Accubond.....discuss

[300WSM]

Where's your threshold for the AccuBond in relation to type of game and size?

Would you be comfortable using it on a 100# undressed whitetail?
Obviously a 200+ pounder is a different story....
As is such with Muledeer, Elk and so on.

When Barnes first hit the market in the 90's era, and the Winchester fail safe as well...
They got some bad PR for exactly the above example....
Thus marketing changed from harvest anything anywhere to large and or thick skinned game.

I've zero real world experience with the AccuBond on game.
What say you about the AccuBond?

Also do you say something different about the AccuBond based on let's say a 243 versus any of the
30 magnums as example..??

 

[Aussie Wanderer]

150grain AccuBond on pigs is outstanding out of a 270win. A 225accubond out of a 338wm absolutely punishes camels. 140accubond on fallow deer out of a 7mm08 is excellent. I would happily shoot accubonds in all my rifles if they proved to be the most accurate. As a hunting projectile I find them confidence inspiring.

 

[JD338]

My go to load for summer crop damage deer hunting is the 250 gr AB in the 338 RUM. It's hammered deer from up close to over 600 yds. Always get a nice exit hole. That combo cleaned up a bean field this past summer. All were DRT.

JD338

 

[xphunter]

14” barrel chambered in 25 Creedmoor with a 110 AB at 2726, on a big cow elk

 

[Teknys]

270WSM -140AB Elk and deer less then 50yds

30 cal 180AB, Elk dropped / stumbled as planned.

243-90AB, All deer DRT, Elk…. All recovered

.264 -140AB All Elk and deer less then 50 yds

 

[Nannyhammer]

.308 Win 125 grain AccuBond (2945fps) has been used on several deer with the largest weighing 182lbs hog-dressed and shots out to 225yds. Do not always get a pass through at close range but most of them fall within sight.
30-06 150 grain AccuBond (2885fps) used on a handful of deer up to about 140lbs hog-dressed but have all been closer shots with complete pass throughs
6.8 SPC 100 grain AccuBond (2725fps) used on several deer, along with a handful of coyotes and a few smaller feral pigs. Most shots pass through unless shooting at angles or when shooting coyotes looking at you.
.243 Win 90 grain AccuBond (2900 fps approx) used on one deer but never could get the accuracy i wanted. My brothers gun shoots them in his rifle with zero issues for deer/coyotes.

Overall, they've worked well for me and don't tear up as much tissue as the ballistic tips. Almost every animals has run 25-50yds and fall over. Somtimes the blood trail may not start for 25yds but I've not lost any animal hit with them. My only gripes are the price and that they discontinued the 6.8 SPC bullets.

 

[RL338]

Would you be comfortable using it on a 100# undressed whitetail?

Out of the 30-378 , yes. I would lean towards the 200gr if your planning on stepping on the throttle.

 

[300WSM]

Out of the 30-378 , yes. I would lean towards the 200gr if your planning on stepping on the throttle.

My question was just asking a generalized assessment of the bullet overall and it's acrual performance on types of game.

Not the 30 kong specifically.

Nosler only shows "bigger" type game...
How big from there little animation....

 

[Salchi Papa]

On a 130# doe at 70yds a 130gr AB from a 270 was dropped right there on a double lung shot. Moving roughly 3000fps

 

[Cneelk]

Accubonds are delightful bullets that penetrate till tomorrow and hold their weight really well. I use them in 6.5-300, 280 rem , 300 win and wby, 300 rum, 30-06, 338 rum both 225 and 250’s. The only rifle I don’t shoot them is my 7 rem mag I use the 175 partitions. Killed bighorn sheep , mule and whitetail deer, black bear and elk have all fallen to accubonds. They simply do their job as long as the shooter does theirs.

 

[JD338]

Accubonds are delightful bullets that penetrate till tomorrow and hold their weight really well. I use them in 6.5-300, 280 rem , 300 win and wby, 300 rum, 30-06, 338 rum both 225 and 250’s. The only rifle I don’t shoot them is my 7 rem mag I use the 175 partitions. Killed bighorn sheep , mule and whitetail deer, black bear and elk have all fallen to accubonds. They simply do their job as long as the shooter does theirs.

Eric,
That pretty much sums it up.

JD338

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

Personally, I have taken Coyotes, Mule Deer, Aoudad and Rocky Mountain Elk with the AccuBond. Most of those were with a .30-06 but have also used them in .25-06, 7mm Rem Mag and .300 Win Mag. I have guided or accompanied other hunters that used them in .257 Roberts, .25-06 Remington, .264 Win Mag, .270 Winchester, .270 Weatherby Mag, 7mm Rem Mag, 7mm STW, .308 Winchester, .30-06 Springfield, .300 H&H Mag, .300 WSM, .300 Win Mag, .300 RUM, and .338 Win Mag. These hunts were for either Mule Deer or Elk and I have never seen a bullet failure on either, regardless of caliber or velocity. I’ve never recovered one in a deer, and its been only a few times I’ve recovered them in elk.

It is easily my favorite all-around bullet and I shoot them in .257 Roberts, .264 Win Mag, .30-06 and .300 WSM. I like the Sierra Gameking in my .22-250 and .270 as well as my wife’s 7mm-08.

I would not hesitate to shoot Bighorn Sheep, Mountain Goat, Moose (Shiras or Alaskan) nor Grizzly or Brown Bear with an AccuBond of at least 165 grain from a .30-06!

 

[6mm Remington]

I have really liked using the Nosler Accubonds in several different rifles and they have performed well on game.

280AI: 140 gr. Nosler AccuBond 1-shot at 158 yards on my Arctic grizzly bear. Bullet exited the off side just behind the shoulder. The bear spun 180 degrees into the shot, did two summersaults and was dead. Never moved.

30-06: 165 gr AccuBond Nice 5pt mule deer buck. 1-shot at about 200 yards. He was angled and the bullet hit him on the left side at the back of the ribs. Bullet went clear to the other side and was located under the hide on the right shoulder.

300 WSM: My son used a 180 gr. AccuBond to take his nice 5x5 mule deer buck this year with his Winchester Model 70 in 300 WSM. A load we worked up together. His buck was shot once and dropped after a few short seconds. The bullet he recovered under the hide on the off side of the deer.. Perfect performance. I'm really impressed with these bullets.
158 yards one shot 140 gr. AccuBond

 

[gerry]

The bigger AccuBond's are built tougher than the smaller ones but they all are excellent bullets.
I have used the 130 gr 6.5 mm and 180 gr out of a 30-06 on blacktails that were sub 100 lbs and liked the performance.

Have used
6.5 mm 130 gr - blacktail deer (several of them)
308 180 gr multiple blacktail deer and a mountain goat
358 200 gr on 2 black bears
358 225 gr on 2 moose and coyote (270 yards and a big exit wound)
375 260 gr on black bear and grizzly

Might be some others but these I remember. Awesome bullet.

 

[salmonchaser]

Yep!

 

[Blkram]

I have been using and loving AccuBonds since they first came out.
I have taken animals ranging from deer to bison in .264, .277, .284, .308, .338, .366, and
to .375 calibers. The lightest animal taken to date was a wolf.
It has been the best performing bullet in just about every cartridge I have tried it in to date; easy to develop accurate loads with, good velocities, and great on-game performance (expansion and penetration, with great weight retention on all of the bullets I have recovered). It hasn't failed me yet (knock on wood), and should keep on performing as long as I do my part by placing it accurately in the vitals.
I have yet to develop a load for my 250AI and bolt action 358 Win and try them on game, but it is planned!
I would love to see a 350 gr AB in .416"!

If they were to offer a .243" AB, I am confident it would perform on any game that this cartridge is adequate for, including coyotes, Coues deer, and smaller African antelope and mountain species the world over.

As with all things, use the right tool for the job and it will provide expected results. Press it into service it wasn't designed or intended for and less than stellar results can be expected.

 

[gerry]

@Blkram Gil, the 200 gr AccuBond out of your 358 Win would be perfect for anything you'll want to hunt. Since it is a custom hopefully you'll be able to load it out a bit more than the 2.8" limit it the BLR.

 

[gerry]

I have really liked using the Nosler Accubonds in several different rifles and they have performed well on game.

280AI: 140 gr. Nosler AccuBond 1-shot at 158 yards on my Arctic grizzly bear. Bullet exited the off side just behind the shoulder. The bear spun 180 degrees into the shot, did two summersaults and was dead. Never moved.

30-06: 165 gr AccuBond Nice 5pt mule deer buck. 1-shot at about 200 yards. He was angled and the bullet hit him on the left side at the back of the ribs. Bullet went clear to the other side and was located under the hide on the right shoulder.

300 WSM: My son used a 180 gr. AccuBond to take his nice 5x5 mule deer buck this year with his Winchester Model 70 in 300 WSM. A load we worked up together. His buck was shot once and dropped after a few short seconds. The bullet he recovered under the hide on the off side of the deer.. Perfect performance. I'm really impressed with these bullets.

I like that you used the 140 gr out of your 280 AI for your grizzly. Too many guys think they need a cannon with the toughest bullet available. Not surprised that it gave you a very quick kill.

 

[Blkram]

@Blkram Gil, the 200 gr AccuBond out of your 358 Win would be perfect for anything you'll want to hunt. Since it is a custom hopefully you'll be able to load it out a bit more than the 2.8" limit it the BLR.

I am going to work up a load with the 200 gr AB in the Sako 338 Federal, as other 200 gr bullets have been performing well in this rifle, so was thinking of using the 225 gr AB in the remington 358 Win just have a little heavier bullet there. If it doesn't perform as well as hoped, I will try the 200 gr AB.

 

[300WSM]

I appreciate the responses so far...

Does anyone have a picture of said AccuBond out of a whitetail type sized game so I could actually see the expansion.

Nosler recommends the BT for antelope but not the AccuBond.
Is it too hard that Nosler advises against using it on the smaller non thick skinned game.

I know many of you have had kills with it.
But.........
Shot placement of course supercedes all...

A fmj bullet can harvest game if the shot is perfect.

Does anyone have a picture of said AccuBond out of a whitetail or antelope type sized game so I could actually see the expansion.

Would an accurate statement be it's harder than a BT but not as hard as the original Barnes type of bullet

Appreciate the feedback so far

Thx