V-Max or Nosler Ballistic Tip??

[hm1996]

Never found a decent load w/TSX in any of several different rifles/calibers that shot decent on paper, so never tried them nn the field. I must be doing something wrong when it comes to TSX bullets since no one else seems to have accuracy issues with them.

On the other hand, never had a problem finding accurate loads w/Nosler BT, SB, Accubond (even the partitions shot good enough, hovering around moa or 1.2 moa); Sierras and Hornady also gave no problems w/load development. I would exclude two particular rifles from my moa requirement, both .308's. One a Savage Scout (of all things...the only Savage I've owned that was difficult to find a bullet it liked) and the other a BAR. Finally got both down to 1.25 moa with one bullet only. The scout likes 125 NBT's and the BAR likes 110 Varmageddons.

Terminal performance is king on game, but accuracy is queen and we all know the queen is boss. My rule is, if they don't shoot, they don't hunt.

 

[Rock Knocker]

For me, a 2moa 4 inch group at 200 yards is perfectly reasonable hunting accuracy (my ammo shoots 1moa or better at times), I dont get long range shots night hunting in MN. But I've seen vmax and HP Berger's fail on shots 30 yards or less if coyotes are quartered towards you, accuracy has never been an issue getting game here, just terminal performance.

 

[hm1996]

2moa 4 inch group at 200 yards is perfectly reasonable hunting accuracy

That is true, especially on deer sized game, but I like the confidence of a moa rifle/ammo because, where I hunt it is not uncommon for a coyote to hang up or cross sendero at a couple of hundred (or more) yards. This one was just a shade under 200 and with the 3x scope (and reticle) that's a long poke. This was an extra wide brecha & knowing that this rifle is a solid moa rifle gave me the confidence to take the shot.

Can't see coyote but reticle is centered where he lies (and he was not a very big coyote either ).

 

[K22-hornet]

"PS: Would like to hear others experience with the 55 BT (Varmint) in a .243"

I wanted fast, flat and accurate, and I got that in my TC Icon in 243. I hit 4,100fps with the 55gr Btip, but best accuracy was at 4,000fps. With a 200yd zero, this bullet drops about 12" at 400yds.

So, my first coyote with that combo: I was hunting near Kremmling, CO in mid-January, and the thermometer said minus 13 when I got there. As I am walking toward where I want to set up for my first stand, a female coyote steps out of a very narrow gully at 125yds, intently looking straight ahead (to my left), so she doesn't notice me. I sit down and take a broadside shot. She turns and runs downhill into the sage, and I lose sight of her. I saw flecks of blood in the snow, so I know she is hit. I find her piled up about 35-40yds into the sage. Very small exit wound.

I drag her back to the trail and will pick her up on my return.

I go another 1/2 mile and set up again. A single pops up at about 100yds, and I shoot, coyote drops and flops long enough that I shoot again and it stops moving. Same bullet performance, very small exits. I do 2 more sets with no takers, so I head back to the truck.

When I got close to the first coyote, a Golden Eagle lifts off the ground, and I find about a 4-6" hole had been ripped into the hide and the rib meat was being eaten, so I let the Eagle have it.

The next week, I am hunting on the Eastern Plains, in fresh snow. My son is on my right, and I have 2 coyotes coming in directly to us. We do not have snow camo, so we probably stood out, as both coyotes just stopped about 250yds out and would not budge. We shot at the count of 3, his drops like a rock (223wssm, 60gr Vmax at 3,700fps) and mine falls down, gets back up and drops over the edge of a canyon.

I am expecting to find a dead coyote when I peak over the edge, but I only see tracks, and some blood. I catch a glimpse of him running hard around a corner of the canyon and he is out of sight again. Next time I see him, he is about 600+yds out, running hard up a hill, with something flapping out of his side. I don't know if it was skin or an internal part, but he ran over the top and was gone.

The next several coyotes were DOA at the shot, but then I had a couple more floppers and gave up on that bullet in the 243.

 

[Polock]

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.....

Problem with that is likely at 2" accuracy the target gets harder to hit well. Exception to that might be what I did for a carry along rifle in Alaska for fishing. Only had a 308 up there that with 165 and 180 gr bullets went under an inch at 100yds. But this load was bear protection so I went on up to 200gr and accuracy sort of fell apart, about 2" at 100yds. I had no intention at all of protecting myself at 100yds but rather maybe 30 yds. At 30 yds accuracy was more than acceptable. And the bigger heavier bullet desireable. Same time if I was going to hunt a bear there is no way I'd choose that rifle or load.