I've shot a total of one deer with the Nosler Accubond and in that one case I got complete penetration. The deer was quartering towards me and the bullet struck him in the left chest area just barely forward of the left shoulder and exited through the right shoulder. The bullet took out quite a bit of bone in the right shoulder. I was using the 160 gr. Accubond in my 7mm Rem Mag. Just based on this one experience I'd use it again. However, it's not the most accurate bullet I've ever used. This rifle, a Sako 75, is capable of very fine accuracy with certain bullets, but the Accubond doesn't seem to be one of them.

I'm not loading any Accubonds this year in any of my rifles. I'm going to try the 165 gr. Hornady Interbond in my .30-06. I'll be using the 168 gr. Barnes TSX again in my .300 Weatherby. In the 7mm mag I may use the 140 gr. TSX or the tried and true Partition. In the 7.65mm Mauser (.312 caliber) I like the 150 gr. Hornady FBSP.

While I doubt this bullet will ever live up to the Nosler I just don't see the analagy with such crappy shooting. I see claims of shattering the pelvis and destroying the rear hams. I don't think you can expect much more than that from such a lousy shot. Nosler Partitions....Don't leave home with out them !

On a front quartering shot the most direct and effective way to the vitals is through shoulder bone.

Breaking a shoulder from the front quarter is an almost 100% knock down shot. If you ever get over to Africa you'll learn to start aiming for bone on every shot, cuts way down on your tracking time.

The notion that it is poor shot placemnt to hit bone is wrong.

Accubonds are not a tough bullet they're fragile and when shooting something like an elk or larger you need to be carefull not to hit any large bone on the way to the vitals or you may well not recover your critter.

It doesn'r matter what the marketing hype says. These are not tough enough to get the job done every time from different angles.

Don't make me start posting pictures. I've got some real nice ones of peeled back, no weight retained, didn't penetrate worth a crap .338 Accubond.

For those claiming the shot placement of the shooters was poor... you're nuts (another blanket statement ). If a bullet wont crumple little deer bones what won't it do to elk bones?



I've said since I first tested the Accubond's a year ago that my tests confirmed they are surprisingly fragile and not at all the equal of a Partition.

I agree that the bullets did not perform as expected in this case. I do however have one question. Were these deer all running or at least aware of your presence and moving away? With the rifles you guys were shooting and the distances; (60,100,150yds)waiting for a broadside shot would have been my choice.A 200yd should not have been a problem.I'm not hackin' ya Lefty just wondering. Papershredder

I would like to see pictures of them if you can. I tested the 200 grain when it first came out, and it performed respectable. However, I am hearing more horror stories about them. Something must have changed between now and then.

I believe it; every single word. I learned my lesson when Hornady brought out the SST, what with the "Guns & Ammo" article (Kevin Steele?) about exiting double-shoulder shots on feral hogs, etc. Laughable, to say the least, in light of my subsequent personal experience with that bullet. Beware the marketing hype, always.



I've said it before, and I'll continue to say it: Real bullets don't wear plastic tips!



I still have hope the InterBond will prove me wrong, because polymer-tipped bullets do a real good job of going where you want them to go. Unfortunately, problems seem to start once they arrive on target, where the real work of a hunting bullet takes place.



RSY

I keep reading all the postings about new bonded bullets.
I think it is a positive hunting development upgrading the existing cup/core bullet series for better terminal performance.
Until the bugs are ironed out off it though, I will stick to my boring Hornady interlocks in my .270 and .308 Win.and Nosler Partitions in my 300 WBY. and .338 Win Mag. I also liked the bonded bearclaws in my .308 Win.

I have not tried Accubonds, but shoot partitions in my deer and elk rifles. I have yet to have a "bullet" problem with them. I tried Nosler ballistic tips on deer and was not pleased due to the damage done to the deer and lack of penetration. I use those for practice now (at least I run out of them). My son shot a kudu last year with a .243 with a 100gr. partition. Made a classic lung shot, recovered the kudu 75 yds away. I would not recommend a .243 on kudu, but the partition did its part.

All of that said - I stay with Partitions for most game and am testing TBBC on elk this next week.

I, being somewhat old fashioned, stick to Partitions, they simply work. On any of the shots described, I have no doubt you would have not recovered a Partition. Maybe from a 30.06, but not from a .300, they would have just kept going. As far as the shots being questionable, the only shot I would NOT have taken, was the THS, this is a last resort shot and always makes a mess. Just my 2cents.

DGK

Jon A, you're right I missed that too. The shot placement was way too high. If not for the explosive expansion, and subsequent damage, these deer might have walked away. Probably a good thing the bullets came apart.

Of course this all leads back to all the people who absolutely HATE Nosler Ballistic Tips saying that they disintegrate upon contact!!! I used B-Tips exclusively for many years in my old .270 and never had one fail, even after smashing through the spine on several neck shots. This year, I'll be using 140 Accubonds in my new .270 WSM at 3300 fps. I'll be sure to let all of you know the outcome should I be lucky enough to score.

It is interesting to hear stories like this. It seems like a crap shoot when choosing a bullet that will do what you want it to. It seems that everyone has a story about some bullet. I even have my own. I am trying the accubonds this year in my 300 Win. for elk. I shoot the 200 grainers and they group very well.

However, it seems like every premium bullet has its horror story. If I could throw a percentage at the whole subject, it seems like every bullet has an 80/20 % favorability. 80 % of the people who use a particular bullet love them and their one animal or two, seemed to die just before the trigger was even pulled. The other 20% percent have a horror story about how the bullet blew up upon contact or just before or just under the hide.

I agree with another poster, above that said that the shots were less than favorable, but I also agree and think that the accubond should have performed better than the deatails listed above. You would think a 180 gr. out of 300 should do better....especially on something as small as a deer. (taking into account the performance that Nosler says should take place for this bullet)

Lots of thoughts go through my head when I read posts like this. Thoughts like:

A. Factory ammo? Mass produced and something got skipped?

B. Slightly different recipe for major ammo dealers?

C. (Most Probable) Bad Heat Treatment of that particular lot? Either in to long or not long enough. I am a metals guy and this seems to be the most probable explanation.

D. Lady Luck hates your a$$.

Surf this board long enough, and you will see positive and especially negative on just about any product available, but especially on bullets.

I had a bad experience with the scirroco's where I had it blow up inside the vitals on a 150 yard shot broadside. It dropped the buck in its tracks, but I still was not pleased. Out of 7mm, a 150 gr. bullet should not fragment like it did on broadside double lung shot. I found four pieces to that bullet and much was still missing. I will not use them again regardless of what anybody says, so I understand where you are coming from.

I have always had good luck with Nosler partitions and it gives me confidence that anything from Nosler should be quality. If I don't like the performance the accubonds give me on a bull elk this fall, (if I am fortunate to have a shot at one) Man, folks will hear about it! I am looking forward to many other posts this year on this particular bullet. The last two years, this bullet was still pretty new and most were not aware of them, let alone using them. This year, many hunters are going into the woods loaded with accubonds and I will be very interested to hear the glory/tragedy testimonies along with their stories.

As for right now, I will maintain my trust in the accubond, I cannot afford not too. When that bull is in your crosshairs, the last thing you want to have run through your mind is if that bullet is going to do it's job.

It's interesting, their are a couple of bullets that you never seem to hear anything negative about.

1. Swift A-Frames
2. Trophy Bonded Bear Claws
3. Hornady's Spire Point

I think with the Hornadys, shooters realize that it isn't a "miracle bullet" and so they are more careful with their shots. A spire point in the vitals will put big bull down just as fast as any new premium bullet will. That being said, I still choose to use the premiums, because I Like em!

As stated before, I am using the 200 gr. accubond (handloads) for elk this year and for my backup, I am using my 7mm with 160 gr. Barnes TSX's. I may just decide to grab the 7 some of the mornings if I want to. Who knows? thats part of the fun........you know, being impulsive.

Anyway, sorry to hear the accubonds weren't all that you were hoping for. Maybe, start shooting Hornady spire points, take better shots, ruin less meat and be happy all the time!

Best of luck this year with the rest of your hunts.

Autumn Pulse

I think it all goes back to the marketing hype that you can have expansion and penetration. They are MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE. A bullet that opens up quickly and holds together with a large frontal diameter (like the Accubond) will not drive deeply.

If you want deep penetration (pass-thru) you probably want a mono-metal bullet such as the X, TSX, failsafe, etc.

The compromise, of course, is the Partition. This is all I use in Alaska, but I always load for the largest, toothy critter I may encounter. That said, I have recovered 3 ea. .338 250 partiton bullets from Sitka Blacktail deer. 1 was a head-on quartering shot thru the front shoulder, 1 was a near head-on thru the brisket, and one was a head-on thru the neck stem-to-stern shot. So, even a partition bullet will not guarantee a pass-thru on a deer sized animal.

Were theese factory loads ? In all it certainly seems like you need a LOT more time on the bench and few moments of thought about shot placement. I can understand the does but I can never understand what leads a shooter to take such a poor shot as a animal walking or running away. Not only did you take a immature Muley, you destroyed the meat and left the animal to suffer until you killed it with a knife. If those were handloads I'm inclined to think that they may possibly be as suspect as the shooters skill with a rifle. Overall I think bullet performance should be the least of your concearns.