A-MAx

[saum2]

Anyone had any success with any new batches of .224 x 80Gn A-max projectiles?? or is barrel twist/combination more important??

Geoff

[Malcolm Hill]

Geoff
There are some Amax's around that seem to be behaving themselves again after some previous batches that had problems with fliers that would go anywhere out into the 4 ring. I've been using them again for about four or five months and have used about 1200 in a couple of rifles without any problems. They have been working well even at the long ranges and are grouping as well as they used to when they were first made legal. Put down a 60.9 the other day in a team shoot and only lost one by a whisker. I'm still using the same barrel as when I was having problems with the earlier batches so nothing has changed equipment wise.
Regards Malcolm.

[RDavies]

So, is it a case of the 1st batches were good, then they were bad for a while, but back to being good now?

[Malcolm Hill]

Just prior to and after the Amax was approved they were of excellent quality and no one had any problems getting them to shoot. After they were approved and started to get used in larger numbers people started to have issues with fliers and numerous enquiries to Hornady went unanswered. I think that maybe the larger demand was met at the expense of quality and it wasn't long before a lot of shooters (myself included) went back to using the Sierra's because they were sick of the problem. Sales of the Amax must have dropped off enough for the problem to be addressed as some of the later batches seem to be back to behaving themselves. I've used a couple of boxes of later projectiles with none of the flier problems that were quite consistent with some earlier lots.
Regards Malcolm.

[saum2]

thanks for the info, any particular batch numbers working well??
Geoff

[RDavies]

What twist are the people who have them working well using? Will 8" be reliable?

[justinp]

I'm about to try some through a new 7.5"benchmark

I've noticed that the 100 I've just bough have has about .004" ES in base-to-ogive length, which was far better than the .015" ES of the crappy bulk batch that the associations procured and which produce outrageous fliers. Still not up to Nosler standards for ES (those 80gr Noslers are VERY consistent) but we'll see how they shoot.

I've got a longer throat in this time (0.150"), will try them seated into the lands a little.

You might want to check the seater stems on your seating dies. I've noticed that with the standard seating stems on both wilson, redding and forster seaters, the tip of the 80 max touches the top of the tube before the bearing surface - therefore you'd be seating by pushing the projectile in from the tip..recipe for disaster. I've got a VLD stem for my redding comp seater.

[saum2]

I've found that 8 twist is ok for sierras only in my last barrel, new barrel- 7.5 twist shoots both Sierras & A-max quite well.

[johnk]

I was talking to a friend last night. Three shooters in his area (he included) have rebarrelled recently & none of them can get the previously superior Amaxes to shoot. Two of the three are using the same manufacturer's barrels with the same spec, but interestingly all three are using original stock pre-hologram box projectiles.

Maybe the little buggers are just finicky.

[saum2]

Perhaps we should push for the 6BR to replace the .223Rem. then we wouldn't have the projectile problems????

[johnk]

...and the .308 with the .30 WSSM?

[AlanF]

...and F-Open could be limited to .223 and 308?

[John E]

Is there something going on between Krakey and Ned?
By the way, congratulations to Ned on winning the MDRA Champ of Champs last Saturday, supposedly with his 223.

John

[macguru]

Is anyone using a .303 in f standard ? You could try a ruger #1

[saum2]

no your right, 6mm wouldn't be competitive back at 1000yds