I'm seeking input (opinions) about nosler's new 280 A.I. loaded with 140 gn. accubonds.

I have a .338 Win. but I'm thinking of dialing it down a notch and hunting with my .280 A.i. Since I din't relaod yet my options are limited to noslers loaded rounds.
They are listed at 3100 fps w/the 140 gn accubond.

What do you guyes think?

How far out will they be effective?

A curious mind wants to know?

As always any and all input greatly appreciated

A hunting partner has had great results on elk and moose, launching the 140gr accubond at 3200fps out of his 7mmremmag.

I would prefer to see something like a 150 or 160 gr Partition, or 150gr TSX out of the 280AI, but Accubonds will work......

Distance is a matter of accuracy rather than bullet performance for the most part..........if it works at 40 yds, it'll most likely work at 400 yds.....


Casey

My own preference out of my 7mmstw is the 140gr mrx,and another hunting partner likes the 140gr tsx out of his 7mmremmag,but the accubond does work well for elk and moose.

From a .338, I've seen two elk that would testify to the AB's effectiveness... if they hadn't died in their tracks that is <g>.

From a 280 AI I'd be thinking in terms of the 160-gn Accubond for elk myself. You might call Nosler and see what they say.

As to how far they will be effective, that's a loaded question right there! One metric to use is the bullet maker's stated minimum velocity for expansion. For the AB, Nosler says 1800 fps. Without running the numbers, I'm only guessing but using that metric as your "line in the sand", the max range of your 280 AI would be in the 700-800 yard range, give or take.

Of course that is a LOOOOONG ways out there, and IME there will be other things that limit your practical range before that distance is reached.

Guys

thank-you for the responce, I don't reload so my choice is the 140 accubond as that is all that is available as (factory ammo).

as far as shooting distance the stand I hunt has about 400 450 yard that I can shoot. I'd really like to be able to shoot them if I can see them

Once again thank-you kind folks for the input.

Dave

When shooting a Barnes monolithic I see no reason to go higher than 140 gr. with a 7mm. I shot my last elk with a 120 TSX at 3222 fps and it blew completely through both shoulders at a distance of 267 yds. In the old days of cup & core bullets it made sense to use the 160 grain for the additional penetration, premium bullets have made heavy for caliber bullets obsolete, IMHO.

I haven't shot an animal with an Accubond so won't comment about their performance.

I have no doubt that they will work, at least 95% of the time but they might come apart on a heavy bone I suspect..The problem with giveing a few examples of fantastic kills is that most any bullet works most of the time!!!!! It's that rare ocassion when they do not and I will guarentee that happens less with a super premium bullet like the Nosler Partition, Woodleigh, or GS Customs monolithic and some others..These bullets are pretty good insurance not to mess up a good hunt with a long drawn out tracking job that may result in a horrible pack out job or worse yet a lost animal..all over not spending an extra 25 ot 50 cents for a century plus proven bullet..I have been there and done this and it's not fun..

IMO hunters should put more emphasis on bullet construction than on caliber, unfortunatly that is not usually the case, mostly today its all about "caliber"...

It's pretty sad that no one loads a 160 grain Partition in the 280 AI.

The 160 gr. Nosler Partition from most 7MM rifles should do just fine. But if ya got a .338, ya got a great elk rifle. Use the 210 or 250 gr. gr. partition and you're good to go!!!

Nothing I've seen so far from the Accubond would lead me to suspect it will do anything other than penetrate and exit and make a MESS in between, dropping the critter pronto.

If I see anything different, I will certainly report it.

I wouldn't use a light for caliber AB on elk, but other than that....

Do you shoot for ribs or drill shoulders?

With the 280 I'd probable go for behind the sholder,as I am not sure I want to try to break through an Elks shoulder w/a 140gn.

Dave

I shot some of the Noslers out of my .280AI. I believe they are going the speed advertised. They come back even in an 8lb rifle.

I know with proper shot placement they will work easily. That being said if you ask Nosler I am sure they will load you some .280AI with a heavier AB or a Partition. Give them a call. You will probably have to call to order the 140s anyway.

The 338 with a 210 Nosler partition is pretty hard to beat for elk under all conditions..It has been my experience that it out penetrates the 250 gr. Nosler for some reason. I suspect the added velocity and the 250 probably has a larger cross section and that slows it down...but both work really well on all the game I have used them on and that is quite a number of animals in several continents.

If you can stick to it, that's a workable plan.

Will you be hatin' life if the planned angle is not presented and a dandy bull walks because your .338 stayed home?

I've used the 140 AB on one lousy mule deer through the shoulder into the off side ribs and and it was ground to a pulp and weighed about 60 grains;I'm accustomed to a lot better than that.If a mule deer shoulder did that to it,what will an elk shoulder do?

I would not pick it as an elk bullet.Not that it won't kill elk when everything is right,but I would lean toward the bullets used by Stubblejumper and Atkinson.

To me, the AB is no better than a standard cup/core bullet and does not fall into the category of a true premium,except in the accuracy department.There are FAR better choices out there today for elk IMHO.The AB is a trendy bullet but I'm not impressed.

Too bad you don't handload.The 280AI will work fine,but I'd want a better bullet.Given your choices I'd grab the 338 and leave the 280AI till you can get a better bullet fot it.

The 280AI is no slouch....and I would have ZERO problems running with it as my primary elk rifle....

That being said, I kinda would lean to the way Bob has pointed out about the 140AB. THey are a great bullet, but not overly amazing and tough. I am running the 140TSX out of my 7-08AI and have all the confidence in the world....

Are you willing to pass a shot with the 280AI that you may have been able to take with the 338? Guess thats the first question ya gotta answer. If ya are...they 280AI with the 140AB will smack em down no probs.....

Jeff O,
You may be right, I don't know but I think I will lean towards what Rackmastr says about the .338, I don't pass up shots at bulls from any angle, I take the shot that comes and at any angle. I let the TV boys wait for those broadside shots, I'm not sure I have ever seen an elk broadside in the last 15 years where I hunt, but I sure know what their butts looks like! and I like to see it flip over their head when that 300 gr. Woodleigh makes them tuck it.

300Dave-
It's a shame that Nosler is out of stock of their standard .280 Rem load with the 160gr partition. You could use that with confidence and I could pick up the fired brass the next time I'm in Portland!

(You gotta start reloading that Ackley!)

Yep, handloading the 280 AI is where its at.
Mine loves the 160 gr AB at 3000 fps.

JD338

Yep, that's a sweet spot in my gun too, although I have to stop after one shot to get one-hole "groups" like yours......

Mr. Atkinson,

Agreed about the .338; that right there is an elk rifle. Mine is set up with the 225 Accubond though <g>.

I'm under no illusions that it's the ultimate penetrator with that bullet, just to be clear. Sounds like you have your elk (and the shots they give you) pretty well figured out!

Jeff, were I carrying a 338 for elk this year it wouldn't be stoked with Accubonds... go over to the backpack forum and read SU35's experience with the 200 AB on a Mule Deer. Allen Day and others have posted similar problems. For me, where there's smoke there's usually fire. When I used the 338 WM I loaded the 210 Partition and never had a problem, including sticking one right in the keister of a good sized bull at fifty yards in the timber... I wouldn't take that shot with an Accubond.

For elk hunting I like a "hard" bullet like the TTSX or Partition... that's not to say they're needed 95% of the time. They aren't. But it's that nagging 5%...

+1. Actually shooting elk is a real ongoing education that hasn't even begun yet for some making bullet recommendations here!

Dear Later Dave, your first mistake is - THINKING! Hell yes use that 280. I use a 7/08 (not AI) and have taken mule deer out to 500yds with one shot kills every time. But then again I have done that with a 30/06, and a 300win. The trick is have a gun that shoots where you are looking! If you can't hit it 100% of the time, you can't kill it. And as someone that has (forgive me Lord) too many guns, I can tell you that what shoots in one might not shoot in the other. Example, I have a set of twins, both 7/08, both on the same custom action, same barrels, trigger, stocks, scopes, ..... both build by the same gunsmith. Both shoot in the low .3's. One shoots the Barnes TSX 140gr with H414, the other one shoots Hornaday interbonds over WW760. Both shoot right at 3050fps MV. If I go to my whitetail load - 120 TSX both guns shoot the same load into the same hole. Go figure? Now you have to remember, both these guns are built by the same smith using the same reamers and everything. Oh and by the way, my dies for these two guns are also custom dies using the same reamer as was used to chamber the barrels. TAKING TIME TO BREATHE - Ok, so my point is, START RELOADING DAMN IT! You are never going to get exactly what you want with off the shelf ammo. Although factory fodder has greatly improved, it will never meet you expections like home made. As for the bullets every one else shoots, I am happy for them; but if it does not shoot or perfrom in YOUR gun what good is it? And it would be a real shame to find all that out while you are staring down a nice 6x6.

Rant off

Doug

....and about November we may well hear: "Well, I know I was high on the (fill in the blank) bullet, but now that I've actually shot an elk with it, it didn't work as well as I had guessed it would."

+1

Jayco