180 grain accu-bond and interbond test.

[snuffy]

Hi, I'm new here. I started expansions tests last summer with the then new 30 cal. 165 Hornady interbond bullet. Both Nozler and Hornady have come out with a 180 grain in their bonded bullets. Finally a dirrect comparison can be made. I use gallon milk jugs to test expansion. I will post results as soon as I do the tests next week or so.

I finally had time and good weather at the same time today. The range road was open as well, so off I went to shoot some groups for load workup on the 180 accubond Nozler and 180 interbond Hornady. This was in my Browning 300 WSM, 23 inch BBL.

The powder I chose is Alliant reloader-19. I looked in the sierra manual for their 180 grainers, their top load is 70.5 grains. So I started at 68.5, went up 1.0 gr. At a time to 70.5. Mainly I wanted to test for pressure and see if any would group under an inch. AFTER loading this test run of 3 each, I looked at Speer and Hornady’s data. They’re extremely conservative, their top load is 68.5 R-19! So I loaded 2 each at 67.0 and 2 at 68.0.

Now for the pleasant surprise!
Accubond interbond
67.0 2952 av 2973 av
68.0 3006 av 3044 av
68.5 3026 av 3059 av
69.5 3080 av 3103 av

I got chicken, did not fire the 70.5 loads. Hornady and Speer were telling me I was well over max. The appearance of the fired shells, no hard sticky bolt lift and steady climb of velocities said I was still safe. (These were brand new Norma cases.) Upon measuring the expansion ring I know I could-should have fired the 70.5 loads. I hate skatin on thin ice.

Here’s the best group, it was 68.5 R-19. win large rifle primers, new Norma brass. It measure .900.



These velocities are well above what they were supposed to be. I’m at a loss to explain how I got over 3100 fps with the 69.5 load with the Horn IB. The 69.5 load shot a 1.7 inch group. I will pick the 68.5 load for expansion testing at least for the IB

The accu bonds didn’t shoot much for groups, the best was at 69.5, 1.770. I will probably use that load for expansion testing as it’s real close to the same velocity as the 68.5 load for the IB.

Looks like a good start, I should be ready to do some expansion testing next week, weather permitting. I’m also going to include some .308 loads for both the AB and IB, to research lower velocities. If I have time and jugs, I’m also going to try some 139 gr IB’s in my boys 7-08.

 

[snuffy]

anybody listening!?

And the results are in------------well some of them anyway. I’ll call this my shake down cruise. LITERALLY! There is a bunch of energy being released when a bullet hits those jugs. The board I used to lay the jugs on started coming apart after the third hit. I ended up nearly breaking it in half! There went $30.00 worth of lumber and a couple hours and hardware to build. Back to the drawing board. Pics to follow.

As to the results, well here goes. I got to test 5 different bullets. 1. the 180 Hornady interbond. 2. the 180 Nozler accu-bond. 3.The 180 Hornady SST. 4.The 180 Remington core-loct round nose. 5. The 190 sierra match king.

Here’s the 3 Nozler accu-bonds



retained weight, 119.1, 121.7, 121.9 Expansion .875, .645, .665. Percentage of weight retention is around 67% The .875 is the one on the left with a piece of jacket sticking out, otherwise it would be like the other 2. Now for where a person has to choose one over the other,(AB over IB). All 3 AB’s went through 3 jugs and into the fourth. The interbond was found in the third jug, just like the 165’s I tested last summer.



Here’s the only interbond I could capture. Problems with the stand caused one other one to be lost in the grass. Retained weight 140.1, expansion .715, weight retention, 77%. Like I said it and the lost one only penetrated 3 jugs.



I had a partial box of 25 year old Rem core-locts sitting around. I thought, â€I wonder how the dark ages technology compares with today’s newest?†Well it fits between the interbond and accubond. Ret. Weight. 131.0 expansion .625, 72% retention. Also the prettiest most uniform mushroom of all.

No pics for the MK! Couldn’t find enough of 2 bullets to weigh or take pics of. Total disintegration! Same for the SST. Blown to pieces, just shards of lead and copper jacket in the last,(third), jug.

All loads were 68.5 grains of R-19, except the MK was 66.0 R-19. Velocities were between 3000 and 3050 fps @ 15 feet/muzzle.

Oh here’s the set-up;



This WAS a 10 X 2 , 6 feet long. The legs were nailed, screwed and gorilla glued to the notched ends of the board. All I have left are the legs! The board was cracked and nearly broken in half right under where the first jug was sitting. I screwed and gorilla glued 1 X 4 pine under the board to keep it from splitting lengthwise. Oh well, next time I may just make it out of steel!

 

[Mr. Chitlin]

Thanks for the pics and info. I am always glad to see real world tests, where the shooters are setting up and firing hunting bullets. I was wondering how these new bullets would do, this shows me.

Might just have to give them a try this fall.

 

[griz]

Great info, thanks.
I would have expected the SST bullet to be stout enough to hold together, so that was a surprise.

 

[pbhome71]

Snuffy,

Thanks for the report. Be careful with your loads. Those are pretty hot...

-Pat