53gn V-Max

[Elliott]

Just picked up x100 53gn Hornady V-Max. Was going to plumb for the 55gn until I looked at the BC figures and the 53gn boasted an impressive 0.290

Looking forward to seeing how these perform in my 1/12 twist Tikka 223

[223AI]

Did you try those A-max I sent you? I found they were very good with my 1:12 with the added advantage they are a 'non' expanding bullet so if you go through the load development process with them you can at least buy them by post. Plus they expand incredibly well as they are designed to explode on metal targets without damaging them...

[Elliott]

Did you try those A-max I sent you? I found they were very good with my 1:12 with the added advantage they are a 'non' expanding bullet so if you go through the load development process with them you can at least buy them by post. Plus they expand incredibly well as they are designed to explode on metal targets without damaging them...

Hi mate, yes I did and I nearly bought some more today until I saw the BC of the 53gn ones. They A-max started to shape up really well but as I was new and a bit nervous I kept the powder charges on the low side.

Here was the group: http://i863.photobucket.com/albums/a...psfe971350.jpg

Starting to get a lot more confident now so I'm hoping for better results. I need to send you that money through for the Kinetic Hammer too - I'll do it this wweekend

[Ka-Boom!]

Just picked up x100 53gn Hornady V-Max. Was going to plumb for the 55gn until I looked at the BC figures and the 53gn boasted an impressive 0.290

Looking forward to seeing how these perform in my 1/12 twist Tikka 223

Now here's a good use for your N133!
I use 24.5gn in neck sized Lapua brass (25ish grains for thinner brass) and seat these out to 2.290" to fit the T3 mag giving ~3250fps out of my 20" barrel. I load the 52gn Amax the same and get quite astonishing accuracy and expansion for both.

[Elliott]

Now here's a good use for your N133!
I use 24.5gn in neck sized Lapua brass (25ish grains for thinner brass) and seat these out to 2.290" to fit the T3 mag giving ~3250fps out of my 20" barrel. I load the 52gn Amax the same and get quite astonishing accuracy and expansion for both.

Yes that's what I was thinking. Might as well find a bullet to suit my powder before I buy a faster burning one for the Nosler's. As Boydy said, the A-Max ammo seems very good too. To be honest it was between the 55gn, 53gn and the 52gn Amax. The BC of the 53gn just edged it for me

[salmo]

Yes that's what I was thinking. Might as well find a bullet to suit my powder before I buy a faster burning one for the Nosler's. As Boydy said, the A-Max ammo seems very good too. To be honest it was between the 55gn, 53gn and the 52gn Amax. The BC of the 53gn just edged it for me

Shame its not close to being anything like the real figure Elliott.

In the real world the BC of that 53 vmax is around 0.255 and it often doesn't stabilise well in 12 twist barrels due to its unusually long bearing surface for its length. Hornady often overstate their BC's, that is quite well known among serious re-loaders. In practical terms for the rifle that you have there is no real ballistic advantage to any of the bullets available to you for the realistic effective ranges you will be able to shoot accurately to.

Keeping things realistic your rifle is 300-350yd capable because your 12 twist barrel can't stabilise the heavier bullets needed to reliably reach out further. On that basis you could use bullets in the 40gr-55gr range, all of which will shoot really well with N133. Drop/drift figures for anything running around max SAAMI speeds between 40gr and 55gr will be so near to each other it wont matter out to 300yds.

Looking at your groups there is something fundamentally wrong, your rifle should be much more accurate than that and getting a load developed shouldn't be taking you as long. Looking at your .22LR videos it appears you can shoot a bit so you should be getting 1/2" groups with that Tikka by now.

[Ka-Boom!]

Just spotted your groups Elliott, and I suspect your loads are too low to fully stabilise the longish Amax. Work up, say at half a grain at a time, and I think your groups will tighten up considerably.
I too think the advertised BC of the 53gn Vmax is improbably high, so I'd simply pick the bullet that shoots best in your rifle and not worry too much about manufacturers blurb.
My own rifle hangs on well to around 500 yards, but unpredictable weirdness happens at 600 probably caused as the bullet drops into the transonic zone.

[223AI]

Just spotted your groups Elliott, and I suspect your loads are too low to fully stabilise the longish Amax. Work up, say at half a grain at a time, and I think your groups will tighten up considerably.
I too think the advertised BC of the 53gn Vmax is improbably high, so I'd simply pick the bullet that shoots best in your rifle and not worry too much about manufacturers blurb.
My own rifle hangs on well to around 500 yards, but unpredictable weirdness happens at 600 probably caused as the bullet drops into the transonic zone.

Shouldn't tat be 596 yars mate?

[Elliott]

Just spotted your groups Elliott, and I suspect your loads are too low to fully stabilise the longish Amax. Work up, say at half a grain at a time, and I think your groups will tighten up considerably.
I too think the advertised BC of the 53gn Vmax is improbably high, so I'd simply pick the bullet that shoots best in your rifle and not worry too much about manufacturers blurb.
My own rifle hangs on well to around 500 yards, but unpredictable weirdness happens at 600 probably caused as the bullet drops into the transonic zone.

Yeah I think your right and those were my thoughts too. Like I mentioned, it was my first attempt at reloading so I wasn't as confident! I'll pick some more Amax up next pay day

[Alycidon]

Just spotted your groups Elliott, and I suspect your loads are too low to fully stabilise the longish Amax. Work up, say at half a grain at a time, and I think your groups will tighten up considerably.
I too think the advertised BC of the 53gn Vmax is improbably high, so I'd simply pick the bullet that shoots best in your rifle and not worry too much about manufacturers blurb.
My own rifle hangs on well to around 500 yards, but unpredictable weirdness happens at 600 probably caused as the bullet drops into the transonic zone.

Half a grain is to fast IMHO, .2 of a grain would be wiser.

A

[Elliott]

Looking at your groups there is something fundamentally wrong, your rifle should be much more accurate than that and getting a load developed shouldn't be taking you as long. Looking at your .22LR videos it appears you can shoot a bit so you should be getting 1/2" groups with that Tikka by now.

Perhaps you're right but the picture on this thread was taken a while ago and shows my first ever attempt at reloading using some A-max bullets that Boydy kindly sent over.

My best groups so far have been with the Nosler bullets, but only because I've had so many to play with. My last group with the Nosler's was 0.7" at 135 yards and that was with a strong breeze from left to right.

I'll continue to persevere and see how things improve (or not as may be the case) over time. Looking forward to trying the 53gn VMax

[severnsider]

Now here's a good use for your N133!
I use 24.5gn in neck sized Lapua brass (25ish grains for thinner brass) and seat these out to 2.290" to fit the T3 mag giving ~3250fps out of my 20" barrel. I load the 52gn Amax the same and get quite astonishing accuracy and expansion for both.

This sounds worth a try. I have found that 23.8gn N133 under 52gn Amax or 52gn SMK gives 3140 fps out of my 1:12 20" Sako barrel with good accuracy at up to 200 yards. I shall have to try that combination at longer range (now that I have a suitable 'scope). From what I've now read on here I think I might avoid the 53gn Vmax.

[Ka-Boom!]

This sounds worth a try. I have found that 23.8gn N133 under 52gn Amax or 52gn SMK gives 3140 fps out of my 1:12 20" Sako barrel with good accuracy at up to 200 yards. I shall have to try that combination at longer range (now that I have a suitable 'scope). From what I've now read on here I think I might avoid the 53gn Vmax.

You may well be right about the 53gn Vmax. I always had good luck with it until the last BBS shoot, where my known accurate load was all over the target. Switched back to Amax and was spot on again.
Will test that Vmax load again later today.

UPDATE:
Tested the same batch of 53gn Vmax loads last week, and they were fine. Zeroed a new scope with a sub half MOA 5 shot group at 100 yards, then pushed out to 600 yards for plinking.

[DedIdick]

Just picked up x100 53gn Hornady V-Max. Was going to plumb for the 55gn until I looked at the BC figures and the 53gn boasted an impressive 0.290

Looking forward to seeing how these perform in my 1/12 twist Tikka 223

My 53gn Vmax reloads (going at approx. 3400 fps) work very well up to around 300 yards through a 1 in 12

[Elliott]

My 53gn Vmax reloads (going at approx. 3400 fps) work very well up to around 300 yards through a 1 in 12

Sounds promising, I've read that they were specifically made for 1/12 twist barrels so I'm hoping for similar results.

What powder are you using Dick?