Bullet choice for 280 AI Accubond 160g vs. Hammer Hunter 143g

[SCHUNTER73]

Ive had very good success with 162 gr ELD-X.

 

[35WhelenAI]

Copper also makes smaller wound channels, hence the potential for less blood shot. Id rather lose a little meat to blood shot than not recover an entire animal.

Realizing this is an older post, the smaller wound channel of copper bullets isn't the way I would describe the causation of bloodshot meat that occurs upon entry, which is what most folks are talking about when talking about bloodshot meat.

Wound channel is typically described as what destroys the vitals which most folks don't eat. A wound channel is separate from an entry wound/hole. It's the frangible style of bullets, expanding rapidly and transferring force to the tissue upon impact (entry wound, not wound channel) that renders bloodshot meat.

Yes, copper bullets typically create a smaller diameter wound channel. Said wound channel will be consistent for darn near the length, width or diagonal of a big game animal. Longer, consistent wound channels have a better chance coinciding with the vitals on hard angle shots and it's a moot point what they'll do on broadside shots in my experience. Especially the TTSX, it open right away and tatters the heart/lungs in short order on the way to an exit. In 30 years the X, TSX and TTSX in my experience have not left an animal to get away due to anything relating to a smaller wound channel. I would suspect the Hammer would do the same if copper is your choice. But an Accubond is a great bullet as well.

Personally, as well, I would not be concerned between the two with respect to bullet weight issues. Pick the one that shoots best and you can find when you need to buy them (or stock up and be set for years to come).

 

[tt280AI]

I've been using the 145 LRX exclusively from my 280AI for the last 8 years on deer and elk. Love them. Very accurate and amazing on game.

Stupid me, just ordered some 153 Hammer HHTs to try out, see if they're really a fast and accurate as people claim.

Any ideas with them and RL23?

 

[BlackGreyhounds]

Thanks for the feedback on the LRX. FWIW, I've got a good load with 150 gr Accubond LR's worked up because that was all I could get my hands on a while back. I'm just a tinkerer so, I was thinking the extra 10 gr. of the 160 AB's would be a good thing for larger animals. I finally got hold of some these and am currently working them up. I'm also curious about monolith copper bullets, so I started with the 143 gr. Hammers, since that's what they shot the test target at the factory. Figured that was a good starting point. Eventually, I'd like to have a heavier bonded load and a mono load to choose from.

 

[BjornF16]

Took a cow elk with 150 ELD-X from a 280 Rem a few years ago. 1 shot and done, she stepped maybe 10 yards into tree line and dropped.

Today I would choose the 180 ELD-M.

 

[35WhelenAI]

Does a 280/AI have the twist to stabilize a 180 ELDM??

 

[BjornF16]

Does a 280/AI have the twist to stabilize a 180 ELDM??

OP didn’t say what twist…but a 8.5 or 9” twist would stabilize fine if he doesn’t have an 8” twist.

 

[BlackGreyhounds]

Updates: My barrel is 24" with 1:9 twist.
I think I have a good load for the 160 AB (see attached photos). Not necessarily the fastest, but you can't argue with the consistency.
Next I'll work on the Hammers.

 

[BlackGreyhounds]

I shot a ladder today with Hammer Hunter 143gr bullets over H4831SC. I got up to 60.5 gr of powder (3000 fps) without any sign of pressure. It looked like 60-60.5 would be a nice velocity node. I'll have to try some more loads at that upper range and/or try H4350 or RL23. Unfortunately, I ran out of large rifle primers so testing will be on hold now. Don't worry about me, though. I've got a new GAP PPR in 6 GT (small primers) arriving here any day now. Getting that dialed in will be plenty of entertainment.

 

[KU_Geo]

Updates: My barrel is 24" with 1:9 twist.
I think I have a good load for the 160 AB (see attached photos). Not necessarily the fastest, but you can't argue with the consistency.
Next I'll work on the Hammers.

Nice shooting! What’s the load with the 160 accubonds? I am starting load work up on a 280ai as well and have some 160 accubonds to try.

 

[BlackGreyhounds]

Nice shooting! What’s the load with the 160 accubonds? I am starting load work up on a 280ai as well and have some 160 accubonds to try.

58.0 gr H4831sc, Peterson brass, Winchester LR primer. There seems to be a really nice node, since the 57.5 gr shot 2866 fps avg, SD 4.8, ES 11.7, and the 58.5 gr shot 2875 fps avg, SD 6.3, ES 13.8 with decent groups. This was just my initial trial. I will need to run more loads centered on 58.0 with more rounds/load to validate this data, but it's looking very promising for sure, almost too good to be true.

 

[SloppyJ]

I got to test my 160gr partition load on two deer this year. 59gr 4831sc and cci LR primer, Peterson brass. Dropped both deer and the terminal performance was exactly what I was looking for with both exiting but creating a wide wound channel. If you're not needing a high BC, I'm not sure what else there is to look for in a bullet at this point.

Thanks for sharing your updates, we all love to tinker and seeing other results is great.

 

[wyosam]

I've been using the 145 LRX exclusively from my 280AI for the last 8 years on deer and elk. Love them. Very accurate and amazing on game.

Stupid me, just ordered some 153 Hammer HHTs to try out, see if they're really a fast and accurate as people claim.

Any ideas with them and RL23?

Work your way up to first sign of pressure. Back off a grain and go kill stuff.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[35WhelenAI]

I got to test my 160gr partition load on two deer this year. 59gr 4831sc and cci LR primer, Peterson brass. Dropped both deer and the terminal performance was exactly what I was looking for with both exiting but creating a wide wound channel. If you're not needing a high BC, I'm not sure what else there is to look for in a bullet at this point.

Thanks for sharing your updates, we all love to tinker and seeing other results is great.

I loaded the 160 Partition for my dad's 280 Rem and it was as fine of a hogs to deer to elk load that ever existed. He did good work with the 150 XBT as well that I loaded for that gun. Partitions have a sneaky good BC in many bullets/calibers, IMO.

The only downside was the meat loss on the entry side, much like a traditional cup and core bullet. Great tissue destruction in the middle and there was always an exit which he and I both preferred.

 

[SloppyJ]

I loaded the 160 Partition for my dad's 280 Rem and it was as fine of a hogs to deer to elk load that ever existed. He did good work with the 150 XBT as well that I loaded for that gun. Partitions have a sneaky good BC in many bullets/calibers, IMO.

The only downside was the meat loss on the entry side, much like a traditional cup and core bullet. Great tissue destruction in the middle and there was always an exit which he and I both preferred.

Very true but if you can get a lung shot with a bit of space from the shoulder and square, there's not much loss. Definitely not as bad as the bergers I used in my .308 this year.

However, I'll take a little meat loss if they drop or severely limit my tracking efforts every single time. All of these great choices in bullets, it's a beautiful time to be alive!

 

[35WhelenAI]

Given the Partition design, it's going to lose 40-ish% on initial expansion, which is where the damage occurs to the eating part.
I chose the 160 Partition because it allowed the shorter OAL needed with the detachable magazine in the 280 Rem 7600 pump. IMR 4350 got it to 2800 fps with the deep seating necessitated by said detachable magazine.

 

[BlackGreyhounds]

58.0 gr H4831sc, Peterson brass, Winchester LR primer. There seems to be a really nice node, since the 57.5 gr shot 2866 fps avg, SD 4.8, ES 11.7, and the 58.5 gr shot 2875 fps avg, SD 6.3, ES 13.8 with decent groups. This was just my initial trial. I will need to run more loads centered on 58.0 with more rounds/load to validate this data, but it's looking very promising for sure, almost too good to be true.

Update: I ran out of Winchester LR primers and had to switch to CCI BR-2. I repeated testing around 58.0 grains H4831SC. The best load for my rifle with 160 gr. Accubonds wound up at 58.0 gr H4831SC, CCI primer, Peterson brass giving 2875 fps with single-digit SD and ES and 1/2 MOA accuracy. I'm super happy with this result. I'm sure I could get higher velocities, but I'm more about accuracy.

 

[35WhelenAI]

Many more people that read this forum should be concerned about accuracy and not shitting a brick when they are chasing the last few fps (and frequently post loads that are clearly over the top) and running rifles and components at redline.

 

[BlackGreyhounds]

Yep. 100% I'd rather have a slower, well-placed bullet than a faster miss.

 

[gerry35]

Update: I ran out of Winchester LR primers and had to switch to CCI BR-2. I repeated testing around 58.0 grains H4831SC. The best load for my rifle with 160 gr. Accubonds wound up at 58.0 gr H4831SC, CCI primer, Peterson brass giving 2875 fps with single-digit SD and ES and 1/2 MOA accuracy. I'm super happy with this result. I'm sure I could get higher velocities, but I'm more about accuracy.

Been going through this thread, you sure have come up with some excellent loads. I would give up a bit of speed too for a consistent load. It's nice you have so many good options to choose from. The 160 gr Accubond is a tough bullet to beat for all around use though.