- Nov 4, 2004
- 25,879
- 10,600
Accubond.....discuss
- Thread starter 300WSM
- Start date
lefty315
Handloader
- Sep 29, 2004
- 950
- 502
Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on your views, I’ve only recovered 1 AccuBond. That was from a Gemsbok with a 160 AB out of my 7x57. My youngest daughter has taken 2 Antelope with a .243 90 grain AB. A straight on shot turned the lights out. I didn’t go looking for the bullet as I think it probably stayed in the guts somewhere but the broadside shot passed through leaving a quarter sized exit hole. I’ve used my 7mm-08 and a 140 AB on several deer, although they wouldn’t be considered smaller I was quite pleased with the results. I have also taken a couple Antelope with a 140 AB out of a 7x57 and they performed well, leaving a similar sized exit hole as the .243. Both animals didn’t travel far. I nailed a Bobcat at about 20 yards, it didn’t blow up and there was no pelt damage. This was with the 140 in a 7mm-08.
While I’m sure there is always the exception I don’t think you’d be disappointed with the AccuBond on smaller deer. Perhaps if that were your only quarry there may be a better option but if you’re looking for one bullet that can cover most of your hunting needs, look no further than the AccuBond.
While I’m sure there is always the exception I don’t think you’d be disappointed with the AccuBond on smaller deer. Perhaps if that were your only quarry there may be a better option but if you’re looking for one bullet that can cover most of your hunting needs, look no further than the AccuBond.
Wolfshead
Beginner
- Feb 5, 2022
- 195
- 499
This is one that I shot at a Buck in 2019.
He was quartering to me almost straight on and the shot hit him in the base of his neck and traveled the length of his body.
I found the bullet near his back hip.
The bullet retained 65% of its original weight traveling that far.
150 grain from a 30-06 @ approximately 100 yards
Ridge_Runner
Handloader
- Sep 29, 2006
- 1,399
- 784
exit at 567 yards, 160 AB @3550 fps
702 yards,, same bullet same velocity
smaller deer make less resistance to the bullet, ending in less expansion
702 yards,, same bullet same velocity
smaller deer make less resistance to the bullet, ending in less expansion
Hunter26
Beginner
- Jul 10, 2024
- 125
- 382
The only AccuBond I've ever personally seen recovered from a whitetail was this 160gr from a 7 RM. 130 lb 8 pt shot almost straight on at 95 yards. Buck went 30 yards. Not sure of MV because it was a Winchester factory load my buddy was shooting but I bet less than 2900 from his 22" barrel.
I've killed deer as small as 70 lbs and as big as 200+ lb hogs with the AB's with anything from 25-30 cal. Ive killed deer with the 110gr AB out of a 257 Roberts pistol with 15" barrel and 2700 fps MV. Double lunged a 90 lb doe and didnt hit any major bones. Had a one inch exit and obvious expansion. They always just work. If I was specifically going for smaller stuff like coyotes, I'd probably use something like a BT Varmint or VMax.
I've killed deer as small as 70 lbs and as big as 200+ lb hogs with the AB's with anything from 25-30 cal. Ive killed deer with the 110gr AB out of a 257 Roberts pistol with 15" barrel and 2700 fps MV. Double lunged a 90 lb doe and didnt hit any major bones. Had a one inch exit and obvious expansion. They always just work. If I was specifically going for smaller stuff like coyotes, I'd probably use something like a BT Varmint or VMax.
Attachments
Last edited:
- Oct 30, 2004
- 24,528
- 3,774
I have used them on every big game we have in Wyoming. Even on antelope with the 200 gr out of a 300 RUM. Never an issue.
badaxeriverman
Beginner
- Sep 29, 2024
- 183
- 166
Tried the .308,180 grain version in my 30-06 and 260 grain version in my 375 RUM when they first came to market. I posted many times here on them with not having good luck. The first year I used them on was a buck that came limping onto my property with a broken leg that someone shot on opening day. Perfect broadside shot with the first shot placement center mass about an inch behind the shoulder. The buck stood there after the shot like I missed it. I put the gun up to shoot it again and saw a bloody hole right where I aimed and hit. I shot again. The second shot hit about an inch away from the first. It still stood there like it wasn’t hit. Third shot I aimed high shoulder and hit back bone. Slam to the ground, but kept picking its head up for about a minute and a half. It finally laid its head down, so I figured it died. The neighbors shot that deer a few minutes earlier earlier and figured they would come over and get it so I waited about 20 minutes to walk up to it since they never showed up to get their prize that they wounded. I walked up to it. It picked its head up and was trying to crawl away! Needless to say, I had to finish it off, but wasn’t going to waste anymore ammo. When I feel dressed it and cut it up and quartered it all the holes in it looked like I shot it with an arrow with a field point or a full metal jacket. I shot a couple of deer with my 375 rum in the 260 grain versions and they did exactly the same. Every one of those deer ran over 100 yards before they dropped as well with no blood trail. I just posted on this yesterday and a few times here previously. Sounds like early on there were issues with the early accubonds not opening up and expanding like I experienced. I did borrow the 30-06 to a buddy and he shot a huge hog with the same load. Slammed it right in the front shoulders and it slammed to the ground and never moved. I know it sounds like everybody else has had phenomenal luck with that bullet, but after my early experience from when they first came out, I lost all faith and that bullet. Out of three rifles I never could get it to shoot very well either with tons of ladder testing. My 06’ after 5 powders and extensive ladder testing the best it shot was an inch, or a hair over, at 100 yards. The RUMs were both closer to 1.25/1.5” at best. Imo Nosler must have used too hard of a lead alloy when they first came out. Maybe someday I’ll try them again with some modern production Accubonds but between the less than stellar accuracy and long track jobs besides that other deer getting shot three times in a row perfectly and still sitting up and trying to crawl away 20 minutes later, put an extremely bad taste in my mouth. I will stick to the partitions and the ballistic tips which have never let me down. I remember calling Nosler and asking them about the bullet after I shot the first buck and they told me the 180 was too heavy of a projectile for a 30-06 six even at max velocity on Whitetail deer at the time. I even tried it in my 300 rum at 3100+ ft. per second and had the same type of penciling through performance the following year. Same with the 375 rum. I just think they made them way too hard right off the bat. Started shoulder breaking with them and I still had deer sit up like the first buck did after dropping them at the shot. I believe I still have a few of each laying around. I might send them into Nosler and let them dissect them if they want.
- Nov 4, 2004
- 25,879
- 10,600
- Nov 4, 2004
- 25,879
- 10,600
xphunter
Handloader
- Sep 15, 2005
- 1,309
- 2,503
I have killed whitetail, mule deer, antelope, and elk with AB's - Long story made short - They Work Just Fine!
I've only shot one animal with the AccuBond bullet. I took a cow elk with my 30-06 and the 165 gr. AB over a load of W760 with velocity IIRC a little over 2800 FPS. Bullet hit in the ribs and on into the left lung destroying it. Never found an exit wound and never recovered the bullet. The elk went about 30 yards before going down and expiring.
Frankly I was a bit concerned about that light a bullet on an elk but the 30-06 was my back up rifle as the scope on my .35 Whelen turned toes up at the range on the NRA Whittington Center in Raton. I never figured I'd have to use the 06 but you never know when Mr. Murphy decides to do a deed.
Paul B.
Frankly I was a bit concerned about that light a bullet on an elk but the 30-06 was my back up rifle as the scope on my .35 Whelen turned toes up at the range on the NRA Whittington Center in Raton. I never figured I'd have to use the 06 but you never know when Mr. Murphy decides to do a deed.
Paul B.
salmonchaser
Ammo Smith
- Dec 13, 2013
- 5,309
- 6,162
I like the AccuBond so much I'll buy the seconds if the price is good just for shooting steel, my winter supply of 260 grain 375 for this winter practice. If the season wasn't closed I could have popped this guy with the 375. Dang garden raider!
Attachments
- Nov 4, 2004
- 25,879
- 10,600
I'm with you Don. I do the same.
JD338
JD338
Sorry, no pics of AccuBonds recovered from deer or antelope, and they are all together in a drawer now, and not labelled, so I can no longer say which is which.
I can tell you that the average expansion of all recovered ABs to date is from just under to just over 2x, and 90-95% weight retention. Mushrooms have looked good except for those that encountered heavy bone. If you search for pics of ABs recovered from those on here who have completed water jug testing, you will see the type of expansion I have seen in most of my recovered ABs.
I can also say that I have recovered fewer from smaller big game animals than I have from larger animals such as moose, elk and bison.
In my earlier years (pre-1997) where I was using BTs more often in factory ammo or handloads, I wasn't concerned about recovering bullets and measuring expansion or weight retention, so do not have any data to share or even recall for you. Most of the BT were used in the 6.5x55 (120 gr), 270 Win (130 and 140 gr), and 280 Rem (140 gr).
I can tell you that the average expansion of all recovered ABs to date is from just under to just over 2x, and 90-95% weight retention. Mushrooms have looked good except for those that encountered heavy bone. If you search for pics of ABs recovered from those on here who have completed water jug testing, you will see the type of expansion I have seen in most of my recovered ABs.
I can also say that I have recovered fewer from smaller big game animals than I have from larger animals such as moose, elk and bison.
In my earlier years (pre-1997) where I was using BTs more often in factory ammo or handloads, I wasn't concerned about recovering bullets and measuring expansion or weight retention, so do not have any data to share or even recall for you. Most of the BT were used in the 6.5x55 (120 gr), 270 Win (130 and 140 gr), and 280 Rem (140 gr).
cloverleaf
Handloader
- Sep 10, 2006
- 4,461
- 1,205
My issue with the AB is that they dont come in enough weights in .257 cal. - CL
SevenArrowsRanch
Beginner
- Jan 15, 2023
- 1
- 8
I know this is an older thread I don’t post much. Or get to this forum as often as I’d like. I shot a nice 180 whitetail 8pt here in Alabama with a 130gr AccuBond out of a 6.5 cm, quartering away, I have that bullet stashed somewhere. I’ll look for it and try and post a picture here. I found it in the off front chest skin. Deer ran maybe 30yds, i think the bullet worked well nice mushroom, I believe it retained better than 80% of its weight. I was surprised it didn’t blow all the way thru though. AccuBond have always shot very accurately in all of my rifles, oddly that’s the only critter I’ve downed with one. Haha I need to go hunting more often I guess.
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,666
- 6,999
Great first post. Welcome aboard. Hope to see more posts in the days ahead.
- Thread starter
- #39
300WSM
Handloader
- Dec 24, 2011
- 1,197
- 803
Well you guys have me intrigued on the AB bullet ...
That said I would like a legit honest answer on something.
We all love Nosler....it brought us all here at some point in time on this forum.
That said there is no other way to put this but Nosler's availability during the covid time and at other times like the .." we cant get anyone to work" or "we can't get material"...
that might all be true but we are ones that suffer.
My question is and I haven't paid attention to the AB's so I really don't know...
How has the availability been with the AB bullets during the dark times as I mentioned above.
Again I love Nosler like the next shooter but obtaining product from them over the last 10 years has been a roller coaster ride on the best of days to damn near impossible on the worst of days.
There is a decent amount of positive feedback in this thread about the bullet itself so I am interested but don't have the time to chase bullets that are only available for a week every four months.
I appreciate and say thank you for the candor in advance.
That said I would like a legit honest answer on something.
We all love Nosler....it brought us all here at some point in time on this forum.
That said there is no other way to put this but Nosler's availability during the covid time and at other times like the .." we cant get anyone to work" or "we can't get material"...
that might all be true but we are ones that suffer.
My question is and I haven't paid attention to the AB's so I really don't know...
How has the availability been with the AB bullets during the dark times as I mentioned above.
Again I love Nosler like the next shooter but obtaining product from them over the last 10 years has been a roller coaster ride on the best of days to damn near impossible on the worst of days.
There is a decent amount of positive feedback in this thread about the bullet itself so I am interested but don't have the time to chase bullets that are only available for a week every four months.
I appreciate and say thank you for the candor in advance.
ElmerThud
Handloader
- Jul 16, 2011
- 821
- 163
I've been using 110gn AB's on red stags & hinds in Scotland for years. Stags weigh up to 320lbs dressed out & hinds around 130lbs dressed out. No issues at all - good clean kills 99.5% of the time. I've taken hinds out to 300+ yds. Stags I've shot have been max 180yds. Sika deer (Japs) die hard & always need to be recovered from difficult places. - Fallow, Roe deer, Feral goats, fox die instantly.
I reckon taking bull/stags a little shy of elk weights (Maybe around 100lbs heavier) wouldn't be a problem with my 25-06 though gotta say - I've never tried, but think it would be all about shot placement. I've never ever recovered an AB bullet from any of my kills - all passed through.
I tend to shoot high shoulder & break bones so they don't run into trees - but damage to vital organs is severe so they're dead very quickly. Lung damage usually sees them on the ground at around 80-100yds run. On open hill in Scotland it's not an issue, but anywhere near tree's & finding them in thick plantings is a pain!
Gotta say, over the years I've shot hundreds of deer mostly reds - but all six species of deer male & female in the UK - it's all down to knowing exactly which deer one wants to shoot & a good knowledge of fieldcraft
I reckon taking bull/stags a little shy of elk weights (Maybe around 100lbs heavier) wouldn't be a problem with my 25-06 though gotta say - I've never tried, but think it would be all about shot placement. I've never ever recovered an AB bullet from any of my kills - all passed through.
I tend to shoot high shoulder & break bones so they don't run into trees - but damage to vital organs is severe so they're dead very quickly. Lung damage usually sees them on the ground at around 80-100yds run. On open hill in Scotland it's not an issue, but anywhere near tree's & finding them in thick plantings is a pain!
Gotta say, over the years I've shot hundreds of deer mostly reds - but all six species of deer male & female in the UK - it's all down to knowing exactly which deer one wants to shoot & a good knowledge of fieldcraft
Last edited:
