Berger VLD .308 168grn minimum speed for hunting???

[Scot E]

Originally Posted by WildRose

Which is why hornady says not to use them for game. They are designed to blow up. They are intended solely as a varmint/target bullet.

Not trying to be cranky here but have you used A-max's in a hunting scenario? They don't blow up at 1000 fps, not even 2000 fps. Yes, they loose some of their weight but those pieces are doing the damage that I like in a hunting bullet. Similar to what the Berger's do but will expand at lower velocities and still have excellent BC's.

[Topshot]

From my field testing on soft medium.
All of the BTHP match bullets expand Ok above 1800 fps.
Some of the new Hornady thick jacket HPBT match bullets do not at 1600 fps.
SMK's are good down to 1600 but that's about it.
Bergers I have tested were good at 1600.
Hornady Interbonds were good down to 1300fps.

[WildRose]

Originally Posted by Scot E

Not trying to be cranky here but have you used A-max's in a hunting scenario? They don't blow up at 1000 fps, not even 2000 fps. Yes, they loose some of their weight but those pieces are doing the damage that I like in a hunting bullet. Similar to what the Berger's do but will expand at lower velocities and still have excellent BC's.

No I don't use them for hunting because Hornady says don't do that.

Instead I use the interlock and interbond which also have very high BC's and perform outstanding on any game retaining 75-95% of their mass whether you are shooting a deer or a monster boar.

With the Amax you are lucky to retain 50% on a deer and it will not go through a big hog.

The amount of hdrostatic shock is directly proportional to the velocity and mass exiting the wound channel. Less mass = less hydrostatic shock.

I don't like to see a fist sized hole or bigger on the backside, I want to see an exit wound the size of a quarter to fifty cent piece at most and I definitely want a complete pass through.

The Amax is just too much like the old original ballistic tips from Nosler but with an even thinner jacket. I saw far too many of them not exit deer and hogs.

I have shot them in the 7mm STW and even at 500 yards when I hit a coyote with them at the midline they tend to cut them in half. Great target bullet. Great varmint bullet if you don't want to salvage hides. Just not a hunting bullet.

Bullett manufacturers spend a tremendous amount of time and money developing bullets. I tend to pay attention when they say "don't do that".

[Scot E]

Originally Posted by Topshot

From my field testing on soft medium.
All of the BTHP match bullets expand Ok above 1800 fps.
Some of the new Hornady thick jacket HPBT match bullets do not at 1600 fps.
SMK's are good down to 1600 but that's about it.
Bergers I have tested were good at 1600.
Hornady Interbonds were good down to 1300fps.

The Interbonds surprised me. I would have figured they would have required 1800ish. Good to know.

[Topshot]

Originally Posted by Scot E

The Interbonds surprised me. I would have figured they would have required 1800ish. Good to know.

They surprised me too.
Its actually hard to shoot them at a speed slow enough where they won't show at least some expansion. If they would come out with a few heavy weight .30 and .338 calibre bullets they would turn a few heads.

[Scot E]

Originally Posted by Topshot

They surprised me too.
Its actually hard to shoot them at a speed slow enough where they won't show at least some expansion. If they would come out with a few heavy weight .30 and .338 calibre bullets they would turn a few heads.

So have you tested the A-max's? Are they included in your BTHP category? I have had really good luck with them expanding at lower velocities at least in 30 cal.

[WildRose]

Originally Posted by Topshot

They surprised me too.
Its actually hard to shoot them at a speed slow enough where they won't show at least some expansion. If they would come out with a few heavy weight .30 and .338 calibre bullets they would turn a few heads.

They are designed that way. Look at a cut out of them. The Jacket is very thin at the front and gets progressively thicker. The Polymer tip gurantees that expansion is going to start at even low speeds and the same jacket design keeps them from shedding much of their mass even at very high speeds as it thickens from tip to ogive.