Partition vs Accubond Range Test Today

[Ridge_Runner]

Kirby built it, this will be its third season.
RR

 

[FOTIS]

Cool!

 

[Ridge_Runner]

Pic of the rifle, along with a pretty typical exit from an AccuBond, this one was taken at 532 yards, entrance was behind the last rib on a quartering away shot, I always hold to break the offside shoulder on LR whitetails.

RR

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

R_R, I like what you have done. Great groups, smoking ballistics, and a great powder!!

What case is the Allen based on, the Ultra mag?

 

[FOTIS]

yup ULTRA MAG CASE

 

[Ridge_Runner]

not a rum, its a 338 Lapua, necked down, with less taper and a 40 degree shoulder. H2o capacity of a 7mm AM case is 122 gr.
Wish I could buy more of the 872, its great in cold weather, and isn't bad when warm once you figure out its temp. sensativity. shoot a winter time load at 80 degrees and the bolt won't open for a spell but I've never lost a pocket in a lapua case yet.
RR

Oh just got back from a shooting session, best I could do today from a bipod with a 6mph variable breeze was 7" groups from my 7mm AM and my 6.5 Gibbs, the 6.5 group was running 4" but I called a dropped shot, oh was shooting 830 yards.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

If you need more 872 here you go!

http://www.gibrass.com/gunpowder.html

I've bought from him, and he treated me well.

I normally buy from Pat:

http://www.patsreloading.com/patsrel/prices.htm

But looks like he's out at the moment.

I like the sounds of that case.

I'll have to remember it in case I ever have to rebarrel again.

 

[SJB358]

Thanks JD, here's a picture of the gun that poked those holes. M 70 totally factory gun. Alll I did is lighten the trigger a bit.

And here's a pic of my biggest whitetail, just cuz i'm feeling kinda flash happy.

I have the same exact rifle with the BOSS in a 338WM. I bought it in 1995 and I have taken a few deer and an elk with it. I have not reloaded for it yet, but plan to start once I get home. I love it. My Dad took it to Alaska for Brown Bear, and it worked excellent. Scotty

 

[FOTIS]

yup ULTRA MAG CASE

oops!

 

[BK]

Thanks JD, here's a picture of the gun that poked those holes. M 70 totally factory gun. Alll I did is lighten the trigger a bit.

And here's a pic of my biggest whitetail, just cuz i'm feeling kinda flash happy.

I have the same exact rifle with the BOSS in a 338WM. I bought it in 1995 and I have taken a few deer and an elk with it. I have not reloaded for it yet, but plan to start once I get home. I love it. My Dad took it to Alaska for Brown Bear, and it worked excellent. Scotty

I have the same rifle in .300WinMag without BOSS. Shot my biggest mule deer with it. 180 Partition.

 

[SJB358]

I am pretty happy with it. When I bought it, I bought a box of 230 Fail Safes and a box of Federal 225gr noslers. After dialing the boss in, the Federals won out, but they were both under an inch. The BOSS is a pretty decent piece of gear for the non handloader. Not sure how it is going to be once I start loading for it. Figure I will load up to the top load and then start dialing it in. I would think I would be able to get the groups to a fairly acceptable level. Scotty

 

[tjRoberts]

I have had many a rifle in many a caliber shoot partitions very well.
I also have a 7mm STW (mine is a stock MDL-70 alsoBut no boss) that puts those 160 grain acubonds into groups so tight its hard to belive.
It seems to thorow about th 8th shot every time. My Best group with this rifle Or any game rifle)and bullet was .17 at 100 yards. 3 shots.
I got a little cocky after that cranked my scope up to 14 power and vaporized the plastic thumb tack in the target. !
Great bullet for me. never seem to get a shot at an animal with that one though.
But I do take it elk hunting a lot, and generaly bring my marlin 45/70.
Both extreems coverd well don't you think !
...tj3006

 

[SJB358]

That sounds like an awesome load. I hope to find a really good load for my 7mm Rem Mag. My first hunting handload was the 160 Barnes X and 79 grains of H870. It shot under an inch in a stock Winchester M70 Post 64 with a 4X Redfield. I worked up just like everyone taught me, and then messed around with seating. It shot awesome and shot a Bull Moose and a Caribou from stem to stern for some of its first kills. I read over the years about poor bullet performance from the Barnes X, but I never had one fail that I can tell. That same load shot a gang load of deer, coyotes and the moose and caribou and never skipped a beat. I have had great luck wit the TSX's also. I like both Barnes and Nosler for big serious hunting. Hard to pick one that I would say is better, but the AccuBond is pretty good in my mind, simply because it costs less and does the same job. Scotty

 

[DrMike]

I have on several occasions had Partitions shoot better than AccuBonds. It is all about what a particular rifle likes. I'm not enough of a physicist/mathematician to work out the harmonics to provide a formula, but I have no doubt it would be interesting to discover all the variables. It is enough that I have options and can find a bullet and loading combination for almost any rifle. It does keep the joy of hand loading alive.

 

[Ridge_Runner]

well have never to my knowledge shot a Partition, I do know that at high velocity impacts if the Partition ruptures, penatration stops cold.
I have however saw alot of what the AccuBond can do, I ask as much from a bullet as anyone, I send the 160 .284's downrange at 3575 fps, have totaly turned large bodied bucks (for here anyways) completely upside down at just over 300 yards, and have taken around 20 out as far as 1,350 yards. even at the impact velocity of 1575 fps the 160's still expand somewhat and exit, so I ain't fixin what ain't broke.
RR

 

[DrMike]

There is certainly nothing wrong with the AccuBond, and it sounds as if you have had great success with them. It has not been my experience with the Partitions that penetration stopped because they expanded, however. They have worked as advertised and killed some mighty big game for me. It is the bullet of choice in my 325 WSM, and hits with real authority on both elk and moose. I wouldn't hesitate to use it on grizzly, and will do so if my draw is successful this spring. Having said that, if the AccuBond shot as well in that rifle, I wouldn't hesitate to take AccuBonds afield. I do use 160 grain AccuBonds in my 7mm WSM, and they work just fine. I have used to great success both Trophy Bonded Bear Claws and Fail Safes in my 7 mm RM, two bullets constructed somewhat differently. I think you would agree that we live in a wonderful time when we have some phenomenal choices in bullets for hunting. It ain't like it was thirty years ago.

 

[Ridge_Runner]

mike, I agree 100%, nothing wrong with the partitions, except like I stated earlier, in the high intensity small bore magnums, solid hits can result in ruptureing the H-mantle or Partition, the layer of copper between the soft lead core at the nose and the harder shank core, if this happens, penetration stops. so for the HV rounds I feel the AccuBond is a better bullet, while at normal hunting velocities, they'reprobably pretty equal.
RR

 

[DrMike]

RR,

What are you shooting to generate those velocities with 160s?

 

[Greg Nolan]

YoteSmoker

I think your groups with the partitions are as good as anyone could want but I have to ask whether the loads and OAL for the AccuBond is something you developed or if you just used the Partition load and die adjustments. I'm not questioning your ability or knowlege I'm just curious because I've had such fantastic results with the AccuBond. I have also had fantastic results from the Partition but maybe not quite as fantastic in my 7MM RUM loads of 140 and 160 grs. I did notice I had to adjust the OAL for the Accubonds versus the Partitions. Just curious.
Good Hunting
Elkhunt :grin:

 

[YoteSmoker]

Greg, that's an excellent point! I did work up the load in .5 grain increments of RL-22 only and I did not play with the seating depth. I might have to give this a try. How far off the lands does your Accubonds like it?