I picked up several boxes of the V-Maxs with the cannelure, intending these for my 5.56mm "Dog Gun" with its 1-in-12 twist SAK tube. Pics here:

http://www.ar15armory.com/forums/556mm-Dog-Gun-t67984.html

No time since finishing the build to work up loads for it, but Hornady's factory V-Max load shot great.

So I was hoping to benefit from anyone's experiences with these pills - and, if you've tested either or both with the Varget, I'd be interested in any really accurate receipes as well.

Thanks in advance ...



This post has been edited by agtman: November 2nd 2009 12:01 AM

I've used the VMax in factory Black Hills. Sweet ammo.

Though as far as loading or the results from home loads you might wish to talk to the guys in the reloading forum.

I second the recommendation you ask this in the reloading forum.

So as to give you an idea, take a look at the 55 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip instead of the Vmax. Its basically the same bullet type except a boat tail where the Vmax is a flat bottom so it has a much better ballistic coefficient. Its also sold in 250 count volume packs. The Vmax design actually does best in the "Singers" the lighter weights that are shot at much faster muzzle velocities.

Okay, thanks guys. I'll move the questions to reloading.

Actually, I do have a couple of boxes of Nosler's 55gn BTs, so I'll see what they can do w/ the Varget.

This post has been edited by agtman: November 2nd 2009 11:57 AM

The flat bottom has better ballistics?

Yeah, I kinda thought it was just the opposite: that a BTHP always had a better BC and better accuracy than a flat base projectile.

But then, I'm certainly no ballistics guru.

Best I can do is to reload some rounds without blowin' the gun up.

Woah...just found this older post...I would imagine that, despite the grammatical positioning of his phrases, that TJ meant that the BT has the better BC, hence the reason for suggesting looking into them over the flat-based VMax.

a boat tail has better BC due to its aerodynamics(the air can move around the boat tail better than a flat base). Im sure thats what Tj was saying.

Since you are still on this.

Its good to think of a bullet has the features of an airplane. A boat tail is like a rudder. Its downward curve creates a circular air pattern and partial vacuum that steers the bullet. How well it does depends on not only how fast its going, but the distance and length of the bullet. A rule of thumb is the longer/heavier the bullet, the more advantage a boat tail gives you.

A 55 grain is right at the cusp of benefit. Close in, there's very little but quite noticeable farther out. That's why the MIL settled on the boat tail and 55s come both ways as well as lighter bullets typically don't have them at all. The lighter ones typically are not fired at those distances and/or their muzzle velocity is so fast that it doesn't matter that much at that given distance.

Where a boat tail bullet is more like an airplane the flat bottom is more like rocket. Where this is important in the AR, unlike the 22-250, the .223 has a pretty limited case and thus pressure cability.

Hollow points is a whole other discussion, but for now let's just say a boat tail ballistic tip is more of a jet and the HPBT more like a glider.

Tj

Thanks for the comments.

Since posting this, I'm still experimenting with Varget and the Hornady 55gn V-MAXs w/ cannelure. Found some loads that shot tighter than others, but haven't settled on the "one" yet.

I still have several boxes of the Nosler 55gn Ballistic Tips sitting here (#39526). These are "solid base" boat tails. I want to work up Varget loads with these and see how their accuracy compares with the V-MAXs from the same AR - my "dog gun" (for 'yotes).



This post has been edited by agtman: January 26th 2010 12:01 PM