I know that it is not suggested/recommended for hunting applications. However, who here hunts with them and what experiences have you had. I was looking for a new long range load for my 7mm Rem Mag. Thinking about the 162 grain. Also the 208 Grain for my 300 Winny.
Hornady A-Max
- Thread starter Firecat
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davewilson
Well-Known Member
they have a very good reputation for a long range hunting bullet. i've only personally used the 6mm on deer and every one went through and made a nasty hole. all were under 200 yards though.
JARHEAD1371
Well-Known Member
I did alot of research on the 162 A-max before I tried them out of my 7 SAUM. The only bad thing I could find was their performance under 200 yds. Everything at a distance was devastating. This will be the first hunting season with them. I'll post what I can next week after antelope season.
Varmint Hunter
Well-Known Member
I've killed many whitetails with the 162gr A-Max @ about 3,150 ft/sec. Most shots were between 200yds and 500 yds. Deer hit on the shoulder only go about 18 inches - straight down! Deer hit behind the shoulder have silver dollar size exit wounds and go 20-30yds max.
The A-Max is a devastating whitetail bullet.
The A-Max is a devastating whitetail bullet.
Ernie
SPONSOR
Antelope and whitetail from 200-1000 yards (162 A-Max)
Whitetail out to 250 yards (140 A-max)
Whitetail out to 250 yards (140 A-max)
Ernie
SPONSOR
For me, I have not killed any game animals under 200 yards with it.
JARHEAD1371
Well-Known Member
From what I understand, it needs to slow down just a bit in order to rapidly expand. With any luck you won't have to find out what happens under 200
Michael Eichele
Well-Known Member
The AMAX rules are simple.
1: Use the right weight bullet for the task. IE: DONT use a 155 30 cal for elk or a 178 for that matter.
2: Dont hit any major bones except for spine or scapulas on lighter game such as medium deer.
3: Dont hit game at very close range with hyper velocities found in the RUM cases etc....
All that said, allow me to share some experiences.
1: Sitka blacktail at 505 yards. 300 RUM with the 178 AMAX. MV was 3250 FPS. The buck was hit square in the chest with a strong quartering to me shot. The lungs were soup and there was ALOT of bullet fragments inside the chest and hide.
2: Sitka blacktail at 90 yards with the 155 AMAX in 308 winnie. MV was 2750 FPS. The bullet was recovered in the offside hide after passing through the lungs. The bullet was a typical mushroom with no explosion. This was due to the low exit velocity and lack of bone connection.
3: Dall sheep at 350 yards with the 168 AMAX in 308 winnie. MV was 2830 FPS. The ram was hit through both shoulder scapulas and exited completely. Roughly a 2" exit hole.
4: The same dall ram was finished off at 702 yards with a shot to the neck just infront of the shoulder. There was about 3" of spine missing.
5: Coues whitetail at 440 yards with the same load. This buck was hit quartering to me through the lower leg and shoulder for a heart shot. The exit was over 2".
6: Coues whitetail at 500 yards (same load). Buck was hit with a hight shoulder shot. Another 2"+ exit.
7: Bull moose at 438 yards. 155 AMAX exit at 2750. TRUST me I knew this was not the best load for the job (I was carrying it for dall sheep) but my partner had wounded him twice with his 30-06 (sloppy shooting in the hind quarters). The bull was getting further and he missed his 3rd shot. It was just about black out and the bull was nosing into the alders. I asked for permission and he said go for it. The bull stopped for one last look. Knowing that a shoulder or lung shot most likely would be very dissapointing with this load, I took a neck shot just below the head. The bull dropped in his tracks. NOTE: the bull had to be finished off upon arrival AND when we examined the cross section of the neck we found that the vertabre was severely broken and cracked but the bullet never penetrated the bone. Again, not the best load but it worked out.
8: http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f17/berger-338-300-grain-308-208-amax-moose-test-61457/
My opinion is that for medium game at average to low velocities the AMAX bullets are awesome for hunting. Violate the target size and or velocity rules and you may be hating life.
If I had to hunt elk with the 208 AMAX, I would feel comfortable so long as it was not shot at hyper velcoity AND the bullets stayed in the rib cage. Just remember, the reason guys use them for longrabge hunting is NOT because they are great hunting bullets. They are not great hunting bullets. But they do expand with very minimal velocities. This is why they work well for long range hunting. The 208 for example is a dream come true for us 308 fans. A super high BC bullet that will expand at 1300 FPS. Heck, this gets us to 1K. On the flip side, if you launch it at 3200 FPS and take 200 yard shots on elk, guess what? It may get very ugly.
M
1: Use the right weight bullet for the task. IE: DONT use a 155 30 cal for elk or a 178 for that matter.
2: Dont hit any major bones except for spine or scapulas on lighter game such as medium deer.
3: Dont hit game at very close range with hyper velocities found in the RUM cases etc....
All that said, allow me to share some experiences.
1: Sitka blacktail at 505 yards. 300 RUM with the 178 AMAX. MV was 3250 FPS. The buck was hit square in the chest with a strong quartering to me shot. The lungs were soup and there was ALOT of bullet fragments inside the chest and hide.
2: Sitka blacktail at 90 yards with the 155 AMAX in 308 winnie. MV was 2750 FPS. The bullet was recovered in the offside hide after passing through the lungs. The bullet was a typical mushroom with no explosion. This was due to the low exit velocity and lack of bone connection.
3: Dall sheep at 350 yards with the 168 AMAX in 308 winnie. MV was 2830 FPS. The ram was hit through both shoulder scapulas and exited completely. Roughly a 2" exit hole.
4: The same dall ram was finished off at 702 yards with a shot to the neck just infront of the shoulder. There was about 3" of spine missing.
5: Coues whitetail at 440 yards with the same load. This buck was hit quartering to me through the lower leg and shoulder for a heart shot. The exit was over 2".
6: Coues whitetail at 500 yards (same load). Buck was hit with a hight shoulder shot. Another 2"+ exit.
7: Bull moose at 438 yards. 155 AMAX exit at 2750. TRUST me I knew this was not the best load for the job (I was carrying it for dall sheep) but my partner had wounded him twice with his 30-06 (sloppy shooting in the hind quarters). The bull was getting further and he missed his 3rd shot. It was just about black out and the bull was nosing into the alders. I asked for permission and he said go for it. The bull stopped for one last look. Knowing that a shoulder or lung shot most likely would be very dissapointing with this load, I took a neck shot just below the head. The bull dropped in his tracks. NOTE: the bull had to be finished off upon arrival AND when we examined the cross section of the neck we found that the vertabre was severely broken and cracked but the bullet never penetrated the bone. Again, not the best load but it worked out.
8: http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f17/berger-338-300-grain-308-208-amax-moose-test-61457/
My opinion is that for medium game at average to low velocities the AMAX bullets are awesome for hunting. Violate the target size and or velocity rules and you may be hating life.
If I had to hunt elk with the 208 AMAX, I would feel comfortable so long as it was not shot at hyper velcoity AND the bullets stayed in the rib cage. Just remember, the reason guys use them for longrabge hunting is NOT because they are great hunting bullets. They are not great hunting bullets. But they do expand with very minimal velocities. This is why they work well for long range hunting. The 208 for example is a dream come true for us 308 fans. A super high BC bullet that will expand at 1300 FPS. Heck, this gets us to 1K. On the flip side, if you launch it at 3200 FPS and take 200 yard shots on elk, guess what? It may get very ugly.
M
105 gr A-Max in 6mm (3100 fps):
- Deer @ 100 yards, behind the shoulder high, but below the spine, DRT... 3/4" exit wound
- Antelope @ 150 yards, dead center spine behind the shoulder, DRT... 3.5" of the back... gone... obliterated... not pretty.
- Deer @ 100 yards, behind the shoulder high, but below the spine, DRT... 3/4" exit wound
- Antelope @ 150 yards, dead center spine behind the shoulder, DRT... 3.5" of the back... gone... obliterated... not pretty.
Michael,
Excellent point and thanks for sharing. My only experience is with .300 WM - .178gr on deer (368 yards) and antelope (338 yards) and both at the boiler room. Both had pencil exit wound (never took any step or knew what hit them) but the lungs were just as you describe it on your Sitka blacktail @ 505 yards.
I'm currently developing loads with the .208gr.
Ed
Excellent point and thanks for sharing. My only experience is with .300 WM - .178gr on deer (368 yards) and antelope (338 yards) and both at the boiler room. Both had pencil exit wound (never took any step or knew what hit them) but the lungs were just as you describe it on your Sitka blacktail @ 505 yards.
I'm currently developing loads with the .208gr.
Ed
bigbrother
Well-Known Member
They are phenomenal on game at extended range. I shot them religously in my 6.5x284 and took whitetails to 880 yards with it. They are very soft which is why they aren't recommended for close range....200yards and under? Not really sure what to say about the minimum ranges for use on bigger game.
I know that the 162 out of a 7rem will literally tear a grounhog in half at 240yards (watched it happen through our big eyes)
What Michael said about matching the weight to your task is good advice. For Antelope and similar sized game I don't know that I would worry from what I've seen.
I know that the 162 out of a 7rem will literally tear a grounhog in half at 240yards (watched it happen through our big eyes)
What Michael said about matching the weight to your task is good advice. For Antelope and similar sized game I don't know that I would worry from what I've seen.
