Hornady NTX projectiles? .224 and 20cal

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Hornady NTX projectiles? .224 and 20cal

Post by Cooper » 06 Mar 2018, 9:11 am

NTX stand for Non Toxic Expanding. Not as cheap as Hornady Z-max but I wanted to try the 35gr in the 223. I’ve previously tried the 36GR Barnes varmint gernades and the Hornet style projectiles in Hornady and Nosler. Was mainly interested in trying the 35gr NTX in the 223 but while looking, saw that they do a 24gr NTX in 20cal for the 204 ruger. They will be fast out of the 204!

Anyway I’ve ordered a box of each. Interested to see if anybody else has tried the NTX?

Thanks
Last edited by Cooper on 06 Mar 2018, 9:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Hornady NTX projectiles? .224 and 20cal

Post by Stix » 06 Mar 2018, 9:27 am

Hey cooper...
No i havnt tried, but im really keen to hear how you go with them mate...!!!

Can i ask what sort of money they are worth...?
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Re: Hornady NTX projectiles? .224 and 20cal

Post by Cooper » 06 Mar 2018, 9:39 am

Stix wrote:Hey cooper...
No i havnt tried, but im really keen to hear how you go with them mate...!!!

Can i ask what sort of money they are worth...?


I think the 223 were $42 per 100 and the 20cal were $40 per 100. So not really that cheap when you can get the Z-max 500 packs for $90 per 500. I think the NTX is more popular in states (California) were lead has been banned. So the NTX are lead free projectiles.
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Re: Hornady NTX projectiles? .224 and 20cal

Post by Stix » 06 Mar 2018, 6:38 pm

Yes thats not teal cheap is it...
I will need more 20 & 22 cal projies soon but wanted lighter weight cheapies for plinking...so ill prob just get the zmax's again.

But please post or pm your results...im keen to see/hear how they perform for you...!

Cheers
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Re: Hornady NTX projectiles? .224 and 20cal

Post by bladeracer » 07 Mar 2018, 9:58 am

Cooper wrote:NTX stand for Non Toxic Expanding. Not as cheap as Hornady Z-max but I wanted to try the 35gr in the 223. I’ve previously tried the 36GR Barnes varmint gernades and the Hornet style projectiles in Hornady and Nosler. Was mainly interested in trying the 35gr NTX in the 223 but while looking, saw that they do a 24gr NTX in 20cal for the 204 ruger. They will be fast out of the 204!

Anyway I’ve ordered a box of each. Interested to see if anybody else has tried the NTX?

Thanks


The 24gn NTX is my 100m-to-300m bullet in the .204 at 4400fps. Destroys foxes. I use the 32gn ZMax at 2400fps for sub-100m shots.
I've used the 35gn NTX in the .223 but not on live targets yet.
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Re: Hornady NTX projectiles? .224 and 20cal

Post by Stix » 07 Mar 2018, 10:08 am

bladeracer wrote:The 24gn NTX is my 100m-to-300m bullet in the .204 at 4400fps. Destroys foxes. I use the 32gn ZMax at 2400fps for sub-100m shots.
I've used the 35gn NTX in the .223 but not on live targets yet.


So when you say destroys foxes...do they open up the bodies on chest shots/are the pelts intact or damaged...?

What sort of velocity you getting out of the 223 with the 35's...?
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Re: Hornady NTX projectiles? .224 and 20cal

Post by bladeracer » 07 Mar 2018, 10:26 am

Stix wrote:
bladeracer wrote:The 24gn NTX is my 100m-to-300m bullet in the .204 at 4400fps. Destroys foxes. I use the 32gn ZMax at 2400fps for sub-100m shots.
I've used the 35gn NTX in the .223 but not on live targets yet.


So when you say destroys foxes...do they open up the bodies on chest shots/are the pelts intact or damaged...?

What sort of velocity you getting out of the 223 with the 35's...?


If you want the pelt you'll need a head shot, the .204 can make a fox look a bit "abstract". I don't spotlight so I'm generally aiming at the chest unless it's close, then I use the low-velocity option.
My chrongraph died and I just got my new one this week so I don't have accurate figures.
I don't need maximum velocity out of the .223, I can use the .204 or .243 for that. I've pushed the NTX on AR2206H from 25.5gn to 27.0gn with a preference for 26.5gn - I'd guess around 3800fps.
I'm concentrating on the 80gn ELDM in the .223 for the moment.
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Re: Hornady NTX projectiles? .224 and 20cal

Post by Stix » 07 Mar 2018, 1:51 pm

I have a 204 mate...infact i stole & use your 8.5g t-boss load... :) but I've only used 32's in it.

Ok...interesting...i didnt think that proj would open them up on the outside being so small...maybe they too light--are the wounds on the entry or exit...?

& ive great success with the 32 zmax's...body shots at any range (30 yds the closest but usually front on when that close) & perferct pelts with no exit ...
Even that close head shots are ok if front on & between the eyes...but trying to scalp them is like opening a can of condensed tomato soup upside down...eeoow...

In case yr interested, iuse 28gr 2208 for a smidge <3600fps. Not smoking hot but good & effective.
Got a bm2 load about +170 odd fps but have 4kg of 2208...

I can use the 22-250 if i want abstract, but im liking the clean results of the 204 on foxes.

As for yr 223... 3800fps--is pretty fast where im concerned...but is that not basically doubling up on the 204. ..?
Not knocking it tho mate--im envious i dont have the time to do all that...! :mrgreen:
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Re: Hornady NTX projectiles? .224 and 20cal

Post by bladeracer » 07 Mar 2018, 2:07 pm

Stix wrote:I have a 204 mate...infact i stole & use your 8.5g t-boss load... :) but I've only used 32's in it.

Ok...interesting...i didnt think that proj would open them up on the outside being so small...maybe they too light--are the wounds on the entry or exit...?

& ive great success with the 32 zmax's...body shots at any range (30 yds the closest but usually front on when that close) & perferct pelts with no exit ...
Even that close head shots are ok if front on & between the eyes...but trying to scalp them is like opening a can of condensed tomato soup upside down...eeoow...

In case yr interested, iuse 28gr 2208 for a smidge <3600fps. Not smoking hot but good & effective.
Got a bm2 load about +170 odd fps but have 4kg of 2208...

I can use the 22-250 if i want abstract, but im liking the clean results of the 204 on foxes.

As for yr 223... 3800fps--is pretty fast where im concerned...but is that not basically doubling up on the 204. ..?
Not knocking it tho mate--im envious i dont have the time to do all that...! :mrgreen:


The NTX is light, but being non-lead it's about the size of the 32gn jacketed lead bullets. The velocity does the damage. I can't recall any fox that didn't get opened up by it. I do have one skin in the freezer with a .20" entry that the exit unzipped him from neck to coin purse, so I was able to salvage that one.
Most of my kills have been with the ZMax at Hornet velocity, I prefer to get close.

I figure the .204 is for 24-32gn bullets.
The .223 is for 35-80gn.
The .243 is for 55-108gn.
The 7mm-08 is for 100-162gn.
Not too much overlap :-)

I like the .204 but it lacks versatility.
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Re: Hornady NTX projectiles? .224 and 20cal

Post by sungazer » 07 Mar 2018, 4:45 pm

Thats interesting for me when i look at what im shooting the
.223 is for 55 to 75
.243 is for 69 to 105
6.5C is for 120 to 140
308 is for 155 to 200
Sits pretty nice when you write it out
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Re: Hornady NTX projectiles? .224 and 20cal

Post by Cooper » 21 Mar 2018, 10:10 am

Quickly tried a few NTX in the 204 and 223. Just loaded up 3 of each as I had 8208 benchmark in the dispenser.

For the 204 I just started at 27.3gr (my 32 Zmax load) so I can go heaps faster. 3 shot went just over half an inch at 100 metres

For the 223 I just picked a number well under max (26gr 8208) 3 shots just on an inch at 100 metres.

Need to see how they perform on game now.
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Re: Hornady NTX projectiles? .224 and 20cal

Post by wheedle » 29 Mar 2018, 2:20 pm

I read a bit on these non-lead cores a while ago and they're supposed to be good.

Supposed to expand similar to lead, but doesn't fragment anywhere near as much.
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