Well, loading up for hunting season and having some troubles finding some bullets to do the job. I just bought a box of Barnes original X bullets but I've been hearing that there not the best choice as they don't expand like the new ones. One bullet I have plenty of is 178 A-Max but not sure of there hunting abilities. Anyone have any insight???
A-Max for hunting???
- Thread starter Katana
- Start date
A-max are for targets
I'd work it out with the Barnes bullets. I have used the original Barnes (180gr) for my 30.06 and have done a lot of one shot kills on moose and deer. I also love the A-max for target shooting. In my .308 I get 2" of hight with the same load with the Sierra match king bullets. That being said, A-max bullets don't expand. They just punch holes in paper. Good luck!
I'd work it out with the Barnes bullets. I have used the original Barnes (180gr) for my 30.06 and have done a lot of one shot kills on moose and deer. I also love the A-max for target shooting. In my .308 I get 2" of hight with the same load with the Sierra match king bullets. That being said, A-max bullets don't expand. They just punch holes in paper. Good luck!
When I first started loading A-max bullets I had the same question. At that time the Hornady Website actually said they were suitable for taking up to medium sized game. Their site no longer says that.
I have taken a big whitetail doe with the Amax and she dropped in her tracks. I retrieved the jacket of the bullet and it was peeled back in four equal strips (like you'd expect an expanding bullet to do) the lead core however separated and continued through the deer. So based on that one event only it appears that the bullet expands but the lead core is not bonded to the jacket. Would this bullet behave this way repeatedly? I do not know.
Even though it performed well for me on one occasion I have decided to load true hunting bullets for hunting from now on and keep the Amax's for the range.
I have taken a big whitetail doe with the Amax and she dropped in her tracks. I retrieved the jacket of the bullet and it was peeled back in four equal strips (like you'd expect an expanding bullet to do) the lead core however separated and continued through the deer. So based on that one event only it appears that the bullet expands but the lead core is not bonded to the jacket. Would this bullet behave this way repeatedly? I do not know.
Even though it performed well for me on one occasion I have decided to load true hunting bullets for hunting from now on and keep the Amax's for the range.
xring_assassin
Regular
- Location
- Rocky Mountain House, Alberta
I shot a deer and an elk with 162gr 7mm a-max from a 7mm rem mag last season. Same load my son and wife both shot a deer each with. I'd say similar performance to nosler ballistic tip - as was already mentioned - definitely not a bonded core, personally I don't care - everything died, and with the exception of the elk - everything died where it stood. Elk made it 4 steps. Keep in mind every critter was shot beyond 200 yards - I think the a-max might be "bad" at extreme impact velocity - but I will admit - I don't know. I do know the expansion was nice and rapid - nice 2-3" big hole on every deer - passthrough - never found a bullet. The Elk - lung soup - never found the core - but the jacket was peeled right back on itself in a PERFECT peel back mushroom between hide and ribs on opposite side.
I plan on using them again on animals this season. I shot the elk while my huntin buddy (wife) had my 300 mag sitting beside me in case the critter made it more than 10 yards....he didn't. I approached hunting with a-max cautiously - I was pretty sceptical it'd work - but it sure does!
I plan on walking with SST under the bolt from now on - if a close jump shot presents itself I'd prefer a tougher bullet to be at the ready - and it shoots nearly the same as A-max in my 7mm - out to 200, then the groups aren't even CLOSE to what A-max does in my gun. So I think SST out to 200, longer stuff gets mister A-max.
If you don't mind my asking - where the hell did you find any A-maxes this year? I have only 120 left - and a terrible habit of shooting lots - I live way too close to the rifle range.....i've been intentionally leaving my 7mm mag at home because I don't consider 120 bullets as being an abundance. I need more - soon.
I plan on using them again on animals this season. I shot the elk while my huntin buddy (wife) had my 300 mag sitting beside me in case the critter made it more than 10 yards....he didn't. I approached hunting with a-max cautiously - I was pretty sceptical it'd work - but it sure does!
I plan on walking with SST under the bolt from now on - if a close jump shot presents itself I'd prefer a tougher bullet to be at the ready - and it shoots nearly the same as A-max in my 7mm - out to 200, then the groups aren't even CLOSE to what A-max does in my gun. So I think SST out to 200, longer stuff gets mister A-max.
If you don't mind my asking - where the hell did you find any A-maxes this year? I have only 120 left - and a terrible habit of shooting lots - I live way too close to the rifle range.....i've been intentionally leaving my 7mm mag at home because I don't consider 120 bullets as being an abundance. I need more - soon.
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xring_assassin
Regular
- Location
- Rocky Mountain House, Alberta
Hmmm - the soggy phone book stacks at 100 yards disagree....at least in the 7mm bullet arena - given that ballistic tips are only 140grain not a very fair comparison to a 162gr bullet though. (Yes I know 7mm 150gr b-tips supposedly exist - never EVER have seen them for sale in Canada yet....)
xring_assassin
Regular
- Location
- Rocky Mountain House, Alberta
wss, cabelas, p&d, 2 local shops - admittedly not lookin too hard simply because 162 grain sst and a-max are really easy to find. Local shops are so friggin hung up on barnes..... 150 grain in anything BUT 7mm I can find pretty easily. I think (although dunno for sure) lots of 7mm-08users like the 150g b-tip - likely always sold out, however cabelas.ca doesn't even list the 7mm 150gr b-tip as an option to buy.
Not a fair comparison at all.I have used both the 139gr SST and the 140gr Ballistic tip on deer sized game,and the 140gr ballistic tip did hold together a little better.The cartridges were the 7mmremmag,and the 7mmstw.
Long Range Canuck
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Athabasca Alberta aka God's Country
I've hunted with the 208grn Amax in my .300wm for years. Never needed a second shot. I hunt at Long to Extream Long range and not only is the bullet extreamly stable and accurate, it brings game down.
It is my favorite bullet for hunting and long range precision shooting.
It is my favorite bullet for hunting and long range precision shooting.
I found some locally but have been unable to find anymore...
Well, from what I'm reading here is that there probably not the best choice but not the worst either so I thing that I might give them a go this year until I can find some Barnes for a reasonable price...
Long Range Canuck
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Athabasca Alberta aka God's Country
Alberta Tactical Rifle in Calgary carries them. If Ricks stock is low Higginson Powder also carries Amax, or PM MysticPlayer on this site he can probably hook you up out of Summerland B.C.
Mystic Precision
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Summerland, BC
The AMax will work wonderfully on game IF the impact velocity is low.
Bullet performance is directly related to construction vs impact velocity.
A Hornady SST arriving at 2900fps is a hammer of thor. The 208gr Amax arriving at 2200fps does very similar things. Pushed out of a 300WM at 2900fps, that is a very long ways away.
I bet out of a 30-30, the Amax will tunnel through great quantities of game. Out of a 300RUM at the same distance, KA-SPLAT.
As long as the bullet is accurate enough, there really aren't any 'bad' bullets, just poor applications.
The Berger Hunting bullets are getting alot of positive press from hunters who are looking for bang flop vs exit wound and blood trail. Barnes have quite the article dishing the Bergers but really, they are reinforcing exactly what Berger designed these bullets to do.
Expansion vs penetration. Retained weight vs shrapnel.
Pick your poison, put it in the right place and figure out how you are going to get the game back to the truck.
Odds are if LR hunting is part of your sport, you will have two bullets to cover the range of possibilities.
Jerry
Bullet performance is directly related to construction vs impact velocity.
A Hornady SST arriving at 2900fps is a hammer of thor. The 208gr Amax arriving at 2200fps does very similar things. Pushed out of a 300WM at 2900fps, that is a very long ways away.
I bet out of a 30-30, the Amax will tunnel through great quantities of game. Out of a 300RUM at the same distance, KA-SPLAT.
As long as the bullet is accurate enough, there really aren't any 'bad' bullets, just poor applications.
The Berger Hunting bullets are getting alot of positive press from hunters who are looking for bang flop vs exit wound and blood trail. Barnes have quite the article dishing the Bergers but really, they are reinforcing exactly what Berger designed these bullets to do.
Expansion vs penetration. Retained weight vs shrapnel.
Pick your poison, put it in the right place and figure out how you are going to get the game back to the truck.
Odds are if LR hunting is part of your sport, you will have two bullets to cover the range of possibilities.
Jerry
