110 gr. v-max on deer?

[Gallahad]

I know, I know. what am i nuts! Its a varmit bullet right. I just love the v-max for my 270 because it has the sharp point, awsome o-give, and a good boattail, and is lighter than 130-150 grains for less recoil and flatter trajectory. I would expect more meat damage than a normal hunting load, but being such a heavy varmint bullet, would it have enuf penatration to get to the "innerds" and make a quick kill??? anybody try it yet? what do ya think?

[Graybeard]

Dan Johnson used that bullet at White Oak over the past weekend to take a doe at what he said was a laser range of 289 yards I believe. I saw the remains of the bullet. It had mushroomed beautifully but lost the jacket. He was using a Contender with 14" 6.8 Rem. barrel. Perhaps he will see this and comment on his kill.

[John R.]

I'm sure it will work on a perfect shot, but as you well know we don't always have the luxury of the perfect shot. I would hate to try it on a quarting shot with a 200 lb. plus deer. There are much better choices out there.

[Questor]

My favorite prairie dog bullet! I wouldn't use it on an large mammal, though. Not at .270 Winchester velocities out to 300+ yards. Why use them if there are plenty of good deer bullets available?

[beemanbeme]

I'm with Quester.  The bullet companies have spent mega bucks on R&D to give us hunting bullets that are superior to anything even as late as 25 years ago.  Why not pick one?  You may have to sacrafice a little in the "sharp point and awsome ogive" department but you'll get a bullet that will do the intended job.

[jpsmith1]

What exactly do "the sharp point, awsome o-give, and a good boattail" gain you?  More specifically, what do they gain you that a Swift sirocco doesn't?  A V-Max bullet, as you well know, is designed for rapid expansion and maximum damage.  This is great on the 'perfect shot'  Are you willing to pass on a 10 point because the shot isn't perfect?  I'm not.

[nomosendero]

Of course Mr. Graybeard knows this, but was waiting on Mr. Johnson to comment no doubt, but this bullet fired in the smaller 6.8
case & a 14" barrel to boot changes the performance dynamics of this bullet big time! The velocity difference would be huge, if started at 3,300fps as a 270 could do, your velocity at 300 yards or so would be the velocity of the 6.8 14" at the muzzel thereabouts. But the animal GB mentioned was shot at 289 yards, which would be the same as you shooting the Deer at 550 yards
or so as far as impact velocity is concerned. So for a 270 I fear you would be shooting a bomb, you could do lung shots, but why limit yourself & eliminate an angle shot opportunity if that is your only shot? I use a 150Nos BT in my Super14 30-30AI & at 2,400FPS
it works great but that same bullet at 3,500FPS in my 300Sendero will make sausage where I did not want it!!! 

In shooting at a distance, the longer, heavier bullets with a high BC are the way to go for Deer sized game anyway. Trajectory is
easy to plot & knowing your drop is a must. If you have it plotted & use a rangefinder you have that whipped, if not then you would not need to shot the V-Max at distance either. Remember, the harder part is wind deflection & a high BC bullet will kick the Varmit bullets butt every time in the wind & arrive with more energy.

[Graybeard]

Yupper there is a ton of difference between using it in a .270 Winchester and the handgun length barrelled 6.8 Dan used. Even at the long distance where he connected with his deer it lost the jacket completely. It was a beautifully mushroomed piece of lead and no more. Had it been a .270 Winchster it would have just exploded on impact I'm sure.