Nosler Ballistic vs Hornady A -max

[maltbuck]

I notice in Spuds 6.5 x 284 post, the Hornady A-Max 140g figures highly. So a simple question what's the difference between the A-max and the Nosler BT bullet in similar weights, and the merits of one vs the other? - partic with reference to terminal ballistics on deer?

 

Many thanks

[menial 1]

Both kill deer efficiently, both are deer legal (hollow point) and expand reliably. Nosler BT's are section 5 and count as missiles on your fac, A-Max aren't and you can hold as many as you wish.

This topic usually leads to heated debate and causes a fair amount of friction depending on your opinions on the use of what is usually considered a match

bulet on game.

Pete.

[Vermincinerator]

A-max is a polymer tipped match bullet where as the Nosler ballistic tip is an out and out Varmint or game bullet but again with a polymer tip.

Hornadys equivalent to the BT is the V-max

 

Ian.

[ejg223]

At least on the 30 cal bullets, the plastic tip is quite a bit bigger on the Nosler than on A-max or SST, I think the Nos will expand quicker and because of that might bounce off a shoulder bone. On the other hand the jacket in the back of the Nosler is very thick and sturdy.

edi

[devilishdave]

If you are bringing SST in to the equation, I use them in 95 grain .243 and find they do more damage than the Nosler Balistic Tips.

 

Dave

[menial 1]

At least on the 30 cal bullets, the plastic tip is quite a bit bigger on the Nosler than on A-max or SST, I think the Nos will expand quicker and because of that might bounce off a shoulder bone. On the other hand the jacket in the back of the Nosler is very thick and sturdy.

edi

 

I switched to Nosler BT 125grn for the fallow doe cull from Sierra 150grn SP, the results have been very satisfactory. Side on head shot, just flesh left intact, back of head shot and the top of the head comes off. Neck shots result in almost complete severing. Heart/lung, bullet passes through with 25mm approx. exit wound. Shoulder shots near cover drop them on the spot without too much meat damage and no exit wound. A bit destructive on munties if you don't headshoot or hit them dead sideways on.

Despite the mental price, I've been very impressed with them and shall continue using them.

44.5grns Viht 140 gives 2860fps through my 21" barrelled .308 and around 1/2moa when shot off a bag.

Pete.

[shrek]

I use 168gr amax's through the 308, and 105's through the 6BR both very good accurate bullets which do expand "consistenly" on game, i dont what to start another match bullet V's Game bullet argument here but i have found that the amax's do as good of a job of stopping live quarry as any other designated "game" bullet, and the fact that they are supremly accurate gives me more confidence that im going to do the job properly when i pull the trigger!

[Guest Tiff]

I solely use 155 A-MAX's in my .308. Everything from rabbits to red and all in between are stopped instantly by them

[1967spud]

what i have noticed in my exsperience of shooting over the last 35 years a fatal shot usually kills them

 

mark

[ejg223]

I solely use 155 A-MAX's in my .308. Everything from rabbits to red and all in between are stopped instantly by them

 

Also my favourite, drops em well and is so reliably accurate.

 

edi

[Guest varmartin]

The A-max will do every thing the Nosler will at half the cost .

[1967spud]

and they can be bought throught the post

[maltbuck]

Thanks for the replies. It would appear that there is not a whole lot of difference.

The old phrase place the right bullet in the right place springs to mind.

There will always be the argument of meat damage, for this type of bullet, and too frangible if using too light a bullet. But then I have seen/heard of many heavy jacketed bullets including partition pencil through a correct chest shot, without dumping enough energy in the deer. Which is one reason for my disappointment in Norma's decision to drop the 120g BT, and maintain the 140g partition, in a calibre that has serious velocity/impact energy for a relatively small cross section.

 

Many thanks once again.

 

MB

[grahamfarmer]

hi guys ,

 

have wondered about this for a time but does anyone know what the actual difference between a vmax and a amax is or are they one and the same thing in a different box . must say the 6mm 87grain vmax and the 30cal 110 grain vmax both do a very good job on roe deer with out two much meat damage for heart lung shots and are devestating on foxes crows and small furry things.

 

graham.

[Alycidon]

A-max is a polymer tipped match bullet where as the Nosler ballistic tip is an out and out Varmint or game bullet but again with a polymer tip.

Hornadys equivalent to the BT is the V-max

 

Ian.

 

There is also a Hunting Ballistic Tip in heavier weights for deer etc, this has a thicker jacket I think. the varmint version is 22 and below and 6mm below around 75 grains.

 

http://www.nosler.com/index.php?p=3

 

A

[njc110381]

hi guys ,

 

have wondered about this for a time but does anyone know what the actual difference between a vmax and a amax is or are they one and the same thing in a different box .

 

graham.

 

 

The best answer to this is do what I did. Get one of each and file them in half lengthways. It's a bit of a pain trying to hold them still to do it but when you have a clean half of each one to compare there is an obvious difference. The V-max I looked at seemed to have a thinner jacket at the front end and the cavity is also slightly different too.

 

52grn A-Max worked well for me on Foxes when used in my .223. They seemed to make a decent exit wound but didn't break up badly enough to make a mess. If you were to shoot a Deer with a heavier calibre version I would guess they would do the job very well, although I've never tried it. I intend to use a heavy A-Max in my .300WM when I get it. That will mean I can get bullets easily and cheaply through the post and should have a good all round load which will down anything we have around here.

[varminter]

I use 168gr amax's through the 308, and 105's through the 6BR both very good accurate bullets which do expand "consistenly" on game, i dont what to start another match bullet V's Game bullet argument here but i have found that the amax's do as good of a job of stopping live quarry as any other designated "game" bullet, and the fact that they are supremly accurate gives me more confidence that im going to do the job properly when i pull the trigger!

 

 

I solely use 155 A-MAX's in my .308. Everything from rabbits to red and all in between are stopped instantly by them

 

 

I do agree with the lads here!!!

Although early days with the 155 A-max in the 7.62 , i have used the 105s in the 243 ackley which gave good performance....

 

I have used the 140 A-max in the 6.5-284 too!! , good BC of 0.550 and a very long bullet for penetration ( as with other 6.5 bullets ) ....

 

Its a awesome load on ginger too!!!

First Fox shot with 6.5-284 at 321yds..............

 

I found that in the 6.5-284 that the 140 A-max is a cracking performer , but thats just my personal experience!!! :D

 

All the best.......................

RAY...............................................