Nosler Accubond for elk

[rooster52]

Anyone use the accubond bullet for elk? Thinking of trying them this year. My new 308 really likes the Ballistic Tips ,so I ordered some of the accubonds to try,just wondered how they preform on elk.
I am loading 43.5 grains of Reloader 15 and 150 BT bullets and getting some good groups,thinking of trying these accubonds and see if they shoot like the BT.

[Riverbottom]

They work great on deer. I have never used them on elk but I have asked the same question and would also like to know the answer!! Thanks for posting.

[dubyam]

The Accubond is rated for elk, but if I were going after bigger than deer with that .308, I'd sacrifice a little range and trajectory for some added weight. You should be looking at the 180gr Accubond, which you can probably get a realistic 2550-2650fps from your rifle. At the very least, and only if I were a really good shot, I'd consider the 165gr Accubond, as it offers a little better sectional density than the 150gr, which should give better penetration. Either way, I'd opt for heavier bullets from something of 308cal, but the Accubond is perfect for elk, according to Nosler.

[d2huffman]

To add to the above comment about a heavier bullet, I would concur and say that the 165 would be a good balance. The accubond is very accurate in my 270wsm, but I much prefer the Nosler Partion for Elk.

[pre6422hornet]

+1 for the partition.

From what I read the accubond is kind of a partition/ballistic tip cross. I would love to hear if anyone has successfully taken an elk with one.

[jrs3]

I guess I am old fashion, but I have a hard time with the idea of me chasing Elk around with plastic tipped bullets. Now before you scream at me, I have shot quite a few white tails with Accubonds, SST's, and Sirricco's. They are great bullets, all have worked well for me on whitetails, and I know what the new technology is capabale of. In most cases, I could not have asked for better performance. However, when it comes to game over 500 pounds, I just feel better with a "tougher" bullet. I am very partial to partitions, triple shocks, a-frames, and fail safes on the bigger stuff. Again, all of these have worked well in the particular situations. In some, the plastic tipped bullets probably would have done as good of job, but on bigger game, I always think about bullet performance and how much will it not break apart. There will be others who have had great success with plastic tipped bullets and I have no prblem with them shooting them. But for me, I want to know that I can count on high weight retention and penetration.

[Riverbottom]

I have to add that some of my hunting buddies that actually get to go elk hunting use to use the Winchester Failsafe bullets until they realized that these tough bullets only punched small holes in the elk and did not expand (even at 200 yd plus distances) causing trailing the shoot animals a great distance. They stopped usuing the failsafes and started using partition bullets with MUCH better results. Still, I would like to know how the accubonds perfom on elk size game.

[wyovamag13]

I have never personally killed an elk with an accubond, but I can tell you from what I have dug out of the berm at the range that the accubonds mushroom much better, and retain more weight than nosler partitions. they are also extremely accurate. I know that this doesn't mean they perform great on elk, but it shows me that they hold together as well as partitions. I am using them on a bear hunt in the spring, and they are pretty tough cookies so we'll see.

[chucker17]

Last year I shot a cow elk with a 165 nosler accubond - hornady light mag cartridge. I estimate the shot was approx. 225-250 yds. She was in a herd of about 30 - I shot and the herd moved down a small hill out of sight back up the other side. I didn't see her drop, so I thought I missed - went to where I shot and she was laying 20 yards down the hill just out of sight. The bullet exited and the exit hole was pretty good sized (upper heart/lung area - broadside slightly quartering away). I was very happy with the results and I plan on using again with my 30-06. Looks like it had plenty of expansion. Hope this helps.

[rooster52]

I talked to the manager of a Gander Mountain store near my house,He told me he has taken 4 elk,2 bulls and 2 cows using his 308 Winchester and shooting 150 gr Ballistic tips,non went over 50 yards and one dropped in it's tracks,he is sold on nosler BT for all his deer and elk.So the accubond should do the job on cow elk and muledeer in 150 gr from my 308.I am going to load some 165 gr and try them but I will hunt with the bullet that shows the best accuracy ,be it 150's or the 165's.

[rlb444]

looks like we need some clarification here. A balistic tip is a nosler bullet with a very thin copper jacket and is a varmit bullet, they blow up if you hit a bone and will not penatrate. The accubond is the same design with a heavier jacket and performs like a reminton corelockt. A lot of people confuse a balistic tip a meaning a plasic tip.

[dubyam]

looks like we need some clarification here. A balistic tip is a nosler bullet with a very thin copper jacket and is a varmit bullet, they blow up if you hit a bone and will not penatrate. The accubond is the same design with a heavier jacket and performs like a reminton corelockt. A lot of people confuse a balistic tip a meaning a plasic tip.

Actually, that's not quite the whole story. Some Nosler Ballistic Tip bullets are varmint bullets. Some are medium game bullets. One is rated for elk. All of this information is readily available at the Nosler site. I know, because I have done plenty of research on these particular bullets. You can differentiate the two kinds of BT's via Nosler's descriptions on their web site, which clearly call them BT Hunting and BT Varmint bullets. The one BT that is suitable for elk, according to Nosler, is the 8mm (.323) 180gr BT. Formerly, everything from 8mm on up was suitable, but as there are no more BT's larger than 8mm anymore, it is now the only one suitable for large, heavy game. The regular BT Hunting bullets are excellent for deer and antelope, as well as smaller stuff. The one condition you must realize is that these BT's are designed for impact velocities between 1600-3000fps, and if you don't generate that range of impact velocities, performance is liable not to be acceptable.

The Accubond is Nosler's bonded core bullet, and is designed for heavier game, up to and including elk, in all hunting calibers. Impact velocities are recommended to remain between 1600-3100fps. If you're going to be shooting anything with potentially faster impact velocities than 3100fps, you should be using a Partition, if you want to use a Nosler bullet on medium or large game.

[rlb444]

Well im sorry Duybn but I look at the same site and the only bullets that are ballist tips are the varmit bullets . All of the rest are NOT refered to as ballistic tips, they are refered to as polymer tips or plastic tips. So I would have to say you are wrong on that point., So the ballistic tip is a pure varmit bullet that will explode when shot at normal velocities( very fast is normal these days). These bullets will work most of the time on deer because they are a thinnned skinned animal, just dont try to hit them in the shoulder or the varmit bullet will blow up and may not penatrate. I do like noslers line of bullets , I use the 150 ballistic tips in my 300 win mag, makes a nice flat shooter, then I use a .338 with accubonds for deer and small bear and if I need a heavier bullet for my .338 I use scroccos and if wanted even tuffer bullets I could use A frames, but unfortunatley I dont hunt the very large and mean animals.

[rlb444]

One more thing the bt hunting and bt varmit are the same bullets the difference being that bt hunting refers to any cal larger that .25 cal. Same exact varmit bullet.

[pre6422hornet]

Dubyam,

You beat me too the punch.

This is taken from my Nosler reloading manual #4. ( I know it is from 10 years ago).

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f95/hoagp/nosler.jpg

[Phsnthntr]

rlb444,,

I had no problem finding the information describing the difference between the varmint and hunting versions on the Nosler site. The varmint bullets are sold as varmint bullets and are in 20, 22, 6mm, and 25 calibers at 85 gr. or lower. The hunting Ballistic tips are available in 6mm, thru 8mm in weights starting at 90 gr. in 6mm. The varmint and hunting versions have different jacket tapers. BT's do have a speed limit of 3000 fps in the hunting versions, and probably shouldn't be used in magnum calibers, but you could say the same thing about most conventional hunting bullets. If you are hunting thin skinned game at longer distances you could do worse by using a premium bullet that is too tough to expand at reduced velocities. If you use them in an area where you won't be shooting much beyond 150 yards and expect to shoot at less than 100 then you should stay away from max loads.

[dubyam]

Well im sorry Duybn but I look at the same site and the only bullets that are ballist tips are the varmit bullets . All of the rest are NOT refered to as ballistic tips, they are refered to as polymer tips or plastic tips. So I would have to say you are wrong on that point.,

Just so you know that I am both correct about BT's and also that thorough research does not have to be cumbersome, here are the links describing the bullets to which I am referring, already properly delineated by Phsnthntr in his post:

http://nosler.com/index.php?p=3&bullet=1

and

http://nosler.com/index.php?p=3&bullet=2

Please see the head line printing on each page (in red ink), which clearly says either 'hunting' or 'varmint' as I have copied below:

Ballistic Tip® Hunting
Hunting's Deadliest Deer Bullet


Nosler Ballistic Tip® Varmint
The World's Best Varmint Bullet

Also, to reiterate what has been said, and is readily available for public consumption at the above links, the jacket construction for the two kinds of BT's is not identical, nor are all BT's below 25cal varmint, and all above hunting. They are clearly delineated within each caliber. Another thing to note is that the BT Hunting bullets are sold in packs of 50, while the BT Varmints are sold in packs of 100 and 250. I assure you, having talked to the folks at Nosler about this several times, there is a difference.

Now, that said, I'd like to ask that you be a little less abrasive and a little more in tune with the facts before you start mouthing off. This site doesn't get much in the way of flames, and we like it that way. I was simply trying to correct a factual error, and didn't do so in an inflammatory manner; I'd appreciate you show the same courtesy. I don't mind being corrected when I am wrong, but I don't care for it when I take the time to do my homework and then get what amounts to a smart-alec answer which shows you didn't do even the most basic of checking of facts.

[rlb444]

yupee , same bullet different name.