Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 168 grain accubond

I have a featherweight 308 that I might take for elk and use it on shots up to 400-500 yards. Normally I run the 168 grain ballistic tip in my 308 however I was thinking that a tougher bullet and some more ballistic coefficient might be nice. Has anyone used the 168 grain accubond on elk? Common sense says that it should work quite nicely on elk however I'm not sure how much it would penetrate if a shoulder was accidentally struck. Any ideas?

I’d be just fine using either on an Elk at 308 speeds. I really like the plain old 165 Accubonds as well. Those really changed my opinion of just how well the old 06 works.

Maybe you guys have had better luck than me, but in my reloads, the Accubond has been anything but accurate. Never tried it on game as it didn't group nearly as good as the Barnes TSX, Combined Technology, or Berger.

I cannot for the life of me get one to shoot in any of the rifles I own. I have tried everything and anything suggested to me. I wish I could get them to shoot. Hopefully your rifle will like them

The AccuBond like a good amount of jump. Kinda like a Barnes bullet.
Well, that's how they work for me.
The new Nosler AccuBond LR I have not shot. I have some to try.

I haven't much luck with the 168 AccuBond LR in either a .308 or .300 Win. Magnum.

The 168 BT is hell for stout.

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Four to five hundred yard shots don't require a new bullet from your 168 BT, they require a different set of aiming techniques other than std mpbr. If you've got that covered, that bullet will do just fine, even into the shoulder of an elk, at 308 speed.

If I wanted to stretch a 308 to 400/500yds on game that size and did not want to spin turrets, a reasonable route would be a fairly slick 150/155gr bullet at 2,850 or so and a Leupold with the B&C or LRD reticle. A 150gr E-tip at that speed should track pretty close to the intended 300/400/500yds aiming points, according to JBM. "Close" being dead on at 300/400 and 0.3MOA off at 500 (215yd zero). Of course this is a computer prediction and should always be verified in the field, but I've found JBM to work pretty well.

The difference in BC for under 500 is not much to speak of and from the reports I hear on the LR ABs you might be already shooting a tougher bullet in the BT. Dance w/ who brung ya.

thanks for the input. My best 308 load with the 168 ballistic tip only goes 2600 fps out of my 22 inch 700. I was thinking that I would try the accubond long range in an attempt to preserve as much energy at 500 as possible. I don't have any problems running a cds dial either.

Then you need to add more powder, or try a different powder. You should be able to get at least 2700fps with MOA accuracy. At 500 yards you'll be around 1800 fps, probably less with a MV of 2600 fps. A softer bullet, like the Ballistic Tip might be a better option at those impact speeds.

I'm getting 2620 fps with 178 gr ELDX Hornady's in my 308. At longer ranges it'll hit with more speed than the 168 gr bullet, and with 10 gr more bullet weight.

Maybe it is just my rifle, or a single box of bullets. But the 165 Accubonds are scary accurate in my 30-06. I fired three, 3 shot groups into the same target a few weeks ago that measured under 1". I put 3 shots into 2 3/4" at 425 yards with that load.

The 168BT is probaly the toughest cup snd core bullet made.

I use the 165 AB and have been very happy with it.

I highly recommend the Barnes 150gr TSX. Will shoot thru two elk side by side. Has a high BC because because of it's length. Almost as much as a 165gr C&C bullet.Keep in mind time of flight . The 150gr will have a faster time of flight. Consider an elk at 200yds at a slow trot. By the time a 165gr bullet at 2700FPS makes it from the muzzle to the elk at 200yds the elk will move forward a good 3'. If you were to hold right on the shoulder by the time the bullet gets to the elk it will strike the guts or behind the elk.. Elk have a tremendous stride.Considerably more than a deer. The faster the bullet the better. Elk are much more wary than deer.. The slightest sound or smell make s them move.

Would you say they’re equal toughness as the 7mm 150 BT? Or even stouter?

Much stouter.

I would use the 150 TTSX

Idk about the 168s but the last 5 elk I’ve killed have been shot with 165 AB from an 06 and I’ve got no complaints.

Learned something new today.