7mm 160 gr Accubond

muleymaddness · May 26, 2014

Question about the above load. I've had great success with this load and not ever lost an animal, though I've never dropped a deer in it's track with this load. I wonder why that is? I don't think it's fair to say it's shot placement because with the number of animals I've shot with this round, I'm bound to had hit them just about everywhere (low, high, back, forward). I went out and shot whitetail doe one day in Texas and didn't have any drop. Shot hogs - none dropped. 3 mule deer - none dropped.

I used to shoot a 270 - never had a deer move after I pulled the trigger...

Thoughts? I'm considering switching to a different load, though I hate to because like I said, I've never lost an animal.

440sixpack · May 26, 2014

If you use the heavier weights of ballistic tip bullets you're going to get far more dramatic results and often better accuracy.

I wouldn't go so far as to say the ballistic tip is a great bullet for large game but for deer size game it's great. I've used 140's in a 270, 165's and 180's in 30 caliber magnums and 160's in a 7mm WBY and have had many pass throughs and instant kills most of the time.

The key is heavier weights for the given caliber with more fragile bullets.

Or you could shoot Hornady Interlocks and have the best of both worlds.

Stay thirsty my friends

sageadvice · May 26, 2014

If, as you say, you have hit the animals well with your above load and not had instant kills, any, then i believe that you have beaten great odds.

I don't use the 160 gr but i do shoot the 140 Accubond in a .284 cartridge and have had all instant kills. I'd not ever choose to go to a heavier bullet unless maybe for Elk and that's a maybe.

Joey

"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

muleymaddness · May 26, 2014

I guess it depends on what you mean by instant kills. They don't drop in their tracks - usually take a 20-60 yard run first and then tip over. I'm thinking I should just stay the course with the 160's because they shoot well and I have the load.

So sage - you've had great results out of the 140? I'm not sure what you're shooting, but I'm sure it has to be similar in velocities, etc to the 7mm. Maybe I should try them?

mtmuley · May 26, 2014

I can't figure out why you are complaining. mtmuley

sageadvice · May 26, 2014

"So sage - you've had great results out of the 140? I'm not sure what you're shooting, but I'm sure it has to be similar in velocities, etc to the 7mm. Maybe I should try them?"

I'm shooting them thru a 280AI @ 3250 FPS, maybe a little hotter than 7MM Rem Mag factory stuff. For deer, anything really, I would recommend the 140 Accubond product, highly!

Joey

"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

Whiterock · May 28, 2014

I just loaded a few 160 Accu Bonds for my 7MM WSM With MagPro powder. Being new to this powder ,I started on the low end,hope to get to the range this week end.

LaGriz55 · May 29, 2014

muleymaddness,
Have had great results with a Federal 160gr. Accubond load out of a production Rem. mt. rifle. On a WMA this fall I made the longest shot of my life 440 yards (.25 miles by GPS)and dropped a whitetail spike. Either-sex day...did not see any bone but needed to fill the freezer. The only thing I did to this weapon is have it piller/glass beded about 15 years ago. Scope is a 2x10x42 Minox with a BC type retical. Used shooting sticks and a folding chair on a pipeline. Previous kill was at 40 yards with a steep quartering angle. Round entered mid rib-cage and lodged in far shoulder. The young deer dropped stone cold....not even taking a step. Bad news is I can't locate the ammo. Only 1 1/2 boxes left at this time. My load is slower then yours at around 2800-2840 fps. Bullet placement is always key and for that reason I would not have any problem hunting elk with this load. Used 160gr. fail safes on 4 bulls in the past. Exit wounds and quick kills all(2 of them 1 shot kills) even though shots were close to medium range. That load too is unavailible. I need a reloading press. LOL!

I would not change a thing! stick with your accubond 160's!
LaGriz

2f350s · Jun 20, 2014

My recommendation is try expanding bullets that weigh 150gr or 140 gr ballistic tip Sierra game king, or Hornady SST instead of the bonded. With your load the bonded core bullet is either moving too fast and punching right thru or the bonded cores are so solid they aren't expanding the way your .270 rounds were.

Basically you've got a combination of bullet construction, velocity and size of animal that are not working in sync. Your load is more appropriate for larger game.

quest · Jun 25, 2014

muleymaddness just curious what bullets are you shooting through your 270? I think your talking about Hydro-Shock. I had a 257 Weatherby that would drop a Blacktail buck right in its tracks do to Hydro-Shock lite bullets with high FPS. The 160 gr AB is a good bullet nothing wrong there. I've heard a high shoulder shot would do the same thing your looking for. I try to go for a lung shot in most cases. Most animals only go 50 yards after the shot. Good luck.

EVILNR · Jun 29, 2014

The very few (3) I've shot we're with a 25-06, 110gr.
All 3 hit bone at some point and disintegrated.
IMO, they're a brittle bullet and tend to come apart.
Just y limited experience on some smallish deer less than 150lbs.

BPKHunter · Jun 30, 2014

I hear all this talk about how elk are to kill. Shot my first bull, decent 5x5, at 200 yards, high through the shoulders. At impact, while he was standing feeding, his feet curled up and almost touched his belly before he even started to fall to the ground. He was dead, literally before he hit the ground. I've killed a number of deer and elk between me and my boys with accubonds, including my son's friend with a 25-06, and in all cases the accubonds basically shed approx. 40% of their mass and end up on the opposite hide. They don't blow up like a Berger, which I now shoot, or pass through like a Barnes, but they do work. So, if you like a blood trail and penetration, go to Barnes. If you want detonation, go with Berger or maybe a Ballistic Tip(though not on Elk), but if you want the middle ground, or as some might say, the best of both worlds I would try the very reliable and very reasonable priced Accubonds.

PS I went to Berger for better Ballistic Coefficient and flatter trajectory and wind deflection.

Zeke · Jul 1, 2014

Random thoughts:
Any bullet/cartridge combination will kill elk but when the chips are down it's nice to have a bullet with penetration qualities.
The 160AB will work well for most game and is a good compromise between the high BC bullets and the hunting bullets.
Zeke

sageadvice · Jul 1, 2014

"The 160AB will work well for most game and is a good compromise between the high BC bullets and the hunting bullets."

I hear you Zeke but no Compromise about it, as Far as i'm concerned, The Accubond bullet IS a Hunting Bullet, a Darn good one! lol

Some of these above Opinions of the Accubond product are wack and have me wondering if they are about the same bullet that me and a bunch of my associates have been using for years now.

Not everybody wants the same from their bullet, these Accubonds open fast, make a big wound channel, keep their integrity, and penetrate. Every Deer i've taken with them looked like they were hit on the head with a sledge hammer. Maybe these aren't what you want but for many guys out there, we love them!

Joey

"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

Zeke · Jul 1, 2014

You're correct and my typing and communication skills are lacking.... not the AB performance.

I should have said "the AB is a GREAT compromise (balance) between the high BC (rapidly expanding) and the hard core hunting bullets which lack the high BC like the Speer GS or some of the A-frame bullets yet the AB is the best of both worlds".

That's more clear.

I killed 2 elk in 1 day last year with them and have used them on deer for more years than I remember. My 270 wsm is a deadly killer with the 130's and my 300 ultra is a high BC, elk whacker with the 200's

FYI; My untra did NOT shoot the AB 180's very well and my 325wsm does not like the AB 200's. Not all guns or bullets weights are a great combination for accuracy. That's another reason I reload.

Califelkslayer · Jul 27, 2014

I bought a new Savage Weather Warrior in 7mm Rem Mag this year and wanted to shoot the 160 ABs. Higher BC and want to be able to accurately shoot this gun past 500 yards.

I've waited since April to get the 160 gr ABs (backordered from 2 companies). So I finally ordered some 140s and they arrived Monday. I need to get downstairs and start loading. I have total confidence that the 140s will do the job on deer.

Every gun I have has a deer/antelope load and a elk load worked up for it. I wanted an "all around" load for this gun. Getting old and lazy, plus even reloading is getting expensive.