Amax Bullets for hunting deer???

[smong2000]

I have shot 1 whitetail with an Amax 155gr out of a .308 at lowish velocity (~2600) and shot through 2+" of tree before hitting it, the result was a dead buck with a shallow golf ball sized hole in the liver.  Not a fair test by any means but they shoot so well out of my .308s that I'm reconsidering them for hunting.

Anyone else use them successfully on game? What caliber and velocity?
Thanks.

[ron haralson]

I've never used Amax bullets, but just about any .30 softpoint bullet near that weight at 2500 - 3000fps should reliably kill deer if hit properly. They aren't that hard to kill.
Grouch

[jedman]

  A couple of years ago I read about a couple of state wildlife agents in Wyoming culling deer with CWD using the 155 gr. 30 cal. A max.  They were claiming  dead on the spot kills out to 600 yards shooting a 308 Win with the A max bullets.
   I was going to try them on antelope myself but havent yet,  I beleive I read somewhere that Hornady says they are a good thin skined medium game bullet.

[Slufoot]

This is off Hornady's web site,
"A-MAX® NOW featuring AMP™ bullet jackets!
Designed by match shooters for match shooters. With an ultra-low drag tip, our A-Max match bullets feature an aerodynamic secant ogive that delivers flat trajectories with excellent uniformity and concentricity. Find out more...

•Rapid, explosive expansion with limited penetration.
•Recommended muzzle velocity range: 2000+ fps.
•These bullets are not recommended for hunting medium and large game."

That being said, I have some friends that have taken a few deer with the 168 A-MAX from 308 Win rifles and they have had very good results.

GOOD SHOOTING!
Slufoot

[Lloyd Smale]

ive got a buddy who swears buy amaxs and sierra match bullets in his 300 mag for long range deer hunting. Personaly ive never used them but sure wouldnt be shy about trying them on thin skinned game

[Varmint Hunter]

I've shot many deer with the 162gr A-Max from my 7 STW. Most were DRT. This year I used a .308 win with a 155 A-Max. I took 1 shot straight on in the brisket.  The buck took two leaps and piled up.

[Lloyd Smale]

beautiful buck you got there!

[nomosendero]

Fine animal!

[smong2000]

WOW! good buck, no bullet problem there apparently.

[simplicity]

I went through something similar my 308 likes 168's but hates 165's sounda odd but hey can'y explain it any other way. I went and used Berger VLD's 168's shoot great but didn't get the chacne to put lead into flesh. The AMAX are usually on the shelf at cabelas. I'll give them a try and I've been wanting to try some 155's and my rifles doesn't care fore 150's at all either.

[shot1]

As long as you keep your muzzle velocity below 3000 fps with the A-Max for deer size game and close, inside 200 yards, shots they will work very well on deer. For long range in the big mags they work really well where the velocity as dropped. It is really about shot placement anyway. Put a FMJ in the right spot = dead deer.

[41 mag]

The only real hunting I have done with them has been using my daughters 6.5x55, and the 140gr. This rifle has enough freebore or leade that I can set one on top of the case and close the bolt with out touching anything.

This said they shoot like a dream from it and we have used it to take several deer and quite a few hogs, even at some ranges that surprised me. I only loaded them to around 2650fps due to her older 96 action and boy to they get-r-dun. Initially I was pretty reserved about them since Hornady had just released them when I tried them out. I contacted one of their tech's who had doubts about them on game but when I explained the rifle and the limited velocities, he figured about the same as I did that they would "probably" work, but he wouldn't go on record as recommending them.

Here is one of her deer she got about 10 years ago with one of them, two weeks before delivering my oldest grandson,


I have also loaded them in the 155gr weight for my .308 and a TC chambered in 30-30AI in which they both shoot great, but I have only taken a couple of hogs with the .308. They really put a smack down on them up close. But there again, I only loaded them with a mild load, since we're only shooting from a few feet to 75yds most of the time.