Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting 105 gr A MAX bullets in a 243?

Anyone use a 105 grain Hornady A MAX bullet in a 243 caliber rifle on white
tailed deer? Would you share load data and results if so?

I've been farting around with a very accurate Ruger American .243 / 3-9x42 SWFA SS and 105 AMAX bullets. I wound up with 45g of RL26 @ 2970 fps. I haven't used it on deer yet, but plan on culling a few whitetail does with it. Surprisingly so (to me), the AMAX is an excellent performer on the 100 or so hogs I whacked with it so far.

I shoot 47gr of R-26 in Win brass with 210's for 3030 out of a 24" 700. Used it on a big Muley buck last year at about 400. The A-max are a bit soft, imo. Slightly quartering shots. One caught a bit of front leg and a rib, and didn't get into the chest cavity. The other two did, but didn't make it out of the chest cavity. He laid down after a lot of stumbling. I ran over and finished him. Fine for smaller deer, I'm sure, but I won't use them again for big deer.

Good to know Johnny...I tend to REALLY shy away from match bullets for hunting after a piss poor 'sample of one' with a 168 gr. Sierra....

I've never tried Sierra match bullets, but I tend to like the performance of "soft", on deer anyway. My favorite deer bullets are the Speer and Sierra btsp, and SST's. I was surprised that those Amax came unglued so fast. Hornady bthp have always been slick on deer, from 22 to 30 cal. They open up well, punch through bones, and get through the ribcage.

The 105 BTHP has killed a number of deer/bear for us. Very pleased with their performance both in flight and terminally.

105 bthp
40-42 grains of RL17 is a good place to be.

Using heavy brass with 41 grains and a 22” barrel I’m @ 2982 fps avg. Using different cases I would be over 3k, easy.

You may know this, but those AMax are discontinued. I picked up some of the 103gr Eld-X, and Hornady told me to use the AMax data.

I have not used the A Max, but I have been using the 105 berger hybrid. It is working very well on deer, and is very accurate. 41 gr of H 4350 at 3000fps. It may be another option for you to try.

I'm pushing the 105 bthp to 3060 out of Win brass, 210M, using 47gr R-26 from a 24". It's warm, but about half a grain from what I judged to be "the top" in the gun. It has worked really well on deer, wrecking everything in the middle, while exiting on broadside shots. After the single test of A-max, I'm happy to go back to the bthp for hunting. I'd feel comfortable shooting broadside elk with it, but haven't carried the 243 after elk. Yet.

I wanted to get some of the 103's to try this year. I ordered a bunch from Cabela's at the end of spring, but they never came in. Was kind of bummed. The 243 isn't high on the list of carrying guns this year, anyway. Too much other stuff to try.

The 105AM pushed hard from a .243 kills deer like a lightning bolt, but is rather soft, often coming unglued within the chest cavity on close shots. Even at 450+ yards, it tends to fragment significantly, but still kills well. I prefer the 105 BTHP for killing things larger than coyotes from the .243/.243AI, as it's a bit more stout.

I put them on "Notify" at Midway. Came in quickly.

If I were using my 243 as a primary deer killer I wouldn't use the AMAX. However, since I like whacking hogs and 'yotes with it I don't care if I sling guts all over West Texas as long as they die eventually.

I use them exclusively in my M700 243AI, at 3120fps. I would have to say that I've been very impressed with the results to date on big bodied mule deer and wolves.
They certainly seem to roll timber wolves up in a ball quite nicely from up to close wayyyyy out there.

I shot one pretty good muley at 494 yards as he slowly trotted after a doe quartering away, and the first one went in at the last rib and exited right at the rear of the offside shoulder, which had him hit the ground fairly impressively. But he did manage to get back up and turn broadside, and since the shooting is the fun part, I swatted him again square through the shoulders. Both shots exited, the second poke took a one inch long section of leg bone with it that was laying on the ground beside him.

Anybody whack anything with the 108 ELD's yet?

I used the 105gr A-Max out of my .243AI and after finally shooting a animal with it I switched to the 80gr TTSX.

Below is a very young coyote that I shot off handed and aimed dead center and hit him a little far back. When I got to him the bullet had come apart on impact and he was still alive.

Entrance side after I put him out of his misery.


Exit side as I walked up on him still alive and no exit.


I have used the 140gr A-Max in my Creed with great success.

At slower speeds in the Creed shoulder shots work much better than behind.
I shot a doe behind the shoulder and knew I hit her perfect she ran about 375yds and didn't bleed until about the last 75yds of it. Luckily it was in a open field and I was able to see where she exited the field around 300yds away and at that point is where I found a lot of blood but if she had been on the edge of timber or gotten into a thicket I'm not sure I would have found her.
When I gutted her there was only a nickel sized hole through both lungs and the exit was about the same.

I switched to the 130gr VLD in both Creeds and so far love them.

It's no secret that match bullets are typically not the best killing tools some cross over but not all. Creedmoor with 123edlm at 3125fps.




105 hpbt 243ai 3175 heavy brass.
Exit side here.


Entered just above the eye at 494yards.

My experience with the AMax is limited on heavy game but they are a bit soft. But the 208 will leave an exit on an elk big enough to double fist at 500 and 600 yards.

Let's hope the review comes back like the 105 hpbt. That 108 is 243ai magic no fur as of yet but it out preformed the 105 in flight across the board.

I've killed a pile of bucks with the 105 Amax. No issues. It's a lead bullet, and if I hit bone, I know the result. I'm on round 2 of brass, and fireforming with 42.5 of RL17. I shoot 48gr of RL22 in my 243ai.

Pease forgive the hijack but how are you getting 123's to 3125 out of your creed?
Thanks