Now Hunting with CRD Hornady V-MAX 95 gr. Ammo

[Double Naught Spy]

I thought I had started this thread previously, but that was apparently the day that my computer locked up and I guess I had not posted it before I rebooted.

The Varmageddon bullets were a little too sketchy for me to use on hogs anymore. So I moved on to the next load I had made up by Custom Reloads of Dallas, this one using Hornady V-MAX 95 gr. bullets and they are coming out of my barrel at virtually the same velocity (2739 fps, chrono'd on the same day as the Varmageddon) and so carry a bit more energy given that they weigh a bit more.

My first testing was early this week, hunting the HuntTXhogs (Ben). The first kill was as skunk. No surprise, the bullet did exceptionally well. Next, we got on to some hogs. Ben had some issues and so despite us each being on separate hogs, only mine went down. The hog was shot while slightly quartered away with its head down in a hole it was rooting such that the shoulder shot went right through the humerus, shattering it, and then up into the cervical spine. As near as I could tell with the metal detector, that was where all the discernible bullet fragments were except for one small piece of jacket I recovered. Penetration was rought 6-7", but that isn't too surprising given the amount of bone in its path. This also happened to be my 999th recovered hog to date.

[video=youtube_share;rwNtJU4b6R0]https://youtu.be/rwNtJU4b6R0[/video]

[Double Naught Spy]

While doing range work before our hunt, Ben and I checked out what was going on with my feeders and discovered hog prints, but the game cameras were down and so we had no idea when the hog was visiting and opted not to waste our time at my place. However, I opted to risk wasting time and came back the next night, armed with food, drink, and other supplies, ready for a long night, if necessary. If the hog was coming at night, I was going to be there for it.

I got lucky and the hog arrived early and even luckier that it turned out to be a large target. My first hog was killed in the same meadow and I wanted to be sure this hog was not a runner as it was going to be #1000. Ammo testing is great, but this shot needed to be a CNS shot, so I shot it in the head, below and slightly behind the ear. No reason to necropsy the shot. I know the hog died of brain damage. It had blood coming out of one eye and out of one ear. The skull made crunchy noises when I tried to squeeze it. I am sure the brain structure was significantly disrupted. The shot didn't exit. On head shots, sometimes they do. Sometimes, they don't. Hopefully, I will get some penetrating testing done in the near future.

[video=youtube_share;CwbJNXCABCs]https://youtu.be/CwbJNXCABCs[/video]

[CJW]

Congratulations my friend on #1000!!!!

You have no idea how much my friends and I enjoy your videos.

We have all learned so much from them.

Thanks for the huge effort you put into each video.

Live big everyday my friend.

Chuck

[Jkruger]

Congratulations.... I enjoy your videos greatly.
Your attention to detail is second to none my friend.

[Bigs28]

Congrats. And onto the next 1k.

[Double Naught Spy]

Thanks, guys! Glad you enjoy the vids and find them of some use. I also get something out of them because people often provide me feedback, some of which has changed the methods I use in the field. A lot of the information provided in the videos is also directly tied to particular questions people would ask me about what was going on during the hunts. I came to understand that such information was necessary in helping provide context.

[CJW]

DNS,
Which bullet have you killed the most pigs with?? 90 TNT????

[Double Naught Spy]

That is a good question and not one I could answer without spending a lot of time. It would be either Hornady SST 123 gr. or Speer TNT 90 gr.

[lazyengineer]

Wow, congrats on 1000! Most impressive.

I have a bunch of TNT 90's, and of Hornady 95 VMax - so keenly interested in your continued testing. I've been wondering if 95's are as effective as the 90's - I would think so, but your continued testing will tell us.

[Goochylogic]

As usual, great videos. Thanks for taking the time to produce this footage.

[A5BLASTER]

DNS. What do you think your shot to kill ratio is on pigs? Just with the grendel.

What you think your shoot count to kill rate avreage is?

[Klem]

Congrats!

[grayfox]

Congrats!!!
We need another title for you, o King of Pork....

THE BACONATOR!!!!!!!!!!

1000 piggies baconatored!!!!

[Double Naught Spy]

DNS. What do you think your shot to kill ratio is on pigs? Just with the grendel.

What you think your shoot count to kill rate avreage is?

I have no idea and no way to reasonably figure out a solution. A big part of the issue is that so many of my shots (hits and misses) are on running hogs. Running hog shots are not typically well placed by the nature of trying to lead a target of unknown speed at an unspecified distance. There are a lot of hogs that I have put 2nd or 3rd shots into after they were hit with fatal, but not immediately incapacitating first shots.

[lazyengineer]

I have no idea and no way to reasonably figure out a solution. A big part of the issue is that so many of my shots (hits and misses) are on running hogs. Running hog shots are not typically well placed by the nature of trying to lead a target of unknown speed at an unspecified distance. There are a lot of hogs that I have put 2nd or 3rd shots into after they were hit with fatal, but not immediately incapacitating first shots.

To me, that's makes documenting your findings all the more valuable. If every shot was a perfect headshot, this wouldn't really be all that informative. The real question is how well does a bullet (and cartridge) do on imperfect shots? That's what I find so useful about your tests and posts! To date 90 TNT's have really impressed.

[Harpoon1]

Thanks, guys! Glad you enjoy the vids and find them of some use. I also get something out of them because people often provide me feedback, some of which has changed the methods I use in the field. A lot of the information provided in the videos is also directly tied to particular questions people would ask me about what was going on during the hunts. I came to understand that such information was necessary in helping provide context.

Brian/DNS

Do you have a Patreon page or some other way for us to throw a few bucks in the kitty? You’ve got the best “where the rubber meets the road” videos on YouTube! Bar none. No one follows through and shows the actual results like you do. No one! Plus, it’s all with our favorite cartridge! Can’t beat that.

Thanks for all the effort, it continues to be very educational.

[Double Naught Spy]

The real question is how well does a bullet (and cartridge) do on imperfect shots?

Which are often the shots I make, LOL.

Actually, a lot of folks make imperfect shots, despite their best intent. That is just part of real world hunting. Be it because the hunter is tired from lack of rest, physical exertion from a long stalk, misjudged distance, wind, visibility, the animal moved, buck fever, etc., for the vast majority of us who are not snipers, not every shot we take is going to be perfect. So it helps to know what bullets are the most forgiving. :o

[tdbru]

DNS,
i haven't followed all 1000. however congratulations! Since you have the opportunity to test a lot of bullets and a lot of tests for each bullet, to get to statistical confidence on the results, either good, adequate, or poor, have you ever tested the 100gr. Barnes TTSX on hogs? and if not, would you give a box or two a try at sometime in the future please? and then report the results. and if you have used them in the past and have some results, please let me know.
thanks and have fun,
-tdbru

[Double Naught Spy]

I have some LRX to try, but no TTSX. They will likely be next. Barnes claims the bullet opens into 4 "razor-sharp" petals, but from the demo video, I doubt the hyperbole.
https://www.barnesbullets.com/bullets/lrx/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J-_deE7...e=youtu.be

May be a great bullet, but may also be unnecessarily hyped concerning the petals.

[Daveycrockett]

Congrats! What do you guys do with all the carcasses?