I find bullet performance on African game topics interesting, and hopefully some of you guys do too. I recently returned from a cull/mgt hunt + 2 trophies from Namibia in which I used a tried and true (to me in North America) combination of a Tikka 7mm Rem Mag, and 160 Nosler accubond bullets. I finished the trip tallying 2 each of oryx, wildebeest, hartebeest, impala, springbuck, several jackals, a kudu bull, and the mountain zebra. I had one heckuva great time, learned a whole lot, got in lots of shooting, and just fell in love with Namibia.

Every animal was a one shot kill except for the terrible shot I made on one of the oryx. I drilled him through the neck, hitting no bone, but he was bleeding pretty a little, at times. I did get to see these African trackers do their thing though, as they tracked this thing over a mile where I was able to put a finisher in him. Often times the tracking was over and through grassy, sandy, rocky, and a combo of all three. Amazing to say the least.

Here's the bullets and data for those who care:

JGR: Did you make it to Joe's Beer House??

It would be nice to know the distances of the shots taken above, shot angles, hitting bone, etc. Then, a guy could correlate some type of weight retention based upon those data.

"At what time in the demise of the animal(s) did the bullet(s) fail?" Think they all worked, just not like a picture, so to speak. Congrats!

JG,

It looks to me like all those bullets performed exactly as Nosier intended the ACB to perform. The bullets are expanded nicely without coming unglued. I'd be very happy with those results.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
JG,

It looks to me like all those bullets performed exactly as Nosier intended the ACB to perform. The bullets are expanded nicely without coming unglued. I'd be very happy with those results.

Mark

I'm of the same opinion Mark. A little more info on ammo: 7RM 160AB, 71.5g Retumbo, 3100fps @ muzzle.

Graybird:
Zebra was 110 yards, slight quartering towards me, bullet impact through left front shoulder, bullet found under skin in off side shoulder.
Wildebeest 140 yards, hard quarter towards me, bullet impact just inside front left shoulder, bullet found in guts somewhere. App 30" penetration
Wildebeest 125 yards, broadside, bullet smashed through front right shoulder, found in off shoulder.
Oryx 130 yards, broadside, bullet through shoulder 1/4 way up on body, found underneath skin through off shoulder.
Kudu 120 yards, broadside, smashed through right shoulder, found underneath skin after smashing off shoulder.
Rest of animals were broadside or slight quartering towards me, complete pass throughs anywhere from 100-150 yards.

The 58-61% retention follows very well with what I've seen on the dozens of aoudad I have killed with this load when smashing bone.

Bud M, unfortunately time ran out...didn't make it to Joe's. Always next time...!

Nice. Love little treasures like that.

I enjoy digging those bullets as well. I have a handful from our safaris to SA, Tanz and Zim. I am planning to use the 200 grain accubond in the .340 WBY for leopard next year. 3200 FPS at ~60 to 100 yards. With your accubond experience, what do you think about my choice?

John

JG,

I had a great experience with a 7 mm WSM on SA plains game in 2012. Factory load Winchester 140 gr XP3.... All one shot one kill except a Red Hartabeast. Just wanted a non suffering kill. The bullet preformed great. Enjoyed the flat, easy kick of the Winchester Sporter model 70. The 7mm should not be taken lightly.(Even though it's a "rat" caliber).

Your report supports Accubond as a first-rate design. I shoot them and have had similar results.