.300 BLK gel test: 110 gr VMAX

[chopinbloc]

Things didn't really cooperate that day. Weather prevented a chronograph reading. Here is the data from the manufacturer:

"DETAILS
Hornady® V-Max® bullet loaded by Freedom Munitions.

Hornady® V-Max™ Rifle Bullets are designed specifically for varmint and predator hunting. The bullet’s polymer tip aids in aerodynamics to flatten trajectories, reduce wind drift to ensure maximum long-range accuracy. The polymer tip pushes back into lead core upon impact for rapid and devastating expansion, even at ultra long-range, when bullet strikes target at lower than normal velocity.

You must use a suppressed barrel to achieve the same results.
These ballistics were derived from an 16" barrel.
Super Sonic: 110gr V-Max® @1785fps=773 lbs"

 

[ny32182]

Normally a 110gr 300blk load would be more like 2200+ fps...

 

[steve4102]

Normally a 110gr 300blk load would be more like 2200+ fps...

More like 2350-2400.

http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle

 

[strambo]

That wasn't a 16" barrel, more like 8-9" so it isn't going to get near the 16" velocities. Too bad the chrony was't working. Either way, obviously whatever speed it was is below the expansion threshold.

 

[Dentite]

Here's a .277 110 grain Vmax fired from a 12" .277 Wolverine barrel. Velocity was ~2250ft/sec at the muzzle and my ballistics calculator says the velocity at 100 yards would be 2050ft/sec. This went through two gallon jugs of water and I found it in the third jug. The jugs were at 100 yards so the velocity at impact was ~2050ft/sec.

 

[chopinbloc]

Sorry, for some reason I wasn't notified of replies to this thread. Yes, barrel was 8" so velocity was obviously less than the 1,785 fps that the manufacturer claims for a 16" barrel. Hornady claims the bullet should expand at velocities as low as 1,600 fps, but I'm not sure if I believe that. Maybe if it struck thick hide or bone first? It's possible that the manufacturer used a slower powder that isn't optimal for .300 SBRs and that would result in a dramatic difference between 8" and 16" barrels, but the whole point of .300 BLK is that you don't lose nearly as much speed with barrel length as you do in other calibers because the cartridge is supposed to be loaded with faster magnum pistol powders, rather than traditional rifle powders, right?

In any case, this isn't an indictment against the VMAX bullet, but it is useful to note that $0.60/rd "premium" ammunition may not be as good a deal as it appears. No point in paying for that VMAX bullet if it's being pushed so slowly that it behaves like a solid. Also worth noting that most of the bullets we see in .300 BLK loads are designed for .308 Win velocity.

 

[ny32182]

I don't know why anyone would want a factory load, especially with a premium bullet, that is so far below the normal velocity range for that cartridge and projectile weight.

 

[chopinbloc]

I don't think most people are savvy enough to notice the low velocity.

 

[bang_bang]

I'm having a hard time picking a cheaper bullet than the Barnes black tips for my 300 BLK. I've got some Hornady 110 SP, Sierra 110 HP and most recently the Speer TNT 125 HP. Nosler 125 BT showed no expansion on a deer out of my 8.5 inch barrel.

 

[chopinbloc]

You'll have a hard time finding a better bullet than the TTSX, too.

 

[bang_bang]

That's what I'm afraid of, Santa is bringing my son a Ruger American Ranch in 300 BLK this year. I won't be afraid of feeding issues as much with it. It will probably eat 30-30 projectiles for deer if I can get a load developed.

 

[chopinbloc]

A member on another site suggested that projectiles designed for .30 carbine might perform well in .300 BLK if they'll feed.

 

[climbnjump]

You must use a suppressed barrel to achieve the same results.
These ballistics were derived from an 16" barrel.
Super Sonic: 110gr V-Max® @1785fps=773 lbs"

For whatever reason, Freedom Munitions seems to be loading that round rather light. I haven't used any 110 gr V-MAX bullets in my 10.5" barrel 300 BLK pistol, but I have hand loaded the 125 gr V-MAX and am getting 2044 fps (over 17.5 gr H110).

For hunting, though, I do use the Barnes 110 gr TAC-TX. The Barnes factory load has a box velocity of 2350 fps. The test barrel length isn't specified on the box, but I would expect it is probably a 16" barrel. That load chrono's 2188 fps out of my 10.5" barrel, so I'm losing less than 200 fps.

I also hand load that same bullet and can duplicate the factory load with 18.3 gr H110 where I get 2184 fps.