Accubonds have become the go to bullet, in our family, for the last 10-12 years. In my 7mm, I've run 140's at 3300 fps for whitetail. These are longer shots, in hay fields and clear cuts. It shoots like a laser and stones deer. I usually heart/lung them or head shoot the does, inside of 200 yards. These are meat hunts for the freezer, so I avoid the front shoulders.
Our 300 winchesters shoot 200 gr a/b's. A great all around cartridge for "open" shots, here in Idaho. Last year, my dedicated long range rifle (browning xbolt/hells canyon, with a nxs nightforce), took antelope, elk, multiple deer, and a WSMR oryx bull (the wife's). The only recovered bullets came from the oryx, 3 of them, at 528 yards. They were perfect mushrooms, and weighed 156, 146, and 125 grains. 78-62% retained weight.
Out of our 338 rum rifles, we shoot 225s and 250s. My WSMR oryx bull, a few years ago, was shot with a 225 going 3050 fps, at 67 yards. Broadside, dead center in the front leg (their vitals sit a little further forward, than our "native" animals). I remember thinking "this is gonna test this bullet, for sure!". The bull died with the one shot, and the recovered bullet weighed 143 grains (63+%), again the perfect mushroom shape.....after breaking down both sides of the front end. I couldn't believe how well it held together, AND that bull stopped it! My dad used the 250's, on plains game, in Zimbabwe. He killed a sable, 2 kudu, and an impala.....with 5 shots. All animals fell within sight....no bullets recovered.
While these may not be the exact caliber/weight the OP was asking about, AND the 338's may have a thicker jacket (I don't know for sure?).......it shows how consistent they are. Near or far, they work....if you are concerned about meat loss, keep the bullets in the ribs (or head). Otherwise, bust the front shoulders......I'd rather lose some shoulder meat, than risk losing the whole animal, or having it run off, down a deep canyon!
Unless they change them, they will be our "standard" thin skinned bullet, from now on.
Andy3
