Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Guns N Gear Nosler ballistic tip vs Nosler Accubond

Anyone ever done a comparison of these 2 bullets?

They both kill critters.

The BTs open a bit faster, IME....but the ABs can be plenty violent. Stuff dies about the same. Apples to apples.

Seem to hit at the same point if aim for me on almost every gun I have tried with the same weight bullet. Accubond holds together better on bigger critters, but they both kill good.

Yes, this past wk along with some Winchester loads out of a 300wsm. Accubonds for me.

Both nearly identical in the way they fly but accubonds are tougher.

I shoot the 165gr accubonds in one of my savage .308’s. Last deer I shot was at 60 yards in the shoulder, made it 5 yards and dead right there. That gun really likes them.

In certain calibers/weights, I think the BTs are often a better ‘deer’ bullet than the corresponding accubond, but that’s probably just my BT bias. Overall, the AB is an improved BT.

Compare these two with the Swift Scirocco, which I think is the best polymer tip bullet made. You want find many off the shelf offerings though.

Accubonds.

When I tried ballistic tips in my 270 years ago - I had a shot or 2 less than 100 yards In distance and I did not get a Complete pass thru - I don’t hav confidence in them - anybody else seen that? I would think a 270 billet at that range should make it thru The deer - better blood trail with double hole

That bullet isn’t designed to pass through. So, it performed like it was designed.

One is for instant expansion and limited penetration ( hence the name ballistic tip ) and works great for smaller critters. The other is for limited expansion and maximum penetration ( Bonded core is why it's an accuBOND) , for bigger critters. You can swap em around but that's the meat and taters of it.

It's because it was at max velocity and it blew slap up. That's what they do. When I shoot ballistic tips I usually step up a notch in the grain bullet I shoot. !40's for a 270. 180's in a 300 magnum etc. It will cause massive holes on both sides... usually.

I killed a LOT of deer with BTs . Some good kills some WTH happened kills. They open too fast at close range or if you hit a rib or shoulder on impact. I finally said F em and haven't shot one since. I use bonded Fusions or N Partitions in all my guns.

I LOVE the accubonds in my 7/08. It's a hammer.

You sure they didn’t just bounce off? I mean, everyone knows the 270 is gay.

Seriously: the BT actually WAS designed to give full penetration, IF impact velocities were kept under 3k, IIRC. lighter for caliber BTs had thinner jackets (with a couple of exceptions), and were designed for milder chamberings. C&C non-bonded bullets can’t violently expand AND stay together, at huge velocity windows or in all materials....they’re all designed for given game and velocity ranges. The exceptions are the 120gr 7mm (and maybe 125gr .307), which had much thicker jackets for their weight/caliber combo. The 7mm/284 120is renowned by western elk hunters, who get pass through and dead elk. I’ve certainly not caught one in a whitetail, but I’ve kept impact velocities under 3K FPS, too. Supposedly, the thicker jackets of the 120 could handle up to 3200 or so, and I never had any issues getting pass through with BTs in 25-06, which was sometimes over 3000 at impact on short shots. I also get complete pass through with excellent expansion in Hornady ELD Match bullets, kept under 3k, and they hit like a hammer. Some things require a bit more comprehension in proper application and expectation.

Thanks for info guys

BTs perform well when they leave the barrel at less than 3000fps. Anything above that and it’s subject to come apart. So a 165g in a .308 would be perfect but I would not shoot that bullet in a 300 win Mag. I prefer speed and lots of it. So I shoot mono metal bullets a majority of the time. Picking up a 28 Nosler in a week or so. I’m gonna experiment with 140s at around 3750fps 😁

I shoot 150 grain ballistic tips in my .30-06. Every now and then I won't get a complete pass through but it's the exception not the rule. I have shot plenty through both front shoulders and got a exit, a massive ass exit at that. At severe quartering shots your probably not going to get a exit. The internal damage is devastating though. I have never used Accubonds but I'm sure they due what they advertise.