Balistic tip vs v-max, any bullet tests?

[ducksoup]

I always hear the horrer stories about the poly tipped bullets and their explosive tendencies on big game. I can't believe that the manufacturers would ever produce a bullet for big game without thoroughly testing them. I'm shooting a 7-08 with 140 grain bullets so velocities won't be super high. Has anyone done a bullet test comparing the Nosler Balistic Tip and the Hornady V-Max hunting bullets? If anyone has I'd be very interested in seeing the results. Pictures and details would also help.
Thanks

 

[Gunner46]

Ballistic Tips and V-Max are two different animals entirely. Kinda like comparing an apple to a marshmellow.

I shoot a 7/08 and I have used BT's for about 20 yrs now. Never had one 'gernade' on me yet. Now, Ifin' I was to try to push a 140BT out of a 7mm RUM, and pop just about anything on the shoulder at 100yds, sure, it won't be a classic mushroom !

And just because it has a poly tip doesn't mean squat. Look at all the bullet tests done on the AccuBond. It is now my Go To bullet for all my rifles.

 

[1Shot]

The Hornady SST is the deer size game hunting bullet. The Hornady Vmax is a varmint bullet that is made to come apart on impact. Nosler only uses the name Ballistic Tip for both of their bullets but designate which ones are for varmints and which ones are for larger game. Both the Hornady SST and Nosler BT HUNTING bullets are designed to work with IMPACT velocities under 3200 fps but I like to keep them under impact velocity of 3000 fps. Once Nosler got the jacket thickness right I have never had one "blow up" on impact on a deer when kept within the proper impact velocity. The only Hornady SST I have used was the 117 gr in a 25-06 at 3000 fps muzzle velocity. It always exited and acted just like the Hornady 117 Interlock SP on deer.

 

[Guy Miner]

As already pointed out - the Hornady V-Max is a light jacketed varmint bullet designed to expand violently on contact. And it does a fine job of that from what I've seen on rockchucks!

The Nosler Ballistic Tip can be had in either a varmint bullet, or a deer bullet. The deer bullet does a mighty fine job.

My son uses the 95 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip from his 6mm Remington at 3,000 fps and routinely drops both mule deer and whitetail with no problems.

I usually use the 115 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip from my .25-06 at 3120 fps and it does an excellent job on mule deer and pronghorn antelope.

The 165 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip is a proven deer killer from my son's old .30-06 and my .308 as well. No over-expansion there, just good penetration and excellent on-game performance.

Based on my experience, the Nosler Ballistic Tip is pretty much the perfect deer bullet.

Nosler also puts poly tips on the AccuBond, and the E-Tip, both of which are quite suitable for game considerably larger than deer.

Regards, Guy

 

[JD338]

I've used BT's for years on deer sized game and dropped them in their tracks. They just plain work.
The 7mm 140 gr BT has taken many WT deer and a couple caribou, only recovered one from a WT quartering on shot and found it under the hide on the off side rib cage.
There are a lot of internet ninjas saying different but the fact remains that the BT is an excellent bullet for deer, antelope and caribou. The 7mm 140 gr BT will work nicely in your 7mm-08.
The V-Max is a varmint bullet and doesn't compare to the BT.

JD338

 

[DrMike]

The polymer tip is unrelated to jacket thickness; it is present to promote expansion. Polymer tips are used on a variety of deep penetrating bullets such as E-Tip, TTSX and Tipped TBBC. As has been stated, the V-Max and Ballistic Tip are two completely different designs for two completely different purposes.