Question is the Z-MAX the exact same bullet as the V-MAX.

I have a 204 that shoots the 32 V_MAX very well and need to buy a couple thousand. I was told by a rep at Hornady that they were the same bullet built to the same spec but looking for real world experience,

Thanks

Yes, same bullets, different color polymer tips.

I have shot several thousand of the 50gr. .224" Z-MAX bullets at prairie dogs with 26.0 gr. of H-335 and can tell no difference in accuracy or explosiveness.

I just wait until Midway, Graf's or Natchez puts the Z-max 500 bulk packs on sale and order 2 or 3 boxes.

Elk Country

A few years back, I loaded 50 grain vmax in a 40x 222 rem mag and it shot lights out. Bullets were kinda tuf to find at the time, but I found a few 500 round zmax boxes for a decent price. The accuracy on the zmax did not compare to the red tipped vmax. The vmax were quite a bit older though. A few gopher shooters told me accuracy slipped during the Obama years due to production demand. Just my expierence.

If they're the same bullet, why do they make them with two different colored tips?

Because one is a Z-Max, and the other a V-Max.

They are the same bullet.

Zmax = zombie craze.
Vmax = non zombie
Green kills zombies better than than red. Sorry but you gotta like zombie movies to know that.
Marketing gimmick same bullet.

I purchased 1000 ZMax 32gr 204 bullets from Midway on closeout. I burnt them up shooting prarie dogs and switched to 32gr vmax bullets. If there is a difference myself or my rifle cant tell.

They are the same bullet, the tip is just a different color, and the Zmax is cheaper.

Thanks for the information. I'll buy some when I can find a decent deal on them.

I believe they are the same now. I wonder if they always were? When the Z-Max was first introduced, Hornady claimed the jacket was the new AMP technology, the same as used in their A-Max line. The V-Max's made no such claim, and I wonder if maybe they were originally different in terms of the jackets? Eventually, Hornady probably decided that the AMP jackets were equally "good enough" for the V-Max, too and started making them the same other than the different color tips. Notice they didn't reduce the price of the V-Max, and the Z-Max is still priced less than the V-Max. I guess that cost savings may be in the bulk packaging of the Z-Max, but it makes me wonder.

They are and always have been the same.

There were some initial weights that mirrored A-Max bullets but I believe those were dropped due to lack of sales.

I've shot gobs of them.

Hundreds of dead prairie dogs, shot with boxes of mixed Z-max and V-Max would say they are the same. I loaded up with bulk packs of my preferred bullet weights when they went on sale after the zombie craze slowed down. My guns don't care what color the tip is.