whats the diff. with a-max and hornady sst in.308
- Thread starter tntrapper
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jakermeister
New member
I shot a coyote a few weeks ago with the 168 gr. A-Max and made a perfect heart shot (facing me). The bullet never exited. I would recommend the SST for animals. I would hate to waste some nice back straps
Originally Posted By: tntrapperok thanks everyone for comments..is the a-max like the v-maxs... yea that wouldnt be good to bad the back straps anit bigger lol
No... V-max "explosive" A-max will mushroom but not desined for it. Does no one ever look at the InterBonds? Just as nice as the Amax with a little less BC but made to expand and stay together.
No... V-max "explosive" A-max will mushroom but not desined for it. Does no one ever look at the InterBonds? Just as nice as the Amax with a little less BC but made to expand and stay together.
knockemdown
New member
I was shooting 162 AMAXs through my 7Wizzer two weeks ago at 800yds. I was wondering why I wasn't seeing the plate swing even though I heard the "bing"? Well, those AMAXs were boring holes through a new 3/8" steel plate I was shooting at!
Granted it wasn't AR500 plate, but after seeing that firsthand, I've little doubt of how those same bullets will perform on a deer & plan on doing just that in November...
Granted it wasn't AR500 plate, but after seeing that firsthand, I've little doubt of how those same bullets will perform on a deer & plan on doing just that in November...
kyotekiller25
Well-known member
The way bullets perform on steel and animals are not even close.
I shoot 162g AMAX's as well from a 7 RM at 2900fps. Super accurate load out to 1K. Took a couple bucks with them couple years back one at a lazered 800 yards, other at about 200. I hit the one at 790 behind the shoulder, hit a rib going in and the bullet exploded inside, didn't exit at that range and it dind't even hit any major bone. Deer went about 30 yards and piled up dead. I was a bit surprised and dissappointed to not see the bullet exit at that distance after not hitting shoulder bone and at that kinda impact velocity. I am usually a shoulder shooter since at LR you want to anchor them on the spot and breaking the shoulders is the best way to do this. THis is definately not the bullet for that, IMO. Another instance with this load was another buck shot about 200 yards that was running full out. I didn't lead him enough on the 1st shot and hit him in the hams, that definately put a hurt on him but he was still moving along pretty good. I put another 162g AMAX this time in his shoulder and that dropped him. He was however still alive when I got up to him and a finish shot was needed. Neither of the first 2 AMAX's exited either. Both of those bullets pretty much blew up within the first few inches of penetration and not much was left frankly of the ham or shoulder. After seeing how they acted on the deer at 790 and not exiting after not hitting hams or a shoulder, I was not the least bit surprised...
One of my buddys used the 168g amax at around 2850 I believe in his 30-06 the same year and also shot a buck around 150-200 yards and experienced the same thing, serious lack of penetration and bullet blow up.
Just be carefull with your shot placement. Its a broadside behind the shoulder bullet only IMO. If you get it inside the chest halfway then it'll do its job great, it liquifys the insides if it gets that far, on the other hand, you hit the shoulder, your deers gonna be running off on 3 legs and your gonna be shooting at him more or chasing him around the country.
In wet newspaper testing at 100 yards, AMAX's dont do so well. I"ve shot the 162g in the 7 RM and the 208g in the 300 RUM. Both retained something like 25% of there original weight, both lost there lead cores and were peeled back to the base of the bullet, just a mangled looking piece of copper really. Thats why there no good for breaking bone.
I still shoot them in my 7 RM for LR target shooting, but went back to 140g NBT's for deer. Although this year I might give the 162's another chance. Who knows gotta draw the tag first.
I shoot 162g AMAX's as well from a 7 RM at 2900fps. Super accurate load out to 1K. Took a couple bucks with them couple years back one at a lazered 800 yards, other at about 200. I hit the one at 790 behind the shoulder, hit a rib going in and the bullet exploded inside, didn't exit at that range and it dind't even hit any major bone. Deer went about 30 yards and piled up dead. I was a bit surprised and dissappointed to not see the bullet exit at that distance after not hitting shoulder bone and at that kinda impact velocity. I am usually a shoulder shooter since at LR you want to anchor them on the spot and breaking the shoulders is the best way to do this. THis is definately not the bullet for that, IMO. Another instance with this load was another buck shot about 200 yards that was running full out. I didn't lead him enough on the 1st shot and hit him in the hams, that definately put a hurt on him but he was still moving along pretty good. I put another 162g AMAX this time in his shoulder and that dropped him. He was however still alive when I got up to him and a finish shot was needed. Neither of the first 2 AMAX's exited either. Both of those bullets pretty much blew up within the first few inches of penetration and not much was left frankly of the ham or shoulder. After seeing how they acted on the deer at 790 and not exiting after not hitting hams or a shoulder, I was not the least bit surprised...
One of my buddys used the 168g amax at around 2850 I believe in his 30-06 the same year and also shot a buck around 150-200 yards and experienced the same thing, serious lack of penetration and bullet blow up.
Just be carefull with your shot placement. Its a broadside behind the shoulder bullet only IMO. If you get it inside the chest halfway then it'll do its job great, it liquifys the insides if it gets that far, on the other hand, you hit the shoulder, your deers gonna be running off on 3 legs and your gonna be shooting at him more or chasing him around the country.
In wet newspaper testing at 100 yards, AMAX's dont do so well. I"ve shot the 162g in the 7 RM and the 208g in the 300 RUM. Both retained something like 25% of there original weight, both lost there lead cores and were peeled back to the base of the bullet, just a mangled looking piece of copper really. Thats why there no good for breaking bone.
I still shoot them in my 7 RM for LR target shooting, but went back to 140g NBT's for deer. Although this year I might give the 162's another chance. Who knows gotta draw the tag first.
knockemdown
New member
Good info Ky. I wouldn't think the Amax to exit at that range...
As for performance on an rump shot runner, I can't qualitfy that as being any kind of reliable indicator of bullet lethality. And once an animal is 'hyped up', nothing short of a CNS interruption is gonna turn the lights off quickly...
Keeping within the confines of a vital hit, I don't think any whitetail is gonna survive one from from a 3000 fps 162gr Amax launch. But there's only one way to find out for certain...
As for performance on an rump shot runner, I can't qualitfy that as being any kind of reliable indicator of bullet lethality. And once an animal is 'hyped up', nothing short of a CNS interruption is gonna turn the lights off quickly...
Keeping within the confines of a vital hit, I don't think any whitetail is gonna survive one from from a 3000 fps 162gr Amax launch. But there's only one way to find out for certain...
kyotekiller25
Well-known member
Why wouldnt you think the bullet to exit at that range?
When your impact velocity is lower, it usually results in greater penetration since the bullet holds together better. When your up close, the impact velocity is high and thats what tears the bullet apart and where you get the lack of penetration. Thats why bullets like the Barnes X penetrate into tomorrow because they hold 99% of there weight most the time, and at LR thats not good as it will poke holes through them. You need a bullet that will still expand down to 1600-1700fps for LR hunting.
At 800 yards, the AMAX was roughly hitting with 1840fps. All things considering, thats not very fast and the bullet should hold up a lot better then hitting something at 200 yards where the impact velocity is around 2600fps.
I realize the running buck at 200 isn't a great example, but it still shows serious lack of penetration when heavy muscle or bone was hit.
When your impact velocity is lower, it usually results in greater penetration since the bullet holds together better. When your up close, the impact velocity is high and thats what tears the bullet apart and where you get the lack of penetration. Thats why bullets like the Barnes X penetrate into tomorrow because they hold 99% of there weight most the time, and at LR thats not good as it will poke holes through them. You need a bullet that will still expand down to 1600-1700fps for LR hunting.
At 800 yards, the AMAX was roughly hitting with 1840fps. All things considering, thats not very fast and the bullet should hold up a lot better then hitting something at 200 yards where the impact velocity is around 2600fps.
I realize the running buck at 200 isn't a great example, but it still shows serious lack of penetration when heavy muscle or bone was hit.
knockemdown
New member
Quote:Why wouldnt you think the bullet to exit at that range?
I wouldn't bet on an AMAX exiting at ANY range. Like you said, there are much better bullets specifically designed for that task. AMAX bullets just ain't built to plow completely through an animal. A quick look at the cross section of an AMAX makes that quite obvious. So any exit from an AMAX I'd consider an unexpected 'bonus', but not something I'd wager or depend on occuring...
Quote:When your impact velocity is lower, it usually results in greater penetration since the bullet holds together better. When your up close, the impact velocity is high and thats what tears the bullet apart and where you get the lack of penetration.
So then, based on that logic, the AMAX should "splash" on that same steel target at close range that it penetrated at 800? I can assure you that they don't...
Quote:Thats why bullets like the Barnes X penetrate into tomorrow because they hold 99% of there weight most the time, and at LR thats not good as it will poke holes through them.
And I never thought of poking two holes through an animal to be a bad thing?
Should add that I am both a fan & user of 'uber penetrating' Barnes bullets. BUT, I shoot the AMAX from my 7Wizzer because they fly GREAT, buck the wind superbly and are CHEAP, comparatively speaking. They out fly any Barnes offering & give nothing away in ballistic performance to the more expensive Bergers. Heck, the 180VLD only catches a 162 AMAX from my gun past 1K at the veolcities I can muster them at. Hardly reason to opt for the alternatives, all things considered...
So if an AMAX can penetrate through steel at that range, then it should penetrate at least that well on a whitetail. That was my original thought...
And I think it is excellent that you took a deer cleanly @ 790. I've been practicing for and look forward to the opportunity to do so myself. My primary deer hunting AO is about to become 'centerfire legal' this year, and I'm chompin at the bit!
I wouldn't bet on an AMAX exiting at ANY range. Like you said, there are much better bullets specifically designed for that task. AMAX bullets just ain't built to plow completely through an animal. A quick look at the cross section of an AMAX makes that quite obvious. So any exit from an AMAX I'd consider an unexpected 'bonus', but not something I'd wager or depend on occuring...
Quote:When your impact velocity is lower, it usually results in greater penetration since the bullet holds together better. When your up close, the impact velocity is high and thats what tears the bullet apart and where you get the lack of penetration.
So then, based on that logic, the AMAX should "splash" on that same steel target at close range that it penetrated at 800? I can assure you that they don't...
Quote:Thats why bullets like the Barnes X penetrate into tomorrow because they hold 99% of there weight most the time, and at LR thats not good as it will poke holes through them.
And I never thought of poking two holes through an animal to be a bad thing?
Should add that I am both a fan & user of 'uber penetrating' Barnes bullets. BUT, I shoot the AMAX from my 7Wizzer because they fly GREAT, buck the wind superbly and are CHEAP, comparatively speaking. They out fly any Barnes offering & give nothing away in ballistic performance to the more expensive Bergers. Heck, the 180VLD only catches a 162 AMAX from my gun past 1K at the veolcities I can muster them at. Hardly reason to opt for the alternatives, all things considered...
So if an AMAX can penetrate through steel at that range, then it should penetrate at least that well on a whitetail. That was my original thought...
And I think it is excellent that you took a deer cleanly @ 790. I've been practicing for and look forward to the opportunity to do so myself. My primary deer hunting AO is about to become 'centerfire legal' this year, and I'm chompin at the bit!
The 162g SST is a whale of a bullet. It is great on quartering shots and shooting through shoulders. The 162 SST is unreal accurate in my 7M with 71.0g of Retumbo at 3100 fps with a Fed 215 primer. This particlar 26" SS Rem 700 with it's 26" barrel will shoot groups in the 3/8" area, and times a little less. At 200 yds, the bullets are still touching.
I do have a laminated stock on the rifle and a 8-32 Pentax with a Vias Muzzle break, kicks like a 22/250!
If you don't like the A Max, you will love the 162 SST!
I do have a laminated stock on the rifle and a 8-32 Pentax with a Vias Muzzle break, kicks like a 22/250!
If you don't like the A Max, you will love the 162 SST!
Urimaginaryfrnd
New member
If you want a long range bullet the 190 SMK is a fine choice but if you want a hunting bullet the Nosler Accubond and the Barnes are worth a look.