75 grain A Max vs the 69 grain SMK

[2dogs]

Lets hash this out. Which is the better killer?

In my 22BR I can run the 69 grain SMK at 3380 fps with excellent accuracy. The 75 grain A Max isnt quite as accurate and at 3150 the load is too hot for my rifle so 3100 is about all I can get out of it. Which load will give me better down range ballistics??

Thoughts?

 

[ollie]

I am a huge a-max fan. killed everything from white tail deer, antelope, hogs, ground hogs, etc etc etc. Remember you dont need a one hole group to hunt with.

 

[alf]

Lets hash this out. Which is the better killer?

In my 22BR I can run the 69 grain SMK at 3380 fps with excellent accuracy. The 75 grain A Max isnt quite as accurate and at 3150 the load is too hot for my rifle so 3100 is about all I can get out of it. Which load will give me better down range ballistics??

http://www.biggameinfo.com/BalCalc.aspx

 

[jonbearman]

Lets get to basics,what twist are you running,I am assuming 1in8.

 

[Taildrag15X]

The A-max, I've seen them used on large adult deer shot in the neck, they fell down right where they were standing.

 

[2dogs]

Ollie, the 75 AMax still shoots a ragged hole, but the 69 SMK shoots a itty bitty hole!

 

[2dogs]

Jon, my barrel is a Hart 1/9 twist 26 in MHV contour on a Remington 700. I have tried Varget and RL 15. I quit when the 69 SMK gave awesome accuracy and 3380 fps!

 

[necchi]

Well, you haven't said what your shooting at, you've posted in the Varmint&Hunting forum so I can only presume your hunting game.
Hunting conditions are many times different then a good range set-up with bench an bags an a nice day.
The 75 is going to be a bit better than the 69 in wind. The Amax is a designed hunting bullet the SMK is a designed target bullet.
The vital area on game is much larger than an Xring on most 100-300yrd targets.
I have yet to hear dead game complain that they where killed with a ragged hole bullet vrs a single hole bullet.

As linked, run the #'s through a ballistic program (that's half the fun of having a chrony) and determine what the long range trajectory really is.
Will an extra 2" drop at 500yrds really matter to a coyote?

Here's a nice free program, short learning curve and give's you plenty of info;
http://www.huntingnut.com/index.php?name=pointblank

 

[alf]

I've posted this pic before, but here again is the results of a 75 A-Max out of my 22-250 Ackley into the shoulder of a coyote. That's the entrance, and the coyote still ran over a 100 yards before folding.

Might be a case of one, but I switched over to Berger VLD's after that episode......

 

[MrMajestic]

alf,
What was terminal velocity? The A-Max is fragile but at long range and subsequent reduced velocity they expand when most game bullets pencil.

 

[alf]

Muzzle velocity was 3500. Coyote was shot at 210 yards

It was at the tail end of calling season when I switched to the VLD's, so I don't have a comparison yet. Hope to rectify that here shortly........

 

[MrMajestic]

Muzzle velocity was 3500. Coyote was shot at 210 yards

It was at the tail end of calling season when I switched to the VLD's, so I don't have a comparison yet. Hope to rectify that here shortly........

Wow alf! Your still traveling over 3K fps at 210 yards. Its no wonder it didn't penetrate. I am only getting 2980 at the muzzle from my .223. You need to let them get farther away! ;D What kind of case life you getting at those velocities? Straight or Ackley Improved case?

 

[Catfish]

If your looking for a heaver bullet you might want to try the 75 gr. Hornady HP bullets. I tried them in my 224 TTH and they never got to the target. I called Hornady and they said that the max the bullet would take was 3500 fps. with a 9 twist barrel. I was pushing them at 3800 through an 8 twist and watching blue trails. But at 3100 fps they should preform well.

 

[FroggyOne2]

With the .223 and the 75AMax bullet, I am getting just a tad over 3100 fps with a 7.2 twist 30" bbl.

 

[2dogs]

Well, you haven't said what your shooting at, you've posted in the Varmint&Hunting forum so I can only presume your hunting game.
Hunting conditions are many times different then a good range set-up with bench an bags an a nice day.
The 75 is going to be a bit better than the 69 in wind. The Amax is a designed hunting bullet the SMK is a designed target bullet.
The vital area on game is much larger than an Xring on most 100-300yrd targets.
I have yet to hear dead game complain that they where killed with a ragged hole bullet vrs a single hole bullet.

As linked, run the #'s through a ballistic program (that's half the fun of having a chrony) and determine what the long range trajectory really is.
Will an extra 2" drop at 500yrds really matter to a coyote?

Here's a nice free program, short learning curve and give's you plenty of info;
http://www.huntingnut.com/index.php?name=pointblank

Yes, Im talking about using these bullets for killing GAME. However, since we are discussing the 22 caliber, we should limit the dialog to appropriate targets. You come off as a little condesending, seriously, who doesnt know the difference between the bench and hunting? What are you trying to say? The 75 will only be better in the wind when they are started at the same speed. Again, we all know dead game dont have much to say at all and we all know X rings come in different sizes. I appreciate the ballistic program information, but you never did say which bullet you preferred...?

 

[necchi]

Sorry, didn't mean to be mean, your question was about Down Range Ballistics.

Which load will give me better down range ballistics??

You asked which of the two bullets would be better, not whats a good bullet for "Varmint" , or "Big Game" both of which are hunted and killed (hopefully).
So bullet size depends on the game in quest.

I wouldn't use either bullet, I'd use a 55grn Nosler Ballistic tip.
Loaded that bullet for a buddies 223WSSM which is as close as I've loaded for to your 22Br.
We got 3860 out of it, and he has a 4" point blank hold out to 396 yards. So far his longest shot was a coon at 275,, 224 hole going in, a quarter size going out. It didn't move.
(he hasn't seen a varmint further away, but he pratice's on milk jugs at 400)
I also advised him to not use that bullet for our Minn White Tail Deer.

Of your two bullets listed I guess I would not use the Match King. I tried to make that part clear in my last post, it's a target bullet, they're a hard jacket not designed to expand or deformate on impact with soft targets. Will it kill? Yes.
A pneumothorax`s type wound will kill anything. (aka; Pencil through Lung shot)

I shot a Ground Squirrel with a 7mm 150grn Match King at 150yrds, just because it was dumb enough to show itself when I was zeroing in the scope and to my surprise watched it crawl away for 15yrds. It flipped when hit, but had a neat 7mm hole on both sides.

So,,

Which is the better killer?

Ya kinda need to define what you want to kill.
Varmint;
Nosler 55grn Ballistic Tip
Hornady 60grn V-max

Big game;
Nosler Partition
Barnes TSX

 

[alf]

;D What kind of case life you getting at those velocities? Straight or Ackley Improved case?

Case life appears to be fine. I'm running Lapua brass as well.

It's a 40 degree Ackley. The 75 VLD Bergers are liking 3425 the best.

 

[2dogs]

Alf, did that Amax on that coyote exit? I've seen your pic elsewhere and was left wondering if the 3500 fps took the Amax past its ability to penetrate? My own standard 22-250 runs the 75 grain Amax at 3350 fps. Im going to try to take on a S. Texas Hog with it this weekend and see how it does. I'll be head hunting when I do, because down here if you hit a hog where he can run off they can be difficult to trail for the heavy thorny brush.

 

[2dogs]

Necchi, thank you.

I started shooting the 69 SMK in my 22BR because I found it to be so accurate. My first loads where going about 3250 fps and while I knew I could get more it was so insanely accurate I just left it there. One day, I decided to take it on a jackrabbit hunt. What that bullet did to jacks was insane. I had been shooting them with a 22-250 NBT 40 grainer at 4150 fps and while that load devastated the jacks as well as the coyotes the 69 SMK smooth flattened them. Later, on my first prairie dog hunt I hit a dog at 650 yards in a stout crosswind with the 69 SMK. The dog was sent flying one way and his internal components were going the other.

I have 2 22-250s. In one I run the 40 NBT at 4150, the other the 75 Amax at 3350.
I have 2 1/14 223AIs. I run the 40 grain NBT at close to 4000 fps in both.
I have 2 22BRs. I run the 69 SMK in one and the 55 Hor Vmax in the other.

I have another 223 AI 1/8 in the shop and was trying to decide which bullet to run in it thus the reason for my original post. I have used the 69 SMK with such impressive results on all sorts of critters. On the other hand, so many people speak so well of the 75 grain Amax that I wanted to hear what they thought.

thanks again.

 

[alf]

Alf, did that Amax on that coyote exit?

No exit. The coyote was shot with a quartering on attitude, and hit on the shoulder as shown in the pic. The bullet blew up on contact. He jumped in the air, reversed direction, and hauled azz for a 100 yards or so. Found him piled up still gasping. As a hunter we prefer clean kills with no suffering. This was one I'm not proud of.

Could be a fluke, could be a bit much velocity for the bullet, or might not ever happen again, but I don't get a warm fuzzy feeling with this bullet, in this gun.