Accubond vs Barnes

RickLowe · Aug 31, 2006

I know I'm in the right place to get all these inbiased opinions.... so!!!!

I have had extremely good performance with Barnes bullets after I changed (deserted?) from Nosler back when the X bullet came out. Primary issue was weight retention wasn't as much as I liked on elk, moose, and grumbly bears. All of which I can hunt within half an hour of the house. I found the Barnes gave excellent terminal performance along with accuracy at some pretty high velocities.

HOWEVER... two things I have experienced with Barnes that I never have liked and never had a problem with using Noslers. First, getting an accurate load - at any velocity - could be a very finickity thing, involving shooting a lot of very expensive bullets (conspiracy?) to find just the right combo. And second, Barnes has displayed an annoying habit of changing their bullets, dropping lines, weights, etc without even giving reloaders notice so you could check the performance of the new ones and/or stock up on the old ones. Oh yes... fouling can also be a problem even in hand lapped bores (I know none of you ever heard that one before).

So I am on the hunt for another bullet with a really good ballistic coefficient that offers the same kind of terminal performance that the Barnes bullets do - without the annoyances. The AccuBond has caught my attention.

I'm not so worried about the deer, goats, and sheep - just about anything stops them pretty fast - but would like to hear what kind of performance others have observed in the AccuBond line, when used on elk and moose. I didn't get many bullets back shooting Barnes, but the ones I did showed nearly 100% weight retention, and that's what I'm looking for.

For hunting rifles I primarily load 30/06, .358 Winchester, .358 Norma Magnum, and .35 Newton.

Thanks for the info.

JD338 · Aug 31, 2006

Rick,

I don't of any bullet except the Barnes that will retain nearly 100% of its weight. The Nosler Partition is designed to retain about 70% and the Partition Gold about 80%. This is actually good because the front core helps induce shock and trama.
The AccuBond will retain about 60-70% and penetrate slightly less than a Partition. The Partitions are offered in .308 and .358 weights. The AccuBond is available in .308 and this fall, a .358 225 gr AB will be introduced.

JD338

TBASTIAN · Aug 31, 2006

You won't get away from the price issue, but try the Swift A-Frame...sounds like everything you could be looking for, other than the high B.C.
-TB

skeeter · Aug 31, 2006

Have you tried the TSX yet? It takes care of a couple of your pet peeves - accurate(not finnicky) and reduced copper fouling. While still spendy it will retain close 100% and very high BC. I don't think it will be going anywhere soon as it really is developing or maybe converting (back) biggame hunters to barnes bullets. I used it to harvest both elk and moose last fall, bullet on the bull moose was recovered after busting the opposite shoulder and coming to rest in the hide. Shot was 70 yards, .284/140gr - 91% retention & .714 diameter ..I'd say impressive terminal performance.

I have also used the .284/160AB for both animals, it worked well but no shoulders involved. I have yet to recover a AB shot through deer, moose or elk. Like mentioned it is designed to shed and retain approx 60% weight retention. I will be using the 160AB this year for deer, elk and black bear (if the right one shows himself).

Maybe of no use to you. Good luck

Mighty Peace · Sep 1, 2006

The Nosler / Winchester Failsafes are more in the order of what you are looking for - 100% retained weight. Great bullet for larger big game. I found as other people that the Failsafes tended not to expand enough on thin skinned big game-deer, etc. I use to use the Failsafes in my 300WM in the early 90's then tried the Partiton Golds in 1997 when I bought my new 300WM.

Since 2004, I switched from the Partition Golds to the Accubonds (Winchester Supreme Ammo-300WM @ 180gr). I was only able to recover one AccuBond bullet after it travelled from the mulie buck's quartering away shot behind the LF shoulder, and found it in the RF shoulder skin after it passed through it. I weighed it at work and it was 150gr (original 180) 83.3% All the rest of the game taken with the 300WM or a 270WSM with 140gr Accubonds were complete pass throughs with small entrance wounds with huge exits, smashing ribs and destroying lungs. One shot kills with most game dropping on the spot.

I reload since 2005 season with Accubonds in all my rifles. I have tried some 200gr Accubonds and TSX in my 300WM with impressive groupings of both bullets, but prefer the 180grs for overall big game bullet here in Alberta.

Other than the Failsafes for 100% retention, as suggested in a previous post, the Swift A-frames would be another great choice.

JD338 · Sep 1, 2006

Mighty Peace said:
The Nosler / Winchester Failsafes are more in the order of what you are looking for - 100% retained weight. Great bullet for larger big game. I found as other people that the Failsafes tended not to expand enough on thin skinned big game-deer, etc. I use to use the Failsafes in my 300WM in the early 90's then tried the Partiton Golds in 1997 when I bought my new 300WM.

If I'm not mistaken, the Failsafe line is no longer available.
I have always had quick kills with the PT's and have never recovered a PT from a game animal.
They are very accurate and always get the job done.

JD338

remingtonman_25_06 · Sep 1, 2006

First I just want to say that this comparison isn't close. Its like apples and oranges. Your not going to get everything you asked for in a bullet. You want a High weight retention bullet, high BC bullet, less fouling, and last but not least, it needs to be accurate. That sounds like the perfect bullet, however we all know theres no such thing. I dont like Barnes. Like many others, I run into the same problems as everone else. The AccuBond is a great bullet, but they only retain at most 65%. However, it has a high BC and very accurate easy bullet to get to shoot, w/ out all the fouling. If I wanted a tough stout bullet, I to would go with the swift a frame. You get the accurate bullet, high weight retention, but now your lacking in the BC department. I dont know if you've ever looked at swifts a frames, but there constructed like a brick. Not very good. Failsafes are also not to good. Lack of expansion, hard to get to shoot, sounds like a barnes to me! If I could, I would try to get some Partition Golds. If they made them in your calibers. They'll be accurate, have a decent BC, hold about 80% of there weight. Just my take on this.

slats · Sep 3, 2006

I shoot both barnes and nosler. I choose the barnes for light wt bullets in small calibers. I shoot an 85 grain barnes xlc (discontinued) in my encore 243 but shoot noslers in everything over 6.5mm. I have shot over 40 big game animals including moose with nosler partitions and all have penetrated completely. so if a 60 percent retained wt bullet penetrated completely or if 100 percent retained wt bullet penetrated completely the results are the same "complete penetration". what counts are the termial ballistic changes that occur in the animal. you will find that the nosler and the barnes both give great results. the point is dont worry about retained wt as long as the bullet chosen penetrates adequatly to reach the vitals even from bad angles and acheives a permant wound channel sufficient to cause rapid humane death.