Accubond question for Nosler

[bowhuntrrl]

I browse several hunting forums and found this thread concerning another"AccuBond failure". I chose this year to use a 140 AccuBond in my .270 WSM but now I'm starting to wonder. I've yet to have a chance to use it hunting, but have concerns considering the 3200 fps velocity of my load with the 140 .270 AccuBond. The question has been raised concerning the original offerings vs the new AccuBond calibers offered and how much R&D went into the new ones, since these seem to be the ones failing. I am posting this picture of a mule deer taken at 90 yards with a .280 140 grain AccuBond at 2950 fps muzzle velocity. The AccuBond hit a rib on the way out. The bullet fragments were found under the skin on this side, largest being about 55 grains. In the past, i've experienced better performance than this with Ballistic Tips. What do you think happened??This post is over on Accurate reloading.

 

[Val]

What do you mean by better performance? The shooter who originally posted this picture said the animal dropped in it's track. Isn't dead, dead?

 

[Guest]

Dead is dead...but that is used so often when people question the performance of this bullet or that bullet that you just know it is going to rear it's ugly head :shock: .

With that said, I have read the issue at hand over on accurate reloading, and based on this gentleman's experience the issue in deed goes further than "dead is dead". These bullets are advertised as a tough, bonded bullet for use on game such as elk, moose and even big bears (within reason considering caliber and cartridge) with retained weight in the 60 to 70% range. Although the deer dropped dead to the shot, what scenarios may have played out if this would have been a mature bull elk or moose quartering towards this gentleman. Put that bullet right on the point of the shoulder...would it even have made it to the vitals? No one will know because that isn't what happened, but based on his experience I wouldn't want to try. When you hit skin, soft tissue and one rib on the offside at less than 100 yards and you can't drive a 140 grain .284 bullet going 2950 at the muzzle through the other side of skin, let alone have what he estimates to be 40% weight retention I think this guy has a legitimate concern.

 

[NOSLER]

We have had this question from another person from that forum. If you want to read more go to the "AccuBond Problem" topic in the "Hunting" section.

Too many questions are unanswered for us to make a good judgment. I will say this, the AccuBond works, period.

I shot a bunch of animals in Africa, all one shot kills.

The King Ranch in Texas has put the AccuBond as the official bullet because it drops the Nilgai in their tracks. That is one tough animal.

We have also had thousands of calls and letters, emails and the like praising the AccuBond. I wouldn't worry about performance.

I am so confindent in them that I am shooting Brown Bear with 260grain AccuBonds later next year.

 

[trailrider]

I bought some 200gr accubonds for my 300 WSM but have not had a chance to shoot them yet. I have shot them in an 30.06 at 2700 fps. into a box of wet newspaper. it was a perfect mushroom. I am curious if there have been more experiences like yours. I used hornaday sst's in my 7mm-08 they desentigrated at 50,100,300 yrds. all one shot kills. I do not use them anymore. I have heard that the jackets might be to thin for a controlled expansion. I have also heard that the thicker jackets of the scricco's require lower pressures because the bullets do not give in the barrel. Barnes bullets have the same cautions.

 

[wildcat junkie]

I had almost identical performance to that pictured on a very large (220# dressed) Northwern New York Whitetail buck.

Mv was 3133fps from 280 Rem, 140gr AccuBond, Impacted just behind the left shoulder right above the (lower) knuckle. No bone encountered other than ribs.

The entry wound into the rib cage was "fist sized" with a small "quarter sized" exit. The Heart was obliterated, the lungs pretty much intact and the deer only went about 15yds.

3 weeks later I shot a medium sized buck (120# dressed) with the same load @ 245yds. Impacted right in the "pocket" just behind the scapula lower joint. The lungs were pretty much obliterated and all of the artereries above the heart. The deer went about 20yds. the entry wound was less dramatuc (probably due to the lower inpact velocity) but the heart showed damage from bullet fragments.

The previous year I had taken 3 Whitetails with the Hornady 139gr Interbond loaded to similar Mv. I shot a very large doe quartering on @ 30yds, a small doe @ 230yds broadside and a 150# (dressed) buck shot @ almost the exact spot as the smaller buck this year. Point of impact on the buck was identical to the smaller buck this year. That buck dropped straight down with the legs tucked up under it, it never even rolled on it's side! The small doe dropped in it's tracks also, the large doe ran about 40yds, the bullet that hit the large doe penetrated the scapula, ribs, lungs, liver, paunch, intestines and the hindquarter on the opposite side, coming to rest against the skin next to the femur. The recovered bullet weighed 119grs (85% weight retention) and had mushroomed to .562".

I was very happy with the terminal performance of the Interbond bullet, but was not satisfied with the accuracy, although some of that might have been due to the weapon that has since found a new home.

I switched to the 140gr AccuBond this year and got much better accuracy, although some of the improvement might be due to a new weapon.

I am a little leary of the reduced weight retention and obvious fragmentation of the AccuBond bullet. Although as was stated "dead is dead", but what about a marginal hit, or a bad angle? I also like to eat venison and the fragmentation seems to result in a lot more meat destruction than I like.

I will be trying the Interbonds again in the new rifle. I did find that I could load to a much longer O.A.L. than I was previously, and if I can get near the accuracy that the Accubonds give, I will be switching back.

I prefer the weight retention and large mushroom to the "explosive" effect, but the bottom line is shot placement. If I cannot get near the 1/2" 3 shot groups that the Accubonds deliver @ 100yds, (1" would do) I will stick to the Accubonds.