dragman
Well-Known Member
How fast is too fast for hornaday Amax's for deer or big game???
too fast???
- Thread starter dragman
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WildRose
Well-Known Member
Do you mean impact velocity or MV?
It's a pretty thin skinned bullet so I don't think I'd want impact velocity greater than 2,400fps or you run the risk of the bullet completely breaking up and not passing through.
MV wise, whatever speed you find where you start losing accuracy or showing pressure signs.
It's a pretty thin skinned bullet so I don't think I'd want impact velocity greater than 2,400fps or you run the risk of the bullet completely breaking up and not passing through.
MV wise, whatever speed you find where you start losing accuracy or showing pressure signs.
Tikkamike
Well-Known Member
any velocity, its not a hunting bullet and its going to be pretty unreliable no matter what
J E Custom
Well-Known Member
Most big game bullets are designed for a minimum velocity of 1800 ft/sec and a max velocity of
2800 to 3000 ft/sec.
Small caliber and varmint bullets are up to 3800 ft/sec depending on there intended use.
Target type bullets don't have a maximum impact velocity like hunting bullets.
Even though hunting bullets are designed to perform within those velocities the shot placement
can greatly alter there performance.
J E CUSTOM
dragman
Well-Known Member
I have a lot of friends that went to the Amax over bergers for hunting cuz they fly great and work well as hunting bullets. They are shooting 123's out of 6.5's and 162's out of .284's and are getting great results from 2900-3100. My 300 RUM seems to like them in the 168 grain and is shooting them @ 3650fps. @ 1000 yards I am not really worried but if a deer walks out @ 100 I am a little concerned it's going to just blow apart.
WildRose
Well-Known Member
I certainly would not shoot anything tougher than deer with them or you risk a badly wounded animal running off to die after the bullet explodes.
The Interbonds fly as well or even better than the AMAX as do the SST's and both are much better hunting bullets that will perform much more reliably.
At short range your concern is certainly valid because the Amax is likely to shell out completely getting very little or no penetration.
dragman
Well-Known Member
deer are the biggest thing I would probably take with this load I guess. Gun is mainly used for ground hog's so it doesn't matter, but If I go for elk with it I think I gotta try another round of "hunting bullets"
blipelt
Well-Known Member
You could always build yourself a target similar to the animal you plan on hunting and see. Mild steel and wet down telephone books work well. A 115 Dtac(matchking) did wonders at 905yds out of a 6X47lapua at 3050fps. Sure surprised me.
Brent
Brent
WildRose
Well-Known Member
The interbonds and Sicroccos have yet to let me down. So far I have relatively limited experience with the Sirocco having only killed a few dear and a couple of big hogs with them, but I'm really liking what I'm seeing.
Both open well, and are bonded bullets with jackets that get progressively thicker as you move back from the tip so the first third peels back and mushrooms out reliably at any speed, but holds the rest together quite well giving great penetration even through thick bone.
Between the two though I give the interbond higher markes for penetration but not just a whole lot more.
BearDog
Well-Known Member
I would echo what WildRose says about the Interbond and SST rounds. If you are wanting a fast round, and obviously that is what Hornady is known for, those two are going to be better choices than the AMAX. The AMAX is fast and very accurate, but I think the Interbond and SST, more specifically the Interbond is going to serve you much better in the field. The Interbond is dang near as fast as the SST, but you are going to get a bigger wound channel, more expansion and more weight retention than the SST.
Jordan Smith
Well-Known Member
I'm curious how many people that have weighed in on this thread have actually used the A-Max on game. My guess is, very few.
The only animal that I shot at PBR with an A-Max, was a MD doe that I shot at 40 yards with a 162gr A-Max started out at 3105fps. Impact velocity was likely somewhere around 3050fps. The bullet impacted the scapula, scrambled the lungs, penetrated through the off-side scapula, and left a 1.5" exit hole in the off-side shoulder and hide. Very little meat damage, and the deer was DRT. The bullet certainly didn't break up, and it left a wound channel similar to an equivalent AB, IME.
The only animal that I shot at PBR with an A-Max, was a MD doe that I shot at 40 yards with a 162gr A-Max started out at 3105fps. Impact velocity was likely somewhere around 3050fps. The bullet impacted the scapula, scrambled the lungs, penetrated through the off-side scapula, and left a 1.5" exit hole in the off-side shoulder and hide. Very little meat damage, and the deer was DRT. The bullet certainly didn't break up, and it left a wound channel similar to an equivalent AB, IME.
WildRose
Well-Known Member
I have and have seen them blow up when they first contact heavy bone resulting in some nasty cripples.
Hornady specifially states the Amax is not intended for game for the reasons listed above.
The Amax is intended for target, varmints, and thin skinned game only.
