Federal (built on a Winchester Model 88) if they ever get it finished!

Going to use the 210 gr Partition load from Federal ammunition. Hope the rifle likes the load. I know my 338 Wing Mag sure liked it, and the performance on larger game (moose, elk, bison and grizzly) was similar to what you found with the AB on deer!

Oh yeah; nice buck!

 

[Tommer23]

Very nice buck! Excellent performance from that AccuBond, as usual. I have been wanting a .338 federal, now I want one even more!

 

[thatguySHM]

I absolutely love the 338 Federal. I have another one in the DPMS platform that I haven't shot much lately due to other projects, but when I first got it, it was nothing to ring steel at 400 yards with authority.

It took me most of the summer to figure out what my Ruger likes, but it will shoot under an inch now. I think I'm going to try a bit more speed with AR Comp powder, but no matter what I enjoy this rifle tremendously.

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[SJB358]

Great recovery on a great buck. That 338 Fed and 180 AB seem to work together really darned well.

 

[Gunner46]

Great post. I wish there were more 338 Fed bullet performance posts. I'm just waiting for the public ranges to re-open so that I can take my 338F out and see what it will do.

 

[thatguySHM]

What would you like to see? I've got a wide variety of bullets, and my range is family owned land 3 miles away. I can even get my hands on jugs rather easily.

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[Gunner46]

200AB? 210PT? 200 HotCor ?

 

[thatguySHM]

200AB? 210PT? 200 HotCor ?

I do not have the 210 PT, I have AccuBond 180, 200 and 225, Barnes 160, Interlock 200, Hot Cor 200, Deep Curl 225, and I believe a few others stashed away. I don't think I'll try many 225s, they usually are moving around 2200-2350.

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[prm]

Excellent performance! I shot an elk with a 180BT and it worked fine. I have hundreds of 180 ABs and hope to get the 180 ABs to fly well out of my Kimber MT. It's getting rebarreled now. So many good options for the 338 Fed. I have used the 160 TTSX extensively and it works really well at a MV of ~3050.

 

[thatguySHM]

Has anyone noticed that Starline has released 338 Federal brass? It's on their website for 145 per 250. I plan on ordering some this week to see how it will be.

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[tjen]

Last September I saw two Sako 85 wood stock in 338Fed discounted to $400 NIB. They sat in the rack for a year or more so the price them to move. I just retired and had to re frame from new repurchases for a awhile. NOW I know I could have afforded one of them.

 

[thatguySHM]

I would have picked at least one up, I love my 338 feds. I'm looking at either building another in a short Savage package or going up to 358 for cast shooting. Neither would disappoint.

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