I'm worried: 32 gr VMax

[FireBallGuy]

AT this point I would toss the 32 grain Vmax's allready.....the gun don't like them.

[bow shot]

Yeah, I've spent them all anyway, I think I went through 4 boxes of them, adjusting OAL adjusting powder, prepping brass better and better, thinking that I'd tune in a little better, but no go. I really thought that once I bedded the action that it would all come together, but no deal.

I should be loading up 32 and 39 gr Sierra blitzkings if I can get out of work at a decent time. If the weather is clear, I may get a couple groups off too..

[FireBallGuy]

Now your talkin'!

[bow shot]

32 and 39 SBKs are now seated ready for tests. Just need time and weather...

Saw my first (live) 'chuck yesterday.

'Funny the last two road kills that I saw that I thought were chucks were actually beavers!!

[FireBallGuy]

Go get em' bowshot!

[remy3424]

I have a Remington that just won't give me a group under 1.5" with the 32gr. Vmax bullets either. I have been toying with bedding or selling it, rebarreling was also considered. I tried 5 powders, 3 primers and 3 cases and a wide rande of powder charges and OAL and have finally given-up on force feeding my rifle this bullet. My first attempt with the Varmint Nightmare 34 gr. from MidSouth with Benchmark in 3 different charges gave me better than anything the Vmax could do. I once got a good group with Varget, but couldn't seem to duplicate it again. I really didn't want to use Varget due to the difficulty of charging cases. I might try the 35 gr. Berger, but I am really looking for a cost effective route for mass parairie dog shooting. I hope with a little more experimentation I can get the MidSouth bullet down to .5" groups which would be acceptable for me and that bullet out to 300 yards. Maybe the Tikka I bought my son to shoot will digest the 32 Vmaxs better, it does OK with the MS bullet. The weather is finally turning nice in Iowa, so a couple shooting session a week will be coming soon!!!

[Dr Pepper]

That's rare for a rifle not to like the 32 VMs. I'd look at the crown of the muzzle, too. Something doesn't sound right there.

My HS Precision doesn't like the 32 gr bullets, loves 40gr Noslers. Dr. P

[TD-Max]

Pick up some Reloader 10x to go with the BK's and you should be in really good shape.

[FireBallGuy]

I understand why a lot of people are drawn to the Vmax bullets due to thier pricing but in all but 1 gun I have owned they have not proven to be worth my time. The 204 especially...4 guns....not a one of them liked vmax bullets. One savage FVSS I had in 22-250 really liked them, very consistent accuracy. My 20 cal experience with these bullets has been horrible and my remingon will NEVER see another one!

[wirelessguy2005]

i have shot the 32 and 40 grain vmax in every one of my .204's and they all seem to like them. My savage model 25 really likes them, it was nothing to shoot under a half inch with the factory vmax 32 grain ammo.

[Wrangler John]

Help! Somebody with a dial caliper measure three V-Max bullets and give me the lengths. I got an idea about why they don't shoot so well in some rifles. Thank you.

[bow shot]

Wrangler, I measured quite a few of the VMax bullets with a good Mitutoyo 0.0001" caliper, and gave up trying to get a bunch that were "the same length" for my loads, there was a lot of variance. I have no way of measuring to the olgive though. I was told by a respected source that it is because of the variences in the length of the plastic tip, and that it doesn't matter for accuracy???. I've heard it several times that base-to-olgive consistancy is more important. FWIW, anyway...

I did notice (after seating) that the OAL of my cartridges was very consistant with the sierras. I'll try put the caliper on a bunch and get #s on them when I get a minute. I'll have to dig into my old data for the Hornady #s.

If I could only get an opportunity to shoot, its driving me nuts!!!! Heavy wind, snow then heat then snow then rain... then fixing the car, blah blah blah...

[bow shot]

Wrangler, for the 32 gr VMax bullets I measured 0.003" variance bullet to bullet, over a sample of 30 bullets.

At first I though it was my seater being bad...

[jo191145]

Wrangler

What measurement are you looking for?
Tip to base or base to ogive?

[bow shot]

I should say I measured base to tip, not base to olgive...

Also, I don't want this to be esteemed as a "Hornady VMax bullets are no good" thing, I know that lots of people shoot 'em and are happy campers. I just haven't found my place in the sun with them. Could be the gun, or the loader/shooter, who knows?