Hornandy A MAx

Yotebuster

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I have been playing with 168 Gr Amax and 168 Berger VLD The Amax shoot 1/2MOA in my gun. But cannot get the Bergers to shoot nearly as good in my 308. Trying to work up a load for Antelope this next yr. What do you think Would the A max be an ok bullet for say out to 700 yds. Or should I keep trying on the Bergers and not consider the A max. I'm sure the Bergers would be better choice for hunting. Just wish I could get them to shoot better. But Just wondering how the A max would perform
 
I shot my antelope this year with a 308win 168 Amax at about 490 if I remember correctly. It hit the dirt so fast I had to ask my kids if I got it. I would not hesitate to use them again. The shot was at an angle, entering just behind rt shoulder and exiting mid body left side. The wound channel looked no different than what a partition or accubond would have done. If your rifle likes them, I'd shoot them.
 
I can't quite give you an apples to apples comparison because I don't shoot the 168 amax in .308 but I do shoot the 162 in .284.

I've taken 5 Whitetail with this bullet either with a 7-08 or a 7 saum all five have dropped right where they were standing, nothing over 400 yds, but if a shot out to 650 presented itself I wouldn't hesitate to take it, thats about the extent of my comfort zone.

I would suspect antelope would be a little easier to kill than Whitetails and if you can put it where it needs to go the 168 Amax will do the job.

Chris
 
Like the sounds of the A max so far..... Bullet does not come a part then? I was afraid it would blow up.. They sure shoot good for me...

Dan
 
They'll come apart to a degree but not "failure type" come apart, I suppose if you launched them out of a 300 RUM at something 10 yds away they'd blow up. But at 308 velocities you're pretty safe, may not want to try and drive one through a shoulder bone up close, but even then I doubt you'd have a problem.

Chris
 
I shot 2 antelope this year with my 7wsm and 162gr A-Max. One at 580yds and one at 410yds.
Both one shot kills, dropped in their tracks.
The A-Maxes worked just fine, especially in the 30mph winds.
 
I shot 5 pigs and a raccoon at 80 to 260yards last month in Texas with the 175gr amax from my .308. 4hogs and the raccoon were DRT. Was extremely happy with the results. Killed the hogs real good but also tore the raccoon apart. According to my limited experience it is a pretty good bullet for deer up to whitetail deer. I haven't shot anything with them beyond 260yards, but with the damage at 260 I wouldn't hesitate out to 5-600yards.

Hope this helps,
Oliver
 
Came across this thread with some discussion that you might find useful...opinions on both sides.

Hornady A max for hunting big game

The Hornady website on the main A-Max page says, "*Match bullets are not recommended for hunting medium & large game."

I don't have any personal experience with them good or bad, but I am looking for big game bullet options and the A-Max looked good from a BC perspective. Since I'll be using my bullet of choice for elk, I've decided to steer clear of the A-max...but I'm still looking.

Good luck.
 
If memory serves me correctly - the Hornady reloading manual states that the A-Max bullets are good medium thin skin game bullets. I'm surprised that their web site indicates otherwise.

Either way, I have killed many whitetails with the A-Max bullet and they do a great job. I have shot several of them with a "high shoulder" point of aim. This shot with the A-Max drops them on the spot. No surface explosions or any other horror stories, just dead deer.

Use the A-Max with confidence.

CRS
 
If memory serves me correctly - the Hornady reloading manual states that the A-Max bullets are good medium thin skin game bullets. I'm surprised that their web site indicates otherwise.

Either way, I have killed many whitetails with the A-Max bullet and they do a great job. I have shot several of them with a "high shoulder" point of aim. This shot with the A-Max drops them on the spot. No surface explosions or any other horror stories, just dead deer.

Use the A-Max with confidence.

CRS

That is correct. I have also read that in the Hornaday manual that the Amax was good for hunting up to deer size thin skinned light boned game. Maybe on their website when thay say medium to large game they are refering to elk as medium and moose and grizzley bears as large game.? It would be intersting to call Hornaday and ask them about the difference between the manual and the website.

On a side note, my cousin just harvested a nice coues whitetail buck at 500 yards last night with the 168 Amax. He dropped him with one shot through the high shoulder and finished the job through the lungs from the same spot. Both exits were the size of a quarter and the wound path was as good as any. The lungs came out in pieces.

Unlike the SMK, the Amax is very predictable. They expand at very low velocities and explode at high velocities and they are not enough for elk and larger.

M
 
I would prefer a-max to VLD's out of my 308. We shoot sika deer at ranges from 30yds to around 400yds. Just like a SST they tend to expand violently in the chest cavity and often don't exit but drop the deer very quick.
My favourite load is 155gr amax with 44gr N140 which is not too fast.
At least the A-max is not too tough and will expand at longer range or expand with a neck shot. Maybe avoid shoulder shots at short range.
This is the wound channel of a atlas joint shot at 370yds with 155gr a-max. One wouldn't want less expansion.

DSCN2197.jpg


This one was retrieved from a high heart shot at 220yds. again 155gr a-max
No heavy bone, just ribs. Do they put lead into them??:)
155grAMax.jpg



edi
 
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