I'm looking to both of these rifles for yotes this coming winter. Ideally, the pelt damage must be minimal to fetch a better price. I looked in my Hornady manual which describes the V-Max as a great varminting bullet. However, they also use the word "explosive". Can someone please shed some light on these bullets for me - are they a good choice for either of these .223 or .270WSM as a minimal pelt damage bullet?
Hornady V-Max in .223 and .270WSM
- Thread starter gitrdun
- Start date
I have shot a badger with a 223 with 40gr v-max and are great, no damage, a friend of mine uses the same for yotes and do the same job, shoot and they don't move with proper bullet placement, and I do mean no movement.
here is a pic of the badger! badger was 65 yds and bullet did not exit.
here is a pic of the badger! badger was 65 yds and bullet did not exit.
haven't tried the vmax's in a 270 wsm but have used them a fair bit in my ruger .223. with a 55 grain vmax, the coyotes go down quicker than dropping a sack of hammers. if your placement is good (chest) you get an entrance hole and that's it. i haven't shot any coyotes past 200 yards so i don't know what they're like past this range.
You're not going to find any bullet for the 270 WSM that won't do ridiculous pelt damage if loaded to full velocities. Even FMJ's at that speed will cause a messy entrance wound due to hydro-dynamic shock, and will tumble and likely fragment before exiting.
Glock4ever
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Edmonton, AB
I don't recommend VMAX bullets - they are extremely explosive. I would recommend any type of SP bullet in a lighter weight for a .223 for saving the pelt. As for the 270 WSM - that is way too much gun for varminting. You will have no problem killing whatever you are aiming at but it will rip the animal apart.
V max bullets
A while ago, last summer I think, Hornady's TAP ammo was fairly new. Hornady and Leupold sponsered a training course at our club for ETF and SNIPER type law enforcement guys/girls. I helped with the course and range that week as they needed club members around, I spoke with someone there that had told me the TAP ammo was similar to the V Max bullets in that they were designed to open up really soon and quickly so as to minimize collateral damage, they didn't want some cop shooting a bad guy and having the bullet travel through him and hitting grandma on the street corner behind him. They had also said that the v max was designed the same way to not only produce quick shallow damage but also to avoid bullets bouncing around the neighbours places when you missed your groundhog, once they contacted something reasonably solid they fragment fast.
M.
P.s. I think it would still depend on caliber and speed. I'm using 40gr v max's but sending em down range at around 4000 f.p.s. odds are I might still make a mess of the coyote.
A while ago, last summer I think, Hornady's TAP ammo was fairly new. Hornady and Leupold sponsered a training course at our club for ETF and SNIPER type law enforcement guys/girls. I helped with the course and range that week as they needed club members around, I spoke with someone there that had told me the TAP ammo was similar to the V Max bullets in that they were designed to open up really soon and quickly so as to minimize collateral damage, they didn't want some cop shooting a bad guy and having the bullet travel through him and hitting grandma on the street corner behind him. They had also said that the v max was designed the same way to not only produce quick shallow damage but also to avoid bullets bouncing around the neighbours places when you missed your groundhog, once they contacted something reasonably solid they fragment fast.
M.
P.s. I think it would still depend on caliber and speed. I'm using 40gr v max's but sending em down range at around 4000 f.p.s. odds are I might still make a mess of the coyote.
I agree Rugerman! I shoot maggies and gophers and yep nothing left, but I also have hit steel plates with them at 100yds and they dimple it real good,
so they seem to blowup small objects like no tomorrow! When the badger was skined out, the bullet went right in behind the front shoulder, the better part of the bullet was found in the hind quarter. All I know is that they work and they work great!
so they seem to blowup small objects like no tomorrow! When the badger was skined out, the bullet went right in behind the front shoulder, the better part of the bullet was found in the hind quarter. All I know is that they work and they work great!
Donny Fenn1
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- East Kootenays
i shoot 40/50/55/60g in .224 centerfire (222/223/22-250) and i think i've had one actual exit wound in around 100 coyotes i highly recommend vmax for your coyote needs (i've also let the air out of 8 or 9 badgers with the same results as bad brass)
Ok, well so far, I've gathered that the .270WSM for yotes is out of the question. I can live with that.
Now, for the .223, using the V-Max bullet, what would be an appropriate downrange velocity at say 200 yds to minimize damage.
And perhaps, what other bullet would you guys recommend, again minimal pelt damage being most important.
Thanks for your help BTW
Now, for the .223, using the V-Max bullet, what would be an appropriate downrange velocity at say 200 yds to minimize damage.
And perhaps, what other bullet would you guys recommend, again minimal pelt damage being most important.
Thanks for your help BTW
I have used the 55gr. and 60gr. Vmax for coyotes and last winter shot 13 with them. I load around 3100 fps and have never had a bullet exit. Of the 13 i shot only 2 ran, both only ran between 35 and 60 yards. All the rest were bang flops. I`d say that the Vmax in a 223 is just about perfect combo for calling.
I'd go with turman's recommendation, and pick a heavier 55 or 60 gr Vmax for your .223. You will minimize the chance of splash (i.e. the bullet coming apart on impact, making a large nasty entrance wound without much penetration) but still get the frangible (not "explosive") effects inside the animal. Keep in mind that when you hit bone, all bets are off.
In the .223 you should have no troubles but the 270wsm may give you some messy looking pelts,however you will never know unless you try.
I found a load for my 270WSM using 110gV-max just yesterday and am going to tweak it a bit and use it on coyotes this season.
I have used a 264WinMag using 95 grain V-max(around 3300fps) for a couple of seasons with mixed results.Some are torn up quite badly and others hardly have an exit wound.I can think of at least two coyotes I shot that looked like they were hit with a 22lr and had no exit at all.
The entrance wounds with the V-max(in my experience) is better than with say a Sierra HP varmint bullet where you will get a pretty good splash hole.
Anyway, give it a try in the 270wsm
Here is on coyote I took at 153yds,broaside,with a 6.5mm,95g V-max ,out of one of my .264 mags (3300fps)The hide on the far side looked like someone poked it 2 or 3 times with the tip of an ice pick all in an area the size of a dime.
I took it to a friend who regularly submits furs to the auction and he entered it into some skinning/pelt/tanning?? contest/exhibition and it took first prize.
I found a load for my 270WSM using 110gV-max just yesterday and am going to tweak it a bit and use it on coyotes this season.
I have used a 264WinMag using 95 grain V-max(around 3300fps) for a couple of seasons with mixed results.Some are torn up quite badly and others hardly have an exit wound.I can think of at least two coyotes I shot that looked like they were hit with a 22lr and had no exit at all.
The entrance wounds with the V-max(in my experience) is better than with say a Sierra HP varmint bullet where you will get a pretty good splash hole.
Anyway, give it a try in the 270wsm
Here is on coyote I took at 153yds,broaside,with a 6.5mm,95g V-max ,out of one of my .264 mags (3300fps)The hide on the far side looked like someone poked it 2 or 3 times with the tip of an ice pick all in an area the size of a dime.
I took it to a friend who regularly submits furs to the auction and he entered it into some skinning/pelt/tanning?? contest/exhibition and it took first prize.
