Accubond Performance on Elk

[WYcoyote]

I just shot a 5pt bull elk last week with a 180gr AB out of a 300 Win Mag @ 3100 fps muzzle vel. He was moving 100yds away and the bullet broke the near side shoulder and continued thru the far shoulder with less bone contact and was found just under the hide. Retained weight was 82.7 gr and all that was left is basically a blown jacket. The damage was quite extensive, he dropped out of my line of sight but was pretty much dead right there. I hoped for a little better weight retention but it was a fairly severe test for a bullet.
Just thought I'd share this experience so you guys can apply it when you make your bullet choice.

 

[257 Ackley]

Nice to hear reports on bullet performance...can you post a pic so we can see what it looked like?

 

[Powerstroke]

That is a lot of bone to get through - as you stated - pretty severe test with absolute perfect results. Meat in the freezer.
Congrats on your Elk - I hope to put this exact bullet to use in a couple weeks out of my .300RUM.

 

[Guy Miner]

Congratulations on the elk, and thanks for the detailed report on the bullet performance!

I never really worried about what the bullet weighed on the few occasions I've recovered them. When I've managed to recover a bullet, it's always been from a very dead animal, which tells me more than what the recovered bullet weighs. Seems to me that your Nosler bullet did a fine job, dropping a big elk quickly. I like shoulder shots... :grin:

Regards, Guy

 

[JD338]

WYcoyote

Congratulations on your bull.
The bullet did its job well, regardless of the retained weight.

JD338

 

[WYcoyote]

Here is a pic of the recovered AB.
82.7 gr remaining out of 180gr.
And yup, elk in the freezer.

 

[257 Ackley]

That is jsut a little less than half of the original weight, so not too bad considering the "trip" it went on. The only performance that might have been better for retained weight would have been with a Partition, A-frame or E-tip style bullet.

 

[FOTIS]

Congratulations!

 

[DrMike]

Always instructive to read range reports and to witness the bullet when it is recovered. Thanks for posting this. Congratulations on your elk.

 

[Teknys]

Congrats on your Bull!

I had similar experience with a 270 WSM 140 AB. High shoulder shot at 75yds broke ribs in and out.
Elk dropped right there. I did not find the bullet though.

I'm happy with the performance of the elk dropping right in it's tracks.

 

[6mm Remington]

300 WSM 180 gr. AccuBond at just under 3000 fps. My buddy shot a nice 6 point bull twice behind the shoulder at 300 yards and he went right down. One bullet exited. The second he found on the ground on the off side where the bullet exited. It had enough pop left to just break the hide on the off side and was clinging to the skin, and when he rolled his bull onto it's back so he could field dress it, he knelt on something hard in the dirt with his knee. There on the ground was the bullet that had just barely exited the off isde of the bull. It mushroomed perfectly and held together wonderfully. The one that passed through appeared to have done a superb job as well. Nice neat exit hole about the side of what I would expect.

My buddy is not close to hear so I can take a picture of it and I don't remember the retained weight but I think it was about 80% if I remember correctly. I love those Accubonds. We are hoping my kids 6mm with the 90 gr. E-tips we can get to stay inside of something this year so we can see what one of those looks like, and yes I will take pictures. Great job on the elk!

 

[Guest]

Given the amount of muscle mass on and heavy bone on Bull Elk this AccuBond encountered I doubt the Partition would have performed any better given the situation. Your experience proves to me you chose the right bullet and that Nosler knows how to design a tough bullet. I'm surprised the bullet retained that much weight after passing through all that bone ! Can't wait to give mine a try. I shoot @3370 fps with the same 180.

 

[onesonek]

I'd say with that range and relatively high impact velocity, the AB did a good job going through what it did. I doubt a standard cup&core would have gotten as much penetration under the same.
I'm pretty much a Partition guy, and have no personal experience on game as of yet. Although I load the 160 gr AB for my son out his 7 mm Rem Mag at 3000 fps.. Last years Elk he took,,,, first shot at 175yds was a tad far back he felt and the mature cow took off at the hit. For what ever reason, the cow turned towards him just as he sent another on the way. She was slightly below him, and the bullet entered high right, off center chest. The AB exited tqaking out an offside rib. It was said she only made another step before a nosedive. So with that and no bullet recoveries, I give the AB 2 thumbs up.
Got word last night,,,,,, He got another cow yesterday morning about 11:30 after comming on a small band's trail in fresh snow. He followed them for 3 hrs or so when he came up on them. "At 40 yds. they appeared from no where" he said. He took a the broadside on the cow in front of him,,,DRT. He said the heart was pretty much destroyed, and the bullet exited. I can't say, but wonder if a standard bullet would have exited on such high velocity impact at that short range.

Dave

 

[jmad_81]

I have had pretty good luck with the 225 AB out of a 338 WM on Elk, Kudu, Warthog, and Impala. Hoping to have good luck with the 160 AB out of the 280 AI on elk in two weeks. My dad used it to take a nice buck thas fall, at 325 yards on a steep quartering away shot the bullet entered right behind the shoulder and was found under the skin at the front of the chest cavity. Weighed 116 gr. for 72.5% retention. I'll try to get a pick up tonight.

They are good bullets.

 

[Murphdog]

Nice job-

As I have said before it is close shots that stresses a bullet not the way at yonder ones. I am a big Partition guy but I doubt that a 180 grain Partition would have exited either. Unless the meat damage was astronomical it is hard to complain about a single bullet that you dig out of a dead elk that went down where you shot it. The fact that bullet did not retain 70% of it's weight is of little concern. I would count the performance of hunter, gun, and bullet a huge success.

 

[SJB358]

Same here, it looks like the bullet did its job in spades. I do kinda like a little more bullet left over for penetration purposes, but it is hard to argue if it is worth it, since you are showing us a picture of the bullet you got from the elk and probably nibbling on an elk steak! I had similar performance from the 140gr AccuBond out of my 270WSM on a big bull elk, and I kind of freaked out. I "thought" there should have been more bullet left. Thinking back, it did well. I have since switched up to PT's for the 270WSM, but all in all, the AccuBond is a great bullet. Congrats on the bull, they aren't easy to come by. By the way, all the bulls I have shot have been pretty tasty. Maybe I am not picky enough, I almost bite my fingers I like elk so much! Scotty

 

[Elkman]

Congratulations, doesn't seem like many of the forum member are posting success on elk, so you are one of the lucky ones! Bullet looks like it should, 72% is about as good as it gets at least in my experience, however I haven't recovered many of them. Again good shooting. :grin:

 

[Jim1 AB]

Well I'm concerned. The AB is not a Partition for sure. It did go through a lot of bone.... Velocity was not super fast though. Well lets see. I just bought an other box of 130s for my 6.5 Ruger. These are just meat deer loads but I's sure be kicking myself is monster whitetail walked out and I got less than expected bullet performance. Well I'm going into this year with a leaning incentive. The TTSXs have worked, ABs in then 6.5 and 165 grain Sciroccos in two 300 Win Mags. And just in case they turn to $h*t 180 e-tips in an other 300 Win Mag.

One way or the other Congrats and elk is in the freezer. Thanks for the info.

Jim

 

[SJB358]

Well I'm concerned. The AB is not a Partition for sure. It did go through a lot of bone.... Velocity was not super fast though. Well lets see. I just bought an other box of 130s for my 6.5 Ruger. These are just meat deer loads but I's sure be kicking myself is monster whitetail walked out and I got less than expected bullet performance. Well I'm going into this year with a leaning incentive. The TTSXs have worked, ABs in then 6.5 and 165 grain Sciroccos in two 300 Win Mags. And just in case they turn to $h*t 180 e-tips in an other 300 Win Mag.

One way or the other Congrats and elk is in the freezer. Thanks for the info.

Jim

I agree with you Jim. The AB is not the PT and I have decided to stay with PT's for my heavier game rifles. I like the AccuBond, but I still like the PT's more. Although, with the results folks are getting for the most part, picking bullets out of dead animals, it may all be in my head. Scotty

 

[C.Smith]

Well Sunday (Halloween) I shot my first Elk at less than 50 yards, broadside slightly quarted towards me. I used my 7mm Rem Mag and 160 grain AccuBond (2nds) at 2950fps and had complete penetration with a half dollar size exit hole. It was only a spike (Washington only thing you can shoot in the general hunt), went approximately 10 yards and collasped adn rolled down the hill another 20 yards and never got back up. I'm sold on the AccuBond. I will give a more detailed hunt report later in the hunting section on return from the mountains this weekend.

Corey