Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 160 gr. Partitions and Accubonds from a 280 AI

I drew a tag in area 97 in Wyoming and since the 280 AI is my newest toy I want to use it. It is sighted in for 140gr. Partitions at present pushed to somewhere near 3100fps. I have plenty of the above mentioned 160gr. bullets but will I really get much in the way of improvement? I can easily get 2900fps with either of them. I don't mind working up loads for the heavier bullets and I like the BC of the 160gr. Accubonds. Would this bullet perform as well in the timber or would a Partition be preferred?

Both are deer/elk killers.. I went to the Accubonds because they hold up a bit better at longer ranges..

Either / or are good bullets in your 280. My son is splitting the difference and running the 150 PT's this Fall in his 7mm Mauser, but I can't imagine any of them leaving you high and dry.

I think they designed the 160 Partition...and then someone made elk to kill with them.

Your probably right about that Bob. Haven't heard of many being disappointed with the 160 PT launched from a fast 7.

I never use anything but the 160 gr's in my 280 Ack . Speer Hot Cor 160 FB is my favorite with H4831 . If going after Elk i would change to the 160 gr Nosler Partition

The 160gr. Speer HotCor flat based bullet was long a favorite of mine in the 7x57 but now I have a variety of bullets to use and have not used the Accubond yet. I will probably work up loads for both bullets, sight one in at 3 inches high at 100 yards and see how close to that the other is. I suspect it will be the Accubond as it has better BC and the Partition will probably be plenty close for timber. Area 97 has plenty of wide open and timber to go around.

I've been having great success with VVn165 and the 160 NP out of my 23" 280AI as far as developing a load. Going on a New Mex elk hunt this fall where it will be used.

I researched a lot of bullets and it seems the 160 NP (or NPs in general) get the same reviews as the 30_06. They work.

Never shot an elk at all, but was shocked last season when my father caught a 160grAB on a 100yd whitetail (175lb) with a double shoulder shot. MV was 2,900fps. Deer dropped right there with no exit.

Aside from that one, we've not caught any in deer or hogs. I'd have confidence in it as an elk bullet, but would likely go for lungs to be safe.

I'd just run your 140 grain partition load. It sure won't bounce off an elk

Two hunts two different bullets. First hunt was an elk, the first elk I killed. I was using a wildcat short fat seven firing 160 partitions about 3,100 feet per second. The elk was at a ranged 400 yards. The entrance wound on the broadside shot made a six inch bruise and the exit made a three inch bruise; at least that�s what the taxidermist told me.

The next hunt was with a 7STW for caribou. We were firing 140 partitions at 3,400 feet per second. This one was sorta quartering toward me. The bullet entered the right shoulder and exited at about the diaphragm.

I'd not run a 160 Accubond if someone gave them to me free. Been there done that in my 280AI with poor results! Stick with your Partition load and not give it another thought.

Palidun �

First, good luck on your hunt. Partitions or AccuBonds will both work, whether 140g or 160g.

That said, my choice was a 160g weight Speer Grand Slam for 20+ years in my 7mm RM. When I finally got a chrono I discovered my 7mm RM was launching at .280AI or even .280 velocities as I had backed off velocity to improve case life. Elk didn�t know the difference, with most dropping at the shot. The Grand Slams very reliably made two holes and it wasn�t until the last year I used them that I finally recovered one. That particular bullet destroyed both shoulder joints on a 5x5 bull and stopped up against the hide on the off side.

If in doubt, go with the Partition. I�d trade a little accuracy for confidence any day and chances are high that the difference in trajectory will be a non-issue.

Just two examples among others;but I was on the scene when a little huntress dropped a big 6x6 in mid bugle with a 160 NPT from a 7mm Rem Mag at about 500 yards.He was killed so abruptly that he just about bounced.....shoulder shot, in and out and done.

This was in the days when we didn't know we were handicapped without a plastic tip,and had not read that NPT's lacked the accuracy and BC for that type shooting

My last bull 4-5 years ago was hit through the shoulders with a 160 NPT from a 7mm Rem Mag at about 180 yards.He was dumped mid stride and cascaded down the mountain for 60-70 yards...pretty dramatic to watch. Again,in and out the other side.

I point this out to bring up something about the 160 NPT that I have noticed about Partitions,in other weights and calibers, and that is that,quite frequently and regardless of distance(out to 500 yards,as far as I have used them), you are going to get the expansion AND the penetration with frequent exits(not always, I have recovered a few),regardless of distance.But penetration has never been lacking.

This is something that may be hard to duplicate with other designs,and can be very helpful dealing with large animals at close range should the need arise..

Whether the AB always does this I have no idea; I have only used one on an animal.

I run 160 ABs in my 280AI. I killed a mule deer two years ago at 300 yards - dropped dead at the shot. I killed an elk last year at 336 yards - dropped dead at the shot (unfortunately rolled 150 yards into a hole).

From my limited experience, animals drop dead from 160ABs from a 280AI.

The 160 Partition is a fantastic bullet. I push them to only about 3000 fps from my 7 mag. With Reloder 33, I can best that quite a bit, but 3000 works well. They shoot sub-half-minute in two rifles. I punched one through both shoulders of a big cow elk at 443 yards last January. It is an impressive bullet and my go-to for elk. The Accubond should be just as good.

The 140 will do the job also, but as long as you don't mind playing a little, I would go with the 160.

Well it seems both bullets have supporters. The last elk I shot was with a 7MM RM pushing a 175gr. Hornady on top of a bunch of Reloder 22. He was only 125 yards away, hit at the back edge of the shoulder he dropped but was trying to get back into a big deep ditch so I shot him again. Neither bullet exited and the angle was not severe. Absolutely major tissue damage and the destruction of one shoulder due to bloodshot. I had some 160gr. Partitions loaded but for some reason the Hornady was in the chamber when the elk climbed out of the head of a long draw. I have shot many deer and feral hogs with the 140gr. Partition and results were always perfect. Checking the flight characteristics of either bullet shows there is a plenty flat trajectory out to 500 yards which is farther than I want to shoot but might have to. Going to flip a coin. Heads, the 160 gr. Partition wins.

My hunting partner shoots the 160 gr. Accubond to about 3000 FPS from his 7MM Mag. We only started hunting together two years ago but hes dropped two cow elk with that load, one at about 180yards and one at a lasered 317 yards. Both were bang flops DRT. H erecovered the bullet from the first elk (317 yd) and it look almost like the few recovered Partions I've seen. I shot mine with a .35 Whelen.
I don't have a .280AI but I do have a straight .280 Rem. and I've been playing with the 150 gr. Accubond long range. hat's one slippery bullet. I'm getting 3010 using the data from the Nosler manual and IMR 7828SSC. Now I have to play with the seating depth to see if I can get better accuracy. I've tried them in a 7x57 as swell but thar rifle flat out hates that bullet. A friend told be of some very fantastic velocity he got from his 7x57 M70 FWT running Re17. He was kind enough to give me his data as I have the same rifle. He said he had absolutely no pressure signs. Dunno if I have the stones to try all the way for his final load. I have the test loads made jup. Now if I could get some cooperative weather I'll find out.
Paul B.

^^^^^THIS^^^^^

But I love the heavies too, I'd have to use the 175 Partitions.

Starting load workup with R22 and Winchester LRM primers. Should easily be able to get 2900 fps which should suffice and give good brass life.