Vmax or Nossler Ballistic .224?

[nednic]

Lucked into about 1k each of Hornady Vmax 55gr and Nosler Ballistic Tip 50 gr. I’ve read that the Vmax have thinner jackets and tend to blow up sooner, many times not even leaving an exit hole in a coyote. Also have read that the ballistic tip has the same jacket profile as their larger caliber big game ballistic tips, so sounds like they hold together longer.
I took a yote with a 55gr silvertip (coated ballistic tip), and it seemed to make a mess and giant exit wound, but the coyote still ended up running for about 150 yards before piling up (picture below).
I know both bullets are great, just wondering what people prefer before I pick one to start loading up.

 

[B23]

I would agree that the Vmax are more explosive than the Nosler BT's. I used to shoot a lot of 40 grainers in my Rem LTR 9tw 223 when I first bought it and I can't hardly remember the 40gr Vmax exiting but the 40gr BT's often did and they seemed to cause a lot more destruction. I never had any problem with either killing yotes and if I put them where they needed to go it resulted in dead yote. I've since rebarreled that gun to a 223AI also using a 9tw but now I pretty much exclusively shoot the 53gr Vmax and they're been serving me very well for years now.

 

[dirtytough]

What are you shooting them out of? Speed and twist rate plays a roll in how much/little damage a bullet does.

I have been using the 50 grain Vmax out of my 22-250 and they work great as long as I don’t get a fringe hit on the top of the back. I usually don’t get an exit, and they just drop. If it is a fringe hit then usually they just spin.

 

[nednic]

What are you shooting them out of? Speed and twist rate plays a roll in how much/little damage a bullet does.

I have been using the 50 grain Vmax out of my 22-250 and they work great as long as I don’t get a fringe hit on the top of the back. I usually don’t get an exit, and they just drop. If it is a fringe hit then usually they just spin.

AR’s chambered in .223 Wylde/5.56. Twist rate is 1/8 or 1/7 and barrel length varies from 11.75-16.5.” (though I am also shooting suppressed, which generates a bit more velocity). I should be well within the velocity window for expansion on both bullets, and have seen solid performance out of the 55gr silvertips in the past with a couple does DRT out of the 11.75” barrel this past season.

 

[dirtytough]

With that cartridge and barrel length I would try the Vmax first. You should not have any splashes. If the BT is a tougher bullet it would work fine also you just might have more pass throughs. If you aren't worried about saving the fur I doubt it matters which bullet you use.

 

[nednic]

With that cartridge and barrel length I would try the Vmax first. You should not have any splashes. If the BT is a tougher bullet it would work fine also you just might have more pass throughs. If you aren't worried about saving the fur I doubt it matters which bullet you use.

Thanks for the feedback! Not to concerned with furs, just tan a few for fun. What I’m mainly after is a bullet that will drop them in their tracks. Sounds like the Vmax might be the best bet.

 

[Wsud]

Ive used both vmax and bt in 22 250 and 223 for varmints and coyotes. I had issues with vmax blowing up on impact and not penetrating to get a clean kill on coyotes. I now use a 50 gr bt for coyotes and the vmax on prairie dogs with great results.

 

[Yotehntr]

I used 50 gr vmax and found that the 50 gr nosler's were more accurate in the rifle I was shooting. now I load 50 gr noslers for my gun and 50 gr vmax for my buddy, both are 22-250's. I can't tell any difference in performance as far as the coyote is concerned. Good hit DRT, hit a bone huge wound, still usually DRT lol the only issue I've had is if I've gone lighter than 50gr.

 

[Dioni A]

I was blowing giant exit holes in coyotes with vmaxs with my 224. Never had one splash out of a few dozen dogs. They wouldn't always make a mess, but I also didn't care. They piled up dogs.

 

[boonez40]

When I was reloading and shooting powder burners, I always had very good luck from Nosler Combined Technologies ballistic tip bullets.

I was using a 300 Win Mag 180 grain CT and the entry would would be of normal size on yotes but the exit would be the size of a soft ball.
The yotes would be dead before they hit the ground.

I know I may catch heat for such a large cal gun, but I am a was a 308 and 284 guy.

Sierra 120 grain Spitzer out of the 7mm rem mag is a real show stopper as well. I am not sure they still make the single shot bullets that where designed for the Thompson Contender pistols, but those bullets where designed with a thinner wall to expand at lower velocity out of 14 inch barrel pistol. When loaded in a riffle with a longer barrel and higher velocity, very explosive.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[WCB]

Ive shot the 40gr, 55gr an a ton of the 50gr VMax from various .223s including ARs. No issues with hide damage on Yotes....unless of corse you hit them right on the spine, point of the shoulder/leg. Basically anywhere bone is setting against skin.

My go to is the 50gr vmax but it is factory Federal branded loaded out of lake city. shoots lights out and killed many yotes.

 

[insane1]

I've tried just about every bullet type in 224 cal.....they all will kill just fine, but 53 VMAX is what I keep coming back too.. my 2¢....

 

[Blueman]

I'm partial to the 50 gn Vmax, i can eek out a little more speed in my 22-250