best long range BONDED bullet

[509backcountry]

Are you actually shooting at distance where you need to ABLR low expansion threshold? Or are you a hunter where the majority of your shots are under 500 yards with maybe the occasional 500-600 yard shot.

No I do not need the long range use of the ABLR. Most shots will be under 500 with the ability to go further if necessary. But I want to shoot 175s and they don't make the traditional Accubond at that weight. Other option is to use ELDx or partitions

 

[Brandon_SPC]

No I do not need the long range use of the ABLR. Most shots will be under 500 with the ability to go further if necessary. But I want to shoot 175s and they don't make the traditional Accubond at that weight. Other option is to use ELDx or partitions

I would say go ahead and shoot them. The only thing that worries me about bullets, even bonded, that have such a low expansion threshold (minimum of 1300 fps for ABLR) is generally if the impact velocity is above 2600-2700 fps (which is roughly out to 250-300 yards with a 7mm mag at altitude of 6,000 feet) and encounter deep tissue and dense bone they end up splashing. Granted these bullets do have a thick base but with the fast expansion cause a splash at close range?

Personally me I would rather trust the eldx more because what is keeping the core and jacket together is further up the shank of the bullet along with the ELDx has a thicker jacket farther up the bullet vs the ABLR. Granted these arn't bonded but from the reports I have seen they look like they will preform better. So you do have rapid expansion at longer range shots but more of the bullets weight is held together for deeper penetration. Plus the ELDx are a lot easier to find a load for vs the ABLR.

 

[509backcountry]

I would say go ahead and shoot them. The only thing that worries me about bullets, even bonded, that have such a low expansion threshold (minimum of 1300 fps for ABLR) is generally if the impact velocity is above 2600-2700 fps (which is roughly out to 250-300 yards with a 7mm mag at altitude of 6,000 feet) and encounter deep tissue and dense bone they end up splashing. Granted these bullets do have a thick base but with the fast expansion cause a splash at close range?

Personally me I would rather trust the eldx more because what is keeping the core and jacket together is further up the shank of the bullet along with the ELDx has a thicker jacket farther up the bullet vs the ABLR. Granted these arn't bonded but from the reports I have seen they look like they will preform better. So you do have rapid expansion at longer range shots but more of the bullets weight is held together for deeper penetration. Plus the ELDx are a lot easier to find a load for vs the ABLR.

I appreciate the input. I have the same concerns you mentioned. I was deciding between the ABLR and ELDX and decided to go with the ABLR initially. Since then I have read reports of these splashing issues at close ranges but I was looking to see if anyone had any first hand experience either way. Maybe I will just switch to the ELDX anyway though.

Why are the ELDX easier to find a load for than the ABLR? Thanks

 

[Marble]

But are these the historical accubonds or the long range

The regular ABs. We dont shoot over 600 that I can ever remember so I'm not worried at all about shooting these that far. I have killed several bulls in the 450 to 600 range with that bullet.

Most that I have spoken to and the reports from Lon8 range shooters are not impressed with the LR version.

Buy 200 grain ABs and go to nosler website, look at load data and buy the most accurate powder.

Load low to mid range powder charge seated .010 to .050 off the lands, then work up powder charge. Your seating depth will probably be more sensitive for accuracy then powder charge. At least in my exp.

 

[Marble]

I would say go ahead and shoot them. The only thing that worries me about bullets, even bonded, that have such a low expansion threshold (minimum of 1300 fps for ABLR) is generally if the impact velocity is above 2600-2700 fps (which is roughly out to 250-300 yards with a 7mm mag at altitude of 6,000 feet) and encounter deep tissue and dense bone they end up splashing. Granted these bullets do have a thick base but with the fast expansion cause a splash at close range?

Personally me I would rather trust the eldx more because what is keeping the core and jacket together is further up the shank of the bullet along with the ELDx has a thicker jacket farther up the bullet vs the ABLR. Granted these arn't bonded but from the reports I have seen they look like they will preform better. So you do have rapid expansion at longer range shots but more of the bullets weight is held together for deeper penetration. Plus the ELDx are a lot easier to find a load for vs the ABLR.

The only time one of the ABs fell apart was a spine shot at 35 yards on big bull.

I've shot 3 to 4 other bulls in the 75 to 150 yard range, pushing that 180 AB @ 3200. Bullet goes right through them. Nice exit hole each time.

 

[509backcountry]

The regular ABs. We dont shoot over 600 that I can ever remember so I'm not worried at all about shooting these that far. I have killed several bulls in the 450 to 600 range with that bullet.

Most that I have spoken to and the reports from Lon8 range shooters are not impressed with the LR version.

Buy 200 grain ABs and go to nosler website, look at load data and buy the most accurate powder.

Load low to mid range powder charge seated .010 to .050 off the lands, then work up powder charge. Your seating depth will probably be more sensitive for accuracy then powder charge. At least in my exp.

The problem is 160 grain is the largest Accubond they make for the 7mm and I specifically bought the hells canyon long range with the 1:8 barrel twist so I can shoot heavier bullets like 175. They only make the long range Accubond at that weight. The bullets in that weight range are ABLR, ELDX, partition etc

 

[Marble]

The problem is 160 grain is the largest Accubond they make for the 7mm and I specifically bought the hells canyon long range with the 1:8 barrel twist so I can shoot heavier bullets like 175. They only make the long range Accubond at that weight. The bullets in that weight range are ABLR, ELDX, partition etc

I'm in the same boat. I had an STW built so I could shoot the 180 Berger's but I couldn't get them to shoot that great. I put the 160 ABs in and it shoot one ragged hole at .3ish inches.

My buddy hunted with the same load with his STW from 1990 until 2013. He killed bucks and bulls out at 800 yards several times with that bullet.

Is a 180 better? Well probably, in theory. But if the 160 shoots like that in my gun I'm not messing with it. Maybe I'll mess with it some day but it killing stuff quite handily.