Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 162 A-Max vs. 150 NBT

Enough guys have killed a ton of stuff with the 162s, but most are probably better hunters and shooters than I am. I need all the insurance I can get!

I only get to kill one CO mulie a year.... Gotta' make it count!

The 154gr Interlock worked good on a caribou back in early August for my brother via his vanilla 280. I found him a load over the summer with RL22 at around book max. His rifle also liked the 150gr BTs and RL22, but he choose the Hornady's.

IMO, the 162's open quicker than the 168's but, I'd say penetration is very similar between the two. Of the three the 150 Btip is definitely the "hardest".........if you can shoot, all three will work......


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JMHO buttt I think people get to hung up on BC's and all that jazz instead of worrying about whether or not the bullet is a really good one. I do believe the Ballistic tip is a good penetrater though.

Exactly. High BC numbers the bullet manufacturers greatest marketing tool of the last decade.

Tanner I very seriously doubt that you will do measurably better as a hunter with any one of these bullets than you will with another.

Seen his results - he'll put one right thru the Aorta

Probably not.... but for me, it's about confidence. Wind makes me nervous.

My friend killed a grizzly with the 168 vld from his 7 wsm a few years ago. I was a little sceptical of his choice but he said it worked great.

When I was piecing together my new go to elk rifle a few years back I really thought about going with a 7 and running 162's because they fly so well and the price makes it easy to practice a lot. In the end I ended up stepping up to a 300 wsm and and running 208's. the amaxes are pretty soft but the 208's run a lower speeds per case volume and carry enough extra weight to get my confidence up enough to use them on elk. I'm considering running the 208's on my moose next month.

The vlds are said to pencil in a few inches and then come unglued. That's exactly what I noticed a few years ago when I sent a 105 from my 243 through a buck. However, last year I shot a buck with the 140 vld from my creedmoor at 218 yards and the entrance wound was pretty big right under the hide with a few fragments stuck in the ribs on the other side and no exit. It obviously didn't dig for a few before coming unglued. I still haven't found a bullet that always does exactly what it's supposed to but a lot of it is about what you're comfortable in and confident with.

I've seen several elk killed with the 180 nab 30 cal and killed a few with them myself. Then I saw one take one hard on the shoulder, role down the hill, and then walk off at least 3 miles up hill to never be found. After that I reverted back to the 200 nab because I have shot one length wise through an elk. Just a couple of experiences that shaped my view of 30 cal Nab's.

Bb

BB, those upper leg and shoulder bones of a mature bull elk offer quite a bit of resistance and can turn a lot of bullets, and are part of the reality of elk hunting, despite efforts to avoid them.

If I was using something of tender construction in order to get a very high BC I would hope that the volunteer is a good distance away where velocity has fallen off a bit. But for more normal distances I am still something of a carping skeptic despite others success...and would put my faith in bullets of thicker skin.

I have been following this thread with some interest and have to admit I am a bit puzzled by the results of the 140 Berger on Rick's elk, since I have seen far more damage to the chest cavity elk and deer from 270,7mm,and 30 caliber Bitterroots of 130,140-160,and 165 gr weights; and even from Partitions in some instances. And even more so when impact velocity is high(I have my own WAG theories as to why but that's for another day).

In any event I have been told that the fragmenting creates extensive damage but am puzzled by the rather (to me) small amount of damage to the lungs of that elk. Clearly it was "enough" but given the moderate distance(270 yards) I would have expected a lot more given what I have read on here about Berger performance, and the capabilities of thin jacketed high BC bullets in general.


Anyone have any thoughts?

My only thought is that it died immediately and I call that good times.

I'm gonna' run a 168 started around 2900 into a mule deer and possibly a bear, and see WTF. I imagine it'll work....grin!

After seeing all the animals that Burns, Pat, Rick, and others have piled up with the VLDs, it's hard for me to bet against them.

Exactly. This is why I have zero interest in an "exploding" bullet when elk are on the menu. Shots are not always textbook broadside, especially hunting the thick timber, where the big guys often live.

The Bergers have been a bit inconsistent for me. A couple deer and antelope shot behind the shoulder have died fine.

But a yearling whitetail doe, shot behind the shoulder at 75 yards with a 95 VLD at 3200 fps muzzle velocity ran a good 100 yards. No blood-trail. The entrance wound was the standard VLD pinhole, through which no blood seeped. There was no exit wound, which I found a bit silly on a little whitetail doe. The speed and close range may have been to blame, but still....

After seeing all the animals piled up by Partitions over the years, it's hard for me to bet against them.

I guess the biggest thing is, there are no sure bets. Everything is a compromise.

Aren't you using Hybrids this year Billy?

On doe antelope, and doe deer.

TTSXs, or Partitions when it comes to trophy hunting.

I suspect you will be just fine with the Bergers! Especially since they won't be launched at warp speed.

I've kinda stayed out of this but I must say, I can't see why anyone would use an Amax for hunting when they have NBTs available unless its just to save a few dollars.

I would happily use them if that's what I happened to have but would choose the NBT every time for an important shot.

+1 - to each their own, but it doesn't quite seem right to use bullets that the manufacturer states are not intended for use on game as a hunting bullet. I've read Pat's experiences with the 155 scenar, don't really know what that bullet is designed to do. The hunting/hybrid VLDs on the other hand are designed for game. But the A-max and Match King and others are specifically cautioned against their use in that manner. Don't get it.

I used the 162 this year with good results. Pretty consistent exit wounds provided no heavy bone was hit and even then they still performed well out to 450yds. The exit wounds on non shoulder hits looked similar to exits from ballistic tips.

But I'd prefer an all arounder. If I haven't already that clear in this thread .