V Max on African varmints

[pvanwyk]

After 1 year of learning from all of you, my first post.

I've shot a couple of baboons over the last year with my 25-06 with 75gr Vmax. The result has pretty much been the same each time. Very little penetration, with massive entry hole expansion. The bullet has "exploded" each time. The photo's show a fair size baboon, approx. 40kg, that was shot at 373 yards. Only the top of his back and head was showing. Bullet impact just below the head, on the spine. The bullet barely penetrated, but blew a 2" crater on the entry position. The second baboon I got this year (unfortunately no pics), was a frontal shot on the breastbone at 390 yards with pretty much the same result.

Am I expecting too much from the Vmax ? Both baboons went down on the spot, but I don't fancy chasing after a 40kg wounded baboon. [image][/image] [image][/image]

 

[Dave King]

I'm thinking that V-Max is a little on the light for the 85lb critter and you'll need to be careful if you keep using it (you already know this). I would have thought Hornady would have a heavier and perhaps thicker jacket V-Max but it appear there's only one offered in .257 and apparently no A-Max for that caliber. I guess I'd try some other bullets and see how they do... find a baboon carcass and try a few Sierra Gamekings or Nosler BT's for effect (if you can get them to shoot well from the rifle).

I gotta admit, I'm looking forward to heading over to SA and shooting a few baboons myself. I should be over there next May near Cathcart for a holiday and shoot.

 

[budlight]

When ever your shooting the lightest bullets for any size caliber. My advice is that they are intented for shorter distances like sub 300 yards and sub 25 kilo animals with thin skins.

With a 25-06 I think that you need to be looking at 117 gr. SPBT or even 100 grain bullets

 

[Fiftydriver]

An 85 gr Ballistic Tip will far outpenetrate an 87 gr V-Max simply because of its heavy solid copper base. If it were me I would try the 100 gr Ballistic Tip and see how it performs. I have several 25-06 rifles that will only shoot this bullet. They are all factory rifles but they all love the 100 gr Ballistic Tip loaded to right at 3400 fps.

Kirby Allen(50)

 

[ol mike]

2scoops ,

Great photos thanks for posting them.

I haven't had much luck w/ getting the 115-120gr bullets to shoot well in my factory 25-06.
Kirby is right on w/the 100gr nosler bal-tip suggestion.They have a bc that's on par w/the sierra matchking.
Also the accubond's might do well,i just got two box's and am going to give them a whirl.Best of luck Mike

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

The 75g vmax is a very explosive bullet out of a 25-06. They dont even exit coyotes so your thinking is on the right track to switch bullets. Even the 85g btip will exit yotes, with mass destruction as well. that would be my next choice of bullet if you want to keep it under 100g's. If you want to though, you could try the 100g or 115g btips, those would exit for sure, and have a litle more thump when they get there. There sure is nothing wrong with that 85g btip though at 3600fps.

 

[pvanwyk]

Excellent. Thanks guy's. Off next week to the Kalahari desert for desert oryx and springbuck. Will give the heavier bullets a try on the springbuck.

 

[Fiftydriver]

2scoops,

I have used the 100 gr Ballistic Tip in my 25-06 rifles to take more deer then I care to count. Ranging from 120 lb does up to +300 lb mature bucks. At ranges from 50 yards to 450 yards.

I will not say this is the ideal bullet for 300 lb game but when the bullet is placed in the correct location, things die very quickly.

On the springbuck I would think this bullet would be nearly perfect in weight and performance. Keep us posted with your results!!!

Kirby Allen(50)

 

[41mag]

2scoops,

I might have hit upon a fluke whan I did my last load development for my 25/06. It is a straight factory rifle with the only thing chaged out being the stock and no bedding done.

It started life shooting the 100gr BT's and did so extremely well. In fact it would shoot nice little clovers at 200yds no problem. I had several issues with up close shots on deer however, and switched over to the 115gr Partitions. I forgot to change my seating die as I was working up the loads. What I ended up with was the seating die set to load the 100gr BT's at 3.250", and then when I seated and shot the Partitions, they shot just as well. I have since loaded the Barnes X and the newer 115gr BT as well to the same setting on the seating die. I just never had reason to change it. They will all shoot into their respective groups at 200yds but will all still go under 2" combined.

It might be worht a try, if your looking to shoot a heavier bullet.

I use 56.5grs of RL-22, Win cases, and Win-WLR primers.

The load has done great on everything I have pulled the triger on with the exception of a few fairly large hogs at around 400yds. It dropped them but they did require a follow up shot.