An update for anyone whos interesed. I shot a button buck monday morning :-[ at 150 yds with the 87gr Vmax. I shoulda known it was a button buck but ya live and learn. Bullet entered a little high but off the shoulder. Dime size entrance wound and half dollar exit wound, with a nice big blood trail. Ran about 80 yds and piled up.
87gr. Vmax performance on deer?
- Thread starter funkyon4wheels
- Start date
Since this is a very imperfect world, I'd use the 87 gr SST or heavier. I don't use the 87 gr Vmax, but I have seen it fragment too much. The 95 gr SST seems to be good. Don't forget about the tried and true classics like the Hornady 100gr Interlock or the Sierra 100gr Pro Hunter or GameKing. Simple, inexpensive, boring, but very effective.
Deer are not that hard to kill. If you put a hole in their vitals they die. How you go about putting that hole in them is what leads to need for different bullets, broadheads, spear, sharp stick or whatever. With perfect broadside shots in the ribs (double lung) pretty much any bullet will work. I have killed several deer with the 55gr vmax from 223Rem with this shot & the farthest has ran ~50 yards with some really short blood trails.
When you try to shoot through the shoulders or length ways through a deer that's when you need a more heavily constructed bullet (like a barnes or bonded) or you need to shoot a cartridge that sends a larger projectile that "enough" of the bullet stays together & still penetrate into the vitals (typical long action hunting cartridges with deer hunting weight bullets will penetrate a long ways inside a deer).
However, I have found that with the braodside double lung shot, quicker kills come from the more frangable bullets, which makes sense they leave a bigger wound channel (more "important" tissue is disrupted). Still the "hard" bullets will get the job done with like placement & will give the opportunity for a shot presentation still needing deeper reach.
As far as the 87vmax goes... I've killed a few with it & usually get an exit with bowstyle shot described. Pictured below is a 87 vmax recovered from a 300 yard shot. The deer was licking it's back at the shot. Entered just under the ear, out the throat (just under opposite jaw bone) then back into the deer's shoulder & caught in the hide after ~7" more penetration. There was also LOTS of hair disrupted (looked like she's been hit with a machetee) from the shrapnel as it came out & re-entered. Don't remember exactly but seems like the remainder of the bullet weighed around 25-30 grains (not alot left).
Remember this was with a pretty slow impact velocity. More speed & even less bullet would stay in tact.
FWIW, A good friend just killed a good deer this weekend with an 87vmax from one of my old 6BR barrels. Hit just behind the shoulder & deer ran ~40 yards. The bullet did not exit.
If your going to TAKE & MAKE good shots the 87vmax works great. If you can't pass up a bad angle or , as already said, there are lots of bullets out there in .243" that will penetrate better. I wouldn't want to shoot dead shoulder on a large deer that I wanted to get my hands on with the 87.... but wouldn't feel undergunned on same deer if I could move the bullet back a few inches on a good angle.
When you try to shoot through the shoulders or length ways through a deer that's when you need a more heavily constructed bullet (like a barnes or bonded) or you need to shoot a cartridge that sends a larger projectile that "enough" of the bullet stays together & still penetrate into the vitals (typical long action hunting cartridges with deer hunting weight bullets will penetrate a long ways inside a deer).
However, I have found that with the braodside double lung shot, quicker kills come from the more frangable bullets, which makes sense they leave a bigger wound channel (more "important" tissue is disrupted). Still the "hard" bullets will get the job done with like placement & will give the opportunity for a shot presentation still needing deeper reach.
As far as the 87vmax goes... I've killed a few with it & usually get an exit with bowstyle shot described. Pictured below is a 87 vmax recovered from a 300 yard shot. The deer was licking it's back at the shot. Entered just under the ear, out the throat (just under opposite jaw bone) then back into the deer's shoulder & caught in the hide after ~7" more penetration. There was also LOTS of hair disrupted (looked like she's been hit with a machetee) from the shrapnel as it came out & re-entered. Don't remember exactly but seems like the remainder of the bullet weighed around 25-30 grains (not alot left).
FWIW, A good friend just killed a good deer this weekend with an 87vmax from one of my old 6BR barrels. Hit just behind the shoulder & deer ran ~40 yards. The bullet did not exit.
If your going to TAKE & MAKE good shots the 87vmax works great. If you can't pass up a bad angle or , as already said, there are lots of bullets out there in .243" that will penetrate better. I wouldn't want to shoot dead shoulder on a large deer that I wanted to get my hands on with the 87.... but wouldn't feel undergunned on same deer if I could move the bullet back a few inches on a good angle.
Well I will probably get lit up for this but that 87 gr Vmax will absolutely put a white tail down hard. It's been my choice for several years. several years ago I dropped a cow elk with the same bullet in it's tracks in Colorado.
I agree with the gentlemen's marine dad. I highly doubt on a whitetail that it will deflect off the hide or shoulder bone. That's never been my experience.
I agree with the gentlemen's marine dad. I highly doubt on a whitetail that it will deflect off the hide or shoulder bone. That's never been my experience.
stacy
2 TIMOTHY 2 VERSE 15
Couldn’t ask for much more than that
Loudenboomer
Silver $$ Contributor
For a light bullet in the .243 Win. we've had good results with the 85 gr. Nosler Partition.
Have you ever gotten sucked into a 11 year old thread without realizing it... I have. 
VMAX are fine bullets at full velocity due amazing damage (explosive fragmentation), which may/may not be best choice large game. They also work great at slower speeds acting more like a traditional soft nose bullet (no rapid expansion). Dozen ways to skin a cat...
VMAX are fine bullets at full velocity due amazing damage (explosive fragmentation), which may/may not be best choice large game. They also work great at slower speeds acting more like a traditional soft nose bullet (no rapid expansion). Dozen ways to skin a cat...
Preacher
Gold $$ Contributor
No such thing as a X Marine, once one, always one !!!!!!
Those bullets are made to explode they won’t penetrate a piece of plywood. You better make sure you don’t hit a bone. They completely disintegrate a tiny whistle pig “ground squirrel”
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