Thread: 155 A-max in 308Win

Originally Posted by kiwijames

Does it matter? I've given you a speed to work with, but anyway it's 18".
The intended distance is as far as I can without fucking it up
Do you shoot 155 A-Max in a 308 Win?

No I don't shoot 155 gr A-Max in my 308s.
I'm at target shooter using a 32" 1:10 barrel firing 155 gr Lapua Scenar, 155 gr Berger Hybrid and 185 gr Berger Hybrid out to 1000 yards.

I do shoot 80 gr A-Max in my 223, out to 1000 yards (in light winds) out to 800 yards in stronger winds, 1:7 twist 26" barrel.

Advice that can be offered to you will depend on the configuration of your rifle.
I was asking so I could be more helpful.

my go too is 165 NBT , 18" barrel , 2678 fps cant fault the load from 30m to 500 il never change it unless they stop making them & even then id likely panic buy to keep me going , iv been really surprised the way these projectiles preform I look back 25,ish years ago and ballistic tips to me were relatively new & very explosive but these NBT don't explode at all , only down side is there reasonably pricey .

Originally Posted by Cyclops

No I don't shoot 155 gr A-Max in my 308s.
I'm at target shooter using a 32" 1:10 barrel firing 155 gr Lapua Scenar, 155 gr Berger Hybrid and 185 gr Berger Hybrid out to 1000 yards.

I do shoot 80 gr A-Max in my 223, out to 1000 yards (in light winds) out to 800 yards in stronger winds, 1:7 twist 26" barrel.

Advice that can be offered to you will depend on the configuration of your rifle.
I was asking so I could be more helpful.

I appreciate the offer to help and maybe I was less polite than I could have been.
I’m really wanting feedback on terminal performance as I would like to be certain that I’m going to kill deer size animal as effectively as possible.
I’m shit at finding downed animals at the best of times so the less they travel the better (plus it’s more humane).

Originally Posted by Boaraxa

my go too is 165 NBT , 18" barrel , 2678 fps cant fault the load from 30m to 500 il never change it unless they stop making them & even then id likely panic buy to keep me going , iv been really surprised the way these projectiles preform I look back 25,ish years ago and ballistic tips to me were relatively new & very explosive but these NBT don't explode at all , only down side is there reasonably pricey .

Yeah I’m a NBT fan. I started with 150NBT but I had a pressure issue so I started from scratch and changed everything to try and figure shit out.

If I may.

Run some numbers on the 178 amax (not sure if still available but the eldm is spost to be the same?)

Now one wouldnt think 10 grains of bullet weight in the same projectile would make feck all difference but they are or were miles apart in terminal performance.

despite me driving the 178 over 200fps faster in another caliber it never failed to penetrate and exit with substantial damage from near zero yds to well over 500y.

Rumor has it the 178 copper bit is a shortened 208 copper bit and the 168 is a different copper bit and the 155 is a shortened 168 copper bit....whether that is all bullishit I have no idea but I do know the two behave totally differently and that is over a decent sample size.

I’ve still got 100 or so of the 155gr A-Max loaded up. Great medium / long range bullet. Less great very short range bullet. This question goes hand-in-hand with the other thread about close range GameKing performance. I don’t particularly rate the A-Max as an all-rounder as it has been as messy as hell on close range reds for me. Two very specific close range neck shots I recall that failed, paralysed but didn’t kill the animals despite the point of impact being around the C6 / C7 vertebrae. Complete vaporisation of the bullet, bones were still mostly intact. I put it down to my ignorance to be honest, should have known better.

The exact same shot placement with the subsequent choice - 165gr Nosler BT - blew the vertebrae to smithereens. That’s the thick base holding together. A-Max and ELD-M are best employed at lower impact velocities in my experience.

If I could find a way to get them to you @kiwijames, you can try some of mine if you like. Loaded to SAAMI spec, mid-range powder charge.

I have been using the 155 A-max for a few years now for hunting / target / varmint !!!
And i still use them now , so says alot really!!!
Used them for Roe, Red and found them personally a good performer!!!
There was 4 of us using the 155 A-max in (4) Parker Hale TX1200s /(1) M82/(1) M85/ for hunting ,and out to 1000yds target / Varmint shooting and we found them very good!!! ( 1017yds target )
My current 308 and still using the 155 A-max

Originally Posted by kiwijames

I appreciate the offer to help and maybe I was less polite than I could have been.
I’m really wanting feedback on terminal performance as I would like to be certain that I’m going to kill deer size animal as effectively as possible.
I’m shit at finding downed animals at the best of times so the less they travel the better (plus it’s more humane).

No harm, no foul.
Plenty of interesting answers from others for you to consider.

Originally Posted by Flyblown

I’ve still got 100 or so of the 155gr A-Max loaded up. Great medium / long range bullet. Less great very short range bullet. This question goes hand-in-hand with the other thread about close range GameKing performance. I don’t particularly rate the A-Max as an all-rounder as it has been as messy as hell on close range reds for me. Two very specific close range neck shots I recall that failed, paralysed but didn’t kill the animals despite the point of impact being around the C6 / C7 vertebrae. Complete vaporisation of the bullet, bones were still mostly intact. I put it down to my ignorance to be honest, should have known better.

The exact same shot placement with the subsequent choice - 165gr Nosler BT - blew the vertebrae to smithereens. That’s the thick base holding together. A-Max and ELD-M are best employed at lower impact velocities in my experience.

If I could find a way to get them to you @kiwijames, you can try some of mine if you like. Loaded to SAAMI spec, mid-range powder charge.

Appreciate the offer. I've got a couple dozen 150NBT's to work with so can toy with those (once the terminal reset is over).