.338 Winchester 225 Accubond

Devin Twitty

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Ok I'm going to South African in April and taking my 338 win and bow. I hand load for the 338 using 225grn accubonds pushing them out just short of 2900fps. My gun is shooting about 1/4-1/2" groups. Are the accubonds tough enough if I decided to chase some of the heavier Plains antelope? I've shot elk and black bear with this load and they seem to work well.
 
Yes(y) Have Fun:D Beers:
 
They will work.
I prefer and used 225gr Swift A-frames.
 
:P Elmer Fudd: ok good I figured my bow set up was good for elk it's good for africa too.
 
Ok I'm going to South African in April and taking my 338 win and bow. I hand load for the 338 using 225grn accubonds pushing them out just short of 2900fps. My gun is shooting about 1/4-1/2" groups. Are the accubonds tough enough if I decided to chase some of the heavier Plains antelope? I've shot elk and black bear with this load and they seem to work well.
Eland and Waterbuck fell to my 375H&H shooting 250 accubonds at 200 yards, neither moved more than one step.
 
With the smaller caliber Accubonds the only criticism that I've heard was that they opened up a little quick, leaving a lot of bloodshot shoulder. but they held together, expanded to a broad frontal area and penetrated in a straight line, which are the main attributes for judging bullet performance.
 
I've see that on light for caliber bt but not accubonds. I've had one take out both shoulders of a elk and kept going. Also had one travel chest to rump on a 300lb 6'5" black bear. I figured they are good just wanted opinions.
 
Put them in the right spot and it will kill them. Personally I would probably go with a 210-225grain Barnes TTSX, but the Accubond will work. Lots of people have killed the biggest antelope in the world with nothing more than a 7x57... Granted, you gotta be a good shot and know your animals anatomy from any angle. I spend lots of time at the range all year so that when an animal steps in front of me, I don't even have to think about the aspects of shooting, they are all just habit at that point. Practice with your .338 until you can put all of your shots in a pie plate, offhand, at 100 yards and you'll be good to go. Most African PH's use shooting sticks whenever there is time to set them up and I doubt they will ask you to shoot offhand at a running antelope at 300 yards, although I'm sure there are game shots that could do it.

I think a lot of people concentrate on being a good shot, and while that is important, not all of them study the internal structure of the animal very closely. It is true that most quadrapeds vitals are in SIMILAR places, but there is a difference in all of them. Spend a fair amount of time looking up eland pictures, or wildebeest pictures from all sorts of different angles and imagine where you would put your round to do the most good. When you get into the field, it will be second nature. It has always worked for me!

Once you are armed with the knowledge of vitals on the animals and you have practiced with your rifle until you are comfortable that you can hit those vitals from any angle at any reasonable range, and you can do it from various field positions, caliber and bullet become far less important. I am not suggesting someone shoot a cape eland with a .243, you have come a long way and paid lots of money to hunt. Your .338 is more than enough gun for any thin skinned game on the planet. It's a big enough gun to bust bones with a modern bonded or monometal bullet and just put it through the pump room. The rest will sort itself out. Have fun and best of luck!
 
I've tried the Barnes bullets and had a few bad outcomes. I know my rifle very well and have been shooting it for the last 15years. Sitting off stickers I've killed lots of animals from 40 to 600yrds. Of a rest I'm good for 1/4"to1/2" of sticks I hang in the 1/2" to 3/4". I have no doubts of my shot placement ability but I do need to see more of the vital areas to really be tuned in.
I was a hunter for usda wildlife services for 8 years and was nicknamed Anne Oakley because I could do the hard longer range shots and snap shots. I was able to offhand hit a goose at 50 yards with a 20cal air rifle no rest and I had to do it with very short window of cars passing so they didn't see me do it. I've had lots of high pressure shots of the years I worked there and it's made me a better hunter.
 
I've tried the Barnes bullets and had a few bad outcomes. I know my rifle very well and have been shooting it for the last 15years. Sitting off stickers I've killed lots of animals from 40 to 600yrds. Of a rest I'm good for 1/4"to1/2" of sticks I hang in the 1/2" to 3/4". I have no doubts of my shot placement ability but I do need to see more of the vital areas to really be tuned in.
I was a hunter for usda wildlife services for 8 years and was nicknamed Anne Oakley because I could do the hard longer range shots and snap shots. I was able to offhand hit a goose at 50 yards with a 20cal air rifle no rest and I had to do it with very short window of cars passing so they didn't see me do it. I've had lots of high pressure shots of the years I worked there and it's made me a better hunter.
In that case.... I don't think you have anything to worry about. I have a hard time getting 3/4" off a bench with a common hunting rifle. Most military Snipers probably can't hold better than an inch at 100 yards off sticks. (y)
 
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My rifle is custom and I've spent years coming up with a load lol. I shoot a lot and love to mess with people at the range.
150 off sticks
 

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That'll do!!
 
Those will work just fine. Shot placement is key. In 2013 I shot everything from Diker to Blue wildebeest with a 250gr 9.3x74 TC Encore and they held together, expanded like they were a AD from Nosler. The Blue wildebeest was shot quartering to me through the right shoulder, full length of the body, broke both the front shoulder and left rear hip and was just under the skin and the rear. I prefer Swift A-Frames but couldn't get them at the time. Have fun and shoot straight.
 

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