Share your experiences with .224 53 gr V-max pills please

two-two-three

New member
Hey all! Today I acquired a few boxes of Hornady 53 grain Vmax bullets locally and was checking the specs on various .224 diameter projectile offerings from Hornady and other manufacturers. One thing that jumps out that they have unusually high BC of .290 that is listed on the site. The rest of the polymer tipped boat tail crop seem to stay in .240-.260 even for the heavier ones like 60 grain Noslers. Comparing them visually with 50 gr Vmaxes or 50 and 55 grain Nosler B-tips that I have laying around I don't really see anything that stands out about them. Yes, I do realize that "visual analysis" is kinda retarded at best but still. I mean the ogive isn't any more streamlined and the tail has pretty much the same length and taper as other specimens. For example when I lay side by side say a 30 cal 220 grain Sierra and 210 Berger VLD target I can see where the extra BC comes from for Berger even though it is a bit lighter. What do you guys/gals think of the 53gr V-maxes? Do they shoot a bit flatter than others or it is all just "paper ballistics"? What's the overall impression of them like accuracy or terminal performance on small game? Thanks and good shooting!
 
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Originally Posted By: two-two-threeHey all! Today I acquired a few boxes of Hornady 53 grain Vmax bullets locally and was checking the specs on various .224 diameter projectile offerings from Hornady and other manufacturers. One thing that jumps out that they have unusually high BC of .290 that is listed on the site. The rest of the polymer tipped boat tail crop seem to stay in .240-.260 even for the heavier ones like 60 grain Noslers. Comparing them visually with 50 gr Vmaxes or 50 and 55 grain Nosler B-tips that I have laying around I don't really see anything that stands out about them. Yes, I do realize that "visual analysis" is kinda retarded at best but still. I mean the ogive isn't any more streamlined and the tail has pretty much the same length and taper as other specimens. For example when I lay side by side say a 30 cal 220 grain Sierra and 210 Berger VLD target I can see where the extra BC comes from for Berger even though it is a bit lighter. What do you guys/gals think of the 53gr V-maxes? Do they shoot a bit flatter than others or it is all just "paper ballistics"? What's the overall impression of them like accuracy or terminal performance on small game? Thanks and good shooting!

Each company has a different method to get BCs.

When the 53 V-Max first came out, I (like a lot od other shooters) saw that 0.291 and had dreams of dead furry critters at ten miles ::)

I bought a bunch. After shooting them for a bit, I had this feeling that they weren't shooting as flat as they should
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So, I ran some preliminary comparison drop tests between the Sierra 55gr SBK and the Hornady 53 V-Max last fall.

The SBK dropped LESS than the 53 V-Max (which means that the SBK has a higher BC).

I have made up a bunch of test loads to go further, and I have been just waiting for proper (overcast, light drizzle) weather to run the drop tests.

So far, the difference seems to be nil.

 
Originally Posted By: CatShooterOriginally Posted By: two-two-three




The SBK dropped LESS than the 53 V-Max (which means that the SBK has a higher BC).

So far, the difference seems to be nil.



That's interesting!! But not surprising!! I usually end up changing the BC on most of my drop charts to get the trajectory to line up correctly. I shoot the 53 Vmax's and am pretty happy with the accuracy I'm getting out of them. I have been able to bang steel out to 600 yrds very accurately with them. They seem to perform decent on coyotes as well. I still like the nosler's better on coyotes. They seem to penetrate a little better when I hit some bone!!! But over all I like the 53's and don't plan on changing anytime soon.
 
Originally Posted By: Jabey9210Originally Posted By: CatShooterOriginally Posted By: two-two-three




The SBK dropped LESS than the 53 V-Max (which means that the SBK has a higher BC).

So far, the difference seems to be nil.



That's interesting!! But not surprising!! I usually end up changing the BC on most of my drop charts to get the trajectory to line up correctly. I shoot the 53 Vmax's and am pretty happy with the accuracy I'm getting out of them. I have been able to bang steel out to 600 yrds very accurately with them. They seem to perform decent on coyotes as well. I still like the nosler's better on coyotes. They seem to penetrate a little better when I hit some bone!!! But over all I like the 53's and don't plan on changing anytime soon.

I got a good day to run the second part of the test.

At the same velocity, with 100 yd zeros...

... at 393 yards, the 55 SBK dropped 14.5", and the 53 V-max dropped 15.6".

For all practical purposes, they have the same BC.
 
I have gotten consistently tighter groups with sierra blitz kings and nosler ballistic tips than I have with the v-maxes in my regular 223 and my 223 ackley

I also know that all rifles do not necessarily like the same bullets,

the most important thing is to find out how they work for you in your rifle.
 
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Great little bullet... They have performed well on paper and fur for me thus far.. I was introduced via the Hornady Superformance Round in 53g Vmax. Have since acquired 53g Vmax bullets to reload but haven't done a side by side comparing my hand loads to factory...
 
Ok, thanks for the replies guys! Looks like not a bad bullet but it has the blitzking and BT as a serious competitor. Anyone else had better success with Sierras and Noslers as opposed to V-maxes?
 
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I have some 55 Varmageddons coming. Going to try them just to conserve my supply of the 60 V Max. Will report back later.
WRONG THREAD the sun must have fried my brain.
 
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Originally Posted By: Field MedicGreat little bullet... They have performed well on paper and fur for me thus far.. I was introduced via the Hornady Superformance Round in 53g Vmax. Have since acquired 53g Vmax bullets to reload but haven't done a side by side comparing my hand loads to factory...

Unless you load them pretty warm you will find that the Superformance .223 w/53gr bullets are outrunning your reloads. Check this post for my informal comparison.

http://www.predatormastersforums.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1859965
 
Originally Posted By: venaticOriginally Posted By: Field MedicGreat little bullet... They have performed well on paper and fur for me thus far.. I was introduced via the Hornady Superformance Round in 53g Vmax. Have since acquired 53g Vmax bullets to reload but haven't done a side by side comparing my hand loads to factory...

Unless you load them pretty warm you will find that the Superformance .223 w/53gr bullets are outrunning your reloads. Check this post for my informal comparison.

http://www.predatormastersforums.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1859965

I kinda disagree.

I shot some factory 53gr Superformance when it first came out to get an idea of what I could shoot for (
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) with reloads... and I bought a bunch of boxes of the 53 V-Maxs

My test gun for all 223 is a New Haven Winchester HBV, with a 26", 9t heavy barrel.

I got 3470 (avg) with the Superformance factory loads.

My personal loads are in old (very old) Lapua cases, which weigh 100 grains each - current Lapua (and everybody else's) cases currently weigh 90gr.

So I am loosing ~one grain of powder capacity to start out, yet my loads of 8208 are in the 3,500 range, and I can still go ~a grain higher.

Factory loads (including the commercial ammunition that I make) is always on the light side - you cannot take a chance on some ol' piece of junk coming apart.

Court sucks.

 
Interesting comments! I bought 500 52grn VMax,but haven't reloaded any of them yet. I figured for just blowin' up targets at 100yds or less they would work fine. Wasn't looking for a super accurate or powerful load.
 
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