What Happens When a Bullet Strikes a Soft Target-223 Varmint Projectile Comparison in Ballistics Gel

[@tripplebeards3427]

Nicest looking gel block I’ve seen on KZbin

[@thereloadingcraft]

Thank ya!

[@michaelcervantez3570]

That's what I was gonna say :-)

[@John-nx9hx]

Great test, well done. The results were as I expected but interesting to see them so clearly.

[@erockoutdoors633]

Solid results. 👍🇺🇲 I have used V-Max for years for pest control (woodchucks, porcupines, coyotes, etc.) but never seen the tip fragment. I prefer A-Max in most calibers I reload for. The Speer HP did well compared to the V-Max. I don't have much experience with these, I prefer Sierra Game King. I would imagine they have similar performance. The Speer SP penetration was more than I expected, but makes sense as it retains more of its weight.

[@erockoutdoors633]

I don't often reload 223. I just buy it. V-Max is a great critter gitter. I like A-Max in .30 to reload, only because that's what I have the most experience with. Hornaday Black if I buy a box of .30 (save that brass). Years ago, I "inherited" a bunch of Game Kings from a widow down the street. I loaded 200 for my 30-06 elk rifle in 2010. I may fire a 5 round group to confirm zero and exercise the magazine prior to opening day. Then it's only 1 or maybe 2 shots (if I suck) to get my deer. They will last me a long time. I've loaded them in 308 as well. The Game Kings actually grouped better than the Match Kings out of my rifle. A-Max hand loads for the win though. 25-06 is my favorite right now. Kinda a sleeper because everybody (including me) has stars in their eyes because of of all the fancy new millimeter calibers.

[@Eric-gi9kg]

VERY IMPRESSIVE

[@jonathanlunger2775]

That soft point was NOT playing around. It wanted out.

[@cheezeyman0495]

Seriously tho

[@johnblackbird7523]

I loved it and i will be using the vmax for smaller varmint thanks

[@aktideracer8710]

Ahh the reason the navy started using frangible rounds… they work great. Pro tip these rounds are what you should be using in your defense rifle

[@JakeisaHassell]

Agreed

[@RidersRange]

It's interesting what more than 1,000 foot pounds of energy will do.

[@waynemayle865]

I never had a use for a 223 I run a 220 swift 22-250 222 225 win 17 rem. 6mm or a 243 win. For critters of all sizes

[@billyarnold6633]

How close were you

[@jerrya714]

Bear Independent uses the 55gr v max to take down deer and he says they drop.

[@BuckingFastard]

I shoot the 50gr max out of my .222 at 3345 ft/s and it blows up everything I’ve shot with it.

[@terryfowler6090]

When a varmint bullet explodes on impact like this, foot pounds of energy are irrelevant.

[@hectorjr4936]

Let's face it, something is going to feel it

[@Johnny-jr2lq]

They do say speed kills. I wish someone would test cast projectiles in gel blocks. I have a couple .22 cal molds that I’m curious about. 1 in particular it’s the RCBS 22-55-SP. That one I casted a few hundred up and thought what if I drill a hole in the tip. Making a improvised HP out of the casting I don’t have any gel but the judges of water I shot them into popped fairly good. Now idk if that was because of the hollow point or if it was because of the velocity. The cast projectiles I make don’t group well at standard 223/556 speeds. So I’m just wondering what was causing those milk jugs to pop like that.

[@thereloadingcraft]

Absolutely 👌🏻 and especially when it’s designed to open up so abruptly like the V-Max and Speer HP. That’s such a massive energy dump, I don’t think my slo-mo was able to fully capture the temp cavity.

[@Johnny-jr2lq]

I actually ended up adding more stuff to my comment after thinking about this a bit more. It would be interesting to see what a cast projectile would do to the gel block. I don’t believe anyone has done gel testing with cast stuff.

[@thereloadingcraft]

@@Johnny-jr2lq definitely would be an interesting one to test. Assuming it’s a 22 cal, 55gr as you said, what cartridge are you loading them in, and are they gas checked? From everything I’ve seen, lead doesn’t play nice at 3000FPS usually, and even some cast & coated Eggleston’s I use in 30-06 start leading over 2300 FPS. (I believe their listed max is 2200) The other question too is how hard is your lead, as that will affect whether or not it engages the rifling and spins properly, or whether the surface basically smears lead at that high speed. As to opening up in the water jug I’d be nearly certain your hollow point helped, but the only way to know for sure would be to shoot a HP side by side with a standard RN 😉

[@Johnny-jr2lq]

@@thereloadingcraft I’m currently running about 30% super hard mixed with lead that’s giving me a measurement of 10 BHN on the scale. So the casting as cast is like 18 or 19 BHN with a coating of Eastwood ford light blue powder coating and a gas check as well. So I’m not seeing any leading at all whatsoever I’m making sure of this via a teslong bore scope. Im not pushing extremely fast 2200 fps it what my Caldwell POS chrono was telling me. But that velocity data can’t be trusted as me and a few other reloaders were seeing very inconsistent data from the Caldwell. But assuming the Caldwell was correct 2200 fps was the speed of my particular castings. It just makes me wonder the more I think about it. Are they just exploding when they hit the water or is there anything continuing pass the water jug. I forgot to add it is a 22 cal being loaded into a 223/556 cartridge. I have been sizing them to .225 and sending out of a 1/8 twist 20” faxon 5 grove match barrel.

[@thereloadingcraft]

@@Johnny-jr2lq definitely sounds like you’ve got the process down pretty well, and using solid components.

[@jessefiorinif6057]

Would have like to have seen what size fragment was carried direst into the blocks from each round. Other then that great vid

[@thereloadingcraft]

Thanks! Yeah the fragments were so small I didn’t even bother trying to pull them out. It’s impressive how it did in the gel for sure

[@AesaExplores]

Was the Speer Hollowpoint entirely copper?

[@craigromack6156]

Maybe I missed it. At what distance? I've been using a 12 gauge pump for ground hogs, the little buggers are fast

[@craigromack6156]

@@thereloadingcraft thanks. It does make a difference, even though I expected it wasn't long

[@RayRay-zc2ed]

Anyone of them would be good for coyotes. You should compare 223 and 22-250!

[@thereloadingcraft]

That would be a great comparison! Unfortunately I do not have a 22-250, however this seems like a good excuse to pick one up! 😅