SmallCaliberCentral

Hey guys new hear, have just purchased a tika 204 and am in love with it, spectacular head evaporator without the boot so can see the pink mist for myself. Curious of ur experiences using the z-max bullets, not sure what you pay for them in the states but they are the cheapest by far here in oz n seem to be effective enough but am getting really weird results with it. How do you guys find they compare to other pills

Unless I'm mistaken, they're just V-max with a different color tip. Vmax bullets are pretty cost-effective, and usually shoot relatively well. What kind of weird results are you seeing, and what powder, charge weight, and primer are you using? And, have you tried the 40 grain version?

DiveR: As mentioned they are the same bullet, just the tip color on the Z, for the Zombie craze/marketing. Both work very well in my 20's, 17's and 224 calibers.. You might, if you can get them, try some of the Varmint extreme 34 grain hp's that Midsouth and/or Midway USA have. ( Nosler cup and core bullet put out for and by them) They are also pretty destructive on critters. Bill K

They would have to be a slightly different construction to a vmax as ive never seen a vmax pass through a wallaby butbthe zmax consistantly pass right through, (with body shots) massive hole the size of a fist but still passing through. Yet on birds they are still brutal and explode aswell as anything else ive shot. Head shooting a pig it smashed its entire skull to mush this has never happend for me or my mate not even with 39gr SBk. The results im seeing are good just weird. I think A few autopsies might be needed to obtain a propper evaluation of exactly whats going on

I went out looking for more information after reading the posts here. It sounds like they are using a plating process as they use on the AMax bullets, that is a cheaper process. Not sure if you will get the red mist effect of the Sierra Blitzkings that I like on sage rats and prairie dogs with the 20 VarTarg? Might be good for coyotes with the 204?

I always struggled with Vmax & coyotes. Bullets weren't reliable, some kills, some splashes. I moved on to a MidSouth bullet. But the Z's have a marked improvement on chiselers.

The Z's do have the same AMP jacket as the new series of match bullets. It's part plating, part traditional. Which is funny considering all the crap Speer got many years ago about using plating....

Save your V-Max's for the rodent type targets. The 35gr Berger is the ticket for coyotes and the like.

32gr. V-max usually puts a softball size exit hole in the coyotes I shoot. I still prefer the 35gr. Berger though for predators.

I dont have any problems generating red mist with Z-max. See my video... http://youtu.be/YP6kFYFaoIM

Another nice video Bodei. Been wondering where you have been. Most likely busy, this time of year. Thanks for sharing. Bill K

Went out today to shoot some PDogs since the weather was so nice.
My last set of reloads were Hornady ZMax 32 grain bullets, I have shot lots
of the Hornady VMax 32 grain bullets with great results.
Today I could tell NO difference between the two bullets, same performance
same carnage. I chose to shoot the ZMaxs as they are about 5 cents cheaper per
bullet same results. Only thing is they are hard to find.
I'll post pics in the varmint forum later.
PDog Rex

PDog Rex wrote:Today I could tell NO difference between the two bullets, same performance
same carnage.

That's basically due to the fact that they're the same bullet with a different color tip (zombie marketing, ya know).

Bill K wrote:Another nice video Bodei. Been wondering where you have been. Most likely busy, this time of year. Thanks for sharing. Bill K

Been a real busy year for me. I'm ready for things to get slow now so I can start loading. Got some footage from 2014 to produce as well.

Looking forward to new ventures and a good show/shot. Bill K