Hornady 6mm 87 gr V-MAX performance

[Lorgar]

As I suspect we have all experienced, there are those at gun stores who are quick to talk something down or give it a poor wrap based on their own bias rather than experience.

I've been going through a few projectiles for my .243 (which is the girlfriends rifle really) to find at accurate load and found a great one, despite the panning that the guy at my LGS gave it. I'm really sharing this as a reminder for those new to reloading that things are often worth a go, despite some know-it-all putting it down.

Anyway, to the point...

I've gone through a few of the 'regular' go-to bullets for my .243 such as Nosler Ballistic Tip, Sierra Game kings and a few others in the 70-95gr weight range.

At the time I got around to the Hornady 87 gr V-MAX the buy behind the counter didn't have anything positive to say about them. He said accuracy was ok, that penetration wasn't great so it was only good for smaller varmints, and weight retention wasn't good, they fragment, not suitable for game at all, blah blah blah. Anyway, in the end I took them anyway and gave them a go.

To sum up...

They cloverleaf at 100 which is the best result I got from 4-5 different bullets tested.

In terms of penetration/weight retention etc. and all the other performance 'issues' the guys was bagging out... Yesterday I put up a 7mm steel plate from bunning's at 100m and put half a dozen rounds into it. All went clean through, and I even managed to find a pair of lumped bullets in the dirt behind the targets which were still mostly intact.

So obviously they have accuracy, penetration and weight retention aplenty, and will obviously work well for much more than "smaller varmints" like the LGS guy stated. My girlfriend now has her hunting round sorted.

So there you go. Hopefully this helps a few of the newbies... Always worth trying things yourself.

[Norton]

So obviously they have accuracy, penetration and weight retention aplenty, and will obviously work well for much more than "smaller varmints" like the LGS guy stated. My girlfriend now has her hunting round sorted.

.243 is a fine game calibre IMO. Not for monster Sambar or anything, but .243 is minimum calibre in VIC for Chital and Fallow deer right?

Too many 30 cal shooters put it down cause it's not "powerful" enough and say only something like a 300 win mag is a deer hunting caliber. Rubbish... You'd think they're trying to turn the deer to paste by the way a few of them carry on.

Heavy .243 pills will put a small deer down no worries, and is obviously more than enough for anything in the 'varmint' family.

[Zilla]

Yesterday I put up a 7mm steel plate from bunning's at 100m and put half a dozen rounds into it. All went clean through, and I even managed to find a pair of lumped bullets in the dirt behind the targets which were still mostly intact.

Sounds like bone breakers to me.

[Hadoku]

He said accuracy was ok, that penetration wasn't great so it was only good for smaller varmints, and weight retention wasn't good, they fragment, not suitable for game at all, blah blah blah.

There is one of those guys at my LGS.

Bags out everything except the combo he's using.

[salate]

I don't imagine that's an unusual result through really, right?

Any 90gr .243 bullet probably does similar damage? A bit more or less, but whatever...

Given how much damage the bullet can obviously do, is there any legit reason why the guy should dislike the bullets so?

[Lorgar]

.243 is a fine game calibre IMO. Not for monster Sambar or anything, but .243 is minimum calibre in VIC for Chital and Fallow deer right?

Correct. .243 with 85gr pills is minimum for Chital, Fallow and Hog deer in Victoria.

And .270 with 130gr pills (99% sure it's 130gr) is minimum for Rusa, Red and Sambar deer here.

[Lorgar]

I don't imagine that's an unusual result through really, right?

Any 90gr .243 bullet probably does similar damage? A bit more or less, but whatever...

Given how much damage the bullet can obviously do, is there any legit reason why the guy should dislike the bullets so?

You're right. There's nothing amazing about it.

I was more just making the point that literally everything the guy said was wrong. Accuracy, penetration and weight retention in my testing where all very good.

Like I said, just a little encounter to help those new to the game and show that it's worth doing your own research and testing, as the guys at the guns stores are capable of giving biased or in some based bad advice. (Not all of them obviously, there are plenty of guys who are great and very helpful.)

[ployer]

That guy must hunt some seriously thicked skin foxes...

[Blackened]

I don't imagine that's an unusual result through really, right?

Any 90gr .243 bullet probably does similar damage? A bit more or less, but whatever...

Given how much damage the bullet can obviously do, is there any legit reason why the guy should dislike the bullets so?

The point that the guy at the store touched on about being suitable for game is a fair enough point in general.

There are are bullets which are unsuitable for hunting due to weight/make-up which will fragment or pass clean through or not dump enough energy or whatever the case may be.

Is .243 a "big game" calibre? No.

But it's not exactly a feather duster either. As OP and other has demonstrated/mentioned, 90-105gr .243 pills are more than capable of doing the business on small game.

To say that 90gr pills are only suitable for small varmints is rubbish.

[5Tom]

an 80gr Remington core-loct factory round knocked over a decent sized pig on a previous hunting trip. The round when right through him with great internal damage and did a very good job. I agree that your LGS attendant was a tool.

[Lorgar]

I agree that your LGS attendant was a tool.

I suppose that's the short version of the story, 5Tom

[Lyam]

I suppose that's the short version of the story, 5Tom

You could have saved yourself a lot of typing if you used 5Tom's version of the story

[Magoo 223]

Tikka 243 SS Varmint I now only use 87 Vmax that's when I can pry it out of my sons hands.

[Blackened]

Tikka 243 SS Varmint I now only use 87 Vmax that's when I can pry it out of my sons hands.

Little nippers, always relieving us of our best kit.

[VICHunter]

Hornady stock seems tough to get lately though?

A mate of mine shoots them for two calibres and has been waiting about 7-8 weeks for his local two store to get the pills he wants.

No supply coming in apparently.