140gr Accubond 6.5x55 Report/Question

Coues106 · Oct 10, 2026

Got an old mountain mule deer yesterday with my 6.5x55 and a factory Nosler Trophy Grade round with the Accubond. Shot was almost perfectly flat across a canyon at 465 yards, energy should’ve been around 1200 ft/lbs. Buck was facing uphill vertically, bullet went in perfectly centered on the spine and just about in line with the rear of the shoulders. Buck went down but required a follow-up shot upon recovery. We recovered the bullet in the backstrap mushroomed about halfway through, which to me surprised me as I would have expected more penetration than just deflecting into the meat only an inch or two. Is this poor performance for this bullet or am I asking too much of this thing in getting through a spinal column at that range? I’ve got a few boxes of this round but was going to start loading accubonds for my .30-06 and 6.5x55 deer rifles.

Rare Breed · Oct 10, 2026

I used the 250 grain accubond in my 9.3x62 on both large zebra and Gemsbok. While both did not exit the damage internally with shock power downed them instantly

Rimshot · Oct 10, 2026

My preference in 6.5x55 is the 140 partition, but you got your deer so accubond works too. In my experience the accubond gets more of a parachute effect and doesn't penetrate as deep as a partition.
As a thought experiment though, hitting the spine with even a .416 would've required a followup I bet, even if the bullet had gone ahead and severed both loins. Deer would still be alive, just paralyzed.

Coues106 · Oct 10, 2026

Rimshot said:
My preference in 6.5x55 is the 140 partition, but you got your deer so accubond works too. In my experience the accubond gets more of a parachute effect and doesn't penetrate as deep as a partition.
As a thought experiment though, hitting the spine with even a .416 would've required a followup I bet, even if the bullet had gone ahead and severed both loins. Deer would still be alive, just paralyzed.

Let me use a visual for the shot, it was down through the spine and into the vitals (but deflected off into the backstrap it appears).

Nosler guy · Oct 10, 2026

Where I come from - you were using marginal equipment for the situation described, expecting big league results.

Coues106 · Oct 10, 2026

Nosler guy said:
Where I come from - you were using marginal equipment for the situation described, expecting big league results.

So you’re saying that expecting a shot to pass through the spine and into the vitals was too much to ask of the round/range/animal combination? That was my question as I was expecting it to be able to sever the spine and then pass into the vitals. What kind of caliber do I need to be running to expect that kind of result in the same situation? Thanks for the replies.

Rimshot · Oct 10, 2026

Ok I understand better with the visual. I agree that at that range you're asking a lot of any bullet from a 6.5x55 with that angle. You potentially have a lot of bone to go thru without much excess energy available to do it. One of the bigger 7mm or 30 cal cartridges might make the difference here.
I've shot deer broadside at that range with my 6.5x55 loaded with 140 partitions and it worked good. That said, you can tell the impact effects are diminished compared to closer range. Beyond 400 yards or so I'm definitely waiting for a favorable shot angle with this cartridge. However, hit near the spine and at least he's going down long enough for a follow up

Jhsmith · Oct 10, 2026

That’s a long shot anyway you measure it.
Not my cup of tea.
If you’re gonna shoot those distances, I think the old saying” there’s no replacement for displacement” applies.
Gonna be interesting to see what other people have to say.

375er · Oct 10, 2026

Jhsmith said:
That’s a long shot anyway you measure it.
Not my cup of tea.
If you’re gonna shoot those distances, I think the old saying” there’s no replacement for displacement” applies.
Gonna be interesting to see what other people have to say.

A 300 magnum of some sort comes to mind at that distance.

Coues106 · Oct 10, 2026

Rimshot said:
Ok I understand better with the visual. I agree that at that range you're asking a lot of any bullet from a 6.5x55 with that angle. You potentially have a lot of bone to go thru without much excess energy available to do it. One of the bigger 7mm or 30 cal cartridges might make the difference here.
I've shot deer broadside at that range with my 6.5x55 loaded with 140 partitions and it worked good. That said, you can tell the impact effects are diminished compared to closer range. Beyond 400 yards or so I'm definitely waiting for a favorable shot angle with this cartridge. However, hit near the spine and at least he's going down long enough for a follow up

Great info, thank you. Definitely a shot I think I’m going to avoid going forward having seen this. Your answer was what I was interested in as I have always hunted with a .30-06 and only recently been really delving into bullet construction and performance. Knowledge on here has always been top tier

sgt_zim · Oct 10, 2026

Nobody is a bigger 6.5 Swede homer than I am. That's just not a shot I would have taken.

Unless you're shooting a 26" barrel like what Nosler always seems to test with, you probably weren't doing any better than 2550, maybe even 2500.

Woodleigh Weldcore 160 gr has the same BC as 140 Accubond. At 2500 fps, even it doesn't have the juice at 465 yards.

Nosler guy · Oct 10, 2026

Coues106 said:
What kind of caliber do I need to be running to expect that kind of result in the same situation?

looks like some of the other guys have pretty much answered this ....

First of all, like a few of the other guys, not a big fan of that shot. But thinking if you're going to do it, you're into someting that shoots flat, and carries some velocity and energy - like a 7mm Mag and up from there. Just my opinion.

sgt_zim · Oct 10, 2026

Nosler guy said:
looks like some of the other guys have pretty much answered this ....

First of all, like a few of the other guys, not a big fan of that shot. But thinking if you're going to do it, you're into someting that shoots flat, and carries some velocity and energy - like a 7mm Mag and up from there. Just my opinion.

At that distance, even something pretty fast and with a decent to good BC still needs 2 - 3 feet of holdover. It is what it is.

Bob Nelson 35Whelen · Oct 11, 2026

sgt_zim said:
Nobody is a bigger 6.5 Swede homer than I am. That's just not a shot I would have taken.

Unless you're shooting a 26" barrel like what Nosler always seems to test with, you probably weren't doing any better than 2550, maybe even 2500.

Woodleigh Weldcore 160 gr has the same BC as 140 Accubond. At 2500 fps, even it doesn't have the juice at 465 yards.

@sgt_zim
Have you tried those 160gn Woodleigh RNSP yet mate.
Still waiting to hear how the go.
Bob

BAY · Oct 11, 2026

In that situation, I’ll use my 6.5 PRC and 142gr ABLR. In fact, I have.

sgt_zim · Oct 12, 2026

Bob Nelson 35Whelen said:
@sgt_zim
Have you tried those 160gn Woodleigh RNSP yet mate.
Still waiting to hear how the go.
Bob

I got the load worked up, but I didn't hunt at all last year. The way things are shaping up, looks like I'll miss deer season again this year.

MV is 2420 or 2430 with the RN, only pushed the PP to 2380 or so. I expect at my normal 40 - 60 yard shots, the RN are gonna hit like lightning.

Redfishga1 · Oct 12, 2026

I'm shooting some hand loads running 2850 with 143 bond strike. Nosler is going to underpower the swede because of all the old rifles. Thats a long range shot. would be better with horsepower and either a bondstrike or accubond long range.

Bob Nelson 35Whelen · Oct 12, 2026

sgt_zim said:
I got the load worked up, but I didn't hunt at all last year. The way things are shaping up, looks like I'll miss deer season again this year.

MV is 2420 or 2430 with the RN, only pushed the PP to 2380 or so. I expect at my normal 40 - 60 yard shots, the RN are gonna hit like lightning.

@sgt_zim
Even at those speeds you are going to notice a big difference in the way those round nose hit compared to the PPSP. They will hit a lot harder.
Bob

Journey · Oct 12, 2026

First off, nice shooting!

We are all stating the obvious that a bit more juice is needed. I dont have practical hand loading experience with the 6.5 swede, but I've read you can get alot more out of the cartridge with hand loads. Have a pic of the recovered bullet?

Coues106 · Oct 12, 2026

Yessir, and thank you! I practice quite a bit at this range with my rifles so the ability to shoot wasn't the issue, just the power, so this has been good reading. Bullet shown here. Seems to have just mushroomed/peeled down to the cannelure:

140gr Accubond 6.5x55 Report/Question

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