257 & Accubond

[Flashole]

Has anyone hunted with the 110 gr accubond out of a 257.   I read the post on the 257 elk with the 120 partition.  I have tried several loads with the 120 and can only get no better than 2.5" with the accubond I have found a load that is under 1".   What I'm wondering is the accubond tough enough for the speed of the 257.   I plan on taking this gun on a Sika deer hunt in two weeks and I don't know a thing about sika.   The only contact I have with the ranch sounds more like a sales person than a hunter.  He says the deer are bigger than the white tails here in Tx  but could not give me a body weight.  One place on the web says a big sika is in the 300 lb range  and an other puts the weight at about half.  Do you think the accubond is up to the task of  taking a 300lb animal.  I have hunted enough to understand about bullet placement.

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[Graybeard]

It is one of the bullets I am planning to use in my R700 LSS .257 WM. I have some loaded up from when I had a Vanguard .257 WM and that one load shoots OK but not great in the current rifle. When it warms again I'll begin working more seriously with the AB.

With Barnes 115 TSX and Nosler 120 PT the rifle is pushing hard against the half MOA range now. With the old AB load it's more like one MOA or a tad more. I'm sure with some work it will shoot like the other two. Yes I think it will be fine on deer and antelope but were I to use it on elk which isn't likely I'd go with the Nosler 120 PT or the Barnes 115 TSX.

[dpe.ahoy]

The AB will work great on any deer upto and probably include the moose if you put it in the right place.  I haven't hit any major bones with one yet, but they sure slice thru ribs and keep on going.  Our Mule deer are bigger than the deer you are going after.  DP

[fatercat]

just wanted to show you the 120 gn. partition on a big deer from a 257 roberts. they also make a 115 gn . the 110 gn will kill sika just fine. the second pic is the onside of deer. notice the blood shot rib cage and the size of hole. 1st pic is off side. good luck on your hunt.

[Coyote Hunter]

Flash -

One of the bullets I run in my .257 Roberts is the 110g AB.  Haven't taken any game with it yet but accuracy is excellent at 3163fps.  I'm betting it will do for antelope and deer and even elk on a broadside.

[shot1]

I have not used the 110 AB in the .257 but I have used the 130 AB in my 264 Win mag at 3350 fps. To show what this bullet will do one of the deer I shot this year with it was 111 yards away slightly quartering but facing me. I placed the bullet on the front edge of it's left shoulder and it destroyed the shoulder made soup of the vitals and while cutting up the meat I found the bullet in it's right ham. The bullet was a text book mushroom and recovered weight was 71 grs. That bullet had to be doing at least 3100 fps when it struck. I killed 4 deer from 98 to 275 yards with this combo this year and all were DRT. Three of the deer were average 175 lbs live weight. I believe that the Accubond bullets are the best of both worlds. They fly and are accurate and start to open up like a ballistic tip but they hold together and keep on trucking like a partition. I would have no reservation at all about using the 110 AB in your 257 WM on those critters. Put it where it is supposed to go and it will get-er-done.

[41 mag]

I have them running right at 3200 from my daughter's 25-06, and on deer and hogs they have performed very good out to 350yds. This load shoots good enough to hit the black diamonds in the center of the Outers 2" orange spot stickers out to 200yds if I do my part.

[Flashole]

I have used the partition for years, mostly in my 300 win mag.  That is the rifle that I have taken 90% of my game with.  It is just a little hard to get used to the idea of using a bullet that looks so much like a ballistac tip.  I had one come apart on my first deer in a 270.  I'm not sure if it was Nosler but it had a plastic tip.  I went to the grand slam and then to the partition and never changed.   My son will be hunting with me and I put together a 140 accubond in a Howa 7 mag.  He has not taken any game with it to date.  His  Howa and my Vangaurd / Howa both shoot the accubonds well,  3 shots connecting in 5 shoot groups are the norm.  If the bullet holds together I could see this one turning into my new favorite.  Thanks for the positive feed back.


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[kudzu]

The AB and The scirroco are both great bullets . Have had both accuracy and on game performance  with both all the way up to 200AB in 300 rum.  Now that season is over here in NC , I am going to play with the 243 and 25-06 with these bullets.

[Coyote Hunter]

Flash –

You won’t have that problem with a TTSX or MRX.  The BC isn’t quite as high as an AB but they hold together better, just as the AB’s hold together better than the BT’s.

[drdougrx]

Hi,

I shot 200lb debowski sika in TX with a 165gr CL and an 06.  They are no harder to kill than whitetail, though not as tough IMHO.  The accubond is definately up to the task.  BTW...there are three species of sika, the japanese, a very small black colored deer that weighs no more than 120-130lbs on the hoof.  The manchurian/formosan which is a bit larger and a medium brown in color and the debowski which are really huge, but as I said, not all that hard to put down.  Look for long main beams (>22 inches) and three or four unbroken tines on each side.  they fight alot.

Good luck and please post some pics in the exotics forum.

[nomosendero]

You will not have a problem with the Accubonnd.

[Flashole]

how did the debowski taste

[drdougrx]

Hi Flash...it wasn't as good as axis or even whitetail, but, I shot an older one and for awhile was the #5 SCI debowski shot in the US.  It measured about 140pts or so...haven't looked in a while but I expect it's still in the top 20 or so.  Like any other animal...if you want good eats...shoot small!!

[jimmyp50]

in my Bob Kimber select classic I am running the TSX or the TTSX in 100 grain flavor over 46.5 grains of H4350.  I have killed deer with the 180 grain Accubond from a 300WSM, it worked like anything else I have ever shot a deer with so I assume its a good bullet. On the other hand if you flat out want a load that rocks that 100 grain TSX at 3000 FPS may be your ticket, no penetration worries for sure.  It is my belief that you can step down in weight with the monolithics but you also should push them as hard as you can.

[Flashole]

Jimmyp50

I'm sort of running out of time for this hunt.  I did find a load that worked OK with the partition and what the other guys say about the accubond and the size ot the sika deer I should be OK  I will take both on the hunt next week and start with the accubond.  If the dang things look like a red stag I will make the switch.  Now can you fill me in on TSX TTSX & MRX?
Hope none of these are Barnes.  I did not try any Barnes in this rifle but in my 243,25-06 and 270s  they turned really bad  at the range and I never took them to the lease.  If it makes a difference I just looked at the left over boxes from Barnes and they were XFB.

[nomosendero]

Jimmyp50

I'm sort of running out of time for this hunt.  I did find a load that worked OK with the partition and what the other guys say about the accubond and the size ot the sika deer I should be OK  I will take both on the hunt next week and start with the accubond.  If the dang things look like a red stag I will make the switch.  Now can you fill me in on TSX TTSX & MRX?
Hope none of these are Barnes.  I did not try any Barnes in this rifle but in my 243,25-06 and 270s  they turned really bad  at the range and I never took them to the lease.  If it makes a difference I just looked at the left over boxes from Barnes and they were XFB.

Sounds like you are good to go for this hunt, but just for information the TSX & TTSX ids a totally diff. animal than the XFB, I had accuracy & fouling trouble & once even terminal perf. trouble wiith the XFB, but none of those issues with the TSX/TTSX, which have been very good.

[Flashole]

I  heard bits of info. that Barnes made big improvements.  It has been about 10 years since I tried the xfb.   I will give them a try in my 257 when this hunt is over.  Once I post this I will take a look at the Barnes web site.  Thanks for all the feed back.  I had slowed way down with my shooting sports and have not stayed in touch with all the new products.

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[nomosendero]

I  heard bits of info. that Barnes made big improvements.  It has been about 10 years since I tried the xfb.   I will give them a try in my 257 when this hunt is over.  Once I post this I will take a look at the Barnes web site.  Thanks for all the feed back.  I had slowed way down with my shooting sports and have not stayed in touch with all the new products.

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Flash, their site is down for a little while. Freedom Group which owns Remington, has bought Barnes & they are re-doing the site.

[jimmyp50]

Flashhole I could not get the 110AB to shoot in my Kimber Select Classic 257 Roberts. The 100TSX turned out to be very good in it. I shoot it over 46-47 grains of H4350 at 2.8 just short enough to fit the mag box at 3000FPS give or take. I have heard folks say that an .24 cal 85 X bullet will not stay in a moose, not my personal experience just sayin... I can say the 100X works fine for 150 pound class deer and I cannot imagine that a 110AB would have any advantage what so ever over that bullet. As a matter of fact your chances of breaking both shoulders on a 300 pound animal are demonstrably higher with the 100X over a 110AB.

[Flashole]

Jimmy,  I had been thinking about the 257 WM for years and after reading an article about a year ago I got the $399.00 speacial.  In the article the gun was used with the accubond so I just started there. Could'nt get after any white tails this year but in Tx 150lb is huge.  I would think the acc. would hold up to what we have here.  A Sika is something I have only seen at a distance and never talked to any one that has shot them.  I'm pulling out in the morning to a game ranch of about 12,000 acres. This will be the 4th hunt of this type but the first time here.  I still have mixed reviews about high fences and exotic game.   I think that premium grade bullets are the only way to hunt.  After reading all the posts about the 25 cal bullet,  there seems to be a divide on them as a whole.  My pakage includes a buck, a doe and 1 hog
I will take my #94 in 444 and hope to fit it in for the hog.  The tsx will get a chance at the range when I get back and I hope there is a great review to write in the game ranch section in a couple of days.  Thanks to all for the feed back.  =FLASH=

[nomosendero]

Flash, I hope you have a safe & productive hunt!

[jimmyp50]

best of luck to you!

[Flashole]

I wish I could tell you how well the 110gr AB held up to the Sika deer.  I can tell you about two that went down to a 140gr AB out of a 7mag with 70 gr of 7828.  First one was a real nice bull with 22 inch antlers and a body weight over 200lbs.  Bullet smashed the shoulder and made a mess of the lungs but did not make a hole in the off side of the chest cavity.
It dropped on the spot.  The Second was a spike but still weighed more than most Tx white tails.  Took out a rib on each side and dropped in it's tracks. Niether shot was over 100yds.  We were on the next to last day and I told my son if he sees a good bull to take it and call me asap.  Cell phones worked there and we were stand hunting.  He calls and said he took a big doe, one doe each was part of the package.  I told him to call the guide for pick up.  He calls back and tells me it's young spike.  My hunting is basically over.  The ranch had a lot of game and the dark Fallow and the type of Sika they had similar bodies.  We saw some video before we hunted to understand the differences on all the game.  My son is grown but has not hunted much.  Next time I need to makes sure he knows the difference between a doe and a spike, starting with the most important thing, on a game ranch it's about $1,000.00

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[drdougrx]

Good for you!!!  Pics?

[Flashole]

not sure how to post a picture, looks like a half size elk and the two guides said it was the biggest this year and was better than the ones hanging in the lodge

[Graybeard]

Look on any classifieds forum for a full how to on photo posting.