Thoughts on 53g vmax.

[hunt0168]

I don’t get it… V-Max’s are working for so many successful (Highly successful actually) coyote hunters, but because they don’t work for ole’ Rock Knocker, they’re just no good. Man I wish I knew about this before I started having success with them, and finding out I’m a damn liberal!

Now I have useless ammo AND I hate myself!

 

[Rock Knocker]

I don’t get it… V-Max’s are working for so many successful (Highly successful actually) coyote hunters, but because they don’t work for ole’ Rock Knocker, they’re just no good. Man I wish I knew about this before I started having success with them, and finding out I’m a damn liberal!

Now I have useless ammo AND I hate myself!

Dont worry, we can fix this.

I just dont hunt with a 30rd magazine so cant fire 23 vmax to defend against that cougar in my woods.

 

[SupressYourself]

...Look at Hornadys website, basically all their .224 bullet are made for paper and rodents, thats because of the consumers.

Thats odd... the guys that designed the 53-vmax talk quite a bit about shooting coyotes with them, and had the gall to use a picture of a coyote for their thumbnail image.



And the "rodent" thing you keep going on about is just the icon they use for varmints less than 50 pounds, which would include coyotes.

You've had a poor experience and have moved on. I get that. I went through a similar thing with 140 Lapua Scenars, despite praise from others. I'm not going to try to convince you to shoot v-max.
However, when you're trying to convince everyone that a bullet that's killed tens of thousands of coyotes is not up to the task, and anyone that uses them is a fool, you might expect some resistance.

 

[Rock Knocker]

Thats odd... the guys that designed the 53-vmax talk quite a bit about shooting coyotes with them.



And the "rodent" thing you keep going on about is just the icon they use for varmints less than 50 pounds, which would include coyotes.

View attachment 13739

You've had a poor experience and have moved on. I get that. I went through a similar thing with 140 Lapua Scenars, despite praise from others. I'm not going to try to convince you to shoot v-max.
However, when you're trying to convince everyone that a bullet that's killed tens of thousands of coyotes is not up to the task, and anyone that uses them is a fool, you might expect some resistance.

Yes, I just watched that last night. That video is where i found the cougar attack comment that took 20 Vmax to stop a cougar. And those guys clearly say, vmax were developed for prairie dog and coyote wasnt a consideration, they squirm when discussing shooting coyotes with them and literally say in that video that they "Do not suggest shooting coyotes with vmax", they say that angles and bones will stop them, they themselves designed it to be as soft and explosive as possible. Did you watch it?

 

[Yotarunner]

Youre shooting 22-250, I said from the start thats a different ball game. Im talking about bullets that have flooded the marked that cripple carbine ARs and everyone says their better than sliced bread. Its a softer, weaker, made to explode bullet, you and I know it.

I am using or have used two 20 practicals two 223's a 222 two 22-250's and currently mainly using 220 swift all with VMAX from 32-55gr

 

[Yotarunner]

Yes, I just watched that last night. That video is where i found the cougar attack comment that took 20 Vmax to stop a cougar. And those guys clearly say, vmax were developed for prairie dog and coyote wasnt a consideration, they squirm when discussing shooting coyotes with them and literally say in that video that they "Do not suggest shooting coyotes with vmax", they say that angles and bones will stop them, they themselves designed it to be as soft and explosive as possible. Did you watch it?

Did you? 1 minute in they say and I quote
"The coyotes, the bobcats the predators the varmints this is a fun time of year especially if your into coyote hunting...let's dive into the VMAX bullet"

 

[Rock Knocker]

Good job making it 60 seconds, if you lasted 20 minutes they would have told you to not do it, while squirming and nearly trying to avoid the subject. yeah i watched it all.

Those guys know they are playing a weird game there, and i dont like it, its a fad and marketing.

 

[Duhhh]

Those guys know they are playing a weird game there, and i dont like it, it’s a fad and marketing.

I agree with you on the marketing game. I say this as a hornady consumer too.

I use the 108 ELDM as a big game hunting bullet and they openly advise against it. Even despite the hundreds if not thousands of success story’s with the ELDM line. I shoot front shoulders and bone with the eldm and they do great.

It’s not just them though. Sierra does the same thing with the TMK’s. I use the 77 TMK as a big game bullet too and it’s got devistating performance. Sierra will say it’s a no go, despite the overwhelming positive performance.

At the end of the day, a guys gotta use what makes him feel confident though. I’ll keep on with the vmax until I find something to make them more “deader” lol.

But in all seriousness, as a vmax shooter, we should all be excited for Biden’s last weekend in office, go Trump!

 

[Rock Knocker]

Heck yeah, its going to be a great week!

And I agree, i dont read the instruction manual, these things do what they do. I just have seen the varmint bullets fail in carbine ARs too much, and thats a 30lb dogs, and i think the average 223 layshooter should know theyve got a handicapped bullet. If youre super skilled and set up and know what they do, thats great but throwing them out there like they are leads to problems. Ive seen 65 SGK open up the drop and kill zone on coyote significantly, thats more ethical kills, especially for the less skilled shooters and LIKE ME shot opportunities come and go as fast as ducks.

I dont have a problem with Hornady much at all, if anything I would question their bullet designs some but they are great price, they cant offer bonded bullets for the same low prices they have so. Their whole Atip melting plastic burned me a bit in 6.5mm and I got into them late, those bullets had a big following, they melted apart for me past 550yards and came unglued I noticed right away but the internet said how great they were because of the BC numbers on paper. I think they have to much marketing behind them but you get what you pay for terminally but many times top shelf accuracy, if tips arent melting off. What we have now is a prairie dog Vmax, what we need to demand, and Hornady secretly knows they need to provide, is a coyote Vmax.

And honestly half of what gets me fired up is I cant even comment on the youtube videos now. Hunting video or gel test videos, once I said something against soft varmint bullets all my comments got shut off like i was speaking out against the jab.... its just fishy to me, the whole trend.

 

[B23]

Maybe I'm wrong on this but thought I read were Skinney is or has been using the Hornady 62 ELD-VT in his 22-250 and before that I think he was using some kind of Vmax. Those new ELD-VT's have a very large open cavity behind the plastic tip and are considered a pretty frangible bullet. Skinney and his crew seem to put down quite a few dogs every year so if those paper puncher/squirrel bullets work ok for them they should work equally well for others. Also, if I recall that crew mostly all shoot shorter barreled rifles so it's not like they're sending them at 4K

If I'm mistaken on any of that my apologizes.

 

[Yotarunner]

Maybe I'm wrong on this but thought I read were Skinney is or has been using the Hornady 62 ELD-VT in his 22-250 and before that I think he was using some kind of Vmax. Those new ELD-VT's have a very large open cavity behind the plastic tip and are considered a pretty frangible bullet. Skinney and his crew seem to put down quite a few dogs every year so if those paper puncher/squirrel bullets work ok for them they should work equally well for others. Also, if I recall that crew mostly all shoot shorter barreled rifles so it's not like they're sending them at 4K

If I'm mistaken on any of that my apologizes.

I think I remember the same thread as you. Based of their Instagram stories they are still using the eldvt but no word on how good or bad they have been working besides the fact the coyotes are dead lol.
Before that they did a podcast talking all about the 22-250's they shoot and they were using 50gr VMAX at 37-3800 ish if I recall correctly

 

[skinney]

Maybe I'm wrong on this but thought I read were Skinney is or has been using the Hornady 62 ELD-VT in his 22-250 and before that I think he was using some kind of Vmax. Those new ELD-VT's have a very large open cavity behind the plastic tip and are considered a pretty frangible bullet. Skinney and his crew seem to put down quite a few dogs every year so if those paper puncher/squirrel bullets work ok for them they should work equally well for others. Also, if I recall that crew mostly all shoot shorter barreled rifles so it's not like they're sending them at 4K

If I'm mistaken on any of that my apologizes.

I actually just had a fella from IG tell me there was a somewhat heated discussion going on about the VMAX over here, I am assuming this is the thread. I would be glad to provide my experience on the 50 VMAX and the 62 ELD-VT. We just killed 6 yesterday, single, Double and a Triple. Five with the 62s and one with the 50, none ran, and no holes, but the shot placement was steady and precise as you'll see on the videos.

 

[Rock Knocker]

I would love to see how the new 62s work, I just heard about those a few weeks ago. Call me a bit confused but in Hornadys own podcast, first for Vmax they have to say they really dont suggest them for coyotes, then in a podcast months later about the new ELD VT and the title of that podcast is "This is the best Coyote cartridge?" they go on to say that the ELD VT has the same terminal ballistics as Vmax and the gel test they show is a significantly cut down block for dramatization, the guy said "because the mini block of gel expanded like a beach ball means that a coyote is going to expand like a beach ball, just like the Vmax, but you cant see it", i doubt it. And again I check Hornady website and they have a little gopher and paper logo beside the ELD VT not the coyote like others.

I know a little digital logo on their website doesnt represent what the round will do but I question what the heck, it sounds like a new plastic tiped Amax. All their newest popular stuff is just soft core, thin jacket, plastic tip, change tip color and alphabet in the name but I think better bullets can be made. They have some other bullets totally over looked and hard to find but they never toughen up the bullets in their main lines, just rinse and repeat.

 

[skinney]

I would love to see how the new 62s work, I just heard about those a few weeks ago. Call me a bit confused but in Hornadys own podcast, first for Vmax they have to say they really dont suggest them for coyotes, then in a podcast months later about the new ELD VT and the title of that podcast is "This is the best Coyote cartridge?" they go on to say that the ELD VT has the same terminal ballistics as Vmax and the gel test they show is a significantly cut down block for dramatization, the guy said "because the mini block of gel expanded like a beach ball means that a coyote is going to expand like a beach ball, but you cant see it", i doubt it. And again I check Hornady website and they have a little gopher and paper logo beside the ELD VT not the coyote like others.

I know a little digital logo on their website doesnt represent what the round will do but I question what the heck.

I'm not sure about the podcast, what they recommend or don't recommend, but we did T&E for them regarding the new 62s. The very first batch of prototypes we received we had a hard time getting them to shoot, and discussed that with them. They modified distance of the base to ogive and sent us more, which shot superbly. Once we were able to get them to shoot sub 1/2 moa, we started hunting with them, and have had very good results on fur. I don't have an exact number, but it's really close to 200.

 

[skinney]

I understand peoples concern and frustration with sub par performance. I am not going to question your ability behind your rifle. I will ask you to expand your test range, it will ensure more consistency across a wider variety of circumstances. I would say shoot 50, make sure all of them have proper shot placement and record your results. I do have a very detailed system that I put together years ago, that has provided us amazing performance results over the past 20 years.

 

[Rock Knocker]

I would love to see some of you pros try some other bullets, Nosler BT are a legendary bullet put together better in every way, Ive never actually seen a coyote hit with one, ive never seen anyone else hunt with SGK. Hornady is everywhere and I really think they lack in bullet construction vs many other options. You've got top of the line gear in top of the line locations. Im hunting MN woods and swamps at night, a quartered towards me shoulder shot is a must have, vitals are behind shoulder and this is not hard to do.

Im shooting TSX now and not looking anywhere else, ive got wolves, bears and occasional mnt lion here. If that cougar story i found earlier is true, its terrifying, TSX smash through things, i hear some cant get them to shoot well but ive got them HBN lubed in a BHW barrel cooking at 3330fps and under 1MOA groups but that gun has a 1-4x VXR with over a 1moa crosshair, its not a group gun or scope and .5moa is unnecessary here.

 

[Hecouldgoalltheway]

I would love to see some of you pros try some other bullets, Nosler BT are a legendary bullet put together better in every way, Ive never actually seen a coyote hit with one, ive never seen anyone else hunt with SGK. Hornady is everywhere and I really think they lack in bullet construction vs many other options. You've got top of the line gear in top of the line locations. Im hunting MN woods and swamps at night, a quartered towards me shoulder shot is a must have, vitals are behind shoulder and this is not hard to do.

Im shooting TSX now and not looking anywhere else, ive got wolves, bears and occasional mnt lion here. If that cougar story i found earlier is true, its terrifying, TSX smash through things, i hear some cant get them to shoot well but ive got them HBN lubed in a BHW barrel cooking at 3330fps and under 1MOA groups but that gun has a 1-4x VXR with over a 1moa crosshair, its not a group gun or scope and .5moa is unnecessary here.

Hey bro, it seems like you are determined to convince someone that V-max bullets suck based on your experience. Meanwhile, you found a bullet that you like, we all seem to be pretty happy with our selections, (most of us are happy with V-max), but that's irrelevant. Just crack another beer and let's all shoot whatever we want to. It's not a big deal.

 

[DAA]

If that cougar story i found earlier is true, its terrifying, TSX smash through things, i hear some cant get them to shoot well but ive got them HBN lubed in a BHW barrel cooking at 3330fps and under 1MOA groups but that gun has a 1-4x VXR with over a 1moa crosshair, its not a group gun or scope and .5moa is unnecessary here.

The majority of lion kills I know of, which is quite a helluva lot, are with revolvers. Treed lions, I grant you. But still. We aren't talking Cape Bufalo or Hippos or African Lion or Bengal Tiger here. If somebody did a mag dump into a mountain lion with a high percentage of hits - any kind of hits - with any kind of bullet - that lion would be shot to doll rags.

- DAA

 

[Rock Knocker]

Hey bro, it seems like you are determined to convince someone that V-max bullets suck based on your experience. Meanwhile, you found a bullet that you like, we all seem to be pretty happy with our selections, (most of us are happy with V-max), but that's irrelevant. Just crack another beer and let's all shoot whatever we want to. It's not a big deal.

Ive hunted with Vmax, SGK and TSX, I cant find anyone else here who has compared and determined the Hornadys to win. This is marketing.

 

[Hecouldgoalltheway]

Ive hunted with Vmax, SGK and TSX, I cant find anyone else here who has compared and determined the Hornadys to win. This is marketing.

Ive killed coyotes with all three and a dozen others. I killed a bunch of them in 300blk with factory loaded 110gr ttsx.

Ive killed with all sorts of game kings, match kings, hammers, ballistic tips, partitions, eld-m, eld-x, V-max, fgmm, norma golden, hornady bthp, and probably a dozen others. You don't have the research market covered with your 8 v-max coyotes, so relax.