A MAX for hunting?

[MAELTY]

Stll learning and thanks to all who responded to my first post. Concerning bullet selection for The 7MM WSM, many of you suggested the 162 grain AMAX, however I'm being told by some that Hornady does not recomend these for animals, citing the inabilty to acheive consistent expansion from a bullet meant to punch paper. Is this true? please comment

Also, can anyone tell me if the 160 gr Barnes X would be suitable for LR work (800 to 1000 yds). And while I'm at it does anyone have experience with the Nosler Ballistic Silvertip in either the 140 or 160 gr weights?

thanks for any comments that will keep me on the straight and narrow, at least to a 1000 yrds.

 

[Guest]

I can't comment on the 7mm. A-Maxes. But I tried to shoot a 75 grn. A-Max in a 8 twist 22-250, they grouped wonderful, but did NOT expand on groundhogs consistantly. Talked to Hornady and they told me the same thing as they told you. Made for accuracy. Not for expansion. I shot a hog with the A-max, it went thru him and left a 5-6ft. groove in the ground behind him.If you do use them make sure of your backstop. Good Luck, Sam

 

[Tim Behle]

I've used them quite a bit on paper, they are one of the most accurate bullets I've found.

I've also used them on quite a few coyotes, out to just over 500 yards. They did a quick job on the coyotes, but I don't like them for broadside shots, too messy, and none to clean under 300 yards with the coyote facing me.

I wouldn't hesitate to use them on deer out to 1,000 yards.

 

[Guest]

[ 03-15-2004: Message edited by: 338-378 ]

 

[jcpython357]

Maelty, I would try the new 154gr Interbond or the 162SST by Hornady, leaning more towards the 162, higher BC, they should do a fine job at longrange. I'll have to agree with Dachs on this one, you should get great accuracy from that 162SST, thats a hunting bullet, if it's anything like the Hornady bullets I've used, excellent accuracy, great weight retention, high B.C., I've always had good luck with Hornady, my bullet of choice now for deer is always Hornady, although, I've shot deer in the past with 150gr Ballistic tips and they do a fine job also, but Hornady has better prices, Nosler/Win. silvertips don't make a 160gr. in 7mm unless it's new for 2003. Good luck or hunting. Jay

[ 03-18-2003: Message edited by: Jay Gorski ]

 

[Dachs]

Anybody telling you to use a-max for animals is not a hunter. Every hunter with a minimum of brain knows that a-max is not ment to be used on animals.

I´m quite shocked over the lack of hunting ability among those kind of people. It´s not all about hitting the target. It is a MUST to know what happens after you hit also. Disregarding the quality of your bullets for hunting is an offence. Bullets designed for paper is not allowed on animals. Think twice before you do anything that inhuman. You might hit and just wound an animal because of an non-expanding bullet.

 

[Len Backus]

Dachs

"""It is a MUST to know what happens after you hit also.""""

Glad to have you share your concern on this issue. Now...can you give any examples of your (or friends') actual experience with this bullet on deer-sized game?

Do you actually "know what happens" when a deer is hit with an A-max bullet?

I do...as do many others on this site. If you don't know from experience and don't care to learn from those with experience then perhaps we shouldn't bother to share our experience with you on this issue.

On this site we tend do deal more with facts and experience rather than mere opinion.

[ 03-18-2003: Message edited by: Len Backus ]

 

[Darryl Cassel]

Dachs

First, This is a "Longrange hunting" forum.

Many of us have used several types and manufacturers bullets over the past 30 or more years and have seen the effects each have on game.

If you think the A-max or the Sierra MK does not expand going through game, think again. They are BOTH excellent bullets for killing game especially at extended range or any range in between.

If you have experiance with Longrange hunting and kills on game from deer to elk or moose, please contribute.

If not, you might want to consider reading the archives and see what has been written concerning the bullets used and the distance the kills have been made.

It seems from your post that you have been a short range hunter/shooter and really don't know to much concerning LR hunting.

A max and Sierra Match Kings work extremely well on game and I have experiance out to 2100 yards on elk using the Match King .

Later
DC

 

[Jake in NC]

.. I may be incorrect but I think if you look in the Hornady manual the 162gr AMax is OK'd for use on medium game.. That coupled with the experienced results from this fine crew is good enough for me.. I will be using those and the SST's when the 280AI is ready.. JiNC

 

[ewallace]

I have used the 6.5 140g Amax and I can tell you that they do expand on game. I also use the 300g 338 SMK with excellent results at long range. I have experiance with these bullets out to 1225 yards on wight tail deer.
Crow Mag

 

[4mesh063]

Dachs,

As this is a LR hunting forum, I'm afraid that hitting the target is somewhat important. The AMax bullet is basically like a ballistic tip. Designed for accuracy, yes. However, I'd say that the reason Hornady or Nosler does not reccomend these bullets for hunting has nothing to do with not expecting them to do much dammage. I'd say it's because they expect most people to Eat the thing they shot and I'm afraid that for the masses at close range, a deer shot in the toes with an Amax might not have a whole lot of meat that wasn't hydraulic-shocked. I know that when I use a 22cal Ballistic tip on a deer, 500 yds isn't far enough to not blow it all to hell. They get dead in quite a hurry.

Moreover, If one is worried about wounding a deer, I'd recomend not shooting at em!

 

[Tim Behle]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>You might hit and just wound an animal because of an non-expanding bullet.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

If that is what you fear, then stay away from the FMJ bullets that so many seem to think make fine hunting bullets. You have obviously never done any ballistic testing with an AMax bullet. I suggest you try some for yourself, and exercise a little caution before making such blanket statements.

Some of us have a great deal of experience in the field, and take a lot of offence to your statements.

 

[Guest]

[ 03-15-2004: Message edited by: 338-378 ]

 

[milanuk]

&lt;yawn&gt; oh, hello. I see some one let the troll in

Dachs, this (the subject of whether or not 'match' grade bullets work for hunting or not) has been beaten to death, buried, dug up, stabbed a couple o' times, buried again, and then dug up, shot btwn the eyeballs, and stuffed in a dark alley. Read here
before you go digging it up yet again.

Later,

Monte