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Used to think the Varmageddon was the best, but I have recently been won over by this Hornady V-Max. It has a small boat tail that aids in seating over the Nosler's flat base & a slight advantage in BC. That and the groups @ 100/200 yards are are just plain smaller 😁

I run this particular bullet in my TC .22 Hornet as well as my heavy barrel 5.56/.223 AR-15.

How have you found the competition?

41


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I have tried both and I use Hornady V max for 223 and 22-250. V-max for the win

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Much difference in terminal performance? I’ve only punched paper to this point.

My 22 Hornet loads are doing 2800 fps, the 5.56mm loads are considerably faster.

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I can vouch for the performance that a 40 grain VMax or a 40 grain Nosler BT going 4000 fps out of a 22-250 gives on a coyote. You won't mind an exit hole, but the insides will be a mushy. Never used a Varmageddon, but I suspect they would be similar in performance.

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Of the .224" 40grain bullets my first choice is the Blitzking for accuracy and performance, I do use quite a few V-Max on prairie dogs just because they are cheaper

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I’ve only used the 40 gr. Varmageddon. It was accurate and hell on prairie dogs. Good lift. But, not a gun writer.


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I have shot quite a few Hornady .224 40-grain V-Maxs and Varmaggedon Tips at ground squirrels and prairie dogs in several cartridges from the .22 Hornet to .223 Remington. Both work very well, but the finest accuracy often depends on the specific rifle.


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The 40gr vmax is my go to prairie dog bullet. Part of the reason is they are cheap and more available locally than anything else. I have used Blitz,BT and Varmagedons. The terminal performance is about the same on prairie dogs.

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Originally Posted by Mule Deer
I have shot quite a few Hornady .224 40-grain V-Maxs and Varmaggedon Tips at ground squirrels and prairie dogs in several cartridges from the .22 Hornet to .223 Remington. Both work very well, but the finest accuracy often depends on the specific rifle.

That's what I've seen as well. I will add that the 40gr Varmageddon is a tough bullet. My buddy was pretty impressed that his 22-250 loaded at around 4,100 fps cratered my AR500 plate pretty good. Much better than anything else we fired at it that day.
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

I told him to shoot paper or yotes with that thing from now on because he was fn up my steel.


Originally Posted by raybass
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style.
Originally Posted by Pharmseller
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Shoot whatever shoots best in your rifle...or whatever you can get the best deal on. I usually buy V-Maxes for my varmint rifles except my .204 Ruger, which shoots the Sierra 39 gr best--and ballistically it performs better than the other options.


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They work very well in all my 22 centerfires, accurate and explosive.


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Originally Posted by Mule Deer
but the finest accuracy often depends on the specific rifle.

Gotta agree with that

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Originally Posted by bsa1917hunter
My buddy was pretty impressed that his 22-250 loaded at around 4,100 fps cratered my AR500 plate pretty good. Much better than anything else we fired at it that day.
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

I told him to shoot paper or yotes with that thing from now on because he was fn up my steel.

I thought AR500 was pretty close to the same as Hardox500 but it must be somewhat softer, those bullets wouldn't even scratch my Hardox500 gong's

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12 responses and very few answered the OP's question!

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Which ever one is available


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Originally Posted by Hipshoot
12 responses and very few answered the OP's question!

Hip
I haven't used 22 cal Varmageddon bullets. Have used their 17 cal
20 gr version, and found that it shot just as good as Hornady's 17cal 20 gr V-Max.

In 22 cal, I prefer the 40gr V-Max for varmints in light 223 loads going mid-2000's fps. Ideal for big jackrabbits trying to eat my young trees. Otherwise I prefer Hornady's 50 and 53gr versions. I like the ease of loading non-flat-base bullets, particularly the tiny ones.


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Originally Posted by Mule Deer
I have shot quite a few Hornady .224 40-grain V-Maxs and Varmaggedon Tips at ground squirrels and prairie dogs in several cartridges from the .22 Hornet to .223 Remington. Both work very well, but the finest accuracy often depends on the specific rifle.
Is the 40 gr weight the one you most prefer for PD's?


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Originally Posted by boatanchor
Originally Posted by bsa1917hunter
My buddy was pretty impressed that his 22-250 loaded at around 4,100 fps cratered my AR500 plate pretty good. Much better than anything else we fired at it that day.
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

I told him to shoot paper or yotes with that thing from now on because he was fn up my steel.

I thought AR500 was pretty close to the same as Hardox500 but it must be somewhat softer, those bullets wouldn't even scratch my Hardox500 gong's

Yeah, that's what I thought as well. Your Hardox500 has the same Brinell hardness as AR500 plate. 460-540 vs. 470-530 (Hardox500). The reason they call AR500 plate, AR500, is because it has a Brinell hardness of roughly 500. The same can be said for Hardox500. They are both thru hardened and heat treated the same way, but not composed of the same alloys.


Originally Posted by raybass
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style.
Originally Posted by Pharmseller
You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole.

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Originally Posted by mark shubert
Originally Posted by Mule Deer
I have shot quite a few Hornady .224 40-grain V-Maxs and Varmaggedon Tips at ground squirrels and prairie dogs in several cartridges from the .22 Hornet to .223 Remington. Both work very well, but the finest accuracy often depends on the specific rifle.
Is the 40 gr weight the one you most prefer for PD's?

From smaller .22 centerfires, yes I prefer the 40-grainers, especially in .22 Hornet up through .222 Remington.

Have also used both V-Maxes and Varmaggedons considerably in various .17s and the .204 Ruger. In the .204 I tend to prefer the 40-grain V-Max, because it has the highest BC of any commonly available boattailed .204 bullet. But so far as can determine there are no commonly available boattailed .17s, so I use the .17 Varmageddons a lot, though much prefer the plastic-tipped version, both due to a little higher BC and more violent expansion.


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Vmax, Varmageddon and Blitzkings (40 gr) have all done well for me. Overall, for accuracy, more of my rifles prefer the Blitzking over the others. Although I already have a good load for it, I tried the 40 gr Varmageddons in one of my Hornets and they were right with its other favorite load. It just depends on the rifle.


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