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Hello to all. I was wondering if those of you who are hunting with the 123 gr Hornady AMAX would mine sharing your experiences with us. I'm curious as to the performance of this round on deer and hog size game. Thanks everyone and Happy Holidays !!
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I dropped two deer this year with the 123 AMAX. Both at about 80 yards although they were neck shots. So I can not report as to how they do hitting the body.
The Grendel is so accurate that with a clear shot I chose to drop them in there tracks. I have an 18 inch barrel and off the top of my head I believe I used 28.5 gr of TAC. Obviously I am not recommending this for your rifle. Guess that is a good enoug disclaimer. -
I would love to find a place in Texas that wanted me to rid them of some varmint hog.Comment
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Headed to the Sugar Bowl next week and it would be a nice side trip. Go Blue!Comment
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It's relatively lightly constructed, and will sometimes result in inadequate penetration and no exit wound (with little or no blood trail) on deer inside of ~250 yards. This obviously depends upon a variety of variables. This isn't to say that the bullet is ineffective, but that shot placement should be chosen carefully. At longer distances where as impact velocity is less, the bullet behaves more like a conventional hunting bullet, with a good compromise of expansion and penetration. It's usually very accurate.
I like the 123gr A-Max for deer at extended ranges, and the Nosler 120gr BT closer in. It's difficult to find a bullet that's optimum at both ends of the spectrum.
I have no experience shooting hogs, but it seems that many hunters opt for tougher bullets when pursuing 'em. Doesn't mean the A-max can't do it, but that there might be better options.DrifterComment
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I shot a doe quartered to me in the front shoulder and retrieved the bullet opposite side right in front of the hind quarter. The amax held together. I still need to weight it but the bullet did quite well.Comment
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I shot a small buck about 80 yards in the chest.The bullet stopped under the skin on the op-posit side. The deer ran for about 60 yards and dropped. I used my 16" AA rifle. The bullet held together ok but I'm looking for a different bullet for bigger game. I personally like penetration over expansion if I have to choose between the too. I have had good luck so far with the wolf bullet.Comment
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I shot a 300 lb boar hog running at me @ 0-1 yards. Head shot, entry no exit; bang thump. Shot 2 other 150lb class hogs; chest shots penetrated into chest cavity lots of energy transfer, large wounds and instant death, but not the penetration I like on hogs. Watched 2 kills with the 123 gr on 150 lb deer this year. Range 125 yards-ish. Much better penetration, bullets were able to break sholder or ribs and still penetrate while expanding through >15 inches of tissue. Ah...and of course devistating on small 75 -100 lb pigs. I conclude (1) great on the deer I hunt, unknown performence on large northern deer.(2) Great on smaller hogs, a little iffy on dangerous hogs (3) Accurate, availabe and easy to obtain. I like them.Comment
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shot 5 deer this yr with the AMAX farthest was 302 all had very good penetration. four were complete passthru and the shot at 302 deer was shot quartering to me in the chest cavity bullet lodged under hide on opposite shoulder.Comment
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My daughter has killed 4 so far with the AMAX 123. They were through and through. No deer went more than 45-50 yards. She blood trailed him on her own. all shots under 150yds. From what i have seen, I could not be happier with the way the round performs. All shots through the middle half of the near side shoulder and out the ribs behind the other shoulder. Nothing recognizable in between. I have not had the chance to shoot one this year.Comment
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This season I killed a 1-1/2 yr old spike using the 123 gr AMAX round. Range was 80 yards, hit just behind the right shoulder, mid-chest line. This was one of only three deer I have ever killed that dropped as if hit by lightning, did not move any after the hit, except for a little twitching for a few seconds. When I dressed out the deer, I found that the bullet had not exited, and there was massive damage in the lungs, lots of hydrostatic shock. I think I would have been happier if the bullet had exited, since there would not have been much of a blood trail. Looked like the bullet started to fragment after hitting a rib on the way in.
I like the accuracy and the cost/availability of the 123 AMAX, but I am thinking about locating some Nosler Partition ammo (I used to handload, but don't have the time go get back into all that).Comment
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I got a 4 point buck this morning with the 123 gr AMAX. Shot directly into the heart region at 100 yards, fell where he stood, kicked his back left leg one time and then never moved again. I got this gun on Tuesday this week and it was my first time to take into the woods. Very impressed with how accurate it shoots. Will definitely be carrying it again on future hunts.Comment
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love to hear about the rifles you guys are hunting with also!Comment
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Welcome to the forum. Yes, more details on rifle, and hopefully some pics from the hunt.Originally posted by eddie3260 View PostComment
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I had a local tactical shop put this gun together for me, I am definitely not an expert on these rifles. Last time I shot an AR style rifle was back in 1994 during Army Officer Basic Course. Most of my military time was spent shooting blanks on FTX's.
The buck I took was not really worth taking a pic of. It had an atypical rack and needed to be culled out of the gene pool. In reality, I just needed an excuse to try this thing out.
My main reason for getting this rifle was the advertised accuracy/power and low recoil. I've got two young girls who may want deer hunt one day.
Thanks for the welcome, will try to update my profile with pics of the rifle.
EdComment
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