Anyone have experience with these? Would you use them with the same confidence as partitions?
I used them on elk in Colorado and plains game in Namibia. Everything that I shot with them was dead with the first shot, although a couple of big bull elk shot through the lungs stood long enough to get a second one. All of the African game went down like they were pole-axed. Weight retention on the few bullets that I was able to recover ran 70-78% or so. I have been shooting partitions for 45 years and am switching over to AccuBonds as I use up my ammo loaded with partitions.
No game yet. Shot targets and water jugs with the 260 Accubond. Accuracy was superb - sub MOA groups from the .375 H&H Ruger single shot. Here's a bullet recovered from the water jugs at 20 yards. I like what I see, but it's only water jugs:
I'm planning to use them on a black bear hunt here in Washington in a couple of months where a longish shot is a strong possibility. And possibly on an elk hunt this fall too. They shoot really well out at 300 yards.
Guy
The 260 AB's are real tough, and in my experience do indeed penetrate about like 260 Partitions, maybe even deeper. In fact I know 3 people who have taken Cape buffalo with them. No problems, and one of the buffalo was a facing shot.
I sometimes do use the 260 ABs in my 375 Ruger. Veeeeedy nice!!!
That's why I'm asking, the Ruger. Mine shoots the 260 partition very well with 75-76 grains R-15, what are you loading?
My Alaskan reeeeelly likes H4350, which I use most of the time. Still have about 10 lbs left.
260 gr AB in front of 85.5 gr.
However, will be trying some RL17 later.
Suggest you also go to "gunblast.com",,,,Click onto "archives"
Then, speed scroll down to 2/6/07 and see Jeff Quinn`s 375 Ruger African article. There, you`ll see about 20 loadings with chrony results.
Hodgdon also has, if I remember, 260 gr Nosler loadings on their site for the 375 Ruger.
His favorite powder for the 375 Ruger is H-4350
The 260 AB's are real tough, and in my experience do indeed penetrate about like 260 Partitions, maybe even deeper. In fact I know 3 people who have taken Cape buffalo with them. No problems, and one of the buffalo was a facing shot.
Kinda makes a guy wonder about the newer 300 grain Accubond and how it compares to the 300 Partition..
Jayco
I shot these 260s from a 375 CT (broadside lungs) into a small bull moose. It was only +/-400lbs live.
I was very surprised/disappointed to see that they didn't pass through. I'm taking 270gr TSXs with me to the Yukon this fall.
I shot a 740# moose at 20 feet with the 375 Ruger African, 260 AB, 81.8gr H-4350. Head shot knocked him cold, finisher offer to the neck from 5 feet did not exit, expanded flat. I will bring something stouter to Africa, Nosler 300 AB or partitions.
260 is accurate and an excellent whitetail bullet, but any 375 bullet will work on deer.I bet it would work great on leopard or lion. I wish Nosler would make a tipped partition, these take a lot of recoil abuse in the magazine and still shoot moa.
260 is accurate and an excellent whitetail bullet, but any 375 bullet will work on deer.
So you'd go bigger for big mulies or elk?
260 gr AB in front of 85.5 gr. Hodgdon also has, if I remember, 260 gr Nosler loadings on their site for the 375 Ruger.
Sounds pretty stout? Hodgdon lists 83.5 as the max. (and compressed) for H4350 and a 260 Accubond. I'm gonna try some, I hear it's a good deer bullet.
The tipped partition is available from Nosler right now. Its called the Accubond.
Lee
I like the 260gr Accubond very much, extremely accurate and good for all manner of game short of the thick skinned variety. I have used them in my 375 H&H and 375 Ruger. The most accurate bullet in both rifles. All my testing (shooting into wet newpaper and phone books at 50 yards)shows penetration and weight retention equal to the Partitions.
Don't take me wrong, the AB is an excellent bullet. I saw over expansion at point blank range into a foot of dense muscle, at 1-200 yds or a normal high heart/ lung shot it would have worked better. I just wanted to drop him 10 feet from the dirt road I was walking on.
A partition would have penetrated further, after shedding the front portion, most likely.
If I get back to Africa I will likely take 300 gr AB for plains game and a stouter 300 gr loaded to the same poi, probably a Partition , A-frame, or Northfork for cape buffalo.
I will continue to use the 260 for anything in NA up to 4-500 lbs or so.
Don't have any mule deer, blacktail, or elk here in Maine.
I used the 260 AB in Africa in 2008. 5 shots 5 animals. Load was clocking 2860 from my 375 ruger. Zipped through both shoulders of a gemsbok and and a zebra, my kudu stopped a bullet on a quartering away shot but the bullet travelled about 3 feet and looked good when recovered. However, I had 1 bullet come apart on a facing shot on a blesbok. It dropped him and did some damage but found bullet frags that were peeled to the boattail in the guts. They are accurate and I'd use em again but on large dangerous stuff I'd consider something tougher ie: Aframe or partition.
Bb
I did a discussion on my experiences in africa this year.
I hope this helps
http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/3936422/1
Good discussion there, thanks.