[RACHGIER]

But hey, that polymer tip will surely aid in slipping the bullet through armor, right?🤣

Surprisingly I get that question a lot.

I have had several people ask me what would happen if I grabbed a Vmax mag instead of a FAFO mag. I try to explain to the delicate ones how frangible varmint ammo works and that I am aware of the fact that a frangible round isn't going to penetrate anything other than maybe soft armor and I'm okay with that because I was trained to aim for faces and joint spaces on enemies wearing body armor.

For the other folks I just shrug and say, turn you in to a glitter bomb for the coroner...

 

[RACHGIER]

Guess i should of read all the replies before i opened my mouth

BUFFMAN and some others have done tests with soft panels. Poly tipped 5.7 at MV of somewhere around 1600 or 1700-ish (IMS) will almost always penetrate Level II and some of the loads will often penetrate Level IIIA, usually at a MV north of 1700. While not poly tipped, the factory loaded Speer 40gr. Gold Dot 5.7 ammo has been shown to penetrate IIIA.

As far as I know, no 5.7 ammo will penetrate Level III or IV / plate.

So, yes, 35gr. and 40gr. V-Max might penetrate soft armor depending on the rating, manufacturing method, and, most importantly, velocity. The closer you can push it to 2K the more it's going to reliably penetrate IIIA.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

I'm pushing a 53gr Vmax with a 3100fps MV out of a 20" barrel, so it's definitely a YMMV situation on what it will or won't punch through.

 

[RACHGIER]

Can't speak to the efficacy of the lighter bullets, but the 53's and 55's?

 

[RACHGIER]

I shoot the 53 grain V-Max out of Virdie, which is a 20" DMR that I built in memory of my dad. 3031 gives me just under 3200 fps. (Got to find me another load though, out of 3031 and I replaced it with CFE223.) That bullet behaves just like the Hornet 40 grain. The V-Max bullets are excellent for groundhogs and coyote, which are all we have for varmints around here, unless you count crows. Again, I like them because the bullet goes in but does not come out.

Groundhogs are going to sleep for the winter, I will re-site Virdie with the Sierra 65 grain Game King for larger game this winter. There is a bullet that stays together!

Oh yeah. The Vmax are fantastic for keeping hides clean on fur bearers, but I have had pass-throughs on several yotes and prairie dogs, and once on a fox. Normally I'm pretty good at pinning a shoulder on the runners, but I've had a few blow right through the rib cages and the occasional gut shot that usually brings some viscera along for the ride.

I did tumble a running yote a few years back that spawned the glitter bomb comment. I wanted to see what it did internally and it just souped the heart and lungs. They're like tiny chaff grenades. I found the polymer tip in with the glitter juice as it soaked in to the dirt.

I've listened to guys bragging about taking antelope and deer with them, even though it isn't legal. They call it AR-chery.

I'm not going 2-legged varmint hunting with V-Max on purpose, but you'll still f*** up somebody's day with it if thats what you have. We do kind of qualify as CXP1.5 game... 😉

I'm working on LT30 loads since I'm finally out of Viht.

 

[RACHGIER]

I don’t ever remember having a pass through with any of the 22 caliber VMAX, although I have had some with the 110 grain .308 vmax out of my 300 BLK. I attribute that to more lead and less velocity in the 30 caliber.

This right here just reminded me that I do have an opinion on the lighter weight v-max, just not in .22. My .17HMR came with about 2,000 17gr V-Max. Mostly Hornady but also in the Fed. Prem. flavor topped with Vmax. I've seen a few pass-throughs there with my kids shooting prairie dogs, but they were also pure gut shots.

And those guys say it drops deer and lopes DRT. I'm not going to verify it, because I like being able to hunt and with my luck I'll be getting glassed down by wildlife the one time I decide to go off rez and do something stupid.

 

[RACHGIER]

After reading this thread I'm leaving this forum, some of you talk about piercing body armor, varmints don't wear body armor and most of you old bastards will never be in a shit hits the fan situation and survive let alone have the balls or physical condition to survive. Adios, Nick

Who are you calling old? If you were buying rifles off the wall in Springs back in '66, that means you're in your mid 70's give or take.

I would LOVE to see you ruck up and play fuck fuck games if you're in such good physical condition.