Bullet question 7mm 160gr Accubond

[handirifle]

Does anyone have any experience with this bullet?  Am gonna get a 280Rem and would like to have a "one load for all" bullet.

I know the plastic tip is supposed to insure expansion at lower velocities and I'm thinking is should hold up for the big guys like elk/bear.

Comments?  Experience?

I plan on calling Nosler to ask them as well, but would like to hear of real usage.

[Mitch in MI]

When you call Nosler, ask them how fast you need to shove it through a 1 in 10" barrel to stabilize it.

The guy I talked to at Hornady said 3,000 fps would be fine with a 162gr A-Max, and 2800 might possibly work, not a chance at 2600. So that rather long bullet is for heavy loads only in a Handi.

[handirifle]

Mitch
Shoot, good point I forgot about the twist rate factor.  I put in a call this afternoon and only got voicemail.  Will call againt tomorrow AM.
Thanks for mentioning that cause I know they would have asked and I hadn't looked it up.  I did now.

[Fred M]

Handi.
To start with the 160gr Accubond and the 162 A-max are two complete different bullets with totally different shapes. The later is strictly a VLD target bullet with a long boat tail. This bullet would need more twist in the 280 like a 1-9"

While the 160gr Accubond hunting bullet will do fine in a 1-10" twist or a 1-11" twist.

I am not sure why you want to hunker yourself down with a 160gr bullet when a good 139 or 140 gr bullet will do most any chore you can find flat out to 300 yards with power to spare.

If you really need a stopper at a very few times load up a few 175gr RN and use  the top of the bottom post on a duplex reticle out to 150 yards. It is a simple concept. See my African hunt. They too work well in a 1-11" twist.

[NONYA]

the 160 gr accubond is what i am loading in my 7 mag for everything I hunt here in Mt elk,deer,antelope,bear,ect,great bullet!

[Fred M]

NONYA
Ah! In a 7mm Magnum I agree, but we are talking a bout a 280 Rem.

I used to shoot a 7x61S&H very much like the 7mmRem Mag used nothing but 160gr Speer in a 1-12" twist. This rifle performed like a hot 280 Rem AI. One of my all time favorite calibers.

With all but the heaviest 175gr bullets the 280AI will perform like a 7mm Rem Mag. My custom 280AI got run over by a pick and bent the barrel really bad.

[quickdtoo]

I just picked up a box of the .308" 180gr Accubonds to load up in my new SS .30-06. Petersen's Hunting magazine recently had an article on the latest crop of bullets, the Accubond had the most impressive performance of the bunch.

Tim

[handirifle]

Quick
I read the same article which got me to thinking on this thread.

Fred,
While I'm positive the 280 is no 7mm Mag, if the 160 will function accurately and correctly from the 280 velocities, I'd just as soon keep only one load for deer-elk.  I like to keep things as simple as possible.

I really don't have time to keep sighting in for different loads all the time depending on what I'm hunting.

I also like to get to know the weapon and its trajectory and that gets tough when I keep changing bullet weights.

I'll check out you article though.

[MT4XFore]

Handi,  I agree with your one load for all thinking, although for me, I like shooting and trying different bullets.  I also agree with Fred M. though, I have been working up a 140 Accubond load for my 7mm Mag and it will be my one hunting load.  It is plenty for deer and elk, so why handicap yourself with a 160?  The 140 may be a bit more accurate in your .280 and you will have just a bit more velocity to work with.  But if your heart is set on the 160, go for it with no second thoughts, it will work great for you!  IMO the bonded bullets are the best of both worlds (deep penetration & great expansion/energy transfer).  Good luck, good shooting, and God Bless!

[Fred M]

Handi.
While there is nothing wrong with a 160gr bullet in a 280, I would rather and have used the more dynamic 140 and 139gr Bullets, like the Nosler partition and the excellent 139 gr Hornady Interlock and the now 139gr Interbond and the most devastating 140gr BarnesTSX bullet.

And for a slammer use the 175 Roundnose without changing scope settings, a bullet that is hard to beat in the woods for big game.

I had so many different 7mm's in which  I used about every known bullet weight. 100 years ago the German developers of the 7x57 concluded that the 9.0g (139gr) was the most ideal hunting bullet for the 7mm bore. Nothing has changed since. They also developed the H-Mantel (partition bullet)and the Torpedo bullet an excellent bullet still used today for big plains game in Africa.

I don't think you can find a better bunch of bullets for the 7mm than our premium brands in the 140 gr class. But go ahead and use the 160gr if your experience dictates its use. One thing for sure the 280 can't compete with a 375H&H in knock down power or any other big bore rifle and a 160gr bullets is not going to change that.

[handirifle]

Fred
You read too much into these post dude.  My experience with the 7mm is nil and it just seemed to ME that the 160 would penetrate better than the 140 (remember, I'm a 30 cal guy and these are like comparing a 150gr to 180, or more like 165 to a 180) and I didn't want to mentally be concerned with bullet penetration if the opportunity for "the big one" came along.

Like I said earlier in my post, I don't like having to have several diff loadings for the same cal, diff animal.

So what you're saying is the 140 in 7mm premium is going to give me same performance as a 30 cal 165gr in premium?  Just seems light to me, remember I'd like it to bee a deer/black bear/elk bullet.  Or is that even possible in the 7mm?

[MT4XFore]

Handi,  I've killed all three of what you are talking about EASILY using my .257 Weatherby and 115 - 125 grain premium bullets.  That said, the 140 grain (whatever brand premium shoots the best) bullet is more than adequate for your needs.
I am sure that statement may generate some dissenting opinions, but experience tells me it's true.  There isn't a whole lot of difference between the .280 and the 7mm Mag UNTIL you start using heavier bullets.  Then the bigger case capacity starts to shine.  Like I said before, if you really want to shoot the 160, have a ball.  A good compromise would be the 150 Swift Scirroco.  That is an awesome performing bullet on game.  It too has a plastic tip, is bonded and penetrates deep while expanding great.  We as hunters and handloaders are a spoiled lot, we have so much to choose from!
What a delicious dilemma to be in!  Good luck and God Bless!

[Longcruise]

Hey Handi,  I got no experience with the accubond but have used the 160 partition in my 7-08 and it shot just fine.  I agree with fred on the lighter bullet but the 150 would be a good choice too IMO.

Most of the comparisons I've read of the bonded bullets rate the Hornady Interbond as a better (retains more weight) bullet than the accubond.  And they have expanded their line-up a bit to boot.

But, like I said I've shot none of them.

The partition, OTOH, has gone afield with me many times and has performed extremely well for myself and my hunting companions in 7mm, .270 and .30 caliber.

[handirifle]

Great, thanks for the follow-up.  I wasn't doubting Fred, but it is nice to hear others with the same results.

Was just browsing Midway and theses bullets are priced pretty reasonably too.

Well is the 115-120 did it , the surely the 140-150 will.

Thanks for the feedback all.

Fred, I never hoped the 280 OR my '06 would ever come close the the 375 H&H, just looking for solid penetration.  Now the 375 Hawk/Scovill is another story.  But that's another barrel, another article.

OK, my rifle goes off this weekend for the 280 for sure, other barrels (if any) to be determined.

[Longcruise]

OK, my rifle goes off this weekend for the 280 for sure, other barrels (if any) to be determined

Hmmmm... Wonder if you will see it in time for this season :shock:  :eek:

[handirifle]

Longcruise
Well i fired an email out to them the other day ahd they had 25-06 and 280 barrels in stock.  I sent it out this afternoon Priority mail, so we'll see.

[safetysheriff]

handi'

there have been so many elk killed with 130 gr' bullets out of the .270 that i would expect the 139 gr' bullet out of the .280 (which is just a little bit higher in the sectional density parameter than the .270 bullet) to be great on elk.

the Hornady standard bullet -- interloc'd that is -- comes in either the boat-tailed or flat-base model.    i'd think that the boat-tail'd bullet was only needed if shooting beyond 300 yds at an elk.    for better penetration, however, many people have better luck with the flat-based bullets.  

i'd buy the flat-based bullet to see how it shoots and if it was accurate i'd just go hunting with that.

the one other consideration:   i'd also expect a higher velocity, using a lighter bullet than the 160 grainer, to work significantly better on any smaller deer you might settle on which are so lightly built.  

good luck,

ss'  

ps: do you remember when the Hornady interloc was considered by some to be a kind of 'premium' bullet a few years ago?

[handirifle]

handi'


ps: do you remember when the Hornady interloc was considered by some to be a kind of 'premium' bullet a few years ago?

Thats a good point.  I guess after using a 30 cal for so long these bullets seem too light to "get er done".

I guess I'll start with the lighter bullets and see how they work.

[Longcruise]

I guess I'll start with the lighter bullets and see how they work.

Handi, I'm like you in that I like to use one load for a given rifle for all applications.  That said, I landed on the 160 partition for my 7-08.  That way it was good to go for anything I might hunt in CO.  Long story short the only thing I;ve hunted with it and killed was antelope.  That was a 280 yard shot and the trajectory etc was just fine.

[handirifle]

Longcruise
What kind of velocity do you get with the 7-08 and the 160's?

[Longcruise]

What kind of velocity do you get with the 7-08 and the 160's?

Just went through all my 7-08 data sheets and could not find any chrono results on the load   I'll have to go on a rather week memory, but it seems to me it was in the low 2500 fps range using H4350.  RE19 is listed in the books as a faster powder for the 7-08/160 bullet but have not tried it.

I'm in the middle of restocking that rifle now and actually have not had it to the range in almost two years.