terminal performance difference with accubond and partition

[mcseal2]

I have noticed in some of the posts that the AccuBond and Partition are recommended for different situations. I was curious about this, because what I read and from what I've seen they perform pretty much the same on game. Both are to be designed to open fast, penetrate, and retain 60-75% of their weight while shedding some as shrapnel. I don't have a whole lot of experience with partitions. I have shot them some from the 243 on coyotes and 270 win on deer and never recovered one. I've used accubonds ever since they came out and only recovered 1 from a deer, but have recovered them from elk, trees, dirt, and rocks and they all performed pretty much the same. Good mushrooms on the front (except for the ones from rocks) and 60% plus weight retention. Even the ones from rocks retain 60%. I've shot them in 6.5, 270, 7mm, and 30 cal all starting at 3000fps plus. I really liked the AccuBond when it came out because I considered it a high BC Partition. I like that they open so fast for coyotes and deer, I feel like they deliver more shock than other bonded bullets because they open so quickly. I haven't used either on anything larger than elk.

Just curious what performance difference others have seen between the two, and what situations you prefer one or the other for.

 

[JD338]

I like the AB for long range due to its higher BC. For up close bone smashing shots or for the biggest og game, I want a PT. I have used Nosler PT's for almost 30 years. The always perform and are very accurate.
The Nosler PT is the bench mark by which ALL bullets are compared to.

JD338

 

[DrMike]

In my experience, ABs and PTs will work in identical situations. They kill animals with boring regularity if you put them in the clock works.

 

[mcseal2]

I like the AB for long range due to its higher BC. For up close bone smashing shots or for the biggest og game, I want a PT. I have used Nosler PT's for almost 30 years. The always perform and are very accurate.
The Nosler PT is the bench mark by whick ALL bullets are compared to.

JD338

Has the AB failed on a close shot for you, or is it just that the PT has never failed so there is no reason to change? Only big game animal I've shot with an AccuBond under 100yds was a whitetail with a 180 from a 300win, so I don't have much experience there.

 

[JD338]

The AB works just fine up close.
I shot this buck at 50 yds with a 280 AI and a 160 gr AB at 3000 fps

This buck was shot with a 338 RUM 250 gr AB at 40 yds

JD338

 

[FOTIS]

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=1347

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

Seal, if you ask me, the AccuBond is a new improved Partition. I think it's what John Nosler would of built back in the day if he had the guilding metals, tapered jackets, and bonding compounds avaliable today. I torture tested one a few years back on a big mule deer. I was shooting 160gr accubonds right at 3500, out of my 7mm STW. It was an angling shot, I hit him just behind the right shoulder, and recovered it from under the skin of the left ham. Even on that high velocity shot, it still weighted in at 100 grains, or about 63% retained weight. Of course they also kill at 1000 yards. Of course I didn't recover that one. In one shoulder, out the other. Any more, if I hae an accoubond in the chamber I don't worry about too much else, I just pull the trigger.

 

[Elkman]

Has the AB failed on a close shot for you, or is it just that the PT has never failed so there is no reason to change? Only big game animal I've shot with an AccuBond under 100yds was a whitetail with a 180 from a 300win, so I don't have much experience there.

I use the AccuBond in one rifle because that particular rifle does not do as well with the PT. I have "never" killed an animal with a AccuBond. But as far as favoring one over the other I am guilty of the question above. My first animal with a Partition was in 61 or 2, there has never been a reason to change. The difference in BC is minimual at most game ranges most animals can't tell the difference between .531 or .475. Most of my game has been taken with the 300 Win Mag with the 180 PT

 

[mcseal2]

No reason to fix what's not broke. I think the extra confidence you have in your favorite rifle with it's pet bullet/load is more important than a little ballistic advantage at normal ranges. I started with Sierra gamekings and had no complaints but soon switched to ballistic tips because they seemed easier to find an accurate load with. I had some ballistic tips blow up in the early years, but the animals they blew up in died quickly. I never tried partitions in most of my rifles, whitetail were the biggest thing I was hunting then. When the AccuBond came out and I found I could put it on my existing ballistic tip loads for most rifles and get the same POI and accuracy. By then I had started hunting larger big game also. I still switch between AB's and BT's in some rifles where they have the same BC to shoot cheaper BT's for practice. Between game I've shot myself and game I've finished off for other hunters I've taken lots coyotes, around a dozen whitetail, 2 muleys and two elk with accubonds and have lots of confidence in them. I will try the 180 PT in my old 30-06, a classic bullet in a classic rifle and I'm sure it will also work great. It will be going on a hog or bear hunt this year, maybe both.

 

[Guest]

Antelope Sniper,

It's good top see someone has used the AccuBond to kill big game at those velocities. I have been so concerned about that with my rifle a 300 Ultra Mag. My 180 AB is smoking along 3372-3380 fps. I know that distance to game animal & POI velocities have a lot in the outcome of weight retention. This is some of the reason currently I'm in the development stage with the 180 E-Tip.

I have not taken any game to date with this load. Could you elaborate a little more on the distance you shot the Deer etc.

Don

 

[super-7]

From my expeirence using both bullets , in a few different calibers I Do Not feel as though the AB is a replacement for the Partition. I may be one of very few on this forum , I have been lucky enough to draw 5 moose in 12 years here, my Dad 4, BIL 2. I used Nos pt 160 gr in a 7mm rem mag chrono around 2950 fps, The longest shot was across a small meadow 300 yrds, PT 1 shot moose was dead when I walked up to it, the next 4 were all close range between 40-50 yrds ussually in willow scrub and getting a clear shot was difficult, 3 times I opted for a good clear neck shot and had all bang flops, one was a boiler room shot that needed a follow up. Fast forward to last year, and I had switched to AB's and worked up aload that was creeping closer to 3000 fps then 2950. I had seen 2 moose and new one was a bull followed them into the willows, by the time I got in a good position I was 40 yrds away and could easyily identify that one was a cow, Once again all I could see was her head and neck. I opted for the neck shot that has worked so many times before, I made a good shot and she dropped, as I made my way over to her she got up and ran. I tracked her for 1/2 a mile and finally put her down, the neck shot was a thru and thru entry and exist were almost the same size. I know that everyone will say that the neck shot is unreliable, and I obviously miissed the coratted artey and the spine ( which is true) but I still beleive the same shot with a Partition would have expanded more on entry and done a better job under those conditions and at that range. Dad stuck with PT's and is still having one shot kills , the brother in law is using the AB, both his moose needed folow up shots, even though penetration is tremendous.

 

[super-7]

Well the wife cut me off, before I could finish. While I still like the AB for it's profile and great B.C., to me it is a real hard bullet that seems to punch thru rather then expand at ranges under 100 yrds. If I get drawn for muley buck next year, I more then likely will go to the AB 160 gr. in the 7mmas shots will be 250 to 400 . If I get drawn for cow moose again I will be loading the 175 gr PT. The 165 gr AB in my Bil's 30-06 penetrated like a ammour piercing round on his last moose, at 75 yrds it went thru both shoulders thru the thickest part of the bones and came to rest under the hide. We had to put a finishing shot in her, but when we skinned her I was in udder disbeleif what this bullet went thru. it weighed 127gr and had a good mushroom. I guess everyone has there own opinion, and I'm not saying I'm right and thats that this was what I expeirenced and how I feel about the difference in the 2, AB longer range accurate tuff bullet. In close a PT no questions asked.

 

[Greg Nolan]

I have used the AccuBond at 30 yards at 3100 fps from the 375 RUM on elk and 40 yards from the 300 RUM and 134 yds with the 338 RUM at 3130 fps. All perfect expansion. At 225 yds from "old faithful" 375 RUM 260 A/B penetrated 4 ft of wet rumen to take out the heart and lungs of a 6 pt bull. Accubonds are the modern Partition.
Remember the Partition was invented with the 300 H&H at 2900 fps was sizzling and most rifles were 2500 to 2900 fps. I've used the Partition since 1988 and they worked good and penetrated but at close range the front (not bonded) would blow up meat pretty bad and the back would penetrate. I havn't had blow up problems with the AccuBond and I still get the penetration but it's the whole bullet still expanding and shedding not just a solid copper slug. Again that's at 3000 to 3500 fps ammo that I hunt with. That's why I choose it in all of my hunting.
Just my personal experiences and opinions. FWIW :!:

 

[Guy Miner]

I've only shot one animal with the AccuBond. It worked just like my long trusted Partitions: in one side, and out the other, leaving a dead animal behind. Hard to fault that.

 

[jmad_81]

I like the AB because they are cheaper, sexier, and have a higher BC. I know that most of my game is taken inside ranges where BC doesn't matter as much, but I would like to think that every little bit helps! If I have a gun that is giving me fits with the AB I'll switch to the PT. I shot my fisrt elk with a 150 PT gold out of a .270, toook a few deer with that load as well. My first blood on my 338 WM was with a 210 PT on a small black bear. All were very dead.