Ballistic gelatin test results : 7.62x39mm 123gr Hornady V-Max

[Brass Fetcher]

Special thanks to GM of Jacksonville, FL for funding this test in full.

Cartridge : D&S Manufacturing 123gr Hornady V-Max

Firearm : 7.62x39mm AR15 with 20" barrel length

Block Calibration : 11.0cm @ 596 ft/sec (No correction attempted due to fragmentation)

Single shot fired to the center of the 10x10x16" gelatin block. Impacted at unrecorded velocity (chronograph malfunctioned). Penetrated to 11.9", with severe fragmentation along the entire penetration track. Bullet core recovered at 0.609" average diameter.

 

[Jackal]

Uh....Ouch?

 

[Thin Black Line]

That would create a wound which would ruin my day.

 

[DMK]

Wow, not much overall penetration for a 123gr. 30 cal rifle bullet. What was the expected velocity?

Looks like it penetrated just an inch before tumbling and fragmenting?

 

[Dain Bramage]

Isn't the V-Max a varmint bullet?

 

[strat81]

I can't find a 7.62 123gr V-max on Hornady's website. However, their V-max popup doesn't use the word varmint: https://www.hornady.com/shop/Bullets_VMAX_popup.htm

Anyone else think of Yosemite Sam whenever they hear the word varmint?

 

[Brass Fetcher]

@DMK - I'm thinking that tumbling didn't occur... the bullet performed like any JHP/soft point does, but appeared to have a shorter 'neck' (the penetration depth before expansion or tumbling takes place). Basically, the thing looked like it started coming apart on contact with the block! Two Brassfetcher thumbs up for larger varmint hunting! I would expect the velocity to have been in the neighborhood of 2350 ft/sec - this is the max velocity given by Federal for a 123gr hunting round out of a 20" barrel. The guns barrel length was 20" and the primer on the cartridge was flat - indicating high pressure load.

The Hornady V-max is a varmint bullet. Here is a link to a test I did that same day with a 22-250 rifle, using a 55gr V-Max. :

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=270542

 

[DMK]

I'm thinking that tumbling didn't occur... Basically, the thing looked like it started coming apart on contact with the block!

Hmm... While that looks impressive, I myself wouldn't use that round for SD/HD (at least not against anything bigger than a woodchuck or a coyote). It looks like the bullet has a low structural integrity and I tend to suspect that have been overdriven a bit. Who knows what kind of penetration you'd get on the second or third try.

Normally rifle rounds should fragment dramatically like that only after tumbling shouldn't they?

Interesting experiment though.

 

[R.W.Dale]

Hmm... While that looks impressive, I myself wouldn't use that round for SD/HD (at least not against anything bigger than a woodchuck or a coyote). It looks like the bullet has a low structural integrity and I tend to suspect that have been overdriven a bit. Who knows what kind of penetration you'd get on the second or third try.

Normally rifle rounds should fragment dramatically like that only after tumbling shouldn't they?

Interesting experiment though.

What part of VARMINT BULLET don't you understand The Hornady 123grn V-max is a varmint bullet designed to create total disruption on impact IE turn VARMINTS inside out

This would be a truly devastating anti personnel load as all energy was transfered in a distance similar to the thickness of human torso.

I handload these bullets for my CZ 527 in x39 to just under 2500 fps, at this speed accuracy is outstanding.

 

[Bigfoot]

I agree with Krochus, this looks like an outstanding civilian self defence bullet.

The V-Max is a bit stiffer than most varmint bullets. Hornady loads the V-Max in thier 110 gr TAP tactical load for the .308. The 155 gr and 168 TAP loads use the A-Max bullet which have the same construction as the V-Max I hear.

And to think that this bullet has been sitting around at Graffs and Cabelas for years and nobody has tested it untill now.

Many thanks JE223. How much did the core weigh?

 

[Brass Fetcher]

My scale reads 60.6gr.

 

[Lucky]

Thanks again for that test. Have you ever considered having your posts put into a sticky, with no-one allowed to post in it but you? I'd like that. There could be the posts we can all ask questions in, and then a little encyclopedia you compile up top.

 

[ColoradoPacker]

Looks like a nice SD round to me too. I keep my AK loaded with Federal 123gr JSP and was lucky to find 60 rounds for $30 the other day. Usually it is about 2x that. I practice with the cheap stuff though. I need to start reloading...

 

[Thin Black Line]

This would be a truly devastating anti personnel load as all energy was transfered in a distance similar to the thickness of human torso.

+1. This would cause massive bleeding unlike a FMJ which would travel what?
7" or more before we got a good cavity develop?

 

[Ben Shepherd]

Thanks for the info. I have seen what the 110 V-max out of a 300 winchester mag does to a jackrabbit. It's like the Lazeroni video clips basically.

 

[the naked prophet]

I've killed enough deer with the Winchester Super-X 125 grain pointed soft point (PSP) that I keep that loaded in my home AK. It gets plenty enough penetration, and leaves about a half inch wide hole even in elastic muscle tissue. That VMax doesn't seem tough enough to do what a rifle is supposed to do - penetrate.

 

[kmrcstintn]

the Hornady TAP rifle offerings are tipped with either V MAX or their next lighter integrity Ballistic Tip for the heavier .308 offerings...total energy dump upon impact = greatly reduced chance of overpenetration & the creation of a very devestating wound...the idea works or it wouldn't have been offered to LEO and subsequently to civilian markets

BTW: need a link for D & S Manufacturing...having a hard time searching the web and coming up with an ammunition loader by the name...thanks

BTW: excellent work and please continue your efforts

 

[Brass Fetcher]

+1 on the problem finding D&S ... If I had a link, I would give it to you... Basically, with some tests, I can only shoot the gun and ammo that I have been given. This was one of those situations... I don't own a 7.62x39mm, so the gun had to be borrowed for another test (one which was planned with a third party but did not occur), so the 123gr V-max was the one load that the owner wanted to see tested out. They did list a phone number on the box, perhaps a search on that would at least give you a number to call?

 

[Bigfoot]

I found a D&S page with the V-Max loading years ago. I haven't seen it since.

Cabelas sells loaded ammo. http://tinyurl.com/2fp433

Grafs sells ammo and bullets for reloading. http://www.grafs.com/ammo/product/114197
http://www.grafs.com/metallic/product/109259

 

[dragonriot]

The Hornady brand stuff is still in steel cases, and can't be reloaded... and they only have it available in bulk at Cabela's... As if buying Wolf 154Gr for $200 for a case of 1000 wasn't bad enough, now it's $200+ for a 500ct case of 123Gr V-Max that won't perform as well on deer - but performs quite well on large varmints and for SD/HD... I guess you have to pay for specialty ammo, eh.

I'm still sticking with my 154Gr SP Wolf stuff... and my "in Drag" SKS is still my favorite deer rifle. Then again, once I put a scope on one of my K31s, that might change...

 

[qbpc]

removed due to stupidity

 

[seeker_two]

I guess this will be the TAP-FPD round for the AK/SKS shooters, then....

Nice.....

 

[Gordon]

Would seem IDEAL for krinkov type short barrels!

 

[Full Clip]

I have some of that x39 VMAX from Cabela's but have yet to try it out. Appreciate this thread!
BTW, I called D&S some months ago trying to track down their ammo and was told it was discontinued. Don't know if this is still the case, however.

 

[PTK]

A wound the size of a basketball.... court.

That's an amazing round for HD/SD, I'm thinking.