.243 87 gr. V-Max penetration test impressive and 165 GK HPBT!!!!

[swampratt]

So i have this varmit bullet and will be shooting deer with it.
Got some naysayers stating it will blow up on impact..HHHMMM
Had shot 4 layers of cardboard box and was rewarded with 4 tiny holes..

This lead to more testing..
I shot a 55 gallon steel barrel In one side out the other no fragmenting .But wait
Behind that barrel was a galvanized trash can,, into that with a hole and out the other side with big hole
surrounded by tiny fragments that made holes..

Not finished...Got a small buck for bow yesterday...
Saved the head and neck for bullet impact testing.
The speed is 3090 fps at 12 feet from muzzle. and testing was 100 yards.
First round through the neck broadside...Tiny hole in 2" hole out..Looked like you took a 2"
paddle bit and bored a hole through the neck.

Then A back of the neck shot, like if the deer was walking under you...Went in and did not come out.
But made the throat puff out like a bull frog!!

Then one to the skull between the eyes and antlers...
Crushed the skull Broke an antler in 1/2 from the shock,, eyes popped out of the head hanging there one leaking fluid.. Bullet exited the lower jaw.

So much for fragmenting on impact.. This is a deer bullet in my mind.

But wait...Found a steel 2 piece rim in the fill ditch..

Punched right through that thick steel then behind that was a brinkman grill.. hole in and hole out.
But fragmentation finally happened.
some pictures...
I also shot a .22lr at the rim.. just grey matter no dent no hole.
Shot the 165 game king HPBT from my .308 also..
hole in and impressive out ..

 

[swampratt]

Here is a pic of the .308 165gr Game king HPBT as it performed on the rim.



This is the brinkman grill that was behind the steel wheel as the 165 passed through.

 

[John Zane]

test the round on something with fluid in it. Could give different results. See if it goes deep enough without fragmenting. The vmax in my 223 loads would destroy a 1 gallon jug and not touch the one behind it.

 

[Calamity Jake]

I shoot Pdogs with that 87gr Vmax, I've seen it hit blades of grass and explode, I wouldn't trust it on a deer.

 

[swampratt]

I have shot coon with the 165 game king and it took out the hind end and ripped off one rear leg.

Your grass destroyed the 87 vamax but not my paper box.. and not my 55 gallon barrel.
Jugs of water prove nothing ..Shoot an arrow at a jug of water..

Now i did test this bullet on the deer neck and head i have left over from the bow hunting.

No better way to test a bullet's performance than to test it on the subject at hand.
Water, gelatin, wood, steel, etc will not act the same as a deer..
I have the head and will save it for all who want to see it.
My 165 gameking will vaporize small animals also. as will the 87vmax
Buddy went fall turkey hunting with his 30-06 and 150gr hornady #3031 flat base soft lead tip spritzer.
Vaporized the bird!!!! legs gone breast gone biggest piece of meat was the size of a grasshopper. it created a 6foot circle of feathers and shrapneled bird.
What does it all prove.. small animals will vaporize..

Test each bullet you choose on the animal you choose to kill with it.
I have done this..
And proved it is worthy. for me and the shot placement i will administer.
This hole looks way better in person.
This is what the 87 grain did to the neck. went through the hide on the other side then drilled a nice fat hole on it's
way out. No deer will survive a neck shot with destroyed spine..and this took out bone and all.
I like it anyway.

 

[batchman]

Did you recover the bullet from the neck that did not pass through?

 

[swampratt]

No i have not ..
I have recovered some of my 150gr spitzers shot from my 30-06 and my 165 gameking HPBT
shot from my .308 and those all came apart inside the deer..I find copper pieces and lead pieces from those .

Same applies to my muzzleloader .50 cal with the 295gr hollow point power belt bullets.
Those are in tiny pieces also inside the deer.
Neck shots broad side though with the above resulted in no bullets ever found.

I do not need a pass through.. i prefer the bullet expels all the energy inside the animal.

Now i have recovered nice mushroomed 30-30 150gr bullets from deer
May be just a speed thing..
I did harvest one last year with my 45acp neck shot 47 paces neck shot no expansion
Died on the spot though...
Are you saying i need to perform an autopsy??

 

[batchman]

Sure why not?!

 

[John Zane]

Jugs of water prove nothing ..Shoot an arrow at a jug of water.
View attachment 33596

Really, Just trying to help. I am not really sure why you even started this thread. Looks like you have covered all the bases and if your deer is hiding in a scrap yard you will do just fine.

 

[swampratt]

I started this thread for a few reasons.
One components are harder to find so your choice of bullets are slim.
And a few people have posted or asked questions on what bullet to use for deer.
And the V-Max bullet line gets stones tossed at it for hunting deer.
Those that have actually used the Vmax for deer will know what it can and can't do for you.
I figured a penetration test ..real world results was needed.

Autopsy: not for the squeamish!!
I cut the wind pipe out of the way and seen all the broken spinal bone pieces and fragments of bullet.
that would be one dead deer. Big gaping hole under the wind pipe. look closely and you can see the bullet pieces.