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Nice write up DiRTY DOG. I have the best accuracy from the same rifle using the 20gr. Gamepoints. I tried the V-max, FMJ, XTP, TNT and Gamepoints and found my rifle hates FMJ and TNT. XTP is slightly better with V-maxes being slightly edged out by the Gamepoints. You're right, for a $200 rifle, the Marlin 917V is hard to beat.


My thinking on bullet selection was to go with the most accurate. In my case the V-max and Gamepoint were more than accurate enough to hunt with so it then came down to performance. I found that I was able to hit a bone on purpose more reliably than I could miss one. The shoulder blade, breast bone, spine and skull are pretty good sized targets on groundhogs, fox, and cats. For this reason I like a between the eyes shot when facing and a square in the shoulder shot when broadside. The groundhogs I shot with the V-max, which are admittedly very tough compared to a fox, usually splashed unless I hit below the breast bone or quartering up through the rib cage. The V-max also resulted in a lot of tearing of their tough hides. I ran my trap line this past year using my HMR and Gamepoints and had zero damage to fox, coon, possum, skunk, and groundhog. As you found, the penetration was very controlled and uniform. These animals were all shot from distances of several feet to 40yds. I don't recall any passthroughs and most of them were shot in the head either in the bridge of the nose or between the eyes as I was shooting them with a kill light early in the mornings. The only animals that didn't die instantly from the shots were the possums. Apparently they don't use their brains for anything. I think the Gamepoints are still a decent bullet for hunting so long as you don't aim behind the shoulder or high in the chest for frontal shots. That being said, I'd love to see a 20-22gr. V-max. I think that would give the best compromise.


Mine has done 3 shot 50yd prone groups like this more than a couple of times with the GP's.

 


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