Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Nosler Partition vs Accubond

I'm searching for an all around bullet that I could use on antelope, deer, and elk and I have narrowed it down to the the Nosler Partition and the Nosler Accubond. If it was going to be used on antelope, deer, and elk would you prefer the 165 grain Nosler Partition or the 165 grain Nosler Accubond out of a 30-06?

The accubond has generally been more accurate for me plus it has a better B/C, if that is of importance to you.

No flies on the partition though, and they've been plenty accurate enough.

Both work. Here is how I look at the Partition compared to the accubond. Partition opens fast in the first 1/3 of a critter then the 60% penetrates through leaving a smaller wound channel for the next 2/3rd leaving a small exit wound on a broadside shot. The accubond opens a bit more gradually in first 1/3 then maintains the larger frontal area and a larger wound channel for the next 2/3 leaving a larger exit hole. Both are intended to maintain about 60% of weight at normal Impact velocity. (If you want exact numbers I have seen them on Nosler Publications)Basically The accubond was made for faster impact velocity's and a better ballistics profile. With performance after Impact of the Partition. Flip a coin.

Nosler designed the Accubond to mimic the terminal performance of the partition with improved ballistics. They are both great bullets. I always shoot both and let my rifle decide. If for some reason your rifle doesn't like either, a solid third option will be the Hornady 165 interlocks, which is what I run in my 06.

1+

FWIW, I have pretty much been replacing the Partitions in my loads for various rifles with AccuBonds as the Partitions get shot up. IME, it has been easier and quicker to develop an accurate load with the ABs. Terminal performance on game, ranging from pronghorns and Coues whitetails up through elk and African plains game, has been flawless, so far. YMMV.

After years of shooting partitions, and the last several with primarily AB's, I could not agree more.

Im with JG

Yep. I agree also. I'd roll with the one my rifle liked best. Though I might step up to the 180 AB if there is any significant distance in shooting where you hunt.

Timely subject. Just this weekend I was pondering a .338 210 Partition vs. a 200 Accubond. Each launched in the 2600-2650 range. Need to try something new for elk this fall.

If you haven't already, I'd also give the 200gr Baistic Silvertip a thunk. I've used it out of a 338 Win Mag with great results in the past and may do so again this year. I'd bet it'd perform great out of the Federal...

I really like the 210gr partition. I killed a very nice bull moose in Maine last year with the 210 out of my 338 Federal. Est velocity of 2550fps. Shot was at 94 yards and the bullet was just lodged under the far side skin. The bull went about 15yards and fell over.

Very nice bull! Would love to hear more about that hunt. How long was it before you drew the tag?

Josh that's a really nice Maine Moose!

Josh, great bull! Looking to those with experience to get a feel for how an Accubond might have fared in the same situation.

That's a nice moose for AK let alone Maine...

The only bullet I will shoot out of any of my rifles (and that goes for the past 30 years) is the Partition. Unless I have NO ALTERNATIVE, I will shoot nothing else. They are killers, expand nicely, penetrate deep and retain a good portion of their weight� Call me old school, I'm a Nosler Partition guy all day long�

Oh, and the 250g NOP's in .338 will knock the flipping' snot out of anything that walks...

I've used the Partitions a bunch in the past and over the last 8 years I have used the AccuBonds almost exclusively. Both do much the same thing with a very slight edge in penetration going to the Partition when using equal weights. Both work very well.

For me, Ballistic Tips and AB's have the same POI, so I like the cheaper option of using BT's for practice and AB's for hunting.

Josh, damn nice Maine moose.

Yeah, that's a great Moose.

Congratulations

Partitions have done so well for me over the years, I don't see why Id change now.

JGRaider is too modest to post these. I'll do it for him.

He may know a thing or two about the OP's question.

DF

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/8867802/1

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth..._bullets_recovered_from_plai#Post8995658

Which ever your rifle shoots best. I have killed antelope to elk with 165 partitions and no issues. I wanted to use AB's but the gun did not prefer them.

Six of one, half-dozen of the other. I think at '06 velocity, you'd not be able to tell the difference on game animals. As previously stated, the Accubond has a higher BC, which is a quantification of how well the bullet cuts a hole in the air. So the Accubond will be less affected by the wind, and will retain its velocity better. Still, at distances 400yds and in with an '06, the difference is irrelevant. Shoot them both out of your gun; use the one that shoots the best during the hunt.

One thing: Partitions that hang out in your magazine will eventually get buggered up tips from recoil battering. It isn't a problem, and doesn't alter how the bullets shoot, but it is annoying to me. I like my bullets to look pretty. Doesn't a majestic animal deserve a pretty bullet? Yes, it does.

I've been using the 165gr accubonds on deer. But I've got two 06's and one rifle doesn't seem to like my ab load. I'm thinking I'll try some partitions to see if I can get both rifles to shoot the same load.

Form many years I used ballistic tips.
We switched to 140gr Accubonds in our 7-08s quite a few years ago.
They do the job nicely on whitetails.

This difference is simple.

Accubonds are a 40 year newer technology.

I like them both. Shoot what shoots.

HuntnShoot not directed to you.....just having conversation and expressing an opinion.

I shoot them both and have a pile of the AB's and Partitions here...only used one AB on an animal,then quit. It was ground to confetti.The animal died. I did not get as much penetration from the AB as I have routinely gotten from the same weight Partition under similar circumstances and impact velocities.

I have seen some others plucked from animals;they seem to do well, but again the penetration is not quite what a Partition gives near as I can tell.

They are a different style of bonded bullet but not the type I prefer, so they lose for me on that count as well.

I don't view the plastic tips as a great thing....I have had them snap off in the magazine under recoil,and have opened several boxes of factory ammo with the tips fallen out....maybe they have fixed this. I don't care.IMO hunting bullets for BG animals are not the place for plastic tips that fall out,because that little tip wandering around your rifle's action can cause a malfunction. Who needs it?



In starting them from the same cartridges at the same velocities I see no difference in accuracy,and so little in trajectory to 600 yards (almost none)that I don't see them as worth the bother.

They may be newer technology but they don't do anything materially better than a Partition, if as well,near as I can tell.

I am not an enthusiastic fan....they make me yawn. If they did not exist I would feel like I missed nothing

My hunting buddy loves them...of course he is younger...we argue constantly.