ABLR terminal performance?

[JN270]

Hello,

I'm curious how many people have experience with the Accubonds Long Range on game?

I've used Ballistic tips, Partitions, and Accubonds before. Never any issues with the Partitions. Accubonds held together well but had a few break up. Ballistic tips I went away from due to meat damage. Most of these were from a 308 loaded at the top end.

I loaded up ABLR's in my 6.8 Western. They are very accurate but I have never used before. I know they are bonded but have thinner jacket. Does anyone know how they hold up on game? I've heard people say they fragment and to be careful inside 300 yards.

Do they perform close to an AccuBond or more like the Ballistic tip?

 

[SJB358]

I think of them as an AccuBond that retains about 40% versus 60-70% of an AccuBond. They kill like crazy in my experience.

 

[RL338]

JD338 has some LRAB experience on game recently. They do a number on WT.

 

[DrMike]

I've used ABLR on close range (50-70 yards) on mule deer and at ~125 yards on elk. The bullets (launched from a 7WSM) killed quite efficiently. I Can't say that the mulies or the elk were any deader than those shot with Partitions or with AccuBonds, but maybe they were a "little more dead."

 

[JN270]

I've used ABLR on close range (50-70 yards) on mule deer and at ~125 yards on elk. The bullets (launched from a 7WSM) killed quite efficiently. I Can't say that the mulies or the elk were any deader than those shot with Partitions or with AccuBonds, but maybe they were a "little more dead."

How did the bullet hold up? Notice a difference in meat damage compared to others?

 

[JD338]

My experience with the ABLR is limited but it kills hard and fast. WT deer are DRT.
6.5 CM 129 ABLR
6.5 RPM 142 ABLR
280 AI 150 ABLR
308 Win 168 ABLR
30 Nosler 168 ABLR
33 Nosler 265 ABLR
338 RUM 265 & 300 ABLR
I shot a couple crop damage deer a couple evenings ago with the 142 gr ABLR out of a 6.5 Wby RPM. First one was 300 yds and the second one was 200 yds. Both were DRT and I recovered the bullet under the hide of the second doe.
Recovered weight was 54.3 grs and widest expansion was 0.594”.

JD338

 

[DrMike]

How did the bullet hold up? Notice a difference in meat damage compared to others?

The ABLR worked as advertised. No more meat damage than witnessed with other premium bullets.

 

[phil]

It’s expansion and penetration, nice exits but nothing gory.
Lungs blown to stew.
I shot some deer and pigs last year at mild MV, around 2850. Farthest kill was a 200+ lb boar at 240yds, got an exit from a crease shot, he didn’t make it 25 yds. Same result double-lung shooting deer, maybe 50yds maximum distance they run. The rear of the cup stays intact and keeps going.

That was a 168gr .284

Plan to try .264 in 129 or 142’s

 

[phil]

For some reason I can’t post photos?

 

[NYDAN]

I used the 150 gr. ABLR in my 7mm WSM in the 2024 deer season and shot two deer with it. It was deadly on whitetail deer. One was a big buck at about 100 yards, facing me. The bullet went in the front of the deer and then hit the spine, destroying probably about a foot of spine, maybe more. That deer just dropped. The other deer was a doe at 312 yards. The bullet went through the near side front leg, through the heart (totally shredding the heart), and through the offside leg, breaking the bone, and passing through. I really like the terminal performance of the ABLR on deer, in that it gives the expansion rate of the BT, with the penetration of the AB.

I have shot deer with the 150 BT in a 270 Win. and NOT gotten pass through, with a portion of the jacket under the hide on the far side. I believe the 150 ABLR would have gone on through, making a better blood trail (if a blood trail was needed).

 

[jimbires]

I shot a Kansas buck at about 30 - 40 yards with a 175 gr , 7mm , ABLR . it passed through blowing junk out on the ground . the Deer crumbled . it didn't seem to do excessive meat damage . I did not recover the bullet . impact velocity about 3100 FPS . I would not worry about using the ABLR bullet in any scenario .


I have a pic in this thread

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

 

[Firebird24]

Used my 7mm-08 150 gr in Africa and killed kudu and others varying in size down to duiker. At 200 ish yards it retained 108 grains and broke one shoulder on the kudu. Smaller animals were all pass through. I think I might actually prefer it over the AccuBond but it is more fickle to get accuracy from. Look in the hunting Africa forum on here for more stories and even an hour long video I posted on here from that hunt.
My 28 nosler loves the 175 gr ablr. Mule deer at 465 ish yards and antelope at inside 100 last autumn. Love them!

 

[SJB358]

Great reports fellas. I like them myself. Wished they'd make a heavy 6mm..