Nosler AB vs ABLR

[KeithF]

I have experience with AB but have never shot the ABLR. I would like some input on the 2. Are the terminal ballistics identical at all ranges (800 yd max). The BCs look exaggerated on the ABLR. Do they have better long range accuracy than the AB? Thanks for any experience shared between these two bullets. The rifle I’m using is a 6.5x284 (long FB), 25” Bartlein.

 

[2506]

The LRAB has a thinner jacket to allow it to expand down to 1300 fps where the regular AB is 1800 fps. No two rifles are exactly the same. Some may not like some bullets while others will love them. You will have to try them in your rifle. I do know that in my experience with the AB it likes to jump a ways to the lands.

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

I have experience with AB but have never shot the ABLR. I would like some input on the 2. Are the terminal ballistics identical at all ranges (800 yd max). The BCs look exaggerated on the ABLR. Do they have better long range accuracy than the AB? Thanks for any experience shared between these two bullets. The rifle I’m using is a 6.5x284 (long FB), 25” Bartlein.

As you stated, the BC's are NOT quite, correct ! I just got done "verifying" my, Turret's custom "tape" for, my .270 WSM using the regular 140 grain AccuBond and it proved to be, about .480 -.485 BC not the .496 advertised. I chose the AB for it's Jacket TOUGHNESS as, I hate copper "fragments" going everywhere in the Meat, on "close" shots. The .277 Bullet expands down to 1800 FPS and that's farther than, I "need" or, want, to shoot at Moose/ Elk,.. easily expanding to about, 750- 800 yards in my rifle at 3,140 FPS start velocity. I read and studied, a lot of posts/comments on the AB and almost everyone, likes it with very few negative comments! Do watch, the Bullets OAL from lot to lot as, they can very as much as .020-.025 in length batch to batch, SADLY ! Buy several boxes with, SAME lot # after trying them, in your rifle. They shoot great (easily SUB MOA ) for me in my Tikka. And as stated in the above post, they are Tangent Ogive and LIKE,.. to "Jump" ! They work great, at Magazine length, in most Tikka's !

 

[bigngreen]

As you stated, the BC's are NOT quite, correct ! I just got done "verifying" my, Turret's custom "tape" for, my .270 WSM using the regular 140 grain AccuBond and it proved to be, about .480 -.485 BC not the .496 advertised. I chose the AB for it's Jacket TOUGHNESS as, I hate copper "fragments" going everywhere in the Meat, on "close" shots. The .277 Bullet expands down to 1800 FPS and that's farther than, I "need" or, want, to shoot at Moose/ Elk,.. easily expanding to about, 750- 800 yards in my rifle at 3,140 FPS start velocity. I read and studied, a lot of posts/comments on the AB and almost everyone, likes it with very few negative comments! Do watch, the Bullets OAL from lot to lot as, they can very as much as .020-.025 in length batch to batch, SADLY ! Buy several boxes with, SAME lot # after trying them, in your rifle. They shoot great (easily SUB MOA ) for me in my Tikka. And as stated in the above post, they are Tangent Ogive and LIKE,.. to "Jump" ! They work great, at Magazine length, in most Tikka's !

I've shot the 140 AB on elk and deer starting at 3350 and it's not reliable below 2200 fps, I've found a couple of bullets after going through deer that we're only opened by the dirt. Close hits in elk with one we're a mess, I blew one down to the base on a cow at 220 yards, she was blood shot from her hips up into her neck from a high shoulder shot. I had to give them up. BC is .425 G1.
The ALR will litterally blow a hole through a deer you can look through OR plug through them, never shot an elk with them cause it was clear they were not a good call in this cal!! Shot truck loaded of elk from then on with a 140 Berger at 3300 fps, one of the best I've shot elk with in the 270 Cal's other than the 165 Matrix.

 

[AckleymanII]

At the ranges I hunt with, 150g LRAB in 7 Mags plant deer on the spot. I shoot N160 and Retumbo, in Remington 700's.

I like planting deer on the spot when I am hunting in a Jungle.

I bought 5 boxes of the 6.5 caliber 129's and 142's. Those 129's shoot very accurately in custom 6.5 x 47 lapua and 6.5 creed, seated very close to the lands. Same on the 142g in the creed with AA4350, hummers abound. I have not killed anything with the 6.5 LRAB.

 

[MagnumManiac]

My only experience so far with ABLR’s is with 6.5 129gr/142gr.
I have to date deliberately shot light game (200lb) deer beyond the 1300fps threshold. The 129gr expanded right down to 900fps, while the 142gr expanded at 1000fps. The expansion is very similar between the 2 and the LR accuracy is very good out of my 264WM. I also used the 129gr ABLR in my 6.5x47 on pigs, longest shots being inside of 600, only 3 bullets were recovered at those ranges and retained weight was very good.

I like them, the performance is great, the price is fair and they do their job beyond what I expected.
I had more failures in this cal with 140gr Bergers at the same ranges where they didn’t expand at all. This was expected however, as they’re not designed to expand at 900/1000fps.

Cheers.

 

[Bbear]

I use the 142 in my 6.5x55 and a 264 Win Mag. I too, noticed the BC wasn't as advertised. My testing in the 264 gave me .625-ish out to 700. The ABLR is suppose to open down to something like 1200 fps. I took an elk at a 'whopping' 137 yards that went through both shoulders. My friend took a decent bull using them in a 6.5 CM around 2700 (I think). That shot was about 200 yards and passed completely through from behind the near shoulder through the off shoulder.
I have also noticed that you have to check each box on the amount oal. I bought 7 boxes for the two 6.5's I had from the same lot after finding out about the differences.
I'll be trying the 129's in my Newton when I can get back to the reloading bench.

 

[Bc'z]

I use the 142 in my 6.5x55 and a 264 Win Mag. I too, noticed the BC wasn't as advertised. My testing in the 264 gave me .625-ish out to 700. The ABLR is suppose to open down to something like 1200 fps. I took an elk at a 'whopping' 137 yards that went through both shoulders. My friend took a decent bull using them in a 6.5 CM around 2700 (I think). That shot was about 200 yards and passed completely through from behind the near shoulder through the off shoulder.
I have also noticed that you have to check each box on the amount oal. I bought 7 boxes for the two 6.5's I had from the same lot after finding out about the differences.
I'll be trying the 129's in my Newton when I can get back to the reloading bench.

Let me know how they shoot..

 

[Bbear]

I'd say they do pretty good. This is a 100 yard target with my 6.5x55.