im sure its been discussed before at some point but here it is again. ive shot both 130 ballistic tips and now the 150 ballistic tips in 270win and now in 270wsm. ive been pretty pleased in their performance as far as good accuracy, good wound channel and ive never personally had one fail even though i have heard of it happening. (exploding on impact and not penetrateing) i switched over to the 150's when i moved to the wsm. i like the idea of the extra velocity that can be obtained from the 130's but at the same time don't really feel it is needed. so with all of that said how does the accubond stack up compared to the bt in the real world when used on dear. shots to be kept at 400 or less and mostly less.

I have been very pleased with the AB's. I've shot five whitetail and one fallow deer with them, using 140's from my 280 Rem. A tougher bullet than the BT, which I dont care for at all. As best I can remember all deer shot with the AB's had complete pass thru and all bang/ flops.
I think they are a much better choice for deer especially at the WSM velocity than the BT's. Thats just me though

I shot BTs for years. Only issue I had with them was with the light bullet weight per caliber and HIGH velocity. I would use BTs for deer and lighter and Part for anything heavier. Now days I use the accubond for everything and todate have not had an issue.

SKS, I've shot both for years. Since the latest redesign of the BT, they are not virtually identical to the accubond, except they are just not bonded.
IME the BT's are a little more accurate then the Accubonds, and at half the price, they are my goto bullet. Where the ballistic tips leave a little to be desired it at the higher velocities. Once my muzzle velocity starts getting above 3100, I start changing to the accubonds.

so basically what im getting is as long as i keep the load where im at with the 150bt's i will probably continue to get satisfactory performance. but if i were to start chasing higher velocities and bumped it down to the 130's i would probably benefit from going to the accubonds.

Our family has used both in a bunch of .300 Win Mags at 180g mainly for elk. All of the other calibers in the family are sporting the NBT's.

We really haven't notices much difference other than price, on the target range or in the field.

NBT's may make some sense for deer and if a lad wanted to step up and treat himself a wee bit for elk by moving to the accubond.

I think it just a matter of personal preference.

quote:

Originally posted by sksshooter:
im sure its been discussed before at some point but here it is again. ive shot both 130 ballistic tips and now the 150 ballistic tips in 270win and now in 270wsm. ive been pretty pleased in their performance as far as good accuracy, good wound channel and ive never personally had one fail even though i have heard of it happening. (exploding on impact and not penetrateing) i switched over to the 150's when i moved to the wsm. i like the idea of the extra velocity that can be obtained from the 130's but at the same time don't really feel it is needed. so with all of that said how does the accubond stack up compared to the bt in the real world when used on dear. shots to be kept at 400 or less and mostly less.

Here in Co I'll hunt a combination tag deer/elk and I've had real good luck with 30cal 165gr or 180gr bullets in various 30 cal mag. I just got new 30-338mag last year worked up loads using 165gr Partition/TSX/Accubonds/Speer bullets and I settle on the 165gr AB. Got good groups shot it out the gunsmith range to 600yds.

I was almost up to timberline we seen elk up their the day before and I was in some light timber it was just legal light to shoot and I spotted this big and I mean big 5x5 buck he was about 80yds from me. I decide to take him got him in the heart he just dropped in his tracks.

I couldn't find an exit hole I got him field dress we got him off that mountain down to locker plant early afternoon. I stayed when they skinned him bullet was touching the hide and not thru lot of damage the 165gr bullet weight 80.8 gr. I'm not sure that bullet didn't hit little branch or something hanging before it hit that deer. I have to say in over 45yrs of hunting bucks first time that's ever happened to me on elk I found part of a bullet jacket under hide off side but he had exit hole.

Tom, Your story doesn't suprise me.

I've only recoved one accubond. It was a 50 yard quartering shot on a large mule deer. I was shooting the 160gr accubonds at 3475fps out of my 7mm STW. It opened wide, and retained about 60% of it's weight. It was found just under the skin in the offside rear ham. He was a big bodied mulie, so it shot through alot of deer.

By contrast, one year I shot an antelope broadisde at 1000 yards with the same load. Two holes through the heart, one in, one out.

IMO the AB will improve the terminal performace of the 130 grain bullets bullets but will not out perform the 150 grainer BT's in your 270. The 150 grain BT's already have enough mass so exteneded pentration is not requried and the bonded bullets more controlled expansion reduces the terminal expansion characteristics which has less devistating effects.

The reports are slower demise but still fatal. Terminal performance is falling between the BT and Partition.

I've shot the 140 gr. .277 Accubond a good bit out of my regular w.c.f. Velocity is about 2950 at the muzzle. Accuracy is ok...

I've probably shot 5, maybe 6 whitetails with it. Here's what I observed:

1. Very big deer (approx 300 lbs live weight); 70 yards quartering away; through near shoulder at base of neck; exited off side w/ straight line penetration. DRT.

2. Average size buck; 95 yards broadside; entered behind near shoulder & pulverized heart; broke off shoulder & bullet found under hide. DRT.

3. Small deer; 15 yards broadside; shredded heart & left racquet ball sized exit. DRT.

4. Large buck; approx 240 yards broadside; deer hit too far back - liver & back of lungs; deer ran approx 30 yards & laid down to die; did not approach deer for 30 minutes. No exit wound, but did not recover or find bullet.

5. Almost as large as #4 buck; 160 yards broadside double lung shot; 3/4" exit wound; deer ran about 20 yards & died. Deer had been wounded by neighboring hunter a few minutes prior - shot in the front leg "elbow" area.

In these instances, I've always had good penetration & good expansion; not as much expansion as a BT.

I don't know what to say about the two deer that didn't have exits. I especially would have expected an exit from the 240 yard shot.

So...make of it what you will???

friar

Ive not used any .277 Bt's but I have killed three Mulie bucks with 115 gn .257 Bt's and they performed well. They are quite impresssive really as well as they seem to hold up, but I still know that their expansion characteristics are quite agressive and I feel like Ive been pushing my luck with them. I wouldnt hesitate to use a 150 gn .277 Bt on deer though. For Elk I would use Accubonds or something tougher than a BT though.