168gr. .308 Tipped Match King VS 168gr. A-Max penetration

[swampratt]

I have used many bullets to kill deer and I like
Dead right there and the 168 and 175gr Hornady A-Max puts them down, I even took the life instantly from a 700lb steer with the
168gr A-max.

Yes explosive expansion.
So I know the A-Max works for me and the shots I take.

Now I needed to know how it compared with the New 168gr Sierra Tipped Match Kings.

So I loaded 43.5gr IMR 4064 into Lapua cases, primed with 210M, capped the load with the 168 A-max and the 168 TMK (tipped match kings).

4 milk jugs in a row full of water and capped.
Front jug I duct tapped .090" thick leather piece to it.

So the bullet must enter the tanned cow leather, then pass through the jugs.

The Sierra TMK exploded the first 2 jugs split and sent the leather 5 feet forward and exploded jugs 10 feet to the sides and made a hole in and out of #3 and made a hole into #4 with no exit.
I recovered the jacket and a small mushroomed disc of lead
from jug #4.

Now the A-Max. It exploded the first 2 in grand fashion.
Jugs and pieces 20 feet to the sides and the leather 15 feet to the front.
The bullet entered jug #3 and left a small dent in jug #4.

No lead inside of jug 3 just a tore up jacket.
Well there was a tiny bit of lead that looked like very small fingernail clippings about 3 of them.

Next up was solid Oak boards.
The Tipped Match King passed through 4 boards and buried into the 5th one and came out of the back of the 5th and made a leaded spot on board 6.
Tiny .308 hole in board #1 then a larger hole in 2 and even larger in 3 and 4.

The A max did the same except it only penetrated the 5th board 1/2 way through.

The Oak boards are Kiln dried and just a bit over 3/4" thick.

I know.... only 2 different tests but seems the A-max is much more explosive than the New Tipped Match King.
And the Match King penetrates a bit deeper.

 

[dennishoddy]

We need to buy you a video camera. LOL.

 

[swampratt]

Or someone with one needs to go shoot with me.
here is what I recovered from the jugs.
On the left is the 168 Tipped Match King and on the right the 168 A-max

 

[clintbailey]

I do love the performance I get from the 123 gr A Max's in my 6.5-06! Deer killers for sure!

 

[swampratt]

I was told the Vmax different from the Amax was a no go for deer also.
But after doing some penetration testing I decided to use it and the 87gr VMax in our little .243 hammered a 150lb buck.
Dropped him in his tracks and not a flinch from him after he was shot.

The Amax and Vmax in my testing has worked very well.
Glad to hear the 123 in the 6.5 works well

 

[Master Carper]

Even though they were not specifically designed for it, the Hornady A-MAX bullets have been one of the more successful bullets used in long-range deer hunting. The year the 168 gr. A-MAX bullet was introduced, I used that bullet to shoot 3 deer that were well in excess of 1,000 yds.. Same thing for the 175 gr. A-MAX. Out of a full custom 300 Weatherby Magnum with a 32" barrel, we shot 5 deer one year, with the closest shot being taken at 1,032 yds. and the furthest just over 1,300 yds.. We sent pictures and range reports to Hornady's Chief Ballistician, Ron Reiber. Ron said that even though the A-MAX bullets were not designed for "deer", they were getting reports from long-range shooters all over the country, that were doing the same exact thing we were...

Bullet performance from shooting a deer in excess of 1,000 yds. with the 175 gr. A-MAX bullets, entrance hole was just a little larger than a #2 pencil, with the exit hole being anywhere from golf ball to tennis ball in size - on broad side shots...

I really like and shoot several custom rifles chambered in 30-30 Ackley Improved, and shoot the 155 gr. A-MAX bullet in these. Even from the lowly little 30-30 case, that A-MAX bullet makes for a superbly accurate little rifle that will hold it's own, out to an honest 300 yds.. I have shot several deer with this cartridge/bullet combination, and it makes for quite an impressive little combination...

 

[Shriner]

swampy ?? what dist did you test from 10yd 50yd 100yd 200+yd ? longer dist = best idea of down range performance -yes .

 

[swampratt]

If you slow the round down it has less chance of fragmenting.
I shot these at the jugs at 27 yards.