A-Max performance on game, Question

[joel0407]

Just wondering how others have found them.

Have they exited + how big was exit wound?

What size game and bullet was it?

I'm thinking of using 168 grainers in my 300RUM. I have used 208s but the property I have to shoot on does not offer such long ranges so I dont feel the need for such a heavy, higher BC projectile.

I have found bullets that always punch through may not be so destructive and kill so fast. I'm more interested in faster/humain kill as I only keep the hind legs for dog meat and I dont usually worry about meat damage.

 

[kiwi3006]

I have used the .284 162 a-max out of a 7mm mag at 3060 fps.
On goats at around 200 yards they were like a bomb! Instant kills with shoulder shots, can't remember the exits, on big billy goats no exit, I did get some exits on nanny's etc.
I have shot deer, pigs and bull tahr from 358yds out to 638 yards with them, all broadside shots, only one did not exit. Most bullets went through ribs and might have clipped a shoulder bone. The bull tahr at 630 yds was in the back of the ribs.
Most animals were DRT, the bull tahr went down hill about 50 metres, all others dropped on the spot.
I definetly recommend them, but wouldn't use them at close range on large game, I feel they might blow up with out penetrating properly.

Stu.

 

[joel0407]

Thanks Stu.

Bullet choice is an important decision with the 300rum. At a box of 100 even if they dont perform to your liking, you might as well use them at the range. With barrel life though thats 10% gone.

Joel SHOEMARK

 

[Michael Eichele]

Pretty much the same experience here. On deer I have never had an exit. They were all shot with the 155 out of my 308 or the 178 out of my 300 RUM. All deer died very quickly and the sheep dropped in his tracks.

 

[älg]

I´ve shot a lot of goats with the 162 7 in a 7rm, and the 140 6,5 in a 65-284 and 6,5, x 55. They will normally exit, but some stay. <Very good performance.

Have been using some of the 168 30 cal in a 308 lately and also work well, but just made shots up to 450 m.

I would say the 168 is too light for a 300 rum, even if you will not take very long shots, it may explode at close range.. but I have no experience with the RUM. If you want to stay away from recoil, it doesnt make too much sense to use a 300 RUM and go down to a 168 grainer...

 

[geargrinder]

Pretty much the same experience here. On deer I have never had an exit. They were all shot with the 155 out of my 308 or the 178 out of my 300 RUM. All deer died very quickly and the sheep dropped in his tracks.

Kiwi said that all of his exited but one. Yours did not exit.

It is good to hear that the results were the same. DRT.

 

[joel0407]

Kiwi said that all of his exited but one. Yours did not exit.

It is good to hear that the results were the same. DRT.

Micheal did say on deer. Kiwi said on goats.

 

[ZSteinle]

I would say stick with the 208's even though you dont need the high bc it will keep you out of the explosive speeds. I would expect excellent performance from a 208 at mid to high velocity.

 

[groper]

i did some experiments using the 208gr .30cal at 2850fps from a 300win mag on some large game at close range...

results were very poor, no exit, little damage... bullets pretty much vaporised... i would not recommend them at close range- they are very fragile... at long range which i have not tested yet, and slower velocities - they may hold together and perform alot better...

 

[jmason]

I shot a white tail doe last year at 200 yards w/ a 300 rum and the 168s I did have a large exit on a semi quartering away shot. That is my one and only experience. Our deer aren't as heavy as M.E.'s though.

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

I used the 162g amax from my 7 RM at 2900fps on 1 muley at about 200 yards, and another at 790 yards. I wouldn't recomend them for close range, and surely not punching through shoulders. Neither bullet exited. The buck at 200 was shot through the shoulders, he dropped on the spot but was flip flopping around and he had to be shot again. The buck at 790 was hit behind the shoulder, hit a rib going in and still broke up enough to not exit. Deer went just a few yards and died however.

My buddy also used the 168g amax the same year in his 30-06 at about 2800-2850fps I believe and had the same results as I did. A total lack of penetration was obvious with no exit on a 200 yard buck that was broadside. He ended up having to finish it off as well.

They liquify the insides, but I just dont trust them inside 200 yards, or when going through bone. There a very fragile bullet IME. Just try to keep them off the shoulder and you should be ok.

I'd still use the 208g if I was you, or at least the 178g.