Personal Best
We tested the AccuBond line of hunting bullets from the renowned ammunition manufacturer Nosler, and their accuracy blew us away! What are their other advantages, and possibly disadvantages?
Title photo: AccuBond
The AccuBond bullet family, offered both as a component for reloading and in the form of factory cartridges (see box “Factory Ammunition”), represents one of the flagship products of the Nosler ammunition brand. Structurally, it belongs to the category of bullets with a traditional lead core. The jacket is firmly and uniformly bonded to the core using a patented bonding process based on soldering, which significantly reduces the tendency for the jacket to separate from the core upon impact compared to non-bonded or mechanically locked cores. Based on my own testing, I can confirm this. I repeatedly recovered bullets shot into a modeling clay block, and even at impact velocities around 800 m/s, the bullets held together and retained on average 80% of their weight. Naturally, this percentage improved with decreasing velocity. While they may not fully match monolithic bullets in terms of integrity, in practical use they come close—plus they offer the advantage of reliable expansion without requiring bone strikes to initiate deformation. Controlled expansion is achieved by a thinner jacket at the tip and a cavity filled with a distinctive white ballistic polymer tip, which improves external ballistics. The shape is a refined spitzer with a boat tail, known for a high ballistic coefficient. For the variant I tested, the .264/140, the BC was .509.
AccuBond bullets are packaged in the typical Nosler style, in boxes of 50.Excellent accuracy
As for the variants, the AccuBond bullet family includes 26 options, specifically (caliber / weight in grains): .224/70, .243/90, 257/110, .264/130,140, .277/130,140,150, .284 (7mm)/140,150,160, .308/125,150,165,180, .323 (8 mm)/200, .338/200,225,250,300, .358/225, .366 (9.3mm)/250, and .375/260,300. The last two types feature a cannelure; the rest have a smooth surface. The selection covers most of today’s commonly used calibers.
I had the opportunity to test not only the .264/140 variant, loaded into a 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge and fired from a Ruger American Predator bolt-action rifle, but also the .224/70 in a .223 Rem cartridge, tested in a semi-automatic SPR AR-15 type rifle. As usual, I tested a wide range of cartridge configurations to find the most accurate load. Based on previous experience with Nosler bullets, I expected a good result—but the reality exceeded my expectations! At a distance of 100 meters, 5 out of 6 shots per group (averaged from three groups) landed within just under 13 mm center-to-center, which means less than 0.5 MOA! So far, I have tested around thirty different bullets in this caliber and firearm, and the AccuBond delivered the best groupings. Only the top-tier monolithic Hasler Ariete bullet came close, with practically identical results—perhaps just a few tenths of a millimeter behind. Of course, to a certain extent, this is a subjective evaluation; at this level, it heavily depends on how well a particular bullet “matches” a specific rifle. But in terms of accuracy, the AccuBond definitely ranks at the very top.
One of the groups at 100 m speaks for itself.
One of the bullets I recovered, fired from point-blank range.Higher cost
I must admit that load development took a bit more trial and error than usual. Eight load iterations, to be precise, and the worst group exceeded 1.5 MOA. It was similar with the .224/70 variant, so expect to invest some time fine-tuning when reloading. In my case, I used 43 grains of RS60 Swiss powder with an overall cartridge length of 71.4 mm and a jump (distance from the lands) of just under 1 mm. From testing and other shooters’ experiences, it’s clear this bullet “prefers” to start close to the lands. Chronograph-measured velocity from a 559 mm (22") barrel was around 853 m/s. I have to praise the ballistic tip—it’s firm enough to survive magazine cycling, the reloading process, and even pocket carry without any signs of deformation. With the .223 Rem, I achieved groups just under 1 MOA, which translates to 26 mm at 91 m. That’s still an excellent result, although I believe the bullet’s potential lies even higher. Semi-auto “AR-type” rifles just have their limitations.
The excellent performance of AccuBond bullets is reflected in their relatively high price. The cheapest .224/70 comes in at 28.1 CZK per piece, the .264/140 at 32.7 CZK, the .308/165 at 34 CZK, and the most expensive, the .375/300, at 55.4 CZK. Boxes contain 50 bullets. Among hunting bullets with a lead core, only the Nosler Partition and RWS Speed Tip are more expensive on our market.
Factory Ammunition
Nosler also thinks about those who don't reload. The manufacturer offers AccuBond bullets loaded in the Trophy Grade line of factory cartridges. You can choose from a total of 58 loads, ranging from .223 Nosler up to .375 H&H, including our traditional 7x57 mm and 9.3x62 mm. Performance-wise, these are slightly milder loads—e.g., the 6.5 Creedmoor with a 140 gr bullet (the same I handloaded) has a listed muzzle velocity of “just” 808 m/s from a 610 mm barrel. That’s certainly no lightweight, and I wouldn’t worry about accuracy or quality. On the downside, availability is limited and prices are high. For example, a .308 Win load with a 150 gr bullet costs around 83 CZK. With AccuBonds, reloading definitely pays off! But if you insist on factory ammo, some local retailers do import Trophy Grade cartridges—for instance, proarms.cz.
Factory-loaded Nosler Trophy Grade cartridge with AccuBond bullet.„Based on my experience with Nosler bullets, I expected a good result on paper, but the reality exceeded my expectations!„
Ideal for Trophy Game
On the other hand, this is truly a top-tier bullet! In terms of accuracy, its only real rival is the slightly more expensive Hasler bullets. As for terminal performance, Hasler—like monolithic bullets in general—has the edge in post-impact integrity, but AccuBond is not far behind and has the advantage of reliable expansion even at lower impact velocities, without needing to strike bone. Based on my test shots into modeling clay blocks and limited hunting experience, I’d say it’s a slightly tougher bullet with a tendency to over-penetrate. According to the manufacturer’s data, it reliably expands from 550 m/s onward, which I can confirm, though the optimal performance seems to lie a bit higher. It’s not the best choice for truly “slow” cartridges. When it comes to preserving game meat, it’s above average—some bruising will occur, but nothing major.
For small or light-bodied game like roe deer, a softer bullet would be better. However, for wild boar, mouflon, and larger deer or trophy-sized bucks, it’s an excellent choice. I wouldn’t hesitate to use it on even bigger and tougher game abroad. Weight retention and penetration are exceptional for a lead-core bullet. It’s worth noting that the .223/70 variant, based on my observations, tends to expand a bit more readily. At reasonable distances, it should be more than sufficient even for roe deer.
Adequate expansion begins at impact velocities around 550 m/s (left). The manufacturer does not specify an upper velocity limit. Center and right: bullet deformation at 732 and 930 m/s, respectively.Conclusion
If you’re looking for a slightly softer bullet but still impressed with the AccuBond in every other aspect, you might consider Nosler AccuBond LR bullets, which we reviewed in a previous article. They are essentially the same bullet, but optimized for extreme long-range shooting. This includes a slightly better ballistic coefficient, but more importantly, a softer core and thinner jacket to ensure reliable expansion even at impact velocities as low as 370 m/s. Returning to the “standard” AccuBond: if you want a lead-core bullet, there aren’t many better options on the market. The Partition, with its dual-core design, expands a bit more readily, making it slightly more versatile—but it is also a bit less accurate, more expensive, and has a more delicate exposed lead tip.
Pros / Cons
+ exceptional accuracy
+ high weight retention
+ reliable terminal performance
- high cost
- slightly limited versatility
You can purchase AccuBond bullets, as well as other Nosler products, at STROBL.CZ s.r.o. More information is available at strobl.cz or directly from the manufacturer’s website at nosler.com
Image sources: Author’s archive, manufacturer materials: nosler.com
Author: Tomáš Prachař
Originally published in Lovec magazine by Extra Publishing