New 129 gr ABLR Accubond Long Range bullet

[Bigfoot]

http://noslerreloading.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=21141

Nosler just announced a new bullet line. The 6.5mm is a 129 gr w .561 bc and a recommended 1,300 to 3,200 fps impact velocity. It's going to take up a lot of space in the 65G but everything else is sweet, so....... I wonder if Nosler is open to suggestions regarding future weights... like a 110?

I know some fellas round here have some pull with the manufactures, this might be the right time to lobby Bend for another 65G optimized bullet.

I understand why the 130s are a sweet spot in 6.5mm but the market is already crowded there.

I see that long, high BC bullets are the next trend, something newish for the sales dept. Believe me I'm ok with that but how about some lighter weight ones too. Why does the 5.56, 6mm, .257 and .277 bores get all the low SD bonded bullets?

Heck if nothing else get em to toughen up or bond the 100 and 120 BTs.

[JASmith]

I have argued for 100 grain bullets in the context of line infantry applications because of flatter trajectories and the size of targets.

Nothing I know of changes my thoughts for that application. Medium game hunting, however, adds two factors that push the optimal weight higher.

1) Heavy, high BC bullets tend to minimize the odds of missing in moderate winds.

2) Heavy for caliber bullets tend to have better terminal effectiveness than lighter bullets. The all-copper expanding bullets are no exception but tend to penetrate deeper than lead-copper bullets because they lose so little weight and tend to hold together better.

The result is that 120-130 gr bullets appear to be closer to an optimum than lighter bullets.

[sneaky one]

Yes and no on those thoughts on hunt bullets JAS. I hunt short range mostly-ucap=up close and personal. The extra speed with the 94 gr. GMX's @ 2860-2890 fps. make the impact-and inside destruction even more lethal than say 100 grn. lead units,at close=or slower speeds, with a shorter bullet.-I've done a lot of testing for 2 years on this unit. It is trully the most accurate hunt bullet I've ever shot-out of this rifle-same group size out to 200y.=a dime covers the group size. They buck the wind better than a shorter 100 gr. unit. I will use it to 300yd. max. It is an amazing bullet, I hope to sway H. to make a version of it in 100-105 wt. soon. Bill A mentioned to me a -6 months ago-the Grendel does it's best with projectiles in the 105-115 gr. class, as far as drift, speed, trajectory, impact speed and etc. I took that good advice to heart, all the bullet trials I have done lately are in that zone. The Gmx-needs to be lighter tho. It's nasty bad. I compare it to a tiny outboard motor propeller , on the fly! It does not yield, nor shed wt. =it plows forward-look out> I hope to harvest a deer this season w/ it-2 yrs. ago I took a deer w/ a 100 grn gmx-300fps. slower=== a DRT deer. The only other bullet choice I use is a Bonded unit say a 105-110 grn. Interbond, or Accubond.

Cheers,, as Von would say

[sneaky one]

Bfoot, ironically yesterday-I turned down a 120 Nos bt- to 115gr. and thought-hmmmmmm this VLD tail I installed, and a bonded core would re-invigorate the Nos BT lineup. I'll put up some pics when I get back from hunting- maybe tues? Oh no! sasquatch and I have the same thoughts on bullets.,,,,,,, = ,,,,,,,,, jokey! Any good ideas are always welcomed for bullets-in any caliber=send them to the manuf.- Request an idea you thought of-it may happen!

[Bigfoot]

Posted by a Nosler Rep:

"Keep in mind, this is just our initial offering and we will be expanding the line in the future. If we aren't yet offering the weight or caliber that you want, let us know as we do take your requests into account when designing new products."

I can see into the future, I should put up a palm reading sign. Nosler will expand the line and they are open to ideas/requests. I'll give em mine, but I'm only one shooter and I've been asking them for a bonded 100-120 BT for years. There's power in numbers.

RE 130s: I shoot little deer mostly in thick cover. I want a light/med weight bullet w a good BC that won't explode on a rib. The interlocked 123 SST might hold up better than the BTs, don't know yet but I know a 110ish Accubond would.

[LRRPF52]

So what weight can we all agree on and then ask for?

100gr
105gr
110gr
115gr

If it can have a BC at .500 or more, at the lightest weight possible, that would be the ticket I think. That's a tall order to fill. 115gr will probably be under .500 BC, like .485 at best. That's still a great load if you run it at 2600fps, and the expansion is what they say it is.

[Von Gruff]

So what weight can we all agree on and then ask for?

100gr
105gr
110gr
115gr

If it can have a BC at .500 or more, at the lightest weight possible, that would be the ticket I think. That's a tall order to fill. 115gr will probably be under .500 BC, like .485 at best. That's still a great load if you run it at 2600fps, and the expansion is what they say it is.

While many advocate for the lighter bullet I am of the view that the 110-115 bullet weight would be to the best advantage and as you so rightly point out a 115 at 2600 even with a 485 BC would certainly hold up better at range and with a low expansion capability the 115gn weight should give the best results both up close and way out there. My balistic calculator does reduce the optimum animal weight as distance and velocity drops though.

http://biggameinfo.com/index.aspx?page=%2fbalcalc.ascx

[LRRPF52]

It wouldn't hurt my feelings if they did a 123gr, which isn't that far from a 129gr in their perspective. I love how well 123gr bucks the wind from my 16" at modest velocities, with very minimal recoil.

I think we need to ask ourselves what performance advantage we're looking for in addition to the current line-up of seemingly endless projectile selection for the Grendel.

Do we want velocity for the sake of it, while being able to match the BC's of some of the current pills in the 123-129gr range, but using a lighter Nosler ABLR?

Do we want increased hunting effective range on medium and medium-heavy game? (The Grendel currently offers performance outside the capabilities of most hunters.)

Do we want faster impact velocity on closer-range shoots, where the animals have tough hides? (100gr TTSX does that now, one could argue.)

If a factory Grendel load could push that 129gr ABLR at 2500fps, that would be a great load as-is. You're looking at performance capabilities well beyond the average hunter, as it is still above its expansion threshold at 700yds. It's going to be a great bullet in the .260 Rem and 6.5 Creedmoor as well.

[sneaky one]

Most hunters don't shoot that far at game-most. I know Von & L52 do. The ideal thing would be a 123, and say a 110. That would fill in the voids-cover every need. I like the I-bond in 110. I can get to 2740 easily for a good smack down, and minimal wt. loss. Also as a lead free option, the GMX-with a twist. If they would build it like the discontinued Barney unit , with the silvex? in the rear. We could have a unit close to 100TTSX oal., but weighing 110-115. That may be close to about right. That would get us close to 6.5 Swede-.308 performance from the Grrr.I am seeing ALMOST that much performance w/ the 94 gmx , @ 2890. When I bought this rifle 4 yrs. ago, my goals were right away, to up the performance of this small round. I've reached my goals, and then some. I wait for a few diff. wts. to develop- I am set for now,if we all push together, we may get what we ALL want. Someone-not me!-should set up a nice polling station, and ask all the forum members, here only,, to cast an idea , for what they want-in a hunt bullet, Bill A said the 105-115 range is best.I kinda felt that too... so I adjusted to those wts. to see. I beleive he was right on. We can then present it to said manuf.'s to reveiw. Some of us could do damage tests-some the long range shooting. It would be a fantastic Grendel gang project. Sound good? I too ran some ballistic charts, 94 Gmx, & a 105 IB-they are almost twins! Those 2 are what's in the mags for this wknds. hunt Look out deer!. I sent a note to Horn. for them to contact me, nothing yet. Von try the jbm calc. trajectory (drift)-you get to add bbl. twist , bullet length and more. My 94's are zeroed @ 200yd. = 1.0" high @ 100y,- 7" drop @300y. Still 977 ft. lb., and 2163 fps.- there @ 300y. Used G1=.378BC . This covers my hunt locale very nicely. The 105 IB, slower, yet G1 BC =.359 doesn't win till 700y. Hee-hee!!!!!!!!!!! My ride is here , later guys. I am bringing a camera this time.

[Bigfoot]

1st choice 110. It seems to me like the best compromise of length, velocity, BC and SD. Same SD as a 150g .308 Win bullet.

A 105 would be very similar to a .257 cal 100g which has been killing deer just fine for a century, plus it's bonded for better penetration.

A 115 would duplicate the great .257 110 Accubond bullet.

The perfect bullet would be a bonded Berger Hunting VLD that delays expansion until it gets past the bacon and ribs. That's for another thread tho.

[BjornF16]

Considering we may be getting a 123 SST soon, I'd vote for 110-115 ABLR.

While I like the accuracy/energy of the 115 Berger BT, I didn't like how much meat I lost with it.

[Luv269er]

I would agree that a 100gr. to 115gr. Nosler ALR or Hornady A-Max/SST/GMX in 110gr. or 115gr. would be great.

The extra long projectile length is the killer for the 6.5 Grendel and the 6.5mm PCC wildcat rounds, Ideally it would need
to be in the 1.200" or less range as far as projectile length is concerned...

I would love to wildcat that .30 RAR case to 6.5mm if Remington ever got it's act together and produced some brass
in .30 RAR...

[Drifter]

New 129 gr ABLR Accubond Long Range bullet

http://noslerreloading.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=21141

That link suggested expected availability to be spring / summer 2013. Should be a good bullet for .260, 6.5 CM, etc.


I'm curious to see how the 123gr SST turns out, but I wouldn't mind seeing some hunting bullets in the 107gr / 108gr class. Seems like the right fit for the Grendel.

[Bigfoot]

Tell Nosler directly what you want.


Wishlist thread: http://noslerreloading.com/phpBB2/vi...=21170&start=0

[sneaky one]

BF, good to have you on our side.

Lu269, welcome in.

Bjorn, I agree w/ the meat loss- from the lead sprayers, Bergers= that's why I at least prefer the bonded bullets.

Drifter ?

I am waiting for feed back on Accu's in 117- I sent out a while back. The accu's seem to meld faster after a target hit= old school bonded bullets. I have since upgraded. I took a nice 8 pt. w/ a 94 gr. leadfree unit-yesterday..