AMAX vs deer.

[Bfh_auto]

I've been running the 100 grain AMAX at 3150. So far it's taken 2 deer with lung shots. There was no exit. Blood trail was impressive for no exit. Deer made it 30 yards.
One deer was taken quartering to us. It fell on it's back with the bullet under the offside hide.
Two deer were taken with neck shots. The one blew through. The other stopped just shy of the backstraps after smashing through 8 inches of vertebrae.
I had been planning on stepping up to the 129 interlock, but I think I have a winner.

 

[jmorris]

I have seen impressive hydraulic damage from 35 grain a max bullets but they seem too fragile to me to count on as well as a bullet that’s going to stay together with a bone impact.

That said, you are eating results and I was just speculating.

 

[Bfh_auto]

I have seen impressive hydraulic damage from 35 grain a max bullets but they seem too fragile to me to count on as well as a bullet that’s going to stay together with a bone impact.

That said, you are eating results and I was just speculating.

It definitely isn't a bullet I would use on heavy bodied game. But Whitetail that dress out under 140 aren't very big.

 

[jmr40]

Cartridge?

Some people seem to think it is an unpardonable sin to shoot game with target bullets. But I participate in several hunting forums and lots of people are using various target bullets and reporting very good results. Lots of guys are convinced that some target bullets are deadlier than hunting bullets. Just because it is designed for accuracy doesn't rule it out for hunting. In fact when the A-max was 1st introduced Hornady recommended it for both hunting and target shooting. Later they quietly stopped recommending it for hunting and now just advertise it as a target bullet.

In fact the Amax has pretty much been replaced by the ELD-M for target shooting and the ELD-X for hunting. I think it is purely for profits. They charge $5-$10 more for a box of the hunting bullets, yet those who have tried the target bullets on game claim that it is as good or better. I've seen the same claims made concerning other brands.

 

[jmorris]

Cartridge?

I would guess the latest wonder the 6.5 cm or the round designed in 1891 that is its ballistic twin, 6.5×55mm Swedish.

 

[entropy]

My son has used 55 gr. V-max on Wisconsin deer exclusively, minus the one he got with a 125 gr. Rem. golden Saber. Ranges 10-225 yards, none wandered more than 50 yards, all heart/lung shots. The kid who borrows his AR got 2 more during the youth hunt with the same bullet. I load them for my son, 25.8 gr. BL-C(2), CCI 400, LC brass, various years, 2.23" OAL. Very accurate out of his Savage Axis or his AR.

 

[Bfh_auto]

I would guess the latest wonder the 6.5 cm or the round designed in 1891 that is its ballistic twin, 6.5×55mm Swedish.

Close.

 

[Bfh_auto]

Cartridge?

Some people seem to think it is an unpardonable sin to shoot game with target bullets. But I participate in several hunting forums and lots of people are using various target bullets and reporting very good results. Lots of guys are convinced that some target bullets are deadlier than hunting bullets. Just because it is designed for accuracy doesn't rule it out for hunting. In fact when the A-max was 1st introduced Hornady recommended it for both hunting and target shooting. Later they quietly stopped recommending it for hunting and now just advertise it as a target bullet.

In fact the Amax has pretty much been replaced by the ELD-M for target shooting and the ELD-X for hunting. I think it is purely for profits. They charge $5-$10 more for a box of the hunting bullets, yet those who have tried the target bullets on game claim that it is as good or better. I've seen the same claims made concerning other brands.

It's a 260 Remington.

 

[Grumulkin]

I've shot a bunch of animals with so called target bullets including the A-Max and have had no problem with any of them.

 

[illinoisburt]

Technically not legal in some states (ie law requires "mushrooming bullets" here in Alabama). Be sure to check the regs where you hunt before getting a look-see by conservation police.

 

[mustanger98]

Does the A-max expand? Or is it designed not to expand? 105gr A-max seems real good in a .243Win., but may not be permissible for deer in GA and some other states.

 

[LoonWulf]

Untill they were discontinued i used Amax exclusively in my 7mm mag, and regularly in everything else

Tipped target bullets expand rapidly, so generally my suggestion is to keep them towards the heavy end of the spectrum. I currently shoot 147 eldms from my 6.5-284, 123Amax from my 6.5G (I'll be shooting sst or eldms when I run out), 162eld-ms from my .280 and 7mm Remington. Ive got the 178 eldx for my 06AI build but ill also be trying 208 amaxs I've had for a while.

 

[Bfh_auto]

Technically not legal in some states (ie law requires "mushrooming bullets" here in Alabama). Be sure to check the regs where you hunt before getting a look-see by conservation police.

AMAX bullets definitely expand. They are a soft ballistic tip bullet. I recovered one that was over twice the initial diameter. It didn't retain much weight though.

 

[Bfh_auto]

Untill they were discontinued i used Amax exclusively in my 7mm mag, and regularly in everything else

Tipped target bullets expand rapidly, so generally my suggestion is to keep them towards the heavy end of the spectrum. I currently shoot 147 eldms from my 6.5-284, 123Amax from my 6.5G (I'll be shooting sst or eldms when I run out), 162eld-ms from my .280 and 7mm Remington. Ive got the 178 eldx for my 06AI build but ill also be trying 208 amaxs I've had for a while.

My niece uses the 123 in a 6.5x55. It holds together much better than the 100 does.

 

[LoonWulf]

Does the A-max expand? Or is it designed not to expand? 105gr A-max seems real good in a .243Win., but may not be permissible for deer in GA and some other states.

Hornday USED to recommend the Amax for hunting, they no longer do, and dont recommend the Eld-ms...they would rather you spend 3 more bucks on the ELd-x
If you CANT shoot the amax/eldm by your states laws simply chose the ELD-x versions...

As to soft bullets, and very soft bulets on game...welll
I vaporized a sheeps head with a 162 amax out of my 7mm STW (3200-3250fps), but it still had enough penetration to drop feral cows/bulls with body shots. Its a balancing act in terms of having just enough to get there tho, and i wouldnt recommend it.
Dropping down to around 2800-3k start, and they tend to behave a little more. THIS is where i think they do the best work.

 

[troy fairweather]

I've shot a few deer with the amax in different calibers. All killed fast, seen many hunters use them as well. I believe loonwulf is correct, hornady is try to get us to use the more expensive bullets for game.

 

[climbnjump]

If you CANT shoot the amax/eldm by your states laws simply chose the ELD-x versions...

Well okay, but it may be more complicated than that. Depending on caliber, similar weight ELD-M and ELD-X may or may NOT shoot well.

I have a RPR in .243 that will shoot 5 shot groups of 108gr ELD-Ms inside of 5/8" routinely. Now, this may not be "tack driver" accuracy, but it's still pretty good. I was considering taking this rifle on a WY antelope hunt this year so purchased the 103gr ELD-Xs to work up a hunting load. They shot like crap out of that same rifle. I tried a number of different powders, charge weights, changed COL, etc., but could not get those things to give me a 5 shot group under 1.25". Some of the 5 shot groups were close to 2" at 100 yards so safe to say that for whatever reason, my rifle hated the 103gr ELD-X bullets.

In this caliber - .243 Win - these two "similar" bullets are actually very different (not just the 5gr difference in weight, but different nose profile and OAL) and can't be considered interchangeable. Don't know about other calibers...

 

[Bfh_auto]

Well okay, but it may be more complicated than that. Depending on caliber, similar weight ELD-M and ELD-X may or may NOT shoot well.

I have a RPR in .243 that will shoot 5 shot groups of 108gr ELD-Ms inside of 5/8" routinely. Now, this may not be "tack driver" accuracy, but it's still pretty good. I was considering taking this rifle on a WY antelope hunt this year so purchased the 103gr ELD-Xs to work up a hunting load. They shot like crap out of that same rifle. I tried a number of different powders, charge weights, changed COL, etc., but could not get those things to give me a 5 shot group under 1.25". Some of the 5 shot groups were close to 2" at 100 yards so safe to say that for whatever reason, my rifle hated the 103gr ELD-X bullets.

In this caliber - .243 Win - these two "similar" bullets are actually very different (not just the 5gr difference in weight, but different nose profile and OAL) and can't be considered interchangeable. Don't know about other calibers...

I feel your pain. 100gr interlocks were my consolation prize. They shoot way better than expected.

 

[LoonWulf]

Well okay, but it may be more complicated than that. Depending on caliber, similar weight ELD-M and ELD-X may or may NOT shoot well.

I have a RPR in .243 that will shoot 5 shot groups of 108gr ELD-Ms inside of 5/8" routinely. Now, this may not be "tack driver" accuracy, but it's still pretty good. I was considering taking this rifle on a WY antelope hunt this year so purchased the 103gr ELD-Xs to work up a hunting load. They shot like crap out of that same rifle. I tried a number of different powders, charge weights, changed COL, etc., but could not get those things to give me a 5 shot group under 1.25". Some of the 5 shot groups were close to 2" at 100 yards so safe to say that for whatever reason, my rifle hated the 103gr ELD-X bullets.

In this caliber - .243 Win - these two "similar" bullets are actually very different (not just the 5gr difference in weight, but different nose profile and OAL) and can't be considered interchangeable. Don't know about other calibers...

your correct, they arnt the same bullets. my statement was too general.

they require their own load work ups, and may or may not shoot the same as a similar weight eldm.(my 6.5s shoot the 140m,143x, and 147ms pretty much the same using similar loads).

In use and limitation i consider them interchangeable tho.

 

[newfalguy101]

In fact the Amax has pretty much been replaced by the ELD-M for target shooting and the ELD-X for hunting. I think it is purely for profits. They charge $5-$10 more for a box of the hunting bullets, yet those who have tried the target bullets on game claim that it is as good or better. I've seen the same claims made concerning other brands.

I will guarantee the eld match and eld hunting bullets are NOT the same bullet.

As a matter of fact, the poly tips are different colored!! LOL.

Thats the only difference I could see.