V-MAX vs Balistic Tip Rounds

J

Joel1962

New member
What is the difference between these too rounds. They look the same except for the color of the end. One being red and the other white. Is one better for one thing and the other round better for another subject, or are they the same thing just different manufactures?
Thanks Joel
 
good question... I was attracted to the sexy red tips on the V-Max and liked the terminal performance after I tried them... they're a bit higher priced then I think they should be but they work... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-006.gif
 
Basically their the same idea in most cases---which is the use of a plastic tip to improve ballistics and to speed up expansion of the bullet. However, you need to carefully read the manufacturers description of the bullet to determine it's true intended use.
For example---the Hornady V-Max has a lighter construction that often results in a complete shredding of the bullet into small pieces upon impact. In comparison a Nosler Hunting Ballistic tip has a heavier copper skin over the lead beneath the tip, that is slower to expand upon impact. The V-Max therefor is great for P-dogs where it almost explods on impact but this same effect on deer may wound the animal without having have a penetrating killing effect on vital organs, where as the Nosler would stay together better and have a deeper penetration on deer. Of course a slug like a Nosler Partition is built heavier yet for deeper penetration on big game but their not ballistic tips.
The color of the tip doesn't appear to have much meaning but can be useful to the reloader to identify different loads.
 
the v-max is specificly for varmints as is the ballistic tip varmint. the nosler ballistic tip hunting is for big game. they are color coded for different calibers. hornady makes plastic tipped bullets for big game also. they are the sst, and the interbond. but no vmax for big game.
 
Bigdog2 has it right,

The v-max is a flat based bullet and the ballistic tips are boat tails, I have had good luck with both. The v-max are a little cheaper than the BT's, I guess its what your gun likes the best. Also the hunting ballistic tips are different than the varmint BT's, the hunting ones use a blended lead core, its a little harder than the plain lead in the varmint bullets, thats what I have read and been told anyhow.

I wonder if we could get a huge volume discount buy on a very large order of bullets from one of the manufactures? They could advertise as PM's bullet of choice!! .224 bullets in 40,50,55gr. it dont matter to me, I could get any to shoot for a good price!!

What a line that would be

Nosler
The bullets used when hunting the hunters!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif

Nosler
Predator Masters bullet of Choice

or these
V-MAX=FURDOWN
V-MAX, loved by hunters, hated by coyotes

just a little fun on friday night /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Everybody covered the expansion details. The v-max tends to expand more and has less penetration, but there is not a big difference.

As for accuracy, every barrel has it's own preferences, but the 5 223s I currently shoot all prefer the v-max. Every time I rebarrel a rifle I try the BTs because sometimes more penetration would be nice. So far all of mine are more accurate with the v-max.

Jack
 
the vmax is boattail also. where did you come up that they are flat-based? better take another look. post facts not bull$hit
 
GUNUT,
I think you might want to apologise for that post?

I can't swear to the rear end of all v-max bullets but the 55gr .224s I have here in front of me are most definitely flat based.

Jack
 
the vmax are flat based. you had better look at all of them. they are not all flat based. as a matter of fact most of them are boattail. just take a look.
 
I have the following
.224 55 gr flat base vmax
.224 60 gr. flat base vmax
.204 32 gr. flat base vmax
.204 40 gr. boattail vmax
Out of my hornady book vmax bullets
.172 20 gr. flat base
.224 35 gr. flat base
.224 40 gr. boattail
.224 50 gr. boattail
Smaller calibers are mostly flat base. Your larger calibers are boat tail. . 243 and above
An appology is definitly due comment was uncalled for.
 
The V-max offering started out as a flat based bullet, I only purchase a select few in the .224, all are flat based, including the 35gr. being a little closed mined to there other offerings I had not noticed they now offer a boattail design also. My bad, sorry!

However,
Save the launguage for someone else, I dont deserve it, nor do I need it to survive, ask my ex-wife
you could have said:

Furhunter
They also do make some in a boattail design, look at the etc....
This is a friendly site, lets keep it that way.
 
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Jack, I have come across the same thing regarding the vmax and the nosler. I was wondering, if your barrels were factory or custom.
 
Umm... the .224 caliber 60 grain Vmax Hornady bullets I purchased have no boat tail.

Also on the penetration front, Hornady load their Vmax bullets in their .223 cal. TAP ammunition for use on two legged predators. I read on their website that they have pretty good penetration, although I have no idea how much is "enough", and supposedly the TAP cartridges are designed not to "overpenetrate".

Regards,
Stubb
 
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I have also used the V-Max and BT on 3 different .223 rifles. I use the 55 grain bullet. I also noticed that in each rifle the V-Max produced better groupings.

One thing I noticed when reloading was that the Over all length (OAL) of the rounds varied slightly. As I examine the BT bullets it looks like the portion of the bullet from the tip as it slopes to the base was slightly different on many of the bullets. I am no expert, but it looked like the tip of the bullet was not consistently positioning itself innto the die as the bullet was being seated, thus causing slight variations in the OAL. I believe this is what was causing the BT bullets to not group as well.

Any thoughts?
 

Only problem I have with the BT's is I get a very small ring around the bullet from the die, after seating. I have tried to correct it but I think they are just soft, no problems with any others.
Yea I also found the v-max to give better groups, they have in the rifles I've got. You know another I found that have out shot the BT are the Barnes verminators, hollow points, also flat based, not as destructive but good shooters, My .223 a-bolt and hornet love the 40 grainers going to use them on yotes this year, see how they work. Cheap too!
 
I get that ring around my 50gr BT's to. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif I even polished my die and still got it. I also shoot the 40gr Varminators from Barnes. Them Varminators group real nice in my Howa .223 Rem.
Lights
 
I've noticed on the silver coated cases I'll get rings. They dont stretch as much when seating bullets. Ive also noticed that copper with shave off the bullet when seating these. If your you guys are using these switch to brass if you already polished your dies and it should solve the problem. if not you just have to keep polishing. I caught someones description of the hunting Nosler balistic tips. They act like a giant varmint bullet on game. Even if it dosent look like there is a big entrance and exit hole the whole insides of the animal is like jello. The 180g bullet makes a great venison wrecking round in a 30-06. Of the dozen or so deer Ive seen hit with it either run or drop and kick....all with good heart/lung shots. Never seen one drop stone dead(kaboom plop)like it would with a Remington core lockt. The nolsers shoot tight but I wouldnt recommend them on anything above coyotes...or should i say anything you want to eat. The only animal i saw drop stone dead in in its stracks and litteraly slam it to the ground was an antelope with a 125 nosler balistic tip flying at 3950 fps out of a 300 RUM. It acted just like a 70g balistic tip out of a 243. Hit a rib on the way in, blew an in hole the size of both my fists and left the copper jacket stuck in the hide on the other side and leaving a 50 cent exit hole. It was a perfect broadside shot, right behind the front shoulder and exiting paralel on the other side, and as far as feild dressing all I did was slit his belly open and picked up his front legs. Everything completely fell out including the exploded nasty sage grassed stomach. Needless to say the meat smelled just like the contents. This has been observed in just about every sinerial i've seen with these bullets.
 
In noslers manual they give the guidelines for BT use, basicly the lighter bullets for caliber have thinner jackets in some of the dual purpose calibers. Yes they make varmint bullets and hunting bullets, if you pick the right one for your purpose you'll have no problems and sometimes you just get lucky I guess, here's a pic of the little piggy my partner shot yesterday with the nosler ballistic tip, a 50 grain bullet out of a .223 to be exact. No we didn't intentionaly go after hogs, they kind of came after us.
000_0417.jpg

We were set up calling critters and they either came to the call or were heading that way but my partner was in the way. He shot this one behind the front leg, it spun then ran about 30 yards before falling over.

I like the ballistic tips and continue to be amazed by them but I would not reccomend them as a hog bullet, at least not in a .223.
 


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