Accubonds not expanding.

[sask boy]

Hi Guys, I am using 130gr ABs in my 270 win. and have been told that I will be really disappointed with expansion. Load data 130gr AB 53.5grs of IMR 4350 using large rifle BR primers.
I have been lucky as last year I shot my cow elk in the ear and also my whitetail & Mule both in the head. This year I shot a large cow moose once in the boiler room and then as she was just about to go over the hill I placed one behind her ear. We could not find the bullet in the chest cavity as it did exist the animal.
Has anyone used this bullet and recoved them? Most of the people I know have all started to use Barnes as they have heard bad reports about the AB. I am still using Nosler and just purchase 4 boxes of 130gr. partitions from a guy at $15.00 per box. One of my friends advised that I should have been wearing a bandana.

 

[Richracer1]

I use AB exclusively in my hunting rifles, except where laws prevent me. If you look in the hunting forum, and look for "1st Bull Elk" you'll see a 30 cal 200gn AB that I dug out of the skin of my elk. Bullet performed exceptionly well. I have posted another pic of the other AB I recovered. Do a search for my posts, and It'll show the 180AB I dug out of CA hog I shot in the ham.

FWIW, these are the rifles I use ABs with:
270WSM
300 Sav
30-06
300RUM
338WM
338RUM (still load developing)

 

[Wally]

Last year I shot some accubonds into the Ballistic Test Tube. They included the 270/140, 308/165, 308/180, 308/200, and the 9.3/250. None of them showed any signs of not expanding. They all held together well, expanded nicely, penetrated deep, and made large wound channels when compared to Nosler Partitions and Hornady Interlocks. I feel very comfortable about using them for anything I have hunted.

YMMV,

Steve

 

[JD338]

sask boy

The AccuBond is an excellent bullet that offers great accuracy, expansion and penetration. Do a search here and you will find that many have used the AB from moose and elk down to deer size game with out any problems and excellent expansion.

JD338

 

[J300UM]

I load them for my guns as well as most of my hunting friends and family. They have been flawless so far. I've only recovered one and It was a perfect bonded mushroom. If you hang around these hunting forums long enough, you will hear of failures with all bullets. They're all made by man for man so some failures can be expected. Last year, I personally witnessed a 165gr TSX "pencil hole" a muley buck and like your experience, it required a second shot to the head. This year, the same load dropped a cow elk in her tracks. I would pick the one that shoots the best and not look back.

 

[Powerstroke]

sask boy,
As stated above, do a search in the forums here and you'll find a lot of info on the A-bond.
I've shot a lot of different manufactures bullets (x-cluding Barnes as I can't seem to jump on that band-wagon yet ) Anyway...I keep coming back to what gives me the most consistant results time and time again.
The first pic is a 130gr A-bond recovered from if I remember correctly the 5th milk jug in line filled with water. Shot from 100yds with a .260 Rem.
Second pic is a 180gr A-bond recovered from my Buddies cow elk this year. Launched from a .300 Win Mag @ 175 yds pretty much broad side.. was recovered in the leg ball and socket.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

Sask boy, I have no idea where your buddies are getting their information. AB's are my goto bullet, and they have never dissappointed me.

 

[Colin]

I've used the .25 caliber 110gr. AccuBond (.25-06) on two big game animals. The first was a running (quartering away) Mule Deer at just over 200 yards. The bullet entered behind the last rib and was lodged in the 2nd or 3rd vertibrea (near the skull). I was unable to get that bullet. The second was broadside Antelope at 185 yards. I hit him high, the exit hole was about the size of a quarter, so it did expand.

On that same trip, 2 of my buddies were using the Remington Accu-Tip (which a lot of people confuse with the AccuBond) both in .243 (100gr.) and in .30-06 (150gr.). Both antelope shot at a lasered 300 yards, both pass throughs, and neither looked to have expanded. The one shot with the .243 was hit a little far back, through the liver. Entry and exit holes looked identical. The one shot with the .30-06 was shot through the pelvis (15 year olds first shot at a big game animal). The buck dropped in his tracks and did not move. The pelvis was broken and the entry and exit holes, again, looked identical.

Maybe your buddies are confusing the Accu-Tip with the AccuBond.

 

[flyfish]

My son is shooting a 270 that I have loaded with 130 grain AB and I'm shooting a 257Rob with 110 AB. I'm hoping one of us will take a deer this season (starts Nov 15) so I can see how this bullet preforms. I've used Nosler for years and have had good luck with all the Nosler bulets I've tried. The AccuBond is the only bullet I haven't taken a deer with, oops, never tried the E tip either

 

[FOTIS]

I have been shooting AB's from 257 110 to 375 260 in a 378 WBY at 3200 fps. Expansion was perfect in every instance.

Over at 24 hour campfire one guy took the 338 225 gr to Africa and shot all this game. He reported pancaking effect and failures. How can they pancake on meat when they do so well here?

http://noslerreloading.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=260

Armchair experts in my opinion.

I have shot antelope doe at extreme ranges with a 300 RUM and the stout 200 grain AB. You should see the hole!!!!!!