Hornady V-Max 87gr range results.

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Hornady V-Max 87gr range results.

Post by Lorgar » 13 Oct 2013, 1:08 pm

Just sharing some results for anyone working up a hunting load for their .243.

Hornady V-Max using ADI 2209 in 42, 42.5, 43, 43.5, 44 & 44.5 loads and you go down the sheets.

Didn't bother measuring the worse groups, but there are a few promising ones in the middle.

hornady-v-max-243-87gr.jpg
hornady-v-max-243-87gr.jpg (160 KiB) Viewed 11515 times


Nothing too exciting to start, but if you ignore the flyer of 43.5gr it's a 0.657" group.

4 shot group of 0.9" for 44 grain as well.

Haven't testing .1gr increments in between these two loads yet, but somewhere in the 43.5 - 44 grain range seems to be the sweet spot.

Shot out of stock Ruger Hawkeye.

Hopefully usefull for other .243 shooters. Cya.
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Re: Hornady V-Max 87gr range results.

Post by VICHunter » 13 Oct 2013, 6:50 pm

Confirm that that outlying shot from the 0.657 inch group is a flyer and you've got yourself a winning load there.
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Re: Hornady V-Max 87gr range results.

Post by chacka » 13 Oct 2013, 6:53 pm

Great varmint bullet too the V-Max.

Do a couple of loads .1gr either side of that group to fine tune and you've got yourself a winner indeed.

.6" group... Good for a stock sporter.
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Re: Hornady V-Max 87gr range results.

Post by 5Tom » 13 Oct 2013, 8:34 pm

My load I'm testing at the moment in my Tikka T3 Lite SS Synthetic .243 are the Hornady 87gr HPBT with 42.9gr of AR2209. I had to use these as the V-Max projies weren't available.

I tried to do a ladder test a few months ago at 200m and had a minimal vertical spread between 42.3 and 43.5 grains of AR2209. Every rifle is different though but it would be nice if one load fits all!
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Re: Hornady V-Max 87gr range results.

Post by whert » 13 Oct 2013, 9:04 pm

5Tom wrote:Every rifle is different though but it would be nice if one load fits all!


I reckon the rifle makers are in cahoots with the ammo makers. They make everything all over the shop so we have to spend a fortune finding what works :mrgreen:
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Re: Hornady V-Max 87gr range results.

Post by whert » 13 Oct 2013, 9:05 pm

Forgot to ask, that's just shooting with a bipod I guess?
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Re: Hornady V-Max 87gr range results.

Post by Norton » 14 Oct 2013, 8:52 am

chacka wrote:.6" group... Good for a stock sporter.


Yep, nothing wrong with that at all.
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Re: Hornady V-Max 87gr range results.

Post by Igoe » 14 Oct 2013, 2:44 pm

43.5gns of 2209 works best for me too with the 87gn VMax.

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Re: Hornady V-Max 87gr range results.

Post by Hinky » 15 Oct 2013, 2:44 pm

What rifle are you using, Ian?
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Re: Hornady V-Max 87gr range results.

Post by Silver87 » 26 Jun 2014, 9:55 pm

I got hold a few boxes of 87gr vmax a little while back but was yet to try them in my Remington 700. I did a bit of a naughty thing and with out working up I tried 4 with 44gr's of 2209 and this was the result, the first two went through the same hole. I haven't been able to get anymore at the moment but if anybody knows of some let us know.

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Re: Hornady V-Max 87gr range results.

Post by Lorgar » 30 Jun 2014, 7:15 pm

I regularly got mine from Clayton Firearms here in Melbourne.

They had pretty regular stock.

I assume they will ship? Give them a call... 03 9543 6737
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Re: Hornady V-Max 87gr range results.

Post by tactice » 30 Jun 2014, 7:16 pm

Silver87 wrote:I did a bit of a naughty thing and with out working up I tried 4 with 44gr's of 2209 and this was the result, the first two went through the same hole.


I'd say that's working for ya.

A bit of fine tuning and it can only get better.
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Re: Hornady V-Max 87gr range results.

Post by 5Tom » 01 Jul 2014, 2:38 pm

How quickly did you fire those shots?
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Re: Hornady V-Max 87gr range results.

Post by Lorgar » 02 Jul 2014, 4:00 pm

Not sure if you're talking to me or Silver87?

For me... It would have been 30 - 40 seconds between shots? Roughly.
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Re: Hornady V-Max 87gr range results.

Post by Silver87 » 02 Jul 2014, 6:42 pm

Lorgar wrote:Not sure if you're talking to me or Silver87?

For me... It would have been 30 - 40 seconds between shots? Roughly.


That's what I did as well.
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Re: Hornady V-Max 87gr range results.

Post by botfour » 09 Jul 2014, 9:57 am

Is that long enough to stop your groups creeping out with heat did you guys find?

40 seconds between shots keeps you going for a while?
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Re: Hornady V-Max 87gr range results.

Post by 5Tom » 09 Jul 2014, 4:40 pm

Well, I'm running a stainless sporter barrel so it does heat up quick and takes much longer to cool.

I did ammo testing a while ago with 1 shot every 10min to keep my barrel cold and simulate first shot accuracy in the field. Between shots, I shot the .22 and Nagant 91/30 :)

Takes a bit of time though.
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Re: Hornady V-Max 87gr range results.

Post by Chronos » 09 Jul 2014, 5:10 pm

Surely the laws of thermal dynamics mean if it heats up quickly it should also cool quickly?

I know my stainless varmint barrel takes a good 10 shot rapid string to get too hot to hold your hand on but it also stays hit longer than my light barrels.

But as you say a 10 min break between shots for complete cooling would give the best indication of hunting accuracy

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Re: Hornady V-Max 87gr range results.

Post by 5Tom » 10 Jul 2014, 12:25 am

Stainless as a material absorbs and retains more heat than steel in general.

I can fire far more rounds consecutively down range with my 91/30 before it gets too hot to touch compared to 5 rounds in my stainless Tikka.

After 3 rounds, accuracy starts to open up noticeably.
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Re: Hornady V-Max 87gr range results.

Post by Lorgar » 11 Jul 2014, 11:49 am

botfour wrote:Is that long enough to stop your groups creeping out with heat did you guys find?

40 seconds between shots keeps you going for a while?


Hmm, I'd say it kept things manageable for a short run.

I was only changing powder charges in the initial photos so it was only 24 shots, not exactly a barrel burning quantity of ammo.

If you were shooting more shots per group, shooting a load with a wider range of powder charges, testing different bullets, primers etc. you could be looking at 100 - 150 shots or more.

I'd be leaving it a lot longer for that much shooting.
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Re: Hornady V-Max 87gr range results.

Post by headspace » 10 Apr 2015, 8:04 pm

I' have worked up my load with the 87 grain Vmax to 45 gns of 2209 with no signs of pressure in my Mod70 Feather weight. The 22inch barrel is pretty flimsy but so far grouping is looking better as I increase my load. No signs of pressure so far.
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Re: Hornady V-Max 87gr range results.

Post by headspace » 10 Apr 2015, 8:47 pm

Juat out of curiosity I went and weighed some 87gn Vmax bullets. I weighed 42 because my eyes were beginning to glaze over but the results were interesting. The majority weighed dead on 87gn the next largest group weighed 86.9gn. The heaviest went 87.3gn and the lightest went 86.5gn. Out of the 42 total 18 were dead on 87 and 11 were 86.9gn. I reckon that's not too bad.
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Re: Hornady V-Max 87gr range results.

Post by tom604 » 10 Apr 2015, 10:42 pm

well call me crazy but i like 42 gn 1st photo as well , top hole maybe a flyer of sorts? why 4 shots by the way? just mag capacity? i use 5 shots but it opens the groups up a bit . bloody good groups by the way yours as well silver :thumbsup: hate you both :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Re: Hornady V-Max 87gr range results.

Post by chacka » 11 Apr 2015, 9:17 am

headspace wrote:Out of the 42 total 18 were dead on 87 and 11 were 86.9gn. I reckon that's not too bad.


Definitely seem much worse batches that that.

Especially on heavier pills, 30s being 2 or 3 full grains high or low.
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Re: Hornady V-Max 87gr range results.

Post by headspace » 18 Apr 2015, 9:34 pm

I ran a couple of groups at 100 and 200m today with those 87's the groups were nothing spectacular, but trajectory was interesting; one and a quarter inches high at 100 and dead on at 200m. I reckon that will do.
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Re: Hornady V-Max 87gr range results.

Post by Norton » 20 Apr 2015, 6:19 pm

It is nice when there's basically no difference in POI height over that 50 - 200 hunting range.

One less thing to think about before a shot.
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