Hornady 110gr V-Max in .300 Blackout

**44 AMP** · March 13, 2017, 01:00 AM

A friend asked this, and since its not my area of expertise, am looking for people who have experience to answer it.

In the .300 Blackout, does the 110gr VMax bullet act like a varmint bullet? Or at the approx. 2400fps MV of the Blackout, will it act like a controlled expansion bullet?? (and therefore useful for deer hunting??)

I know he should probably call Hornady and talk to them, and I will suggest this to him, but in the meantime, anyone have personal experience with this bullet in .300 Blackout?

**44 AMP** · March 18, 2017, 04:15 PM

I moved this thread in the hopes of getting some replies from the AR guys shooting .300 Blackout. Also talked to my friend, suggested he call Hornady. He was 6 minutes too late on Friday, so he'll be calling them to see what they say, on Monday.

random guy · March 18, 2017, 06:40 PM

I've never shot a living thing with these bullets although I do keep them in my house gun which is shorter barreled and pushing 2000 fps. I'd say they will hurt anything they hit very badly but that is not the same as quickly dispatching the critter.

For "Upper US" deer, I'd lean towards the Barnes TAC/TX or even more likely a bigger cartridge.

Sorry I don't have any actual results to share.

Bartholomew Roberts · March 18, 2017, 07:20 PM

Hornady has some gel shots on their webpage; but even at 2200fps, expansion is still aggressive.

The 110gr TSX is very effective as well and has better penetration.

precision_shooter · March 20, 2017, 08:32 AM

The Hornady gel photo looks like that load is a DRT hunting bullet for deer sized game and less. Permanent cavity and massive damage starting at about 3" and continuing for another 4-5".

Clone · March 30, 2017, 10:37 PM

I don't load for the 300 black, but have used this bullet a lot in 7.62x39 and 30-30. It does produce sub moa accuracy in both. How ever I would not use it on medium game unless its all I had, it just doesn't penetrate well enough for deer in my opinion. It is very effective on ground hogs and coyote though.

I have used 130gr and 150gr Hornady soft points to great effect though, leaves good blood trails to.

Mobuck · March 31, 2017, 06:06 AM

I shot a couple of the "Zombie" V-max from a 300AAC 16" carbine into water filled milk jugs @ 100 yards. Blew the first jug wide open but mostly fragments hit #2 so I'd say it's rapid expansion with too little penetration. If you could absolutely, positively guarantee hitting a deer broadside in the ribs, most likely it would be a quick kill-otherwise it's questionable IMHO.

Ibmikey · April 2, 2017, 06:38 AM

My biggest hog ever (350+ pounds) shot with a AAC Handi rifle in 300 Blackout at sixty yards. Supersonic 125 gr Sierra TNT ---one shot, he ran about sixty yards adn hit the ground dead. I had a shot into the front right quarter of chest and took out all of his mechanics.
I have used 110 gr VMax on pigs under 100# but much prefer 125 grain in the 300 Blackout..

Olympus · April 3, 2017, 10:52 AM

There is a 300 blackout group on Facebook where a lot guys are using the 110 vmax for deer. I remember seeing a lot of posts last fall with photos. Seemed to be doing a good job to me. I sold my 300 so I left the group.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

CombatDiver · April 11, 2017, 12:34 PM

Heck yeah, 110 grain 300 AAC Blackout does a great job. It's about the ideal weight bullet for supersonic in that caliber. I don't care to go over 125 grains for 300 AAC Blackout, but that's because the 110s work so well and I only get for 124 because they are cheap plinking projectiles.

March 13, 2017, 01:00 AM	#1
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,833	Hornady 110gr V-Max in .300 Blackout A friend asked this, and since its not my area of expertise, am looking for people who have experience to answer it. In the .300 Blackout, does the 110gr VMax bullet act like a varmint bullet? Or at the approx. 2400fps MV of the Blackout, will it act like a controlled expansion bullet?? (and therefore useful for deer hunting??) I know he should probably call Hornady and talk to them, and I will suggest this to him, but in the meantime, anyone have personal experience with this bullet in .300 Blackout? __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

March 20, 2017, 08:32 AM	#5
precision_shooter Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 2,475	The Hornady gel photo looks like that load is a DRT hunting bullet for deer sized game and less. Permanent cavity and massive damage starting at about 3" and continuing for another 4-5". __________________ "Laws that forbid the carrying of arms...disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes...Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man." - Thomas Jefferson, 1776

March 18, 2017, 04:15 PM	#2
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,833	I moved this thread in the hopes of getting some replies from the AR guys shooting .300 Blackout. Also talked to my friend, suggested he call Hornady. He was 6 minutes too late on Friday, so he'll be calling them to see what they say, on Monday. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

March 18, 2017, 06:40 PM	#3
random guy Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 2017 Posts: 272	I've never shot a living thing with these bullets although I do keep them in my house gun which is shorter barreled and pushing 2000 fps. I'd say they will hurt anything they hit very badly but that is not the same as quickly dispatching the critter. For "Upper US" deer, I'd lean towards the Barnes TAC/TX or even more likely a bigger cartridge. Sorry I don't have any actual results to share.

March 18, 2017, 07:20 PM	#4
Bartholomew Roberts member Join Date: June 12, 2000 Location: Texas and Oklahoma area Posts: 8,462	Hornady has some gel shots on their webpage; but even at 2200fps, expansion is still aggressive. The 110gr TSX is very effective as well and has better penetration.

March 30, 2017, 10:37 PM	#6
Clone Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2005 Posts: 234	I don't load for the 300 black, but have used this bullet a lot in 7.62x39 and 30-30. It does produce sub moa accuracy in both. How ever I would not use it on medium game unless its all I had, it just doesn't penetrate well enough for deer in my opinion. It is very effective on ground hogs and coyote though. I have used 130gr and 150gr Hornady soft points to great effect though, leaves good blood trails to.

March 31, 2017, 06:06 AM	#7
Mobuck Junior member Join Date: February 2, 2010 Posts: 6,846	I shot a couple of the "Zombie" V-max from a 300AAC 16" carbine into water filled milk jugs @ 100 yards. Blew the first jug wide open but mostly fragments hit #2 so I'd say it's rapid expansion with too little penetration. If you could absolutely, positively guarantee hitting a deer broadside in the ribs, most likely it would be a quick kill-otherwise it's questionable IMHO.

April 2, 2017, 06:38 AM	#8
Ibmikey Senior Member Join Date: June 1, 2013 Location: Now relocated to Texas Posts: 2,943	My biggest hog ever (350+ pounds) shot with a AAC Handi rifle in 300 Blackout at sixty yards. Supersonic 125 gr Sierra TNT ---one shot, he ran about sixty yards adn hit the ground dead. I had a shot into the front right quarter of chest and took out all of his mechanics. I have used 110 gr VMax on pigs under 100# but much prefer 125 grain in the 300 Blackout..

April 3, 2017, 10:52 AM	#9
Olympus Senior Member Join Date: December 15, 2008 Posts: 770	There is a 300 blackout group on Facebook where a lot guys are using the 110 vmax for deer. I remember seeing a lot of posts last fall with photos. Seemed to be doing a good job to me. I sold my 300 so I left the group. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

April 11, 2017, 12:34 PM	#10
CombatDiver Junior Member Join Date: April 11, 2017 Posts: 13	Heck yeah, 110 grain 300 AAC Blackout does a great job. It's about the ideal weight bullet for supersonic in that caliber. I don't care to go over 125 grains for 300 AAC Blackout, but that's because the 110s work so well and I only get for 124 because they are cheap plinking projectiles.