Best of the Big Game Bullets, Part 1 of 4: Nosler AccuBond
Richard Mann 06.05.17
I’ve killed more big game animals with the Nosler AccuBond than any other bullet. There is a reason for that – it’s because I hunt with the bullets I trust the most. Here is just a partial list of several one-shot kills I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing with the Nosler Accubond.
ANIMAL DISTANCE CARTRIDGE BULLET WEIGHT
Pronghorn Buck 416 yards 243 Winchester 90 grains
Whitetail Doe 35 yards 257 Roberts 110 grains
Mule Deer Buck 318 yards 264 Win Mag 130 grains
Black Bear 130 yards 30 Rem AR 150 grains
Waterbuck 139 yards 308 Winchester 165 grains
Sable 148 yards 308 Winchester 165 grains
Bull Moose 222 yards 308 Winchester 165 grains
Red Stag 269 yards 300 Win Mag 180 grains
Eland 118 yards 338 Win Mag 225 grains
I don’t list these animals to brag, but to demonstrate that my experience with this bullet isn’t just limited to a few hunts, with a single or just a few cartridges. In all, I’ve taken more than 20 big game animals with an AccuBond and seen many more put down cleanly.
The AccuBond is generally a very accurate bullet. This is because the core is void free. AccuBond bullets also shoot very flat; they have a high ballistic coefficient for their weight, which is helped by a pointy white tip. These are both desirable features of a big game bullet, but what I really like about the AccuBond is how it balances expansion, erosion and penetration.
The AccuBond needs to impact at about 1,800 fps to show meaningful expansion. When it does, it will retain about 70-85 percent of its weight, and it will penetrate to about the same depth as the famous Nosler Partition. It dumps a good bit of energy during initial penetration to help put animals down fast, but it also penetrates deep because the core is bonded to the jacket to prevent excessive weight loss and over expansion.
I don’t always choose an AccuBond bullet for hunting because in some specific cases I think there are equal or better options. However, if you’re looking for a one-bullet answer for hunting just about anything in the world, the Nosler AccuBond is a solid choice.
