Re: From Alberta: 180gr. ACCUBONDS FAIL ON DEER

15 October 2004, 05:45

[quote
I can see where a person who's hunting experience is tempered by Bow Hunting would tend to avoid the shoulder. But anyone using a rifle that is intentionally avoiding a shoulder has got the wrong Bullet loaded for the task at hand.

As a long time bowhunter there is probably some truth in that. Also as someone who grew up reading Jack O'Conner who was an advocate of the heart lung shot. I have rarely seen the need for a shoulder shot on deer size animals. A lung shot deer is not going far and there is no meat wasted. I think some hunters do themselves a diservice by using bullets designed for heavy game on deer. That is one reason I like Partitions. They open quick on a shot through the chest while still retaining the ability to penetrate deeply on angled shots or when bone is encountered.

Jeff

15 October 2004, 03:53

Hot Core

Quote:

... 1. ...About 10 inches total penetration. Accubond looked quite smashed and parts of jacket were exposed. Main concerns: Lack of penetration, much shoulder meat destruction.

2. ...About 16 inches of penetration on a small-boned, 70 pound deer. Bullet was mushroomed but flatter-looking and peeled back than I would have expected. Main concerns: Lack of penetration on such a small animal, but meat destruction less than on large doe.
...
1. All three Accubond bullets penetrated less than we expected (given the Nosler Ads, articles and tech support), even on closer range, higher velocity shots. Remember, we were using 180 gr. bullets at modest (by today's standards)3000fps mv, which should have provided greater penetration and held together better on deer-sized animals.
...
So, here are some first-hand field results, fresh from the field. ...

Hey CL, Thanks for such an interesting and well documented report. Like you, I would have expected a bit more penetration with the Accubonds. Especially since I typically get "Exits" with regular old, Standard Grade bullets when taking similar shoulder shots.

Shoulder shots are what I prefer to take as well. Shut down the front legs and the Deer(Hogs, Bear, whatever) normally drop in their tracks, or are easy to find following the 10'-15' of skid marks.

I can see where a person who's hunting experience is tempered by Bow Hunting would tend to avoid the shoulder. But anyone using a rifle that is intentionally avoiding a shoulder has got the wrong Bullet loaded for the task at hand.

Thanks again, nice report.

24 October 2004, 05:08

300winnie

Did my own penetration test on the 200 grain Accubond on Thursday. Sitting on a ridge in a foot and a half of snow glassing the opposite hillside, and what happens...a 5 point bull walks out of the trees 50 yards to my left. I swing around, put the crosshairs on the shoulder and cut loose. .300 Winchester Magnum, 200 grain Accubond propelled by 80.5 grains of H1000 for a chronoed muzzle velocity of slightly over 3000 fps. Bullet hit the quartering bull square on the point of the shoulder (crushing it to sawdust) and penetrated the rib cage(entry hole to the vitals was about the size of a quarter). It then continued on to bust the windpipe and one lung before resting in the body cavity(found it in the pooled blood when dressing the animal out). Bullet is a nice mushroom with about 1/8th of the bullet left in shank. Looks just like advertised (read partition here). I will weigh it when I get to my scales and will eventually take a picture to post. I don't think performance could have been any better.

22 October 2004, 22:14

Autumn Pulse

Did my own penetration test on Accubonds today.

I had 14 inches of dry phone books that I fired some accubonds and barnes tsx bullets into

i only recovered 1 bullet, an accubond. wasn't to interested in recovering barnes anyway, as I knew they would be above 90% weight retention anyway

The 200 grain Accubond fired from my 300 Win using Rl.22 pushing them at roughly 2900+ feet per second yieled a bullet weighing 121 grains with a good mushroom and no signs of separation on of the core at all.

The back 1/3 is fully intact and the lead is solidly welded to the folded back copper jacket peels.

i told myself that if that bullet weighed at least 100 grains after recovery, it would get the nod as the first choice come elk opener with the barnes in my 7mm as the backup.

At 121 grains, that is a retention of 60% right in line with their stated capabilities at Nosler. This is going to be my go-to gun on opener.

-Autumn Pulse

15 October 2004, 09:41

Jon A

The link isn't working for me, Sheldon. Is this the thread?

http://www.accuratereloading.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB1&Number=636695&fpart=1&PHPSESSID=

15 October 2004, 12:08

Hot Core

Quote:

... Personally, I like a bullet that will do some more damage along the way--even with minimal resistance--and still hold together and penetrate OK on tough shots. ...I haven't yet seen a reason to doubt the AccuBond will perform as I expect it to perform.

Hey Jon, I'm in complete agreement with your first statement.

But I don't understand your second statement. Are you saying that a person using Accubonds should not expect "Exits" when a shoulder is encountered?

From what I read of CL's post, he seemed to just report what he saw. Would you speculate the Impact Velocity was just too high for the particular Accubonds they were using?

---

From Jeff:

Quote:

I have rarely seen the need for a shoulder shot on deer size animals.

Perhaps this is a function of a couple of things on my part. Where I've been hunting the past few decades, the understory and crops can hide Game in as little as 6 feet. Real difficult to find them when they fall "between" rows of 4.5' tall Beans that grow together to completely cover the rows. Same for the Briers and underbrush.

If you get the chance to hunt the South Carolina Lowcountry, it would be much easier to understand. If you ever pass through the area, just get out and ask one of the people on the land to let you walk through their woods, swamps and crops for 5 min and you will see why dropping them very quickly is a great benefit.

Quote:

A lung shot deer is not going far and there is no meat wasted. I think some hunters do themselves a diservice by using bullets designed for heavy game on deer. That is one reason I like Partitions. They open quick on a shot through the chest while still retaining the ability to penetrate deeply on angled shots or when bone is encountered.

I agree with every bit of that.