Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Nosler Accubonds vs Partitions

Definitely take a back seat to monos such as TSX/TTSX in leaving the scene

In my experience with AccuBonds from 130-grain 6.5s to 260-grain .375s, they penetrate as well as Partitions of the same weight and diameter, but end up under the hide on the far side somewhat more often. This is because the mushroom of the AccuBond is wider and rounder than the flatter, smaller mushroom typical of Partitions. In fact I've found this is typical of many other bonded bullets, because they tend to expand in the same general way.

Am also convinced that a higher percentage of monolithic bullets exit not just because so many retain a higher percentage of weight, but because the typical "petal" expansion tends to cut through hide, not just punch through. Have even found a few hanging in the "cut" they made in the hide--and quite a few recovered monolithics also lost all their petals.

Neither if the availability does not come back....

Anyhow, I have used both, started finding more bullets in game when the accubonds were employed. Mostly the 7mm 160 gr. Bullet. Accubond most definitely expanded wider but always held together no matter what was in the way. There seemed to be little less lead shrapnel in the receiving host accubonds were found in. I have by far fired more partitions than accubonds, cause' it just flat worked good and if it ain't broke, don't fix it.....

Really cannot go wrong with both. I do like how the ab tips hold there shape after a ride or two in a rifle, but that's cosmetic... I rarely take long range shots, 300 and under purdy much covers it, so I am good with either bullet.

My first hunting rifle was a .30-06. Back then we didn't have the huge variety of bullets that we have now. I loaded it with 150 gr Hornady bullets for deer and 180 gr Sierras for elk. Also back then Colorado's deer and elk seasons were concurrent and most tags OTC. The area that I hunted had both deer and elk, so a few of my deer were killed with my 180 gr elk loads, and a few of my elk were killed with my 150 gr deer loads. They all were just as dead.

In 1977 I had my .30-06 re-chambered to .30 Gibbs shooting 180 gr Partitions for my elk rifle, and I built a .257 Ackley shooting 117 gr Sierra GameKing bullets for deer and antelope. Those 180 gr Partitions put 2 Shiras moose and 20 some elk in my freezer. Then one year in one of Montana's Unlimited tag bighorn sheep units, I hadn't seen any rams and when an ivory tipped, dark antlered 6x6 bull elk stood broadside about 75 yards in front of me, I couldn't resist and one of those little 117 gr Sierras dropped him where he stood.

My go to hunting bullet for my 7mm Rem mag is the 160 gr Accubond. I have used it on deer, antelope, and elk here in Montana, Caribou and Musk ox in Canada, and a variety of Plains game animals in Africa.

My favorite rifle now is my .300 Weatherby. The first hunting bullets that I loaded for it were the 168 gr Barnes TSX. Those bullets worked equally as well on a 20 pound Klipspringer as one did on a 500 lb Sable antelope, and on bull elk here at home.

My point is, the OP is shooting a .338 RUM. Either Accubond or Partition bullets out of that rifle will easily kill any game animal in North America. Shoot both and use the one that is most accurate in your rifle. Bullet placement with either of those bullets is way more important than any differences in the construction of those bullets.

Yet you're the same mullet who proclaimed to the 24HCF how much accubond's sucked. Stick to something you actually know, like stealing riflestocks from customers.

That is wisdom that only comes from experience. I live ~30 minutes shy of the Canadian boarder so Im north enough to consider that a concern. I was bit once by tipped bullets, Hornady Leverevolutions out of a 45-70. Could barely keep them on the same piece of paper at 50, went back to a JFN and now im shooting 2" groups standing at 100. Wonder if that tip deformation/breakage could have been the problem.

Lot of great feedback here guys, I agree we are a bit oversaturated with good bullets in this modern era, but the concept of a great bullet is what excites me. Also considering the 'moderate' ranges I'm interested in (though 400 still seems insane to a lever guy), I think I may be opting to go the more traditional route with the partitions.

I have 4 boxes of 200 grain Accubonds that have most of the tips missing. Been waiting 11 months for Nosler to replace them. They haven't made any in a long time. Told me it would be this summer before they did.
I have a 250 Savage that i built for my kids to start big game hunting with. With few exceptions the dozen or so elk and twice that many deer have all been killed with 100 grain Partitions. Never had a single bullet stay in the animal, not one.
I used Partitions in Africa and the skinners recovered one from a wildebeest, the rest made it into the Namibian countryside. Our group of 4 all used 300 H&Hs. There were a pile of recovered bullets on the window sill, many of them were 168 grain Barnes LRX. These were all plains game. Nothing i shot with my 458 resulted in a bullet recovery.
I don't trust any tipped Nosler bullets but to have issues with the plastic tips. Just heard and experienced too many cases.

For the distance you say you will be shooting ("under 400 yards"), my preference is the partition. The guys that say the partition has "not shown them much". What that shows me is they don't know wth they are doing. The partition has been the gold standard for many years. The bullet in which all others have been compared. They have always worked extremely well and have always shot equally as well. When the accubonds came out, they were very finicky and had a bad reputation for losing their tips. The partition on the other hand, always seemed to produce very good accuracy, and reliability. I know which one I'd choose if I were the op.

I have a lot of experience with both, and like both. My scheme is letting the individual rifle tell me what it likes. In performance terms, I’ve had great luck with both, have found the Accubond holds together very well and reliably expands. I’ve killed game from antelope to elk with both.

I also throw the TTSX into the mix, and if it is more accurate than the Noslers I use it. I’ve been very impressed with it on game.

I use and am a fan of both the NP and Accubond. I let the rifle tell me which it prefers. Then I stick with it. I’ve been using both for about the last 15 years and performance on game seems very similar to me.

I handloaded 160 gr Partitions for a long time in my 7mm Mag. Now I load 160 gr Accubonds. I find I get a little better accuracy from the Accubonds. They don't kill anything any deader than the Partitions did but they shoot a little better. But in all honesty I'd willingly hunt with either.

338 RUM screams monometal to me.

But between the NAB and NPt, whichever one shoots the best in your rifle.

Have used both out of 338-06's. 180, 200gr NAB and 210gr NPt. They kill stuff. Do not remember any critter where I wished I had used one over the other.

I just can’t help myself! Best sentence on 24hr all day!

Huh. Partitions have given me quite good results on lots of animals up to Alaska Brown Bear. One of my very favorite bullets, even though we have more great bullets today than ever before. One of the very best elk bullets ever made.

Nosler had a little trouble with tips coming off years ago when it was found someone took a shortcut in the mfg process. I believe it was Mule Deer that clued me in on this a couple of years ago, but could be wrong. If you call Nosler, they will be glad to replace them. It happened to me on two different bullets.

I’ve had good luck with the 210 in my 338 federal. Moose, hogs, deer and antelope all die pretty fast with those gems.

I have found another Mono metal bullet that works great. The new Lehigh Defense Company has started making several new redesigned bullets that give great accuracy and KILL like lightning. I have not had a chance to try the larger bullet but the 308 size works wonders IMO.

Seems like lately any .35 cal bullets are hard to find. I usually shoot 225 gr Partitions in my .35 Whelen but a have some .225 Accubonds that I haven’t tried. From what I read, expansion and weight retention should be similar at .35 Whelen velocities. BC of .421 and .430 should not make much difference at ranges under 300 yards?

Been shooting Partitions for 30 years or more. It's been my go to bullet in 7mm. Finding them right now, is like looking for hens teeth. In my area Nosler bullets in most calibers are rare.

Partitions are arguably still the "standard" when it comes to a great hunting bullet. Nowadays I prefer Accubonds over them because in my experience, they've been the most constantly inaccurate bullet I've used.