Hornady A-MAx Bullets - any good for hunting?

[magnum]

Just wondering if any members have tried the Hornady A-Max bullets (marketed as match bullets) for hunting and what the results were?

Here in Australia I am hearing a number of good reports on their performance on game.

Cheers,
Magnum

 

[FEENIX]

Here's my only personal experiences hunting with A-max ...

1. Shot an antelope at the boiler area at 338 yards with .178gr off my .300 WM - had pencil size entry and exit but the internals are all souped up. DRT!

2. Shot a coyote at the boiler area @ ~200 yards with .178gr off my .300 WM- the only thing it together was the underbelly fur/skin. Almost cut it half - yikes!

3. Shot a WT doe at the boiler area @ 150 yards with .208gr off my .300 WM- pencil size entry and ~ 3 inch exit hole/2 ribs broken and internals souped up. DRT!

Sorry I have no pictures. The pros will be here soon to chime in and share their experiences.

Good luck and happy safe hunting/shooting. Cheers!

Ed

 

[ZSteinle]

i have had good luch with the amax for hunting. I think you would see about the same results as the berger but with the polymer tip i think it will help expansion at lower velocity.

 

[ken snyder]

Just as a matter of my own preference I do not use target type bullets on anything I want to eat when the impact velocity is expected to be over 1,800 fps. and very much prefer 1,700 fps or less. At the lower velocity of longer ranges, target bullets behave very nicely with very good terminal ballistics. Amax is a good bullet but for intended long range hunting I use the brand ( any brand ) that the rifle likes the best and for some reason the Bullets are almost always Sierra or Berger!

 

[busse fan]

With the sheer amount of deer that have been killed with 100gr pp, 130gr etc I honestly can't see why my 208gr amax wouldn't do the job. I will be using them for deer at all ranges this year as well as black bear if I see a nice cinamon come to my barrel and longer range moose If i can swing the trip. I have 200gr nabs for close range moose as well.

Even if that 208 amax loses half it's weight on a deer at 50 yards it's still going to completely dump that deer/bear.

Cheers

 

[FEENIX]

There are lots of folks here that have plenty of field experience and hunting successes with the A-Max. Michael Eichele comes to mind with his .308.

http://www.longrangehunting.com/articles/308-winchester-1.php

He's probably too busy afield in the wilderness of Alaska but hopefully he'll chime in ... or do a search on some of his posts/threads on the same subject.

 

[Johnboy]

I will be sending the 208gn A-max at anything that comes out this year.and thats from both the 300wm and my 308.havenn't yet tried them in a 223.but really want to build a 1:7 twist to shoot the 80gn A-max.then I'll let you know just what it will kill when I get that fare.

but yess try it to see for yourself.then if you seem to feel different then got to a Berger or something like it.just want know till you try.but they do a great job from what I know.the doe feel like a bag a rocks.and really think the same for the buck I have been watching this year.

you wil hear from both sides on this.and yes both sides give really good reason to why or why not.till you see for your self and know just what you and your loads can do you want know.many say no for a smk BUT UNCLE SAM SAYS YES FOR ALL THE SNIPERS WE HAVE.and thats whats on top of what most guys say about useing a smk for hunting all so.who knows.read one time what some one said and will pass it on.

if you can get a rock to go 2700 fps what you think it will do to a deer when placed in the right place. ( KILL IT )

 

[djtjr]

They are a great bullet in all calibers. Perhaps the best all around bullet I know of for all but dangerous game. Scary accurate great bc anything I have shot up to an including pretty big African game never had a problem at all with them.

 

[270 lefty]

Never used them myself but a good friend of mine won't use anything else. He has two nice 6x6 bull elk with video to back up his claims both were over 500 yards both dumped with feet of impact.

 

[joe0121]

I know they will blow through a pressure treated 4x4 at 300 yards than the fender, oil filter and oil pan of a Pontiac transport 100 yards later out of a .300 wm. gun)

 

[270winshort]

have used the 75 grain 223 bullets in my ackley tears a coyote up out to 575 for sure, have shot the 123 6.5 bullet on game out past 800 yards with devastating results, with the tip they have you know that they are going to open up. I dont think you will go wrong

 

[Daves762]

Ive shot a huge bodied muley at 30 yds with a 178 Amax out of my 308 (aprox 2435 fps) and it was perfect bullet performance.

Marble size entrance, entry side ribs had golf ball size entry hole, lungs and heart were soup, and then golf ball size exit hole through exit would side, including broken set of ribs on exit wound side.

No bullet recovered as it blew through and kept on goin....

One big leap after impact and he was down.

I have these same bullets loaded in my 308, 30-06, and 300WSM and I would be plenty comfy aiming any one of those at an elk, deer, or anything smaller of course.

I say Go ahead with the Amax for hunting anything in the "big game" catagory.

 

[SBruce]

Shot 2 whitetail fawns last season (over a year ago) with the 105 grn. out of a 243. One was ~300 yds, one was ~180 yds. Both bullets passed completely through, both fawns dropped dead in their tracks.

Both carcasses showed quite a bit of damage. The 300 yd was a high shoulder/spine shot (on purpose) and it left a wound big enough to put my fist in from the top, almost like you took a broadaxe and chopped out a wedge in top of the whithers. The 180 yd shot was broadside lungs (again on purpose) and the exit wound was approx 2" diameter, massive trauma to both lungs, diaphram and heart. If I recall correctly, broken ribs on both entrance and exit.

Neither bullet was recovered. Hope to have some LR coyote kills from those bullets in the near future.........don't know if the fur will salvage, but that's not important from my perspective.

I wouldn't have any problem using them again on bigger deer.

 

[sandbar782]

I know this is an older thread, but has anyone used A-Max for Hog? I have some 168's I'd like to try from a .30-06 and a 300 WM. So far from the .30-06 the accuracy has been impressive. Just wanted to make sure they are quick killers. From the previous posts it seems that it would not be an issue.