Guys,
Just got the word from my 'smith that my 8mmRemMag has its new 26" barrel and is ready to go. The serious hunting is about a month away for Sambar (elk-sized). Ranges can vary from under 30m out to 250m. Will the Accubond hold together at 3100fps on an angling shot at say 30m?? Never used them so have no idea what they're like or what to expect?
Cheers...
Con

If you want a bullet that expands quite a bit, the AccuBond is not a bad choice. Even better, perhaps, would be the new Barnes 180 grs TSX, or the old favourite, the 200 grs Nosler Partition.
- mike

does not mean anything, but ahead of my recent trip to Argentina to hunt red deer, and without much time to develop a load, I tried some 200gr Accubonds in my 8MM.

the rifle is custom made on a 1909 mauser action with a lothar walther barrel and is very accurate.

three different loads with norma mrp powder gave lousy groups in the 3 moa range, which had never happened before with any bullet tested.

it does not prove anything, except that each rifle might be a particular on its own.

anyway, my first try with Sierra 220gr Gameking with the same mrp loaded for 2,800fps gave 0.6" grups (average of three, three shot groups).

eventually I shot my red deer. a 252 meter shot that broke his neck. the 220gr Sierra is still flying through the Cordillera

Montero

Thanks for the replies so far.
Montero - Another local hunter with an 8mmRemMag has also spoken very highly of the Sierra 220gr, so I've ordered 100 to try. I thought they wouldn't hold together at short range, but his experience has been that they do.
mho - Yes I am trying to line some TSXs up, have also ordered 200gr Nosler Partitions and the Accubond.
Cheers...
Con

Con The two best bullets by far in the 8mm Rem are the 200 gr Partion and the 200 gr Barnes X. I shoot nothing but the X bullet in my 8mm Rem now because it groups better than the Partion and the tip of the bullet doesn't get flattened in the magazine.Some claim the X doesn't always open up properly. I have never had that problem with the 8mm. It always exits and leaves a nasty wound. I have shot through a couple pretty big moose and never found the bullet lacking.

The new 200 gn 8mm accubond may not have been around long enough to hear many "real world" reports on its performance from the RM.

Generally speaking the accubonds have had some excellent reviews overall from a number of different chamberings.

Montero's experience is the first report Ive read of bad accuracy from them. I would think that a partition would be better suited for large game with the big mag.

con
the accubond is no better or worse than the partition ...in fact it retains less weight than the partition .....of late i have been getting a few of my partitions failing badley..
i would give the barnes tsx a go ,,,they will penatrate a sambar from any which way ,and as you know with sambar one never has any certainty as to how they will pose.....my only concern is will the tsx expand evey time especially if you hit a lightly structured part of the sambar....i shot a number of big scrub bulls with my 06 and used the 200 gn tsx and got complete penetration and marvelous expansion with good exit holes but then a sambars hide is nearly not as tough as those old scrub bulls that i shot ...food for thought
regards daniel

There aren't any 8mm bullets of 185 grains or more that aren't adequate for Sambar. Use whatever your rifle likes best.