Accubond results

Mikey S. · 11-22-2005, 11:46 AM

Yesterday was my first chance to hunt with my new Sendero SF in 7mmSTW, and although I didn't get to put the gun through the test I was really hoping for, the results I got were rather interesting.........at least I thought it was worth writing for you guys to read.
The load I'm using is 86.5 gr. of H-1000 powder, CCI magnum primers, Rem case, 140 gr. Nosler Accubond with a OAL of 3.675 in. Out of my 26" barrel, they average 3425 fps. It holds under an inch at 100 yds, and 1.25 inches at 300.......if my head is screwed on right.
I toted this gun yesterday, for the simple reason that I just wanted to get a deer with it. I knew I would be hunting in the woods, and the shots would be 100 yds at the furthest, but I took the 11lb beast anyways. I bought the gun primarily for powerline/field shooting at my favorite spots, with shots ranging from 200-500 yds.
I ended up taking a buck yesterday at first light, at the stressful range of 22 yards. He was quartering towards me, not sharply, but perfectly to angle the bullet through the shoulder, into the chest cavity. I touched off, and he ran into the brush, dragging his leg, down a steep hill. I found him, 65 yards from POI. No real blood to speak of, just a few drops, but I could easily see his drag marks in the leaves. Upon field dressing the animal, I was impressed. There was no exit hole, but the inside damage was........for lack of a better word.......awesome. I sort of expected at that range, for the bullet to grenade itself.....but I'm used to Ballistic tips in my .280. Instead, it jackhammered a hole the size of my fist through the heart/lungs, sawed the liver completely in 2, pushed through the stomach/intestine and lodged in the hide just in front of the opposite hind leg. The liver came out in 2 pieces.....oh I said that already.

The entrance hole was only the size of a quarter by the way. Upon caping the deer, the damage was horrific. There was actual stomach/liver matter in the entrance hole at the shoulder......almost like the insides backfired out the entrance hole at impact. I only lost one shoulder, but it's not to often you shoot deer with a gun and NOT lose any meat...I'llstick to my .280 in the woods from now on anyway. If anyone takes interest in the post, I'm going to weigh the bullet I dug out of the cape tonite, and I'll post a pic of it if you'd like. Like I said, I thought the bullet would explode at that close of a shot, especially at that velocity, but it appears to have mushroomed perfectly. I was happy with the results of the bullet.

Sorry for being long...

Mikey.

charlie brown · 11-22-2005, 11:59 AM

Thank you for the post!! As I said in the TSX thread posted today, I am interested in giving these bullets a try in my .30-06, but was wanting to hear some more field results on the bullet. I can't imagine a bullet failing if it will hold together at 3300 fps!! Good job on the buck, and please post a bullet weight and pic of the bullet if possible, and maybe a pic of the deer? It helps put the whole story in perspective. Thanks.

Roskoe · 11-22-2005, 12:31 PM

I used the .270 140 grain Accubond last year on elk with very good results. At about 300 yards, the bullet entered just behind the shoulder and came out near the last rib on the other side. Elk stumbled about 20 yards and went down. Your scenario was an extreme test of bullet integrity - sounds like it passed with flying colors.

mossy33oak · 11-22-2005, 02:59 PM

Nice story Mikey, I have switched all of my rifles over to Accubonds, just havent had the chance to harvest anything yet. I however have been reading similar stories to yours about the integrity of these bullets. Id say you/we made a good choice in Accubond bullets!!!!

dvdegeorge · 11-22-2005, 03:18 PM

Well I saw the exact opposite results with a 165 gr accubond factory load (Federal)fired from a 7mmSWT in a Ruger #1 this past week.The shot was at 120 yards at a Texas whitetail and I have never seen such a gapping wound and no exit before.I was shocked and unimpressed to say the least.The deer required a follow up shot and the same type of results.Here are pictures of the damage

Mikey S. · 11-23-2005, 06:25 AM

Well I weighed the bullet last nite, and it tipped the scales at 81.5 grains. I don't know what Nosler says the retention % is supposed to be, but 58% is what I got...on a 20 yard shot. Seems ok for me! I didn't get topost a pic last nite.....computer at home is garbage, wouldn't let me download.

dvdegeorge - what angle was the first shot taken at on the deer?? That looks like a hole from a Ballistic Tip, not a bonded bullet. I may be mistaken, but it seems there are 3 holes in the deer. Is there one in the throat/neck area? There appears to be in the pic on the left. The blood splatters on the deers legs like that tell me it may of been shot from the frontand that hole in the first pic may be an exit hole.

mossy33oak · 11-23-2005, 08:17 AM

dvdgeorge, I am not doubting what you have posted nor am Isaying you are not telling the truth, but it is very hard for me to believe that that gapeing hole is the entrance wound. I have shot deer with Ballistic tips, and never seen an entrance hole like that. It almost looks like the bullet fragmented as it touched the hide. I dont believe there is any difference in construction of the Accubond in federal factory ammo and the Nosler Accubond that I reload. I have seen deer taken with Accubonds (338 win mag and 7 rem mag) and neither displayed an entrance hole bigger than a quarter.

stubblejumper · 11-23-2005, 08:49 AM

From this thread and the one dealing with the tsx it appears that no bullet is perfect.While it may perform perfectly 99% of the time there is always the chance of a failure of some sort.

Roskoe · 11-23-2005, 11:12 AM

I have seen this type of wound before as well. It seems to happen when the bullet encounters heavy resistance, usually bone, and explodes. The explosion -which contains fluids, bullet fragments, and bone chips - follows the path of the least resistance; which in this case was back towards theshooter. It often happens when the bullet strikes the spine or the shoulder.

One of my customers video taped an antelope hunt this year. On tape, in slow motion, you can see the 105 grain Hornady A-Max hit the antelope in the chest,penetrate the ribs,apparently strike the heart, and then blow a 4" hole in the ribs as a bunch of blood and tissuewas propelled back towards the shooter. You can clearly see in the slow motion video that the "entrance" hole was actually created after the bullet penetrated the ribs - and was apparently the result of the explosion occurring closer to the near ribs than the far ribs. The same bullet on an elk at the same distance entered the ribs and blew up both lungs - but did not encounter any substantial resistance like bone or heavy muscle - and left only a small entry hole.

mossy33oak · 11-23-2005, 01:39 PM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: Roskoe

and then blow a 4" hole in the ribs as a bunch of blood and tissuewas propelled back towards the shooter. You can clearly see in the slow motion video that the "entrance" hole was actually created after the bullet penetrated the ribs -

gotcha......makes sense now, Ive never encountered that before, thus my questioning it. But after you clearified it it makes sense.