Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting partitions or accubonds for my 308?

DF, I have no idea.

The two 300 WSM's both shoots 175 SMK's and 175 Nosler Custom Comps to the same POI(accurately) as the 180 Partitions so who knows.

Interesting to ponder why some type bullets are favored by one gun and not another.

I know, I know...

Useless info that keeps Loonies awake at night...

DF

Dirt, My HVA 308 is just like yours-Muddy

DF: What I have seen is that the Partitions tend to shoot well with loads at or near max for the powder in question....I guess under higher pressure the open base bumps up into the grooves and "fits" better.

I have shot the Partition bullets in various calibers with barrels intentionally cut a full thou or more over sized,ie .278 in 270,.285 in 7mm,.309 in 30 cal,and as much as .378 in 375 caliber (this was an original pre 64 M70 factory barrel. You would be surprised how many pre 64 barrels are "oversized" through the grooves).

I have also had some "tight" button rifled barrels, like Lilja, Douglas,etc...generally the Partition has shot well in all of them when loads got near top end(not dangerous, just max loads).

The oversized barrels generally took slightly heavier charges to reach full velocity than the button tubes;and some of those tighter button barrels were real dogs in the velocity department. We had one McGowen barrel that blew primers until we sent it back to Harry...he slugged it at .276. He actually lapped it out and when we got it back it gave 100 fps more velocity with 130 gr Partitions and the pressure problems had gone away.

Along the way all these barrels also saw other bullets,mostly Sierra's(BT and flat base) and Speers and I can't recall that any did not do well,really too many to single out any examples.Have not shot as many AB's bu my luck with them has generally been good.The only AB to give me a problem is the 270-130...for some reason I have not been able to get them to shoot as well as a Partition...everything else has been good.

Partitions I have measured are not full diameter, ie a 7mm will mike at .283 at the fullest diameter,where as many other bullets are at full diameter...don't know about AB's since I never measured them.

Maybe those loading AB's and having issues might load a bit hotter;or change to a double base powder...I bet the AB's have heavy bases and might need a bigger boot in the arse to obturate into the grooves....not sure.

I know the old Bitterroot would not shoot many times until you reached "max"; the bases were very thick and heavy and it took heavy charges to get them to shoot, especially in magnum cases. But actually I used to work up loads for the BBC by using Partitions first(still do for any new rifle)...the loads interchanged nicely between the two bullets,and many of my hunting rifles impact the two bullets together,even out to 400-500 yards..

I doubt this answers your question but maybe it's food for thought.

I really like that gun.

Link to the build. http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/7722726/1

DF

Great info, Bob, as always.

Thanks, that does stimulate the discussion.

I don't know if we'll ever have all the answers to those questions.

DF

Now, Bob, had you been marching lock step with Kosher/politically correct thinking about that round here on the Fire, that issue would never have come up...

DF

DF I ain't listening....bought another one this morning.

Much like the Barnes X bullets of old with tight or loose bores, it was a crap shoot, and like Bob said, the Partitions ability to squirt [swage] a buttom of lead out the rear core of the bullet to make itself more conforming to differing bore diam's may be one of the keys to it's success in so many guns.

Gunner

Sometimes, I think we try to put too fine a point on bullet selection. We fuss about seating depth to the 0.001 inch, and then the next lot of bullets has a slightly different ogive. We shoot test groups at 70 degrees and 3100 fps, and hunt when the rifle is at 20 degrees below zero and all things (velocity, the way the bullet upsets to fill the grooves, barrel harmonics, and more) are changed. We hit a 90 pound antelope in the sholuder and the bullet tumbles (as I am told is an almost always thing), and then shoot a 300 pound mule deer in the ribs and the bullet acts totally different.
I try to play the odds. A Nosler Partition and the Hornady interlocks have been very predictable in their performance. There are others that are as predictable, I am sure, but those two I have experience with, and will stick to them. Out to at least 400 yards, any of those in an appropriate weight, placed in the lungs will kill any North American land mammal in seconds.

Bob's point about higher velocities/max loads and the AB's is a good one IME, particularly with the 7mag. I've found my groups tightened up considerably then.

Careful...

Certain unnamed Fire members will be making references to your manhood, etc...

DF

JG,

You should be Nosler's poster boy for the 160 gr. NAB in the 7RM. You scored some super trophies in Namibia (an Accubond sweep) and wrote up a great "I Suck" piece here on the Fire. I enjoyed every word and picture.

You done good...

DF

Gracias Amigo!

Dirt, my HVA is strictly factory and I also have a factory full length stock for it as well as a 3338/06 factory contour barrel. That will really get your attention but shoots great and I killed my first elk with it and a 250 gr. NPT. The full stock came from my first one I got in Jr. high in 243, I shot out the bbl. on gophers and the metal was on the way to smith in Spokane when it was stolen but I still have the orig. stock and bottom metal, and no its not for sale ha ha-Muddy

No, the Partition has a copper partition (surprise). The Accubond has a similar construction to the Ballistic Tip but the lead core is bonded to copper jacket to help prevent separation.

A friend uses the Accubonds in his .338 Federal and tells me he has never had one where the lead has separated from the jacket.

Different construction no doubt, but very similar performance on game, IME. Both will retain 60-65% usually.

I fixed your post...

Take a look at the hornady 130 in the 308 for deer. Kills em pretty good.. No real need for a premium bonded or partition at 308 vol.

Depends on where you hunt and whether you can stalk closer to hunt with my favorite ammo for .308 Winchester. I really like the performance of 180 grain round nose Remington core-lokt ammo for shots out to about 225 yards or so. The bullet opens up upon impact like the faster 150 grain but has the momentum to smash through bone or anything else to produce a wide exit hole. I've had very good luck with this ammo for deer, elk, and bear.

Sherwood