Nosler .375 AccuBonds

[Lawdog]

The other day I was at the range working on some loads for my .375 Weatherby using the new 260 gr. AccuBonds from Nosler.  All that know me know I have no love for Big Bame Ballistic Tips but I got a deal on Ebay for 5 boxes of 260 gr. .375 caliber AccuBonds and decided to try them out.  Comparing them to 260 gr. Partitions using the same powder charge I got a difference in group size of almost .15" tighter using the AccuBonds.  Now if they will hold together better than their Ballistic Tip counterpart Nosler may just have something.  I intend to try them on my next hog hunt and see how they hold together.  I will let everyone know how they work out.  Lawdog
 

[sdgunslinger]

From shooting some of the last of the .375 ballistic tip  production , I don't think they are all that fragile , at least not in that bore size.

Loaded to 2800 fps  , they hold up pretty well when shot into a wet clay bank .  With the addition of the bonded core , they ought to be a real decent bullet  .............

[Biathlonman]

I'm relying on them in my .375 JDJ carbine, they leave the barrel at about 2400fps.  Folks at Nosler told me they should expand well down to 1700 fps.  After really stressing over which bullet to use I finally came to the conclusion that in the lower 48 and what I will be hunting (elk/mule deer) there probably isn't such thing as a bullet failure

[deadmarsh]

more or less told me the Accubond is a partition with a plastic tip and a different bond...he said they are more accurate than the partition, penetrate to 99% of what the partition does, and will hold together as good or better than the partition...after 25yrs of being a partition fan, I am swithing my 375 loads over to the 260gr accubond...this tech is a guy I've dealt with for years and I trust him...good luck

Dead

[Lawdog]

deadmarsh,

While the AccuBonds may be good on game(haven't tried them yet on anything but paper) a Partition with a plastic tip they are not.  Whether they penetrate like a Partition has yet to be proven to me before I load them up for dangerous game.  They have to prove to me they will not break up like the old Ballistis Tips do.  Lawdog
 

[PAHUnter04]

HI Guys:

I just bought another box of 375 260 grain Accubonds. I went through the first box playing around with my newly stocked custom 375 Mod 70.

They are shooting a hair better than an inch at 100 yards, this is factory ammo. I plan on using them as a backup for my Leopard hunt coming up at the end of May. I may use them on Eland also.

If I have to use it for Mr. Spots I want something that will expand more than my 270 grain Swift Aframe on a light skinned animal as a Leopard.

My Primary rifle for Leopard is a 300 RUM, with Nosler 180 Partitions, absolutely devastating. This shoots in MOA in both 180 and 200 grain Noslers.... the same hole.

I have seven one shot kills with this factory ammo, everything from Bull Elk, Coyotes, hartebeest, Zebra and more.

I have been a handloader  for 30 years, and reload for nine calibers, some of this new factory ammo just can't be beat for performance and accuracy.

Regards.. Jim P.

[Steel killer]

I was at the range Sunday, they have brought in some new mud for the berm. This  mud is full of clay,real sticky heavy and moist.  I just changed scopes on my Interarms 375 HH., I used a chunk of mud with a flat face 3 foot square to bore sight at 200 yrds. I fired one round from 200 with fed premium 260  nosler accubond. I hit about a foot from the edge. The wound channel was about 10" to 12" round and about just as deep, than it slowly tapered into a 50 cal hole that disappeared into the mud. the bullet stayed on track the entire path. To recover the round I need a long round stick to find the end of the channel and sharp shovel to dig it out , I did not have either so I did not try. I can only report that the tip disrupted for the first foot or so , then continued on at least 3 foot (that was all I could measure) on a straight path making a 50 cal hole before disappearing. Sorry about the long post , I just wanted to report this as well as I could.

Steel Killer

[Coyote Hunter]

Lawdog -

Just got the new Shooting Times last night and it had a comparison of bonded bullets by Rick Jamison.  Bullets included were Hornady Interbond, Nosler Accubond, Norma Oryx, Speer Trophy Bonded, Swift A-Frame and Swift Scirocco.  Had the Barnes TSX in a sidebar.

The bullets were 180g 308's except for the Hornady, which was 165g as it isn't available in 180g.  

Not too surprisingly, the A-Frame was the weight retention champion.  The Nosler lost the most weight in the high velocity tests, retaining only about 44% at 3000fps.  (Working from memory here.)

They all did well at 2000fps impact velocities, but that is a moot point to me because it means 500-600 yards.

[Lawdog]

Coyote Hunter,

Shooting Times may very well be right.  I know that when Nosler came out with their Ballistic Tips I couldn't get an order off for them fast enough.  Accurate you bet, but on game a big disappointment.  I did cut one of the AccuBonds in half and the jacket is notability thicker than the jacket on a Ballistic Tip of the same weight.  Putting a bullet where it belongs is half of the equation, bullet performance(weight retention, staying together and penetration) is the other half.  I will have to pick up a copy of Shooting Times and go over that article myself.  Thanks for the tip on the article.  Small groups and tight lines to you.  Lawdog
 

[Captainkev]

I just recieved my order of Nosler Accubonds 375/260gr.
I will be loading them for my 376 Steyr Encore Handgun in the next couple of weeks.
This was an interesting thread as I have been trying to figure out what bullet/bullets to try.  The factory Hornady's are very accuate in my Encore, but I want to put together a very fast/flat/and hard hitting round.
Any of you here loaded them for the 375 JDJ or 376 Steyr ?

Thanks,

Kevin

[Florida Jim]

Just got done loading up 50 for my Browning left hand 375 H&H A bolt. Used 69 grs RL 15. That load shoots good with 260gr partitions. I'll post results when I get to the range.

[Captainkev]

Anybody have some results yet?
I have just got around to getting some loads worked up for my Steyr.
I will hopefully be able to get out with them next week to try them out.

Kevin

[Butler]

I loaded some up in my 375 h&h.. About 75 gr of imr 4350 gives me 2860 fps,,I was impressed nice accuracy and holds well out to 300 yards..I am really surprised at the velocity out of my cz 25 inch barrel..The 300 gr spitzers I could not get above 2500 fps..This is my elk load for this year I think..