I love Nosler's AccuBond, which I believe is a one of the best all-around bullets there are to choose from.



For starters, the AccuBond is a Ballistic Efficient round with an aerodynamic BC of .509 - enabling more downrange energy on target.



Example:

When comparing a bullet's energy in a 30-06 versus a 300 Win Mag, if you put a premium 180-gr. Nosler AccuBond bullet in a 30-06 at 2,750 fps MV and compare it to a plain jane Winchester 180-gr. Power Point in a 300 Win Mag at 2,960 fps MV, the 30-06 AccuBond will have an amazing 104 ft. lbs more energy at 300 yards: that's right - 2,005 versus 2,001 (Source: Winchester's 2005 Ammo Catalog, p. 10 - 13).

So you see the 180-gr. AccuBond with a BC of .509 easily makes up for and passes the 210 fps velocity advantage the 180-gr. Power Point had because of its much lower BC of only .349.

In this case, the 30-06 180-gr. AccuBond outperforms a 300 Win Mag 180-gr. Power Point at 300 yards.

Moreover, a Nosler Technician recently reported that in comparison to the Hornady InterBond, the AccuBond not only expands more than the InterBond (providing more shock), it also penetrates more by shedding shrapnel along the way to the point where the slightly smaller bullet actually penetrates more than the larger mushroom on the InterBond.

The AccuBond's design took 4 1/2 years in the making.

I like this bullet because it provides excellent expansion and its unique ability to slowly shed weight enables it to penetrate more than the competition, so you get the best of both worlds.

I used them in my 7mm last year on Antelope. These replaced the Nosler/CT ballistic tip. Last year I shot two Antelope with them and they worked great, much much better than the BT. I was a little surprised that they did not penetrate better than they did, reguardless they sure put the Goats on the ground in a hurry. Shot one at 380 yds and one at 298 yds both hit the ground on the spot.

I've been shooting the accubonds in a couple of rifles, thier as accurate as th balistic tips but seem to hold up alittle better at 3000+ fps. So far I've only shot one black bear, one bull elk, and two deer with accubond, 200gr. 30cal. out of a 300RUM. All the bullets exited and killed the critters just fine so I guess they work.


Frome left to right 300RUM/200gr.accubond, 7mm Rem. Mag/160gr. accubond, and 270wsm/140gr. accubond. I think this is going to be this years deer, bear, and elk line up.

Jamie

I shot a deer at 25 yds with a 180 gr, -06. Shattered the spine. Bang flop. Pin hole in pin hole out. Shot a bear at 200 yds with same bullet. In the ear out the farside eye. Instantly dead. That Accubond completly destroyed the skull. There isn't a one inch peice of the skull that's remains. I figured that there would be a completely blown up bullet in the mush. Could not find any of the Accubond anywhere. Still can't figure out how it caused so much damage without leaving a trace of that bullet behind. The accubonds shoot 3/4 inch groups out of both my #1 and my SUCK'S. Like em' so far!! CD

Enough with the commercials already!

Nope. Trophy Bonded Bear Claws are what my old Sako prefers when pointed at something big and tough. Shoot nicely under an inch with a full poop charge of H4350.

For Deer the 165 gr. Nosler Partitions are sub moa (as are Hornady Interlocks).

I'm going to try the 168 TSX and 165 Interbonds just for fun. Can't see the need to try every bullet out there when I have 3 proven winners shooting so well.

No. Woodleigh Weldcores are the premium projectile I favour. Tried Partitions, Grand Slams and Barnes-X.

Woodleigh bonded core (Weldcore) technology was established in 1988. The original bonded core bullet.

I am very impressed with the accuracy, penetration, expansion and weight retention (90%) of the Woodleigh Weldcore Protected Point bullet on game from wild goats and pigs up to sambar stags. I�ve used 165gn, 180gn and 200gn weight projectiles in my 30-06. The 200gn WCPP are excellent big game stoppers.

Woodleigh 165gn WCPP (.308")
1.0MOA, wt=150.2gns (91.0%), expand=0.74"


Woodleigh 180gn WCPP (.308")
0.6MOA, wt=175.0gns (97.2%), expand=0.75"


Woodleigh 200gn WCPP (.308")
1.0MOA, wt=182.7gns (91.4%), expand=0.76"




Woodleigh projectiles are available in the United States at the following distributors;

Huntington Die Specialties
601 Oro Dam Boulevard,
OROVILLE, CALIFORNIA, USA, 95965
Ph. 530 534 1210
Fax. 530 534 1212
huntington@syix.com
www.huntingtons.com

MidwayUSA
5875 W Van Horn Tavern Road,
COLUMBIA, MISSOURI, USA, 65203
Ph. 573 445 6363
Fax. 573 445 0863
customerservice@midwayusa.com
www.midwayusa.com

two deer with the 140gr in the 7mm rem mag, excellent performance

I tried them in my .300WSM and was quite dissapointed. I don't think I shot a group less than about 4". Since I don't handload they're out as far as my .300WSM goes.

Since my last post on this thread, I have tested both the 150gn and 180gn AccuBond in the 30-06. I'm astonished at the accuracy and supreme penetration with these projectiles. I do like the 180gn AccuBond. The 180gn AccuBond penetrated to the same depth as the 180gn Partition in wet newsprint. I'll load this projectile in the 30-06 to take on my Sambar hunt in the Victorian Alps at the end of the month. That is where I will be able to compare the killing power of the 180gn AccuBond to the 200gn Woodleigh.

My stainless steel Ruger M77 (laminated stock) shot this 0.39" group at 100m;

Nosler 180gn AccuBonds
55gns AR2209 (H4350) => 2670ft/s



Penetration in wet newsprint = 23"
Expanded diameter = 0.63"
Retained weight = 130.7gns (72.6%)


For comparison, 180gn AccuBond on the left and 180gn Partition on the right;


Nosler 180gn Partition
60gns AR2213SC (H4831SC) = 2680ft/s
Group = 2.54" at 100m
Penetration in wet newsprint = 22.5"
Expanded diameter = 0.58"
Retained weight = 131.6gns (73.1%)


Which is the better performer? IMO, Nosler is on a winner with the AccuBond.

Thanks for posting the data Mr. Jaeger. That's interesting and impressive to say the least.

And if anyone is wondering how the Nosler 150gn AccuBond performs; 0.65" at 100m.

Nosler 150gn AccuBonds
59gns AR2209 (H4350) => 2950ft/s


From the left, a recovered 150gn AccuBond, a recovered 180gn AccuBond and an unfired 180gn AccuBond for comparison.



Penetration in wet newsprint = 19"
Expanded diameter = 0.59"
Retained weight = 103.7gns (69.1%)

I've used the 180 gr 30 cal Accubond in a .30-06. The long and very pointy bullets fly very flat and are extremely accurate. I haven't used them on game so I can't comment there. Based on what I've heard though, if I did use them for hunting I would reserve them for game larger/tougher than deer.

Drew,
The Woodleigh Weldcore actually goes back about 10 years before you thought, to the 1970's by early 1980's they were being exported to Norma. Geoff Mcdonald starting making bullets for himself for a .523 caliber wildcat based on the .460 case back then as there were no commercially made bullets available.

I spoke the Geoff at the SHOT show this year and he thinks maybe Bitteroot Bonded core bullets may have been out before him but in very limited supply and defintiely not in viable world wide distribution.

I have tested many Woodleigh bullets on game as small as pigs up to American Buffalo that weigh over the ton and the Woodleigh slams them to the ground.

AGW

Refer to the "jynx has finally been broken" post on this forum. I just took a large cow elk with a 160 grain Nosler Accubond and a hefty charge of H1000 in my 7mm Rem Mag. I was very impressed with the bullets performance and will definitely use it again.

Bullet broke shoulder blade going in and took out both lungs and then broke the upper leg on its way out. This at 378 yards. I am very happy with the results.

I will definitely use these bullets more in the future.

FH

Just shot a cow elk with a 260 Accubond Sat Dec. 3. The shot was 40 yds through the neck. Can't tell much about the bullet's performance with this type of shot. Am sure just about any bullet put through that spot would have given the same bang/flop result.

For interested readers: the firearm is a Mark X with a 21" Douglas barrel chambered for 375 Chatfield-Taylor. Stock is a McMillan with a 13 1/8" LOP with decelerator pad. Scope is a VX II 2-7 with superlow Leupold rings and individual bases. Weight 8 lbs 2 oz. A short handy woods gun which can do double duty for longer shots. The bullet is leaving the muzzle at 2775 and sighted in 2" high at 100 yds. Load is 66 grs of RL-15 in necked up win cases with Fed 215 primers.

I shot an antelope at about 125 yds. with my sako .270/140 gr.accubond. 2" exit hole , heart was mush, the old boy went 10 yds, then down. Great bullet in my book.

A question for you Accubond sluts, please. Theoretical, not to be taken personally.

If an average size (say 160# dressed) deer was shot through the ribs do you think the 140g AB out of a 7x57 at 2900fps would make a larger exit than the same 140g AB out of a 280 at 3100fps?

Wonder cause the AB seems to shed a bit more weight than the IB or Woodleigh--all bonded.

It should, as should a partition sent at the higher speed. But at the 3100 fps plus from a 270 WSM, it's not overly damaging.

I shot a young bull moose this year with the 140 accubonds in a 270 Winchester. Range was 238 yards. Three shots were fired. One hit heart, another hit liver and the third took out lungs. This all happened in about 10 seconds. After third shot, bull realized he was dead and fell down. All bullets exited with about 1.5" exit holes.

Shot a medium size doe at 260 yds. with a .25 cal. 110 grn. out of my 25-300 win mag. Imp. at 3800 fps. No meat left on the off side shoulder. way to fast for this bullet.

I don't remember if I posted this here or another site...

This is a 140gr .284 bullet recovered out of my mule deer last year. Weight was right around 100gr, and 2x diameter.



This is a typical group from my 7mag, and my 280 will group just as well or better.



Well I'm up to 5 critters and my wife one with 160gr accus out of either my 280 or 7mag... and one with 140's out of the 280.

The first animal was a very large bodied mule deer, 85-90 yards broad side. Shot with the 280 and 140gr accubonds, bullet didn't exit, but was found under the off side skin. He spun 90 degrees ran toward me about 5 yards and fell over dead. recovered bullet was a perfect mushroom weight was 100 grains.

Cow elk - broad side at 335 yards, solid rest, bang flop double lung/top of heart with the 280. Bullet exited.

Bushbuck - shot in his bed at about 70 yards with the 280, double lung, never got up, tiped over dead. no bullet recovered.

Impala - shot while standing quartering toward at about a 100 yards, again with the 280, broke the facing shoulder, exited at the point of the hip... ran 20 yards squirting blood... DOA

Warthog - quartering toward at about 50 yards, same shot placement and exit same as with the impala, he turned and ran into the brush about 15 yards... DOA

Blue Wildebeest - My wife actually shot this one with my 280, the shot was from about 125 yards, quartering away. Bullet pentrated about 3-4 ribs from the back of the cage, and was found lodged under the hide on the point of the shoulder, approximately 28" of penitration maybe more, bullet recovered weight was 120gr. Bull ran about 75 yards and piled up.

The last one was a fairly large bodied bull elk. Shot was broadside from about 75 yards with a hot load in my 7mm. Double lunged him right behind the shoulder, he spun 180, and took two steps down hill and then nose dived... Bullet exited and very little blood shot meat. If they held up to a 3050 ish fps load out of a 7mm at close range thats good enough for me. I'm 100% sold on these bullets!

I have had the same results so far with the Accubond and the Partition's. I have never recovered either. I am thinking about a total switch to the Accubond only because the tip of the bullets won't get deformed. CD

I shot some good groups with the 140's out of the 7Mag. I'll test them on some hogs this spring and get back with the results of that....

Just got back from my NM landowner cow elk hunt. Used the 180 Accubond in a 300 RUM. The cow was quartering away at 45 degrees. Distance 350 yds, velocity of bullet 3375 at muzzle, vel at animal just under 2900. Placed the shot so the bullet would hit the offside shoulder. The cow ran off through the thick stuff after the shot. There was no blood to follow for over 50 ys. It got dark and it took the land owners son-in-law some time to find the first drop of blood. ( we tried first and got skunked then asked for their help) The elk ran around 100 yds and piled up. The blood trail was almost non existant for the entire distance. Only 3 or 4 drops which were 1/8" in dia for over 75 yds. The dirt in the trail was disturbed by running elk and that was what how it was really located.

When it was cleaned we found out what had happened. The bullet hit next to the third rib from the rear, nicked the paunch, hit the lungs and maybe some of the liver, went out through a rib next to the shoulder and lodged in the shoulder meat 1/2" away from the skin. Saw a small bruise in the middle of the shoulder and when touched could feel the bullet. The bullet weighed 68% of its 180 gr. Traversed around 20" of animal.

This situation made me uncomfortable. Darn near lost the animal for the evening and that would have probably ruined the meat, the main reason I hunt. I realize it was one of those difficult shots. Only a failsafe, an X, or a heavier bullet could have exited. Has me reconsidering the choice of bullet. While the same situation could yield an exit and a good blood trail, it sure puts some doubt in the picture.

Now considering the 168 TSX as perhaps a better choice. Either that or a 200 gr accubond or a partition.

AZ: Interesting post, thanks. I recovered two Hornady 139g IB out of a 7x57 from two bucks in Minnesota this year--both quartering away. Both were rear rib hits and the internal damage was impressive as was the bullet's performance, 2x expansion and 90% or therabouts retained weight. Both bullets were lodged under the hide. On the second buck six ribs were cut high and pieces of rib traveled through the heart and spine. That mushroomed bullet had a slight bend to it...

These bonded bullets did as much internal damage as any ballistic tip or bronze point (the ultimate exploding bullet) ever did. I imagine broadsides would be as nigh to perfect as possible

Both killed the deer very dead very quickly, but no exits. Precious little blood on the ground from the first buck who made it about 50 yards with lungs and heart diced to pieces.

Were this open country with dry ground and I wasn't red/green colorblind it would be peachy. Trailing deer in the nasty understory and broken terrain in upper Minnesota and Ontario has to be experienced to be appreciated. I prefer an exit and the bigger the better. Was pondering the Barnes MRX or even the Swift A-frame for that bonded mushroom action with a longer retained shank for the exits, rather than heading up in weight.

Pardon the diversion from the original post

AZ, given the shot you took on that cow, that's pretty good performance. I'm not sure you'd get a pass through with other bullets under those circumstances.

Took a 150lb feral hog at 220 yds. Broke facing shoulder, both lungs. Exited. Bang Flop. 140gr Accubond .270Win

Thanks for trying to make me feel better, KCM270.

I am pretty sure a 200 gr partition would have just passed through. Absolutely certain a 180 TSX would. Guess it is one of those circumstances that cannot be duplicated to prove or disprove.

If we get to hunt there again I will most likely be using my 375 taylor with a 260 gr nosler accubond as insurance.

--Ross

FYI the meat is excellent!

I had a 180 TSX this year from a 300 WSM that didn't penetrate through the other side on a cow elk at 75 yds...rib cage shot. I recovered her, but there was nothing for a blood trail.

The problem you have is hitting that opposite shoulder. The bullet is mostly spent, then it hits that hard shoulder bone. I've done that shot with partitions, and the opposite quartering toward that lodges in the hip, and have always recovered the bullet. It's like running 24 miles of a marathon, then seeing a steep uphill grade...the bullet just doesn't have the spunk to do much more than break the bone, and then, it's got the springy hide to defeat.

Glad you got the elk, and glad you're enjoying a few fine dinners. Good shooting!!!

Now that is interesting KCM270! A 180 X not going through.

I had shot many a cow in the past with the 200 gr partition from a 300 win mag. Most shots were in the woods at around 40-60 yds. Never found the bullet as it always left the animal, even when the shots were raking. Guess I got spoiled. Know distance makes a difference.

Sure makes for interesting conversations. I was sure that the accubond would do well after reading the African stories on the main page. If the cow was killed in an open meadow and ran across it.....there is always next year.

Stalking closer is an option.

Two years ago, I shot a bull at ~150 yards through the fleshy rears of both shoulders (1/2 way up), hitting no shoulder blades, and the bullet was just under the offside hide and had punched a small hoe on the off side. No blood trail, but he went about 50 yards through open,sparse PJ. Bullet was a 200 gr Accubond from a 300WSM, MV~2900fps, and retained about 68%.

This year, I had complete penetration behind both shoulders, 1/2 way up, on a cow elk at 200 yards. She went 40 yards with no blood trail. 180 Accubond from a 300 Win mag.

I think the chest cavity is pretty big and has a lot of volume to fill before leaving a blood trail. Don't know if the TSX would solve the blood trail problem. A hit lower in the chest might be more suitable to leakage.

RR

I suppose getting them in the neck just in front of the shoulders is a good place to wack them, then there is no doubt where the elk went.

I did think that the chest just filled up with blood on my case but didn't consider it with a pass through in a mid body hit. Something worth considering is a lower hit if possible.

If they pile up fast or go through a large open area all those hits are no big deal.

Good comments guys....

I took the factory Federals Premium in 180 Grain Accubonds to Africa last year. I shot 11 animals with 12 shots, the Kudu took 2. My father also shot around 13 animals and had good performance. I do like like a few things with them such as killed all the animals I shot at!!! There were things that bothered me a bit though.

We recovered about 10 bullets, they weighed from 114 grains to around 130 something. That means all bullets lost on average about 33% of its weight. I do not like this.

The heavy animals such as kudu, gemsbock and wildebeast, normally stopped the bullet in there skin on the far side of the shot. I normally like bullets that pass completely through. But everyone has there own opinion.

I am not going to use these bullets for heavy animals in N. America such as Moose or Elk or Bear, and I will stick with the Partions or TSX's or similiar bullets. I have also found that if you increase the speed over 3,000 fps, the bullets fragment more. I do not feel that Accubonds have the weight retention needed for heavy game to completely pass through. The swift scricco's actually have better weight retention in my testing than the accubonds. They are a quality bullet often overlooked.

In my experience, an exit hole doesn't guarantee a blood trail. Just this year, I shot the biggest whitetail of my life with a .30-06 loaded with a 165 grain Sierra BTSP. I shot him broadside at about 25 yards behind the shoulder. There was a quarter-sized exit hole behind the shoulder on the far side, but there he left hardly any blood before piling up. I've had this happen before so exit holes aren't as important to me as they are to most people.

Just my $.02 worth...

I loaded fifty 180 grain .30's for .300 Weatherby. My friend brought them to North Carolina and shot four deer with them.
None of them stayed in the deer, zipped right through.

We tried ballistic tips about 20 years ago, found the 165's in .300 Win and Weatherby explode and turn deer to mush. The 180 grain ballistic tips blow through, even length wise, but seem to ruin less meat. I think 180 gr Ballistic Tips vs. Accubonds for deer, both do the job equally well. If the purpose of a bullet is to stay in the animal, mushroom and deliver all it's energy towards killing the animal, Sierra Gamekings are the only bullets I've ever recovered with the .30 Mags.

They have been very accurate in every rifle I have tried them in. I took a big Mule Deer with a 160gr Accubond out of a 7mm Ultra this year and got excellent penetration. This is a good bullet.

They shoot well in my 270 WCF and 300 WSM. They kill good too. Three elk, one bear and several deer.

This is the entrance hole of a bobcat shot with a 7mm wsm 140 Accubond. Exit was about dime size or less.

I have shot 3 animals with the Accubond so far. A Muley Buck, A Medium Black Bear, and a young bull moose. The deer and Blacky were shot with a 280 Remington and the 140 AB, bear broadside [bullet exited] Muley quartering away [bullet did not exit.] Both were bang-flop kills. Recovered bullet weighs 112 grains. The moose was shot at 250+ yards with the 200 AB in my M700 8x57 Mauser, slightly quartering away. Kill was also a bang-flop, bullet made exit, leaving a 1" exit hole behind offside shoulder. I am a Partition slut, having used them for over 40 years successfully, but so far, I am liking this new offering. It will take a few years to give a real analysis on the newer bullet though, need at least 25 head of game on the ground. Regards, Eagleye.

I shot my muley at 225 yars with a 7mag. 2 inches behind the shoulder. 160 gr accubond. Bullet entered 1" hole and exited with 1 1/2" hole. Took 3 steps and was down.. My buddy was shooting a 30-378 with 180gr ballistic tip. Shot muley @ 418 yards. The ballistic tip exploded on impact no penetration but did extensive damage to the rib cage 5 " behind the shoulder . Left one heck of a blood trail but put the old guy down in 50 yards. I would rather punch the hole and have penetration myself.

Azshooter,

I could be wrong but I think your shot placement was a little to far back.
Based on your description it sounds as though you hit the start of the lungs mid to high up. Something seemed wrong with your description until I realized that the animal's off side shoulder must have been fully extended to the rear.

Bow hunters learn quickly to avoid the area of the lungs/liver that (I think) you hit (it takes quite a while for the animal to bleed out). Also, the liver/gut debris tend to plug the entrance hole. I am betting that the elk would have gone down faster with the top of his heart and the bottom of his lungs missing.

The 300 Ultra is pretty tough on bullets and stepping up to 200 grainers could only help. The 200 Partition would get the nod for elk if I was pulling the trigger. I love X bullets but (my opinion) is that the 180 Tsx is the better bet (over the 168) at your velocity levels.

I hope my post comes across as that of an observation and not a criticism. No offence intended!

Take care!