SmallCaliberCentral

Well I just wanted to see if anyone has started to get any reload data yet. I get my z-max's today and am working up some loads. I am going to us two powders, IMR 4064 and CFE 223. I am using Win cases and primers. I am going to start IMR out at 27gr. Then go up by .3 gr each group of 5. I am going to make 3 groups. For CFE 223 I am going to start out at 28 gr and go up by .3gr. I am looking at COL of 2.31, this is the longest i can go with my mag's. Hope to see what you all are using.

What weight/size projectile? From that I'm led to believe the 32 gr Z-max and 32 V-Max are identical, so loads for the 32 gr. V-max would apply. I'm using 28.9gr H4895, Remington cases and Remington 7 1/2 BR small rifle primers.

204_au wrote:What weight/size projectile? From that I'm led to believe the 32 gr Z-max and 32 V-Max are identical, so loads for the 32 gr. V-max would apply. I'm using 28.9gr H4895, Remington cases and Remington 7 1/2 BR small rifle primers.

Thanks, yes they are 32 gr. I will look in to the v-max loads.

I just got mine also, will be using the same loads as my vmax.. Should be the same. Just the tip color seems to be the difference. Bill K

vmax has a slight boat tail and z max is flat.

Well, in a day or two, I will have a good idea of how they compare.. I will post, my findings anyway. Bill K

I have done a little prelim work on the z-max in .224 with 40 grainers. Understand this is very incomplete data, and might not hold true on a longer test. My .224 v-max bullets vary in weight from 39.8 to an occasional 40.2 in the lot I have. The z-max 40 grainers were everyone exactly 40 grains. Also at least with these two batches of v-max and z-max the ogive length appears to seat about .003 shorter on the zmx using the same setting on the seater die. That might not be true from batch to batch of course. Also the zmx bullets were a little longer than the vmx but this might just be normal variations between boxes of bullets run at different times. It does seem to me these first zmx's are very consistent which is something you might not expect from a lower costing bullet. The 32 zmx were $53 and change/500 from Midsouth and the 40 zmx .224's were $58 and change/500.

Same powder charge produced about 60 more fps with the zmx. Accuracy with the vmx was .386 moa and with the zmx it was .699 moa. I have made adjustments to get the ogive length of the zmx the same as the vmx load which has shot very good for me, but will have to wait for better weather to test. Of course I've shot loads of 40 vmx's and just starting with the zmx's so it might take a little tweeking. Because of the preliminary consistency, if that holds true, these bullets should shoot and shoot extremely good groups.

I do have the 32 zmx in 204 but haven't started working with them yet, and haven't made a weight comparison. I can't tell there is any difference in the base of the vmx or zmx.

Well I ran down and shot at two one inch black shoot n tell dots. Each dot has six rounds and if I could email someone that knows how to post photos, you will see they cut each other, about the size of a dime, which is in the photos. Not a super fast load, but 18.1 grains of H4198 with this 32 Z-Max is right on. Considering a old 73 year set of eyes, with a Leupold 3x9 scope, set on 9 power and at 100 yds off a set of sand bags, I feel really good with this. So in comparison to my 32 VMax it shoots the same POI and groups the same. This load will do this all day. So again I am pleased. And as, RIO has said, the more I shoot that 20VT, the more I luv and wonder why I did not get one sooner.. And one willing to try and post my photos ? Thank You. Bill K

Great news! I have 1,000 each of 32 & 40 grainers coming in this week. With the midsouth prices i figured I'd get as many as possible.

do you have a photobucket account ? post pic there then link to them using the image tags.

Accuracy with the vmx was .386 moa and with the zmx it was .699 moa.

sweet. are you saying the difference is due to the ogive being at a different location or that you have not found the spot for the zmax yet ?

Picture of Bill K's morning rabbit hunt with the Vartag. Graphic!

Thank you again Double Up.. My little pea shooter looks pretty good there, if I do say so myself. It shoots good groups and for those that want to know, that wabbit and one other both were opened up pretty good with the z-max 32 grain. I need to save my pennies and obtain a Cooper with better glass. But in the meantime that little rifle is doing really, really well. The money spent on the Bullberry bull barrel was worth it. Bill K

204cat, I moved the bullet out a little more so the ogive length is 1.840. I normally shoot the 40 vmx with the ogive at 1.835. With the first loads on the zmx the same setting was putting the ogive at 1.833 where I got the groups at .699 ave.. Today, they came in at .334, .365, .498, and .576 with the ogive at 1.840 and col of 2.240. Group ave. for 40vmx total for all groups comes out to .559, and with these few tests with the zmax 40 today they are averaging .443 with the ogive at 1.840. Probably won't be much difference after I've shot 100 or so other than this batch of bullets appears to shoot best with the slightly longer ogive setting.

yea! i figured they would be about the same as the vmax. after 20 or so shots i figure fatigue is a factor.

that is a nice vartarg.

204cat, yes it is a nice Vartag. It belongs to Bill K. I was just posting a picture for him while he's figuring out Photobucket. You're right I was getting tired and shot too many rounds. I was also working on a 50 v-max coyote load for my AR at the same time.