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I’m debating purchasing some LR Accubonds in 168gr 30 cal for my 30-06 for my forthcoming Ibex trip in Kyrgistan. I can probably stretch to 400yds

I already have a heap of 165gr interbonds (like 500) which are accurate.

The LRAB BC looks good and worth 2” windage at 400 yds, not a huge amount but you never know.

My questions are:-

1. Are Nosler BCs accurate? I think I’ve heard they are optimistic.

2. Have people managed accurate loads with them? Again I’ve heard they are fussy

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I would ask if you can hold 2" at 4? Personally, don`t believe you`d see it.

Going on a trip like that, think I would stick with what works, instead of having some doubt in my mind.

OTOH, you really can`t answer the question unless YOU try them...The bullets will be the cheapest, tho damned near the most important, cost of the trip.

Good Luck...with the bullets and the trip.

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Originally Posted by CGPAUL
I would ask if you can hold 2" at 4? Personally, don`t believe you`d see it.

Going on a trip like that, think I would stick with what works, instead of having some doubt in my mind.

OTOH, you really can`t answer the question unless YOU try them...The bullets will be the cheapest, tho damned near the most important, cost of the trip.

Good Luck...with the bullets and the trip.

Ditto!

Nothing wrong with trying the LRAB's...They may shoot great in your rifle.

Between the two: Take what shoots the best consistently out of your rifle.


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Nosler has revised the b.c.'s on some of its products. For example, with the .270 140 Accubond the b.c. quoted used to be .496 before it was revised down to .460. With their .270 150 grain LRAB it was revised from .620 to .591. I think they were forced to give more accurate b.c.'s as when independently tested, they didn't stack up. As I mentioned on another thread, I get better accuracy from the Bergers, but the Nosler LRAB's still give me acceptable accuracy. However, if they do shoot well in your rifle, then that may become your new load when the probability is that shots will be long. In which case it will be worth it. If they don't shoot well, you can use the remainder of them at target practice...off-hand target practice if they shoot crap, if it isn't viable to sell the remainder. If you are going to try them, I'd buy 2 boxes so that you are not in the position of having found a new load but can't obtain any more within time of your hunt. If you use them as your new load, the Hornady's can be used for target practice, which really you should do plenty of with an expensive hunt coming up where you may have to shoot longer than what you usually do.

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Originally Posted by OttoG
I’m debating purchasing some LR Accubonds in 168gr 30 cal for my 30-06 for my forthcoming Ibex trip in Kyrgistan. I can probably stretch to 400yds

I shot a deer a few years ago with a .308 Win. Nosler-loaded Trophy Grade 168gr LRAB. That factory load is more accurate out of my 20” DPMS GII Hunter than I care to say, because it may seem implausible.

It chronos at 2,613 fps MV.

I hit the deer at maybe 20 yards away. It was a frontal shot that went through about 2-feet of deer, including some bone.

This is the exit wound:

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

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LRAB’s were designed to open up reliably at 400 yards I’ve read from Nosler’s write ups. I’ve also read where they were not intended for close in work….primarily the longer shots . I've shot em in my Jarrett 280 AI and they performed beautifully, but my shots were anywhere from 250-400 yards, maybe 425. Terminal performance in those cases were, subjectively, indistinguishable from regular Acubonds. I’ve also heard you need to be prepared to play with seating depth to find your most accurate load. I just seated them at max c.o.a.l. and everything turned out just fine.

Your mileage may vary. Best of luck on your hunt.


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I gave all mine away when i found the BCs were horribly over stated. I also found that with reasonable bullet tension the jackets were easily damaged and seating depth irregular.

No thanks


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Originally Posted by Godogs57
I’ve also read where they were not intended for close in work….

See above. It was devastating at 20 yards.

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Originally Posted by dennisinaz
I gave all mine away when i found the BCs were horribly over stated. I also found that with reasonable bullet tension the jackets were easily damaged and seating depth irregular.

No thanks

Dennis,

The reason the BCs were "horribly over stated" on early ABLRs is Nosler originally tested them the way they do Partitions and other "standard range" bullets, by chronographing them on their indoor range, at the muzzle and 200 yards. This works fine for BCs out to around 400 yards, but not beyond 500.

When they found out the BCs weren't accurate, they had them Doppler radar tested at longer ranges, and the present listed BCs are good. I've tested them considerably on our local range, which goes out to 1000+ yards.

As an aside, ABLRs have been very accurate in all the rifles I've tried them in, but as some other people mentioned they often require fiddling with seating depth.

I'm not particularly fond of them for "ordinary" ranges, where they can ruin a lot of meat due to being "softer" than standard AccuBonds--and I'm mostly a meat hunter these days. But also haven't had one fail to penetrate sufficiently.


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Originally Posted by xphunter
Originally Posted by CGPAUL
I would ask if you can hold 2" at 4? Personally, don`t believe you`d see it.

Going on a trip like that, think I would stick with what works, instead of having some doubt in my mind.

OTOH, you really can`t answer the question unless YOU try them...The bullets will be the cheapest, tho damned near the most important, cost of the trip.

Good Luck...with the bullets and the trip.

Ditto!

Nothing wrong with trying the LRAB's...They may shoot great in your rifle.

Between the two: Take what shoots the best consistently out of your rifle.

If you can tune them to shoot they’re pretty awesome hunting bullets. I’ve used the 129 from a 6.5 PRC and the 175’s from a 7 mag and they have been nothing but excellent on deer and elk. Full penetration but found on hides on elk, blown thru deer. Out to 800 their now revised BCs have worked for me. When I first tested them I thought they’d be too soft to be great elk bullets, turns out I was way wrong and their 30-40% recovered base plowed thru a good amount of bone and muscle leaving the organs pulped.


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Beretz,

That's been pretty much my experience as well--though I did recover a 129 6.5 from a mule deer buck I shot with my 6.5 PRC. The range, however, was only 159 yards.

The bullet went just behind the shoulders, where I'd aimed, and he took a backwards step and collapsed. Found it under the hide on the far side, retaining 38.5% of its weight.


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Originally Posted by OttoG
I’m debating purchasing some LR Accubonds in 168gr 30 cal for my 30-06 for my forthcoming Ibex trip in Kyrgistan. I can probably stretch to 400yds

I already have a heap of 165gr interbonds (like 500) which are accurate.

The LRAB BC looks good and worth 2” windage at 400 yds, not a huge amount but you never know.

My questions are:-

1. Are Nosler BCs accurate? I think I’ve heard they are optimistic.

2. Have people managed accurate loads with them? Again I’ve heard they are fussy

the Winchester 190 gr ABLR load shoots same 3/4" -7/8" groups and same poi at 100 yards with my stock Rem 700 Mountain Rifle, haven't shot them at longer distance yet

A bit heavier bullet like the 190 gr ABLR will most likely be better than the 168 gr for closer shots and has a higher bc for the longer shots

I was waiting for '06 Lapua brass and ended up shooting a bunch of factory loads in the meantime, the Federal 175 Gr Terminal Ascent load shot really well too and that's what I will be using in that rifle if I don't have time to work up a good shooting load

I did finally get 100 pcs of Lapua and 250 pcs of Star Line 30'06 brass

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Very accurate and as deadly as Partitions........................


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Thanks for the info. If I get time I will try and work up a load.

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I have used LRAB's in a 338 Lapua one time-Red Stag at 624 yards-Perfect
Also used LRAB's on a mule deer buck (17" 6.5 Creedmoor). Truly can't remember if it was in the 250 or 350 yard range-one and done.
I have let friends borrow my 24" 6.5 Creed rifle, and they(LRAB's) have killed multiple whitetail (Buck and Doe) from just over 100 yards to around 325ish yards-All Good.
Other friends have used the same rifle and killed a buck antelope and another friend killed his cow elk-All was good.


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Great reports fellas. I like them, had some issues getting some to tune but when they work, man they shoot great and they put a couple bulls and a cow on their butts really quick this past fall for me.

I don’t even know why I’m trying another bullet this year but I can’t help myself.


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Nosler 129 gr LRAB are very accurate in my 6.5 x 284.

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I consider the 6.5mm 129 ABLR as the perfect bullet for my CZ 527 6.5 Grendel. They are very accurate and at the 2518 FPS MV, hold on to that velocity very well, carrying 1000 foot pounds to 450 yards. Since they are designed to expand well at low velocity, that's perfect for the Grendel.
I've only killed one Montana whitetail so far with this combo but it was textbook at about 125 yards broadside.
I've got lots of other ABLRs in 6.5, .270, .284. and .308 and haven't gotten any of those to shoot as well as the 129s do in my Grendel.
But I keep trying!
Rex


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