Accubond bullets for Elk
 

Has anyone used the Accubond on elk yet? How did it perform compared to partitions?

I'll be working up handloads for my 7mm STW and I plan on trying the accubond, partition, and fail safe. All in 140 grain weight. Thanks.


NBH

RE: Accubond bullets for Elk
 

The brand bullets will do a good job for you, but I would use at least a 160 gr. Good luck.

RE: Accubond bullets for Elk
 

I have killed several elk with 140gr partitions out of my 7mmstw's with great results.If you use premium bullets,you don't need heavier bullets.

RE: Accubond bullets for Elk
 

Do yourself a favor and use a 160 gr., or heaver bullet. Good luck.

RE: Accubond bullets for Elk
 

Like SJ said I think a 140 grain is plenty in a 7 MM STW

RE: Accubond bullets for Elk
 

With a muzzle velocity of 3500fps the 140gr nosler partition will punch through the shoulders of a bull elk if necessary.I speak from actual experience with this combination,not from theory.

RE: Accubond bullets for Elk
 

Thanks all for the advice. I will be reloading this weekend. I am using RL22 and H4831.

Stubblejumper,
How are you getting 3500 FPS MV?:eek:The Nosler 5th edition book shows 3362 max for RL19 which it indicates as the fastest load for 140 gra bullets (75 grains RL19-------3362 MAX):eek:

Aim Straight,
NBH

RE: Accubond bullets for Elk
 

A friend of mine shot a bull elk at 275 yds. entering into the timber with a 7mm RUM using Remington 140 gr. Nosler Partition. The bull was quarting away from him, so he had to hit him far back to hit the vitals aiming for the far front shoulder. We waited one hour before him and another friend went looking for him. Seven hours and five miles later they found him; the bullet never reached the vitals. They found him bedded down, and finnished him off with another shot. The first shot was the only one he had, and he thought velocity would make up for sectional density, so he took it.

I am loading him 175 gr. Barnes XFB's this year, so the same scenario has less of a chance of happening again. I was there and it is something I never want to experence again.

Good luck.

RE: Accubond bullets for Elk
 

Velocity will not make up for sectional density but bullet construction will.My first large bull was taken with a raking shot as you describe and the bullet ended up in the neck after travelling through a few feet of elk.The elk dropped within a few yards.

RE: Accubond bullets for Elk
 

handloader1,

Did the partition fail? Did the jacket separate from the core?


Aim Straight,
NBH

RE: Accubond bullets for Elk
 

A bullet can have the greatest integrity of all other brands, but without SD it cannot fully penetrate, and visa-versa (especially on a racking or longer shots). We owe it to the animals we hunt to use equipment and components that exceed the minium requirement to kill an animal cleanly. The "Barnes Bullets Reloading Manual Number One" states the mininum bullet one should use for elk using the 7mm Rem. Mag., 7mm Wby. Mag., and 7mm STW is a 150 gr. Barnes X. The only time I think it is ok to use a lesser weight bullet is when a youngster, or one who is phyically unable to handle reciol is behind the firearm, and then they must keep thier kill shots under 200 yds. If a phyically well person cannot handle recoil, they need to use a lesser recioling firearm they can shoot proficiently, and not exceed that firearms potential and components.

Example:

I have a friend who is an older man who has a bad shoulder. He hunts elk with a 270 Win.; I load him 130 gr. Nosler Partition bullets traveling at 3000 f/s. He keeps all his kill shots broad side, and under 200 yds. or less if he can get closer. Good luck.

RE: Accubond bullets for Elk
 

Newboarhunter:

The 140 gr. Nosler Partition lost most (85 to 90 Percent) of its lead front cavity, and did not have enough weight to penetrate to the vitals. The loss of a Nosler Partition's front cavity's lead, or most/some of its front cavity's lead is not uncommon. If my friend would of used a Remington 160 gr. Nosler Partition, I think the bullet would of retained enough mass to reach the vitals. Good luck

RE: Accubond bullets for Elk
 

My own experiences show that partitions normally retain about 60% of their weight.If you want the ultimate in penetration the 140gr failsafe will out penetrate the 175gr partition.Bullet construction is far more important than sectional density.I have however killed several elk and moose with the 140gr partition and penetration has never been a problem.They always penetrate more than enough whether shoulder shots or raking shots are used.I never judge a bullet based on one experience because all bullets can fail at one time or another.I did see a 250gr speer out of a 35whelen break up on the shoulder of a mule deer in spite of the high sectional density.

RE: Accubond bullets for Elk
 

To the best of my knowledge, no-one has ever claimed the prize offered to produce a genuine "failed" nosler Partiton bullet from a shot on a game animal!!

RE: Accubond bullets for Elk
 

What' the prize

RE: Accubond bullets for Elk
 

As much promise that it holds the 140 grain accubond has not been out long enough for anyone to take an Elk with. Nosler partitions do the job when they hit the vitals and are designed to shed weight and penetrate like crazy. I have yet to ever hear about a penetration problem concerning that bullet or any number of them.

RE: Accubond bullets for Elk
 

To start with r-19 is too fast burning to achieve maximum velocity with the 7mmstw.Secondly noslers data for the stw's, ultramags and many of the weatherby mags is ridiculously conservative.

RE: Accubond bullets for Elk
 

Stumblejumper:

According to the "Handloaders Digest 1996 15 Edition" on page 82 they show facts on penetration tests using many bullets, and here are a couple facts:

A 130 gr. 7mm Barnes X traveling at 3022 f/s penetrated sauturated telephone books 13.8".

A 175 gr. 7mm Nosler Partition traveling at 3022 f/s penetrated sauturated telephone books 18.9".

This is the fairest comparison I could find on page 82. I don't think 10 grs. more weight concerning the 130 gr. Barnes X bullet is going to out penetrate the 175 gr Nosler Partition.

One needs both Bullet Integrity and SD for a bullet to preform to its full potential. A bullet will not preform to its full potential with only one of the above qualities on heavy large boned game, or longer raking shots.

Good luck

RE: Accubond bullets for Elk
 

To start with this is not a fair test because the 130gr bullet could easily be driven at least 300fps and possibly 400fps faster than the 175gr bullet.When the failsafe or barnes x is driven faster the petals bend back more or lose material which decreases cross sectional area.Combine that with the added momentum from the added velocity and there would be a difference in penetration.Checking out the bullet test perfomed in the 1998 edition of handloader magazine shows that the failsafe bullets penetrate most at maximum and minimum velocities and less(up to 5" or more) at medium velocities.The same bullet test also showed that the 165gr,180gr and 200gr speer grand slams(the only bullet used in various weights) all averaged the same penetration although all three have much different sectional densities.So while sectional density is a big factor with conventional bullets it is not always a factor with premium bullets.
My comments on the 140gr partition and 140gr failsafe do not come from theory or from simulation tests but are derived from actual observations of their results on game.I have never seen a 7mm bullet of any weight penetrate more than the 140gr failsafe.Have you actually ever seen the results of the 140gr failsafe on game?

RE: Accubond bullets for Elk
 

Stumblejumper:

Here are some more facts for you from the "Handloaders Digest 1996 15 Edition" page 82:

A 130 gr. 7mm Barnes X traveling at 3267 f/s penetrated saturated telephone books 15.0".

A 175 gr. 7mm Nosler Partition traveling at 2975 f/s penetrated saturated telephone books 18.4".

There is a 292 f/s velocity between bullets, and the 130 gr. Barnes X still did not over penetrate the 175 gr. Nosler Partition.

I don't use little 140 gr. bullets, or do my hunting companions on heavy large boned game. Come to think of it I don't use little 140 gr. bullets on medium game.

Good luck.

RE: Accubond bullets for Elk
 

Exactly and since you have little experience with them,you don't know what they can do.I use only 140gr bullets in my 7mmstw's and most of my friends use 140gr bullets in their 7mmrem mags.With many moose and elk taken we have found that they work very well.

RE: Accubond bullets for Elk
 

After I witnessed the scenario I described in my third post, I have no desire to hunt medium game, and up with little 7mm 140 gr. bullets. I have more respect for the animals I hunt. Good luck.

RE: Accubond bullets for Elk
 

Thanx for your opinions. I have the 140 gr failsafes, partitions, accubonds. I will work up a load and whatever one is more accurate that is what I will use.

RE: Accubond bullets for Elk
 

I have good results with 79-grains of IMR-7828, Federal 215 Primers & 140-grain Nosler Partitions.

RE: Accubond bullets for Elk
 

I hope you like replacing your barrels...solid copper isnt the answer. I've been using Nosler Partitions now for 23 years on elk, and NEVER had 1 go over 50 yds. Maybe "your friend" should have spent a little more time at the range!

RE: Accubond bullets for Elk
 

sounds great if your hunting saturated phone books

RE: Accubond bullets for Elk
 

Every Partition I have ever pulled from an elk carcass has done exactly what it was designed to do . They retain around 60-62% of their mass everytime and drive threw bone and into the vitals. I am skeptical of so solid bullets that put pin holes through deer and elk.
Nosler should call them NO-FAILS