The DIY Hunter

270 Caliber 150 Gr. Accubond Long Range Compared to 140 Gr. Accubond

270 Caliber 150 Gr. Accubond Long Range (left) next to 140 Gr. Accubond (right).

 

270 Caliber 150 Gr. Accubond Long Range BC 0.625

With a BC of 0.625 this bullet should make for an awesome combination for my long range X-Bolt and Viper HS LR rifle scope.

 

270 Caliber 150 Gr. Accubond Long Range and 140 Gr. Accubond

Another view of the 140 Gr. Accubond and the 150 Gr. Accubond LR 270 caliber bullets.

 

Early in 2013 Nosler announced the introduction of their new bullet, the Accubond LR (Long Range). After a look through their 2013 catalog the specs on the 150 Gr. for the 270 caliber looked just amazing. A 0.625 ballistic coefficient for a bullet designed to perform on big game is just amazing.

Since the announcement I have been on the lookout to get some of these bullets as soon as I could get my hands on them. Mid July Midwayusa.com came through on getting some of these bullets for me.

The bullet has a very streamlined tangent ogive similar to a Berger VLD bullet. I suspect much like a Berger these bullets may require as long of a overall length as possible to shoot well. My X-Bolt 270 WSM may be the trickiest to get this to shoot as I am constrained by the magazine to a 2.86 overall length. Now for my Model 1885 in 270 WSM I can seat the bullet as long as I need with no magazine constraint. One of the things I love about the Model 1885.

I have been working on the loads for the 150 Gr. Accubond LR in my rifles. Looks like IMR 4350 is the powder (that I have on hand) that give me the best results.

Recovered from elk 150 Gr. Accubond LR
29 grains left from a recovered 150 Gr. Accubond Long Range bullet taken from Dallen's 2013 Utah bull elk. Isn't the lead supposed to be bonded to the copper?

Dec. 2013: The short answer to the "My new go to bullet?" question is No.  Although having a very high ballistic coefficient that would benefit holding accuracy and energy at long range the bullet is just far too fragile. These bullets appear to be more fragile than Ballistic Tips. If all the deer and elk I shoot were always showing up at 500 plus yards this would be the bullet, unfortunately often the critters show up at 200 yards. I like bullets that dump energy and fragment but this bullet is a little extra soft. I can't even use a lightly compressed load with it as it crushes a ring into the bullet's ogive with the seating die. They are the most fragile bullet I have ever seen and a bullet that took a lot of time to get a load to shoot accurately. My go to bullet is the 150 Gr Hornady SST with awesome accuracy and performance on the deer and elk our family has taken. 

For more on the 150 Gr. Accubond LR and it being used on mule deer and elk see:

  • Working up 270 WSM handloads for the 150 Gr. Accubond Long Range
  • 270 WSM Handloads and Ballistics
  • See how the bullet performs or should I say disintegrates when Dallen takes a six point bull elk with the 150 Gr. Accubond Long Range in 2013
  • Dallen takes a nice mule deer with the 150 Gr. Accubond LR in 2013