no red mist with 87 gr V-Max ?

[Gman]

I shot a ground hog at 471 yards out of a .243 Win with a 87 gr V-Max, traveling 3290 fps, hitting him square in the middle of the chest, and there was a blood spot on his back, the size of a nickle. Not a hole the size of a nickle. (I didn't put my finger in the hole to determine diameter) Isn't this bullet supposed to explode and create a "red mist" effect ? I am just curious as to why the exit hole wasn't the size of a tennis ball.

 

[Kenny474]

I thought that was what the V-Max's were all about, destruction on varmints? I use a smaller cal when I shoot, but I still get a bit of destruction. Maybe it was a fluke bullet or ground hog? I don't get tennis ball sized exit wounds, but they are good sized holes usually with some insides on the outside. Maybe it has something to do with how long the shot was, though I would expect the .243 to still have enough to expand a v-max at that range.

 

[jerrschmitt]

The problem might be the range. At 450 yards, my ballistic program says that the 87 VMAX is only moving about 2250 FPS.

 

[Gman]

What are the terminal effects going to be at longer ranges ? Such as 600-800 yards.

 

[LWolken]

It will be terminal at those ranges but nothing spectacular. They will really make the pd's fly but gh's are much larger critters.

 

[lpreddick]

Gman: terminal ballistics produces the "red mist". iow, the foot-pounds of energy in the bullet is transfered into the target producing liquifaction of the less dense tissues(fat,muscle,skin), transferring this mix to the outside, if enough energy remains. when there is no "exit wound" , all of the energy was consumed by the target. at 500 yards the 87 hornady vmax has 936 foot-pounds of energy when launched at 3300 fps muzzel velocity. all that energy was "dumped" in the ghogs chest. sufficient energy transfer kills the animal regardless of the caliber, bullet weight, bullet design, or velocity. your experience at 150 yards would have been much more explosive since even a ghogs chest couldn't absorbe all the energy at that velocity. "varmint " bullets are designed to self destruct on impact, thereby delivering their energy. purely "match" bullets and fmjs do not do this, therfore not being suggested for varmint hunting. i know many have sung the praises ofsuch bullets for varmints, but the pass throughs and richocets are well known.

if i can see you, i can touch you!BANG!

 

[Gman]

Gman: terminal ballistics produces the "red mist". iow, the foot-pounds of energy in the bullet is transfered into the target producing liquifaction of the less dense tissues(fat,muscle,skin), transferring this mix to the outside, if enough energy remains. when there is no "exit wound" , all of the energy was consumed by the target. at 500 yards the 87 hornady vmax has 936 foot-pounds of energy when launched at 3300 fps muzzel velocity. all that energy was "dumped" in the ghogs chest. sufficient energy transfer kills the animal regardless of the caliber, bullet weight, bullet design, or velocity. your experience at 150 yards would have been much more explosive since even a ghogs chest couldn't absorbe all the energy at that velocity. "varmint " bullets are designed to self destruct on impact, thereby delivering their energy. purely "match" bullets and fmjs do not do this, therfore not being suggested for varmint hunting. i know many have sung the praises ofsuch bullets for varmints, but the pass throughs and richocets are well known.

if i can see you, i can touch you!BANG!

Very interesting. I guess that I'll need a larger caliber with a bigger pill traveling faster to see long range "red mist" hits.

 

[1000yardstare]

Most destructive long range hit on a g`hog that I have witnessed was a 95 VMax out of a .264 Win Mag in a M70 Westerner that my buddy has cherished for years. Parts and pieces were in the general vicinity.

GPS had just become available and we pegged the distance at 500 yards. Have no idea of his MV but the Hornady manual suggests 3500 fps.

I remember making a comment about barrel life and received an unprintable reply "between friends". We bought each other beers that night talking about that great cartridge.

 

[Kenny474]

If you want to find the entry wound just stomp on the rascal hard.

I laughed for 5 minutes after reading that. Just awesome. The pictures that float through my mind cannot be put into words.

 

[AckleymanII]

Switch to the 75g V Max or the 70g Blitz king......

the 87g V max is a tough critter.

For the Ultimate red mist on chucks, go:

244 AI with the 75g V Max at 3900+
243AI with the 75g V Max at 3800+

257 Weatherby, custom no freebore, 85g Noslers at 4100

7 STW with the 120g V Max at 3800+