If I slow the V-Max bullet down would the pelt damage decrease?

[RussellJ]

Thank you for the information....

 

[Webster]

I went predator hunting in Texas a couple weeks ago, used a .223 AR-15 for the long shots and 12ga #4 buck for close range. I was shooting factory .223 Hornady 55grn V-Max Varmint Express bullets at 3062fps out of my 20” AR-15 barrel. I shot three bobcats with this load and all were 120 to 150 yard shots, I believe I got lucky on the distances of the shots because the pelt damage wasn’t bad. If the shots were closer, I believe pelt damage would have been excessive. Question, if I slow the fps to say 2900fps, would I decrease the chance of destroying a pelt? My thinking is that I’m on the edge of excessive pelt damage, if I slow down the bullet terminal damage would decrease also?

Match type bullets should have very little expansion. Need good bullet placement.

 

[AckleymanII]

Back in the late 70's when cats could bring as much as $550 we used to down load our reloads. At that time, Dupont put out LOADING data for just about every powder they made to very low velocities. You maybe able to find one of those free circulars.

Blue dot in a 223, from 12-14g with a 40g Speer spire point is a great pelt load. The 40g speer spire point is a high velocity bullet made to take the velocity of a 220 swift, also the ogive is moved forward on the bullet to help decrease bullet jump to the lands which helps accuracy.

in my hart bbl 223 with zero freebore, 14T I used the following loads:
12g of Blue dot= 3000 fps = 1" groups at 100
14g of blue dot = 3200 fps = 1.5" groups at 200

Weigh every charge as the large flake powder bridges in powder measures, meaning that one load will be light and the next heavy, and 14.6g was an absolute max load for my rifle. You have no room for an over max load if you are loading toward the max where the best accuracy is, and you will blow the primer completely out of the case.

Use thick cup primers with blue dot as they are not low pressure loads.

these loads were safe my rifle, work up carefully in yours, watching all pressure signs, and I am warning all to WEIGH EVERY POWDER CHARGE!

I marked my blue dot loads by dipping the cases in a product made for touching up blue on chrome moly gun barrels, called INSTA BLUE, this product turned the bottom of the case black.

Cats and foxes are easy to blow to pieces, they are easy to coax in close with a lip squeek. I used a 22 Magnum in several rifles with Winchester 40g HP, but you had better have a perfect shot, and in the thick, a 12ga with #2 or BB rules the day.

 

[kyreloader]

What about using a Barnes TSX or TTSX? Controlled expansion has limited pelt damage for me on few occasions.

 

[FrankLD46]

I went predator hunting in Texas a couple weeks ago, used a .223 AR-15 for the long shots and 12ga #4 buck for close range. I was shooting factory .223 Hornady 55grn V-Max Varmint Express bullets at 3062fps out of my 20” AR-15 barrel. I shot three bobcats with this load and all were 120 to 150 yard shots, I believe I got lucky on the distances of the shots because the pelt damage wasn’t bad. If the shots were closer, I believe pelt damage would have been excessive. Question, if I slow the fps to say 2900fps, would I decrease the chance of destroying a pelt? My thinking is that I’m on the edge of excessive pelt damage, if I slow down the bullet terminal damage would decrease also?

yeh pelt damage would decrease but if you want no pelt damage use full jacketed bullets run em fast as u want

 

[Nvreloader]

I run 35 gr VMax or Speer 35 gr out of my 22-250 @ 3800+ fps,
22 caliber hole in and no exit, don't hit the shoulder blade,
or you will have a hole that Betsy Ross can't sew up.
Ranges have been from 10' to 400 yds, on yeller dogs/cats.

I drive them as fast as I can (safely) and not make the bullets go POOOF,
Don't shoot the smaller foxes, as you will only pick up 2 halves,
and have lots of missing pieces in between the halves.

Tia,
Don

 

[Huckleberry75]

Not so sure about the .17FB. This was a 25 grain "fur friendly" bullet on this guy. View attachment 1004213

A good taxidermist can stitch him back up.

 

[TAJ45]

A good taxidermist can stitch him back up.

Orrr, if he would just "walk it off" before expiring.