The jury is still out but I just returned from a deer hunting w/e in South Alabama. Shooting does this w/e to test 7x57 with 140gr accubonds. The 1st doe I shot, was approx 115 yds and the shot was tight behind the shoulder, it punched a whole through both sides (almost quarter size) on the exit side and there was no blood to be found for close to 60 yards where it ran off a green field into some planted pines then ran into a pine tree after a total run of 75 yds. Found the deer and upon field dressing it, double lung ...again no blood until 15 yds from deer. Hunted again this morning, four does came out of woods into bushhogged field (1/2 acre) crossing the field to go into more woods. Shot the first doe off tripod shooting sticks (very stable platform) at 65 yds standing broadside. After the shot, the other 3 ran to far end of field (125 yds approx) and stopped, shot another broadside and it flopped. (as they all should have done in my book). I can only shoot 2 does in a day so I got up to look for 1st deer I shot. Didn't find a drop of blood for 50 yds then it was easy to follow exiting both sides of deer about 15" apart for about 150yds. Never found the deer. It just dried up. I can't remember the last time I lost a deer. This is my first experience with accubonds and have historically shot partitions or Sierra gameking spitzers. I'm going to shoot a few more deer with them but So far I'm not impressed. The lack of a bloodtrail when lung shooting them is a real concern and pain.

Strange results indeed for an Accubond. I love the bullet. Killed stuff all over the world with them and never a failure.

I killed a couple of big Nebraska whitetails last week with a .270 Wtby and 140 gr AB's both were lung shots and both went about 50 yards leaving a 5 star blood trail.

I wonder if your 7 Mauser is simply to slow a velocity to open the AB up the way it should?

Dont shoot an other animal before you found the first one. After the second shot the deer knows there you are and run as far they can.
Accubond has worked fine for me no animal has run more than 80y in cluding moose at the low speed in a (165g) 308w.

See the other Accubond thread.

But in summary I had exactly the same problems with Accubonds very poor terminal performance so went back to using plain old ballistic tips a far more reliable bullet IMHO.

Bullet construction (hardness), velocity, target resistance..
Cup and core for deer in the .308, X55/57 and 06 based cartridges works.
Save the fancy bullets for elk and moose..

we use 140accubonds in my wifes 7x57. For deer up through elk and oryx and never had anything but a clean 1 shot kill.

I'm getting 2650fps across the crony. I would think that is plenty fast enough for expansion. I really don't want to get into a discussion about hunting tactics, but will say...I hunt private land that is not pressured at all. Losing deer is not something that happened to me in 10 years so to suggest not shooting a second until you find the first is not something I'm going to embrace. A deer doesn't know a rifleshot from a clap of thunder IMHO. I'm sure of my shots before I ever squeeze the trigger. They historically either flop or if they get out of sight, they fall within hearing. I've shot doubles and triples and (again) never lost a deer and didn't climb down after ever shot to verify a kill. If someone wants to do that...I'll support them.

But back to subject, I was interested to hear about people's results compared to my preliminary results. Another subject post suggests people have had the same experience as (no bloodtrail). This rifle shoots the AB's incredibly well (one ragged hole), apparently likes the long bullets as Partitions and Sierra Spitzers don't perform near as well. I guess I'll just focus on dead on shoulder shots and go for bone. I'll keep trying them for a while. I appreciate all the input.

Guns, correct me if I'm wrong, but arn't those south Alabama deer kind of small?

AT Mauser velocities, BT's are probably the better option for whtetails and blacktails.

We had 5 does killed on Fri and sat. Live weights 120, 100, 100, 120, 130 ages 2.5, 1.5, 1.5. 2.5, 3.5 respectively... That's pretty typical for our property..and maybe for SE U.S.. I shot a 4.5 yr old 8 pt 17.5" inside two years ago and it was 195#...Last year a buddy shot an 11pt - 215# 4.5 live weight. All on the same piece of property. I'd love a chance at one of those canadian or illinois class 275-300# bucks !!

quote:

Originally posted by Antelope Sniper:
Guns, correct me if I'm wrong, but arn't those south Alabama deer kind of small?

AT Mauser velocities, BT's are probably the better option for whtetails and blacktails.

They have worked for me in my buddy's 7x57 as well as the one I shoot.
I am pushing mine a little faster than 2850 FPS with H-414.

I shot a deer in New Mexico a few weeks ago with a 180 gr AccuBond. Shot was at 400 yards, cal was a .300 RUM. Bullet completely penetrated the animal, but the entry would was bigger than the exit. The exit was out of the far shoulder; it went thru some bone to do that. Kind of weird...

The animal was down before I finished cycling my bolt.

quote:

Originally posted by plainsman456:
They have worked for me in my buddy's 7x57 as well as the one I shoot.
I am pushing mine a little faster than 2850 FPS with H-414.

it's a long story which I'll provide the readers digest condensed version but I bought this Tikka T3 stainless in .270 and had it rebarreled to 7x57. When I got it back..it shot h414 GREAT 47.5gr H414 pushing 140 NP's shot 1/2-3/4" groups at 2775 fps through a 22" bbl. Then it quit grouping and I was meticulous with starting with a clean bore. Pac-nor had me return it and put a new barrel on it (their customer service was stellar)..and this barrel doesn't like h414 with any bullet, weight, primer, ....nothing. I tried 6 different powders until I finally just tried Varget and it literally puts 'em in one ragged hole at 100yds. It's hard to beat the accuracy results but I'm wondering if the bullet is just a little too tough for whitetail?

I think you know your answer w/o anyone's input. Go back to a cup and cor bullet, settle for 1.5" groups, and watch them does hit the dirt.

Or try Berger VLD hunting bullets. Sickeningly accurate and fast kills on light-skinned game.

quote:

Originally posted by sns2:
I think you know your answer w/o anyone's input. Go back to a cup and cor bullet, settle for 1.5" groups, and watch them does hit the dirt.

Or try Berger VLD hunting bullets. Sickeningly accurate and fast kills on light-skinned game.

yep...I think you're right. I just loaded up some partitions. I might just order some Bergers...I have heard great things about them. thanks for the input!!

Opening morning this year, my wife shot a spike at 60 yards with a .308 loaded with 150gr AB's at around 2,800fps. He fell over when she high double lunged him and kicked a bit. She was afraid he was going to get up and shot again. 2nd bullet entered the left front shoulder and penetrated thru EVERYTHING back to the right ham and effectively destroyed the bone in the ham (and the ham). The wound track looked like the bullet was just getting started.

They are accurate but may be a bit slow opening for normal sized white tail...

quote:

Originally posted by Rick R:
Opening morning this year, my wife shot a spike at 60 yards with a .308 loaded with 150gr AB's at around 2,800fps. He fell over when she high double lunged him and kicked a bit. She was afraid he was going to get up and shot again. 2nd bullet entered the left front shoulder and penetrated thru EVERYTHING back to the right ham and effectively destroyed the bone in the ham (and the ham). The wound track looked like the bullet was just getting started.

They are accurate but may be a bit slow opening for normal sized white tail...

the one doe I shot, I hit shoulder and it flopped. So far, I think as long as you hit bone, the performance is great..just (again) maybe a bit too tough for lung shots. Yes they die but who wants to look for a deer?

The partitions will work fine for you as they will open at all velocities-stellar performance. I think that the accubonds just plain aren't needed on deer and especially with a moderate-velocity round. They need velocity or heavy resistance to open and unless you hit bone with that load, they will not open too well.

Most game I have shot with a Nosler Ballistic Tip has been drt, especially whitetail and feral hogs. I would look into one of those in your caliber. I think the accubonds are a split between the ballistic tips and the partition. I wouldnt hunt whitetail with a partition.

This is my post in the Reloading forum...you might be interested in the other posters comments in that thread also.

Posted November 25, 2011 9:29 PM Hide Post
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

While they are not necessary in the moderate velocity cartridges I emply for most of my shooting, the Accubonds do indeed expand even with rather minimal resistance, though they will not have the large frontal diameter as a Ballistic Tip, Sierra GK, etc.

But even on smaller species and relatively low impact velocities, I have had no issues regarding lack of expansion. Your results are truly perplexing.

















And, if you are squeamish, don't look at the enxt 2 as they are a bit graphic.

This is a blood trail from 130 grain/6.5 AB where hog paused during it's short death run:



And here is an exit from another 130/6.5. The shot impacted nothing more stout than ribs, wrecked the lunbgs and killed the hog instantly:

One thing for sure, its always the bullets fault....I know that to be a fact.

Normally I post pix of stuff, but I'm tired tonight. So with that in mind, let me simply say, I've lost count how many animals I've killed with Accubonds from 25 cal. to .375 cal. I've yet to have to shoot one more than once, and have yet to lose one. Accubonds have become my bullet of choice.
As a PSA, please do not buy any more Accubonds. I am a selfish individual, that will leave more for me to load and shoot.

Best

GWB