V-Max or Nosler Ballistic Tip?? (2024)

Originally Posted By: NDHunter83Whats this "splash" you guys are talking about?
Originally Posted By: 204GunnerSplash is a large entrance wound that usually doesn't penetrate the vitals because it blows up on contact and does a bunch of damage to the hide.

As said, "splash" is when the bullet "blows-up" on the hide before any penetrateion (can yield a surface wound only 2-3" deep). However, I believe a lot of guys get the "splash" because of contact of stuff on the way to the target. When the bullet hits limbs, heavy grass, weeds etc close to the victim the bullet can start separating, flipping, unwrap whatever & act like a short range shotgun blast (shrapnel doesn't penetrate well). I'm sure this is the cause of some "splashes" & so called "bullet failures".

Still, I do realize the reality of "real splash" as well. While not as bad as some I've seen, the following is the only splash I have ever had with a vmax. Oddly enough it was a 60gr Vmax out of a 20" barrel (right at 3K). Coyote was ~25 yards in a trot to the call, nothing between me & him but leaves on the ground.

What you see is the entrance. Of course no exit... No follow-up shot required. Would have prolly been different with a shoulder shot though. It was a little worse than the pic implicates (I rolled the hide back for a less gruesome pic).

I've shot several more coyotes with the 60 @ 3k & also the 55vmax @ 3400 (different gun), plus all the vmax weights in 6mm & never had any problems with splash, runners or spinners.

The noslers are really good too. I've just always had really good luck with the cheaper vmax. I'd go with which ever shoots best in your gun.

Originally Posted By: podunkcowboyWhere do yall think bullet weight and diameter factors into this?

And twist. I think it's a little more complicated than just velocity.

Originally Posted By: cmateraVMax for varmints. Nosler BT's for predators.

+ 1 more

Originally Posted By: SShooterZFor me, I have always found it easier to get Noslers to shoot well vs. V-Max. Not saying V-Max are inaccurate, just that I can usually throw a Nosler load together and find an accurate one a little easier that I can with a V-Max.

For myself, Nosler,s need more fiddling but always shoot better in the end and perform better after the hit, but they cost $,s more.

V-Max's always shoot better easier with a given load but never over all as well as the BT, and the V-max does not hold together as well as the BT, but they [V-Max] are cheaper. Even better now with the Zombie stuff.

I do load a lot of 60gr V-max for yotes these days. They work well. None of the plastic tips terminally perform with the spitzer style bullets though. I shoot lots of them too. Sierra the most.

Originally Posted By: Nalgiand being a boat tail they will fly better at distance

The boat tail does not help it fly better at distance on its own. It's all dependent on the BC, not just the boat tail. If bullet A has a boat tail with a BC of .210, and bullet B has a BC of .225, but has no boat tail, bullet B will buck the wind better, carry more energy, and stay slightly flatter.

Yes, a boat tail does help in attaining a higher BC, but it's only part of the equation.

hey buckskull, I had to chuckle when I read your post due to remembering a past trial similar to yours with much different results. When I first got my combo gun in 12ga/223 I used chucks to test on for saving fur as I do most of my loads and guns. My first load combo was a 40gr. V-max and BL-C(2) powder in a mediocre dosage. I thought it would be ideal setup for fox. Ironically, my first victim was also 130yds standing up. Bullet entered below the neck and exited the back. Look closely at the exit. I gave up on that combo immediately

. If it did that to an old leathery chuck, it would split a grey fox in two. Not sure how it would've been on a coyote, but this test scared me away from them for fox. Maybe I didn't run them hard enough, but that was my last run with 40's. You are obviously doing something different than I did, maybe velocity or shot placement?

Arcorey,
I do not know how fast these are going but I am using 25.5 gr IMR 8208 XBR.
I was hoping these were going to be perfect for fox, maybe not ideal for coyotes(shot placement will need to be spot on)but if I do my part they will work fine.
Hope to do more real world testing soon.

Oh yea, I have always wanted a nice combo gun.
How does that one shoot?

My last range session while testing my 50gr. V-max AR loads out of the Baikal at 50yds(in the black) and at 100yds above. Both the AR and the combo love the 26gr. of BL-C(2). This was prone off a sandbag front and rear. After that I tuned it to be dead on at 75yds and split the difference. They are not good range guns due to the barrel heat

. By the way, 50 V-max isn't fox friendly either, my last grey fox had about a 2" exit and multiple sprapnel tears at 80yds. My next step for fox was to buy a short barreled 17rem. So far, it has done great for not exiting on chucks and not tearing up hides. I want to kill another 5 or 6 and see how it does, but so far it has been awesome.

I might also look for a .17 or maybe a .204.
I like the fact that the .223 is so common and everything is easy to find but may have to also go to something smaller. I have a 17 HMR that I have killed a couple greys with but have not had the opportunity to try on a coyote. I would not pull the trigger unless all was perfect with that on a coyote.
I like the .204 but there are not alot of options for it in an AR platform.

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