Film: Deer with 6.5mm Amax

[Roe]

Yes the GWP certainly isn't a dog you'd want to leave understimulated - the would get bored and destructive.

The roe deer is very small and the 140 Amax behaves in that animal just like you would like a good big game bullet to behave in a large animal like moose. Very unusual that the deer runs. I've had no issues shooting deer with the 140 Amax, but the expansion is less violent past 600m (my V0 is 840'ish msec/ 2750 fps). Personally I would prefer something like an Accubond for a large red deer, but I know of plenty reds shot with the 140 Amax, no problems as long as it isn't smack on the shoulder bone and close.

The 123 Amax is significantly more violent, much more like a Vmax and can create huge wounds. I don't use this bullet anymore, the prohunter on the property prefers them.

 

[ray toy]

The shooting rig is all factory:

Blaser R93 rifle
6,5x284 barrel cut to 20"
limbsaver recoil pad
Atec CTM 4 suppressor
Vektor bipod pin
RPS bipod
Blaser saddle mount, custom 20 MOA tilt
S&B PMII 4-16x50 P4Fine scope

The Amax does incredibly well on deer. If they ever run, I am so surprised I start to think I've botched the shot somehow. There's just no way I'll look for another bullet, it is just incredibly effective.

Yes, the dog-work is what makes this cull shooting worth it for me. it is an "experience-magnifyer" to have a dog along.

Hi Thomas ,
Another great video and thanks for sharing!!
Glad we can talk openly about A-max for hunting on here , as in the UK its a very sensitive subject!!
Mention A-max for hunting on a UK forum and there seems to be alot of disarray about using them and words of --- they dont expand / its a target bullet!!
Well like your self , i have used a 140 A-max in a 6.5-284 / 123 A-max in a 6.5-55 Ackley / 155s in a 308 / 105s in a 243 Ackley and i have had the A-max entered on my FAC as expanding ammo for hunting!!
Those rifles have been sold and i now run a 280 Ackley with the 162 A-maxs @3025fps - expand they do - regularly..
If i remember right they said on UK Forums the same about the Berger VLDs for hunting - different now that they call them the Berger hunting VLD!!!
All the best .....

 

[Dgd6mm]

Roe, loved the video and your hunting partner. I have 3 Hellers and don't know if I could get along without them. I've had excellant success on Whitetail with 140 Amax's out of my .260. I always enjoy your video's, keep them coming.


Don Dunlap

 

[Roe]

Yes, I have noticed that sentiment about the Amax on both British and Swedish forums. Hornady themselvs seems on/off about recommending it for hunting in their reloading handbook. The bullet certainly is expanding in both construction and function! I think some people read more than they hunt...

A tad envious about your 280 AI, it is on my "want" list, but here it doesn't make sense to shoot anything but 6,5 or 30 moneywise. These components are by far the cheapest.

Don, I figured your 260 would do well with Amax. I have a 20" barrel on my x284 and only shoot my bullets marginally faster than a 260 or 6,5x55. Most people I know that try the 140 Amax for larger deer seems quite happy with the performance.

I have 2 (?) more hunting videos in the making now.

 

[mountainman56]

Nice video. Thanks for sharing. Had a 6.5 x 55 for years. Was an old sporterized Carl Gustav but it was a shooter. Put it in a lightweight tupperware stock for sheep hunting. Left it at my parents place when I first moved to Texas and my father gave it away (headshake)

 

[Roe]

I notice a lot of people seems to migrate to Texas. Is it the sun or the work?

6,5x55 is doing very well here, it has been a dominant cartridge in competition for at least 3 generations now. The amassment of 6,5 components with dealers makes this one cheaper to shoot than more or less any other centerfire in Norway.

 

[mountainman56]

Met the love of my life here.......had no choice but to move here.

The 6.5x55 isn't as popular here for some reason. Same with the 7x57 although I have one in a model 70 featherweight which is one of my favorite moderate range deer rifles.

 

[Roe]

Sounds too familiar. Same reason I'm north.

 

[ray toy]

Yes, I have noticed that sentiment about the Amax on both British and Swedish forums. Hornady themselvs seems on/off about recommending it for hunting in their reloading handbook. The bullet certainly is expanding in both construction and function! I think some people read more than they hunt...

A tad envious about your 280 AI, it is on my "want" list, but here it doesn't make sense to shoot anything but 6,5 or 30 moneywise. These components are by far the cheapest.

Don, I figured your 260 would do well with Amax. I have a 20" barrel on my x284 and only shoot my bullets marginally faster than a 260 or 6,5x55. Most people I know that try the 140 Amax for larger deer seems quite happy with the performance.

I have 2 (?) more hunting videos in the making now.

Thanks for your insight Roe!!!!
Early days for the 280 Ackley - really liking though!!!
Understand what you are saying about price too and availability of components - i made sure i have a good stock of 162 A-maxs to keep me ticking over!!
All the best ,
Ray..

 

[Roe]

Good!

Last time I ran out of 6,5mm Amax and couldn't buy them bulk anymore, I had to get small boxes at 3x the price and shoot two loads (one with cheap club bullets) to manage. Not nice.

These days I panick if basement stock doesn't have 4 figures (powder excluded!)

 

[Sauer 150]

Roe- you need to ask friends if they cannot help you out with a 280AI ;-) I know you like your Blaser's just as much as I dislike them, but your results speaks for themselves. Like we discussed yesterday, shooter induced errors outweigh equipment at least 10-1.

I have been pretty happy with my 280's. With long barrels and slowburning powders you basically touch the heals of 7 RM performance with bullets up to roughly 160 grs. After that the entra powder volume in a 7 mag starts to shine.

I'm not a good enough judge of wind so my hunting range is limited to roughly 450-500m. At fanges past 400y I do believe a 162 A-Max would be very efficient on smaller deer species. On the larger like mature Red Deer bucks, Moose, Elk I personally would opt for a more solid bullet. I have used quite a few 160 AB and 150 Scirocco's over the years. However I did recover a few 150Scirocco's this year in animals which fieldressed was in the 250# range and beyond 300y. Still showing double diameter expansion, I thought lenght of bullet showed that I cannot antisipate them to reach 500m with what I feel is sufficient expansion.

Waiting patiently for Nosler to get me a decent supply of 168 ABLR