Nosler ABLR for Oryx

[alconl]

I drew a once in a lifetime Oryx tag on the White Sands Missile Range NM this year. Just got back yesterday from a successfull hunt, 34" bull. Quick story; i hit this bull at 280 yards with a Sako .300 WM two shots on the shoulder, last one in the neck to finally kill him. I hired a guide since it was my first time ever, he suggested at least a .30 cal for the hunt, thus the .300 WM. i chose to use the ABLR 180 grain bullet incase of a shot out to 6-700 yards as the guide suggested might be needed. First shot stunned him center forward shoulder ~2" above vitals, the second shot was a lower shoulder shot still just a couple inches away from his heart, trashed his shoulder though. I am very dissapointed in the Nosler ABLR performance. Both bullets busted apart and did NOT penetrate more than center body. He ran another 500 yards before he laid down. First time using the Nosler ABLR bullet,,,,and also the last time I will use it again. Only solid base bullets from now on. The Oryx is a tough animal to bring down and shot placement is critical, "I get it, but both of my shots should have brought him down but they did NOT penetrate enough at 280 yrds". I had a lot better expectations from the ABLR bullets, never again. I do however love the solid Nosler partition bullets, and Berger bullets. I'm wondering if anyone else has ever experienced this issue with ABLR bullets?

 

[wyosteve]

I’m doing an oryx hunt in late November and will be using Trophy Bonded or Partitions. Sorry you didn’t have a better experience with the ABLR.

 

[swavescatter]

A buddy of mine has taken a couple oryx with 6.5 Creedmoor ELDX factory cartridges. That's what we'll be using in January, also per the guide's recommendation.

I imagine ELD-X in 300WM would work just as well.

 

[Jethro6x6]

Had the same results in my 7mm,, shot 4 different animals at 140 yards,, good shoulder shots,,, not 1 animal dispatched,,, these were from a solid rest,, sent em back where I got em,,,never again,,,,

 

[hiker270]

Have never tried the Accubond 180LR in my 300 mag, but my go to bullet is a 180 Accubond which has performed perfectly on many elk and moose. If I recall correctly the closest was a Newfoundland moose at 80 yards and the farthest a Colorado elk at 430 yards.

 

[elkliver]

I'd call Nosler and talk it over with them. They are good folks. If there is a misunderstanding as to the use of the bullet, they will tell you. If there is/was a defect in manufacturing, they should know

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Ablrs have a terrible reputation, this just adds to it.

 

[roadrunner]

Have killed multiple oryx with .270, .270 WSM, and 7mm Rem Mag.

All with an Accubond.

One was killed with one shot from a .270, 150 gr ABLR at 300 yds.

Some have been with less then stellar hits, oryx are not any more tough than a cow elk...

 

[Catchfish]

Is this a factory load or a hand load? I bought a couple boxes but mine are factory Nosler loads and they have a 190 grain bullet not 180.

 

[S-3 ranch]

I would think a ABLR would smoke a eldx , every animal I have cleaned killed with a eldx had major core separation, im more impressed with a Remington cor-lok, federal blue power shock then o coarse a partition, barns ttsx , sierra game changer , ect
a frame and grand slam, partition, power shock , Norma oryx are old African staples

 

[tater]

Wrong bullet for trying to smash through shoulders. They are designed to expand at slow (1300fps) velocity and as such have a thinner jacket.

If you don't hit big bone, they are phenomenal performers (especially the 190gr/.30 cal). I have a recovered bullet from a large bodied WT buck that was hit on a hard quartering away/uphill shot at 319 yards-just before last rib, fully transected thoracic, through offside shoulder blade and just under hide. It shed 40 grains of weight, but the expansion was insane.

One of the most spectacular bang-flops i've seen in a while. Having said that, if i was hunting mountain goats or another animal where a high shoulder shot to immediately anchor may be necessary i would use a mono.

 

[Shosky]

My then-13 year old son shot his first oryx last year with a 6.5CM, 142 grain ABLR, from 250 yards. He placed it right into the shoulder, it broke through bone, continued through the heart, went through the meaty part of the far shoulder, and piled up in the inside of the hide on the far side. The oryx ran 20 yards and went to the ground. I recovered the bullet (see attached).

I switched to the ABLR for hunting because we had too many ELDXs grenade within large game. Didn’t care for that.

 

[Spence1875]

The trophy bonded and original partitions are hard to beat but not very aerodynamic.

I like the fed terminal ascent, Norma bondstrike, sirocco, and TTSX for tough critters with heavy bones.

The original accubonds are a lot thicker and tougher than the LRs, not worth the small increase on bc to me.

Eldx s shot great for me, killed a few pigs with them and a buddy used my loads to kill a big buck at 250 with 6.5 cm, in all cases performed well in that the game went down but was not impressed with bullets, our should I say what was left of them, when recovered. Wouldn’t want to depend on an anchoring shoulder shot on something big, but accurate as hell.

 

[Leaf Litter]

Sounds like the wrong shot placement for a soft LR bullet. Been there and I feel your pain. How many yards were the first two shots?

The LR version of accubond was streamlined for better BC and given a much thinner jacket to improve low velocity expansion. This helps keep velocity over distance and causes easy (and in your case, catastrophic) expansion at lower velocities.

Shooting through heavy bone falls more into the wheelhouse of a traditional accubond, partition or copper bullet. These bullets will, in exchange for durability, have less expansion at lower velocities.

There are no perfect bullets, unfortunately. So if you're prone to shoulder shots, stay away from cup and core or LR bonded bullets designed for explosive expansion.

 

[cmeadors13]

i hate to hear this, because i like the ablr .. maybe i should just stick with the ab

 

[butcherboy]

I agree 100% with roadrunner above. I’ve killed 4 oryx with a 270wsm and 140 gr accubonds. No problems at all. The problem is that a lot of people believe you have to shoot them in the shoulder which is a huge mistake. I shoot them just like I would with a bow. Tight to the shoulder crease.

 

[Happy Antelope]

I have shot maybe 10 or so Oryx in Africa, I have never seen one just drop, These are not like Elk and Deer, about 10% of all African plains animals are lost. Either you hit them in both lungs and/or heart, they will almost never drop, but instead run a hundred yards and pile up (If you think you missed and it dies in 100 yards that's the perfect shot). If it does drop and get up, in all likely hood the shot is high and you will never see them again.

I have seen a 30-06 bullet lodged in the front shoulder of a sable with zero blood and he was walking fine.

This is very very different than an Elk, they swallow 300 Grain .375 H&H all the time if not placed well. Seen many lost over the years. Zebra and Wildebeest are even tougher.

Congrats on the Gemsbuck, that's awesome to be able to get one in the USA. Going to taste a lot better than an Elk also.

 

[406life]

FWIW, I took my orxy at 180yds, one shot, with a 180gr Nosler Etip in my 300WM. I've been nothing but satisfied with all my shots using an Etip.

 

[Happy Antelope]

FWIW, I took my orxy at 180yds, one shot, with a 180gr Nosler Etip in my 300WM. I've been nothing but satisfied with all my shots using an Etip.

Lot of mine were shot with a 7mm Nosler BT which should have been too soft, but if you can get it in both lungs it will die within 100 yards. If you miss even with a 400 grain .404 it's still going to be running. I don't think I would choose a solid, if you miss it's going to be 2 holes in a void. At least a softer bullet has the chance to do some damage if it you miss the lungs. Solids are for the follow up shot usuallywith these tough animals . Just my opinion and that of a lot of African PHs...

 

[Happy Antelope]

Folks also forget the vitals on African Animals are way up front protected by huge shoulders and dense muscle used for fighting. This might help. I think the OP hunt is a very typical Gemsbuck hunt.

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