I was asked on the 2016 pics thread how I liked each by now, figured I'd reply here rather than hi-jack that thread.
I guess I'd say I love how the AccuBond performs on game. I like how fast it opens and starts making a big wound channel, and how it holds together and penetrates. I often shoot coyotes with my big game guns, and like how that quick opening shocks and drops them. It might not penetrate like a Partition or copper bullet because it makes such a big mushroom and holds so much of it together, but it still gets pretty deep. Everyone we have found has retained over 60%, usually right about 70% of it's weight. I don't recommend expecting extreme penetration on tough angles with the AccuBond when using a smaller lighter bullet on a bigger critter. I don't recommend taking those shots with anything on the light end for the critter your hunting though, matched properly to the game it does an excellent job. I wish they made one in a 55 or 60gr 22 caliber for predators. I'd personally rather deal with a small exit wound consistently than have a giant one from a varmint bullet on bobcat on occasion. I've used accubonds in every caliber they make from .243 to .308 on critters from coyotes to elk and had consistent excellent terminal performance. I've seen a 110gr .257 AccuBond hold together on deer shot at 3500fps from a 257 Weatherby inside 100yds, and had two 140gr accubonds from a 270 expand and exit an elk shot at 614yds. Good bullet.
My relationship with the Berger is a love/hate one. I will start by saying I've never seen one fail, no big game animal I've shot with a Berger has gone far. Most traveled less than 30yds if they move at all. The bullet has done exactly what it's advertised to do, penetrate 2-3" and blow up. We took a few deer with the 95gr Berger in my 243. I got to be a field tester for them when they introduced the 87gr 6mm bullet also. We used my 243 with that bullet to take 3 deer during the test and they all went right down. Two of the deer shot by friends wives during the 87gr Berger test were hit to far back and both collapsed in their tracks due to massive internal damage. I don't trust it much on tough shot angles because none of the 243 bullets we tried exited, and they leave a tiny entrance. There sometimes isn't any blood trail if a Berger doesn't exit, the fat can seal the entry hole. I remember hauling a doe home on the flatbed with the entrance wound on the bottom side that never left more than a couple drops of blood on the truck over a 10 mile trip. When we opened her up her lungs looked like they'd been through a blender. That worries me on a bad shot, but they do so much internal damage I've never seen a blood trail be needed. I also don't like it on coyotes because it penetrates 2-3" before opening. When shooting the 95gr Berger and also when testing the 87gr bullet in 6mm all the coyotes I shot beyond 175yds ran quite a ways before dropping. I think that is to much penetration before expansion on smaller animals. Deer are thicker and the bullet isn't so close to exiting before expansion occurs like on a coyote. I can't fault Berger since it's a big game bullet, but it's not as versatile as say a 90gr AccuBond that will work on either.
I shoot Accubonds in all my big game rifles except my 264 win mag. The reason I feed the 264WM Bergers now is I find it easier to make hits on my 10" gong past 450yds with the Berger. I shot 140gr Accubonds from my 264 in the past and shot distance quite a bit. I am shooting as consistently at 600yds with the Bergers as I was at 450yds with the Accubonds. My new 300WM also seems to start having misses past 500yds on occasion. Shooting paper shows tighter groups for the Bergers out there too. The 264 is my flatter country plains gun where shots might be long, winds howling, or conditions otherwise suck. I hunt mainly deer and antelope with it too, smaller targets than elk, and want all the accuracy I can get. I think they give about as much margin for error as I can have also for long range deer and antelope. They will break a shoulder without "splashing" on it like a varmint bullet and expand inside. Their violent expansion once inside makes a quicker kill on a hit to far back as well. From the 264 on broadside shots they usually exit too, still giving a blood trail if the animal does move. I haven't made any bad hits with that rifle/bullet yet but feel like it gives me the best margin for error if it happens someday.
Kept within normal hunting ranges I'd take the AccuBond anytime. If I'm trying to stretch things the Berger has it's place. I heard such mixed reviews on the long range AccuBond I haven't tried it yet, I'm going to give Nosler a while to perfect it. If it flies like a Berger and hits like an AccuBond it will be my ideal bullet.
I guess I'd say I love how the AccuBond performs on game. I like how fast it opens and starts making a big wound channel, and how it holds together and penetrates. I often shoot coyotes with my big game guns, and like how that quick opening shocks and drops them. It might not penetrate like a Partition or copper bullet because it makes such a big mushroom and holds so much of it together, but it still gets pretty deep. Everyone we have found has retained over 60%, usually right about 70% of it's weight. I don't recommend expecting extreme penetration on tough angles with the AccuBond when using a smaller lighter bullet on a bigger critter. I don't recommend taking those shots with anything on the light end for the critter your hunting though, matched properly to the game it does an excellent job. I wish they made one in a 55 or 60gr 22 caliber for predators. I'd personally rather deal with a small exit wound consistently than have a giant one from a varmint bullet on bobcat on occasion. I've used accubonds in every caliber they make from .243 to .308 on critters from coyotes to elk and had consistent excellent terminal performance. I've seen a 110gr .257 AccuBond hold together on deer shot at 3500fps from a 257 Weatherby inside 100yds, and had two 140gr accubonds from a 270 expand and exit an elk shot at 614yds. Good bullet.
My relationship with the Berger is a love/hate one. I will start by saying I've never seen one fail, no big game animal I've shot with a Berger has gone far. Most traveled less than 30yds if they move at all. The bullet has done exactly what it's advertised to do, penetrate 2-3" and blow up. We took a few deer with the 95gr Berger in my 243. I got to be a field tester for them when they introduced the 87gr 6mm bullet also. We used my 243 with that bullet to take 3 deer during the test and they all went right down. Two of the deer shot by friends wives during the 87gr Berger test were hit to far back and both collapsed in their tracks due to massive internal damage. I don't trust it much on tough shot angles because none of the 243 bullets we tried exited, and they leave a tiny entrance. There sometimes isn't any blood trail if a Berger doesn't exit, the fat can seal the entry hole. I remember hauling a doe home on the flatbed with the entrance wound on the bottom side that never left more than a couple drops of blood on the truck over a 10 mile trip. When we opened her up her lungs looked like they'd been through a blender. That worries me on a bad shot, but they do so much internal damage I've never seen a blood trail be needed. I also don't like it on coyotes because it penetrates 2-3" before opening. When shooting the 95gr Berger and also when testing the 87gr bullet in 6mm all the coyotes I shot beyond 175yds ran quite a ways before dropping. I think that is to much penetration before expansion on smaller animals. Deer are thicker and the bullet isn't so close to exiting before expansion occurs like on a coyote. I can't fault Berger since it's a big game bullet, but it's not as versatile as say a 90gr AccuBond that will work on either.
I shoot Accubonds in all my big game rifles except my 264 win mag. The reason I feed the 264WM Bergers now is I find it easier to make hits on my 10" gong past 450yds with the Berger. I shot 140gr Accubonds from my 264 in the past and shot distance quite a bit. I am shooting as consistently at 600yds with the Bergers as I was at 450yds with the Accubonds. My new 300WM also seems to start having misses past 500yds on occasion. Shooting paper shows tighter groups for the Bergers out there too. The 264 is my flatter country plains gun where shots might be long, winds howling, or conditions otherwise suck. I hunt mainly deer and antelope with it too, smaller targets than elk, and want all the accuracy I can get. I think they give about as much margin for error as I can have also for long range deer and antelope. They will break a shoulder without "splashing" on it like a varmint bullet and expand inside. Their violent expansion once inside makes a quicker kill on a hit to far back as well. From the 264 on broadside shots they usually exit too, still giving a blood trail if the animal does move. I haven't made any bad hits with that rifle/bullet yet but feel like it gives me the best margin for error if it happens someday.
Kept within normal hunting ranges I'd take the AccuBond anytime. If I'm trying to stretch things the Berger has it's place. I heard such mixed reviews on the long range AccuBond I haven't tried it yet, I'm going to give Nosler a while to perfect it. If it flies like a Berger and hits like an AccuBond it will be my ideal bullet.
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