Heavy bullets in the 243 win
 

Hey all, I am wondering if any one has tried 105 gr hornady a max. In a rifle with a 9.25 twist rate...hornady suggests a twist rate of 9 to stabilize this bullet. Reason I'm asking is I would like to try these out but I don't want to invest in 100 bullets and a pound of powder if it turns out a 9.25 won't stabilize the bullet. Thanks

I can stabilize the 100gr amax's amazingly well from a 1:10 tikka, I think they should stabilize fine, but maybe there is someone on here who has tried your exact combo can provide better insight.

Hello: First of all , Hornady does not produce 105-Amax any longer. They do offer 105 HPBT match though. I have shot these with good success in my 9.25 twist Savage. My rifle is chrono's them @ 3050fps. avg.--24" barrel with excellent accuracy. Probably not optimal twist ,but it works. I prefer the Berger 87 gr. VLD-hunting , -- deadly accurate/ 3200fps./ & .427 G1 BC.

Hornady does not make a 100GR. A-Max. They do have a 100GR. sptizer BT. -- BC. -- 405.G1 They work very well in my Savage-- Avg. vel. 3040fps.-- My CDS. dial is actually burned for the 100gr. interlock.hornady.

I have 105 gr bthp from hornady for plinking and messing around with my pump .243. Haven’t had any noticeable trouble with them, group good but I also don’t shoot long distance either with that .243.

Oops, I can’t read boxes very well, I was looking at the 100gr spritzers and had a brain fart when I read a-max, either way I think his gun should stabilize the heavier bullets fine.

Slight derail here, but do you use the VLD strictly for range work or do you use it on deer as well, I’ve been curious about that burllet for a while. Thinking about trying it over the 95gr sst for my wolf rifle.

I used a 6x45 with a 20” barrel 95gr VLDs at 2600fps for deer this year. Both deer I shot first at 250y second at 200y both pinhole going in both golf ball exit wounds as the bullet exited both deer doubled lunged and broped within ten yards.

My LGS has 20 or so boxes of the 105 a max on the shelf. They also have the 105 hpbt. Hornady also lists the 105 in their latest manual. Im not fussy between the a max or HPBT.


Edit just noticed the a max is discontinued..... Oh well the http has a higher bc anyways

That’s exactly what I want to hear, I appreciate it!

I will be running these in a savage with 9.25 twist. My speed goal would be to get the 105s to 3000 fps. But I have a 22" barrel so I'm thinking I'll end up short of 3k. What powders have you found to work the best with this combo? I was hoping to start with win supreme 780. As most of the other suitable powders are alliant RL powders which I have had the worst luck finding locally

I use the 87g out of a 243 they have killed deer, wolves and 1 moose excellent combo. Im not advocating it as a moose round by any means but it worked. Im not pushing them that hard either 3023fps 22” barrel very accurate

How do the 87s work for LR? I currently shoot 70 gr blitzkings and matchkings but since WSS closed out I don't have a local supplier.. I have had success out to 800 yds with these but am hoping to stretch it out a bit farther.

The numbers are there but ive only had this load out to 650yds on target accuracy was excellent as far as on game ive not had a opportunity all my hunts with it have happened well inside 300yds.

My 70 gr load will group around 8" at 800 yds but wind is always the toughest part. I have 3 700+ kills on coyotes with this combo. My records indicate I have fired 5 rounds at coyotes over 700 yds and have 3 one shot kills. The other 2 shots were clean misses. My % from 300-500 yds is not so great as there are way more opportunities and often less time to properly set up. A higher bc should help with the wind drift a bit. In fact the dope for the 105s in my 243 should be flatter and less drift than my 308 with 168s and gets very close to my 300 pushing 208s at 3k fps

It will stabilize it.

mine would not. i bought a remington bdl because it has the 1x9and 1 eighth twist cause i heard it was good for 105s i tried 2 brands including the barnes which i had read was made to stabilize in 1 x9 they were all over the paper. last summer i sped it up a bit with 46 gr. n165 and it worked but only because it was warm out i tried it recently no go the rifle went down the road this morning

I don't hunt big game, I use my .243 for long range coyote & it works better in wind than my 22-250. I think the 87 Berger VLD hunting would work well on deer & wolf. It flattens coyote with very little damage if you stay off bone.

I have had great luck with Hybrid 100V. My Savage Predator 10 Max 1 likes 41 gr. with the 105HPBT for about 3050fps. With the 87BergerVLD- Hunting, it loves 42.0 Gr of Hybrid 100V for 3200fps. & gives me 1/4 min. groups @ 100yds. The 87 has 1/2 the wind drift of my 22-250 from 300 to 500yds. and stomps it even more past that & beyond, -- the 22-250 is 3765fps. avg. MV. with 52 sierra matchkings & very accurate, but doesn't hold a candle to the .243 for wind drift or energy with the 87's. The .243 still has 650ft. lbs. energy @ 700yds. --plenty to flatten coyote or wolf-- not so sure about deer though.

I never did get the 105 Amax shooting great out of my 1:9.25" twist Savage, however the 87 Vmax shot great...best group was in the .3"s at 100.