V-Max or Nosler Ballistic Tip??
- Thread starter Kevin R
- Start date
K22-hornet
Active member
In 6mm/243, I find the 75gr Vmax to work great. I went 33-34 coyotes straight without an exit, from close to far. All went down hard.
The 6mm/243 55gr BT, at 4,000fps, surprised me with runners and floppers, and I even lost one. Last I saw him, he was running up a hillside with something flapping out of his side.
In the 22cal, my son shoots the 60gr Vmax from his 223wssm at about 3,700fps. It is very destructive, but it does put them down.
I like the 50-55gr BT in the 222Remmag. With the lighter Vmax, penetration was sometimes limited and I had to shoot again.
The 6mm/243 55gr BT, at 4,000fps, surprised me with runners and floppers, and I even lost one. Last I saw him, he was running up a hillside with something flapping out of his side.
In the 22cal, my son shoots the 60gr Vmax from his 223wssm at about 3,700fps. It is very destructive, but it does put them down.
I like the 50-55gr BT in the 222Remmag. With the lighter Vmax, penetration was sometimes limited and I had to shoot again.
I've been killing coyote with Vmaxes for years. Never tried BTs, but this stings a little and now I feel some kind of obligation to give them a go.
TXCOONDOG
Well-known member
Mental Manipulation
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22magnum22
Well-known member
Definitely NOT a Biden supporter and have never used Nosler anything. I shoot Hornady Vmax 55gr and so far have not had one runner. My position is, if it ain't broke, why try to fix it?
AWS
Custom Accessory Maker & Retired PM Staff
I've tried both and use them both today still.
In light .224s I've had good luck with NBTs but have abandoned both the Vmax and NBT in favor of the Speer 52gr FB HP in all but the 22-204. Speers now in the 222, 223, 5.6x50R, 22-250 and 22-250AI. The 22-204 just doted on the 40gr NBT and did yeoman work on big northern coyotes when I was pelt hunting the upper tier of states. I ran them at around 4000fps out of a 1-9 twist, rarely an exit, mostly small pieces of jacket and base under the far side hide and tiny entrance
In the small 6mms, 6x45 and 6mm-204 both the 55gr NBT and 58gr Vmax work well with the Vmax has a slight edge in accuracy but not enough to abandon the NBT or bemoan the loss of the Vmax if I couldn't get them anymore. In the 243W it has been the 65gr Vmax that has worked well in the one rifle I loaded it for.
In the 20P I use the 40gr NBT and 39gr Speer with the NBT more accurate but again not enough to knock the Speer off the bench and the Speer is a lot less expensive. The 32gr Nosler HP has been an awesome bullet for me sadly no longer made. I do want to shoot the 32gr V max just from the good things I've heard about them.
In light .224s I've had good luck with NBTs but have abandoned both the Vmax and NBT in favor of the Speer 52gr FB HP in all but the 22-204. Speers now in the 222, 223, 5.6x50R, 22-250 and 22-250AI. The 22-204 just doted on the 40gr NBT and did yeoman work on big northern coyotes when I was pelt hunting the upper tier of states. I ran them at around 4000fps out of a 1-9 twist, rarely an exit, mostly small pieces of jacket and base under the far side hide and tiny entrance
In the small 6mms, 6x45 and 6mm-204 both the 55gr NBT and 58gr Vmax work well with the Vmax has a slight edge in accuracy but not enough to abandon the NBT or bemoan the loss of the Vmax if I couldn't get them anymore. In the 243W it has been the 65gr Vmax that has worked well in the one rifle I loaded it for.
In the 20P I use the 40gr NBT and 39gr Speer with the NBT more accurate but again not enough to knock the Speer off the bench and the Speer is a lot less expensive. The 32gr Nosler HP has been an awesome bullet for me sadly no longer made. I do want to shoot the 32gr V max just from the good things I've heard about them.
DiRTY DOG
Well-known member
I've shot both on varmints in 223 Rem. On ground squirrels, 40gr NBTs will often partially pass through and ricochet in the distance. Seen & heard it a lot. The extra penetration of the solid base is a plus for coyotes but it's a liability in cattle country etc.
Meanwhile, 40gr Vmax never passes through and results in more explosive hits. Both are very accurate if you reload but Vmax shot best for me.
Meanwhile, 40gr Vmax never passes through and results in more explosive hits. Both are very accurate if you reload but Vmax shot best for me.
TXCOONDOG
Well-known member
Running a .243 w/ 75 & 87 V-max with DRT results. I'm going to try 55 Gr Nosler BT (purple tip that has a soild base) this year since I will be hunting in open country and need something as flat shooting to 300 yds as possible.
PS: Would like to hear others experience with the 55 BT (Varmint) in a .243
PS: Would like to hear others experience with the 55 BT (Varmint) in a .243
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spotstalkshoot
Well-known member
Only issue I have with vmax for coyote. A bullet that enters broadside, in the pocket, tight to front shoulder lower third of the chest cavity will often(seen this 100 + times) exit out front as it turned and and followed the sternum. I have some 60 gr vmax loaded up for the 223 as many seem to have better results with it, I also may try some 40's. My previous attempts had been 50's and 55's in the 22-250 and 223/20p(32 gr never again). I will stick to the NBT(55) or Barts ultra 52 out of my 22-250. 40 gr BIB or Berger out of my 204R or 20p. Even when.pelts have little value I shoot fur friendly bullets.
gooseisland
Active member
I switched to 55gr bts last year for my night rig. (243 ruger predator) goal was fast and flat for thermaling. 3/4" high at 100 yds put me about 4" low at 300. So hold on hair to 300yds. The performance in my opinion exceeded 58/65 vmaxs. The meat report is always substantial. Some are messy, others you only see a tiny entrance, but I base that on the position of the yote at the shot. Hides are worthless the past couple years up here, so I don't worry about that fact. Dead is dead. More dead coyotes equal more happy landowners and farmers. I don't see myself switching back ever again.
Rock Knocker
Well-known member
I'm with Borkon on this one.... at least for the coyotes here in Minnesota, Vmaxs suck. I've never lost so many coyotes or seen so many blood soaked coyotes after shot. I would get lots of splash damage and runners with Vmax and other soft bullets like BlitzKings or Berger 52gr HP varmint bullets.
I switched to 65gr Sierra GameKings and 53gr Barnes TSX and they are way better bullets. Vmax struggle with coyote shoulder blades, GK and TSX will perform better on deer and hogs than Vmax does on coyotes. Soft bullets in a small .22 cal screaming at 3000+fps can explode like a soft grape, theres many other bullets, actual hunting bullets that punch through what they hit and expand instead of explode, like a gun and bullet should.
Akleyman said a few pages back also... the cheap Hornady 50gr or 55gr SP bullets are great too, that's all my cheap plinking ammo.
I switched to 65gr Sierra GameKings and 53gr Barnes TSX and they are way better bullets. Vmax struggle with coyote shoulder blades, GK and TSX will perform better on deer and hogs than Vmax does on coyotes. Soft bullets in a small .22 cal screaming at 3000+fps can explode like a soft grape, theres many other bullets, actual hunting bullets that punch through what they hit and expand instead of explode, like a gun and bullet should.
Akleyman said a few pages back also... the cheap Hornady 50gr or 55gr SP bullets are great too, that's all my cheap plinking ammo.
DoubleUp
Well-known member
While all of us understand that coyotes don't always present the perfect shot. I believe that a big part of this bullet equation is where we intend to shoot them. If you intend to shoot through the shoulder bones then a more heavily constructed bullet is definitely in order. Day hunters and trackers are prone to have less than Ideal shooting angles and need that stout bullet to penetrate from the back end as well. Generally, night hunters with thermal aren't as likely to spook coyotes and can pick a better shot just behind the shoulder. Those who shoot over bait or a dead pile are also more likely to get better shot selection. In those scenarios the V-max, blitzkings, etc. are plenty adequate. Personally, I shoot a 50 V-max most of the time without issues, but I only hunt at night.
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I have never shot a lot of Nosler's, never found them accurate enough till I got my 6.5x06. Then Nosler's shot as well as the 140 gr Hornady's. I tried a box of 70gr, think it was 70gr Nosler's in a 23 and again Hornady's shot the pants off of them. My favorite load for my 243 Is the 75gr Hornady V-Max. But might blow up on an animal. Used to shoot them to 200 yds at paper target on 1 1/2" foam back and bullet's blew up going through the foam. Jacket metal all over the ground behind the target. at the same time I had it out plinking during deer season and shot a doe with that 75gr bullet. Bullet went in just behind the shoulder and turned the inside to water! Never came out! Deer fell down right now! Fortunately, I didn't hit anything I wanted to eat or it would have been a mess. Re-enforced my belief the 243 will certainly kill deer but a shot in the wrong spot will likely waste a lot. Of course on coyotes, which I wanted the load for, Problem would go away. Now never shot a coyote with a 243. Every time I think about it I get to thinking they are really just dog's and I run up against it, Love dogs. I did shoot a coyote years ago but hunting with my 6.5x06 and 140gr Hornady SP. Nice little hole going in and little hole coming out! Seems like over kill to me but I did do it!
Ronaldfrom 2002
New member
Use the one that shoots best in your rifle. All the opinions don’t matter. They’ll both work for killing coyotes
spotstalkshoot
Well-known member
I have shot all of the mentioned 20-22 cal bullets, plus the Sierra BK and game king at prairie dogs and most on coyote. So getting them to shoot accurately is not difficult if you have a good load development methodology. So for me how well they shoot on paper is really not an issue, what happens on critters is the main factor. You have great prairie dog, gopher, rock and woodchuck bullets listed. There are also great coyote bullets listed, most bullets don't cross lists.
Rock Knocker
Well-known member
If I had Vmax or other similar soft varmint bullets shooting at 1/2 MOA and TSX or GameKings shooting at 2 MOA, I'm probably will be hunting with 2 MOA accuracy.....