Bullet Choice

[JohnyRingo]

I just bought a new rifle but it is the same caliber I have always shot (300 H&H Mag). Now I am kicking around the idea of trying different bullets. I have shot Nosler 180 gr Ballistic Tip handloads for the last 20 years and have had good success on mule deer and antelope. All of my shots have been one shot kills, with only one follow-up shot that I can remember. I have not shot any elk with these bullets as I am primarily a bow hunter for elk. My old rifle also has shot a bear and two moose with one-shot kills.

I am not a big fan of messing with something that is working, but I also like to try new stuff. I am kicking around the idea of trying the Nosler Accubond or the Hornady ELD-X bullets. I am currently shooting the Accubonds while breaking the barrel in by shooting Nosler Trophy Grade bullets. I haven't had a chance to shoot this new rifle on paper much with it being such a cold winter in Wyoming. I have shot the rifle enough to see if I need a muzzle brake or a trigger job though. I haven't noticed any major accuracy issues with the Accubonds, but what I have read is the Accubonds aren't real accurate and that is what led me to the ELD-X's. They seem to get great reviews and a buddy of mine shoots them. At some point I need to make a decision and start working on a load so that I can get a custom turret built for my scope.

What are your thoughts on these bullet choices?

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I too use Nosler Partitions (180 gr) in my .300 Wby. They work well and elk and larger animals. Never had a problem...so why change?

Dead is dead.

 

[robsev]

I used to shoot the Nosler BT in both my 270 WSM and my 338 and thought they were OK. Tried out the Barnes Triple Shock - don't think I'll ever go back to the Noslers.

 

[Gr8bawana]

I too use Nosler Partitions (180 gr) in my .300 Wby. They work well and elk and larger animals. Never had a problem...so why change?

Dead is dead.

If it ain't boken don't fix it.

 

[Tim McCoy]

I have not noticed accuracy issues with accubonds any more than any good bullet. Two of the three rifles I shot them in were just over .5 moa. One was closer to 1.5 moa, and it's a picky rifle as ammo goes, so did not attribute that to the bullets. I have heard more accuracy rumblings about the ABLR, and am 0/1 with them on the rifle that loves regular AB's. Small sample size and some rave about ABLR's.

I am going to try some factory ELD-X loads to see if they equal some other favored loads, if they do, for the $, they'll be tough to beat IMO. I hunt elk so shy away from BT's. But for your purposes, any will work fine IMO. Were I you, I'd see what it likes best and select what it likes best. Every rifle is different.

 

[mcseal2]

In the 308 caliber the Ballistic tips and Accubonds have exactly the same shape and BC. A gun that shoots one is likely to shoot the other just as well. You can match the bullet to the game if you want. I don't, I use Accubonds on game and sometimes Ballistic tips for practice. Since the Accubond came out I haven't used a Ballistic tip on game. I had a couple times a 180gr Ballistic tip didn't exit a whitetail from my 300 on broadside shots. Inside organs were scrambled, but still no exit. I went to Accubonds and would never switch back, equal accuracy and performance that fits what I'm looking for better.

On the ELD-X, a lot of people are saying it doesn't hold together as well as advertised on the LRH forum. They say that the ELD-X match bullet actually has more controlled expansion as it doesn't have the hollow cavity under the polymer tip like the hunting bullet. It's said to be more explosive than advertised. If I'm going to shoot something extremely explosive on big game, I'd rather it be like the Berger and explode a little deeper. I like the idea of it very much, but want to let it be out a while longer before trying it.

The Accubond has been easy to load for accuracy and has the exact terminal performance I want. If the ELD-X or LR Accubond start to consistently show the same I'll give one a try. Looking at the reviews on a site like Midway USA though, neither rate as high as the Accubond the last time I checked.

 

[DRUSS]

I agree with what mcseal is saying about accubonds,ballistic tips shooting very similar. I have a couple rifles that I can switch back and forth between loads without scope changes out 400+ yds.

I have hade pretty good luck on accuracy with accubonds. Some rifles more finicky than others but I felt wasn't the bullet. Now the LRAB , well my luck has not been the same there.
Also , I really like if it's not broken don't fix it theory too. I have a 270 load with 130gr core lots. That's slow, not new poly tipped or anything but, accurate and it's been reliable on elk,deer, and bears. I have used it for 19yrs

 

[win264]

One more for the 200gr AB and 180gr TTSX, they work the best for my 300WM

 

[Slugz]

I'll repeat and highlight MCSeals comments. We also shoot nothing but Accubonds. We used to shoot Ballistic Tips on mule deer and antelope but I didn't like the "frag" pattern and how much meat I was messing up with the Ballistic Tips (they performed exactly as spec/to include weight retention)....we have since went to Accubonds for all med/large game. If I need to develop or change a load I use the Ballistic tips for shots.

 

[JohnyRingo]

I think I am going to probably end up sticking with the Ballistic Tips. Supposedly, the 180 grain 30 calibers are made to stay together a little better than they used to and I have never had any problems with them before. In the meantime, I will continue to shoot the Accubonds (in a factory round) to break the rifle in and see how I like them. Whichever bullet performs better in my rifle, I will go with.