[Jinkster]

Greetings my Keltec Brethren!...now please remain seated and prepare yourselves for a journey through the mind of a madman...or?...maybe just a former U.S. Marine who was raised in a hunting family that went on to obsess on all things shooting sports becoming a local I.P.S.C. Tactical shooting club class champ who practiced and reloaded too the tune of 1,000-1,500 rounds a week of both 40S&W and .45acp cartridges along with achieving ballistic recipes out of my Ruger M77 30.06 that would send 150gr Nosler Ballistic (Green) Tip bullets across the chronograph in excess of 3,000fps rivaling Hornady Light Magnum Loads and in my relentless state of O.C.D.?...have not changed my ways where fodder selection for my new PMR-30 is concerned...so without further adieu?....let's take a close look at the 3 flavors of .22mag ammo I currently have on hand as I critic and point out some not so subtle (too the experienced eye) observations where matters of accuracy and feed-ability are concerned....and those 3 flavors are....

No...let's look much closer than that...here...

now in the image above?...please take note of the following whereby it came to my attention visually that while the Hornady VMax bullet does appear to have a true swagged copper jacket? (as does the Armscor but we'll discuss that latter)...the CCI HP+V appears to be a...

"Plated Copper Jacket"

and the reason I point that out?...is because it speaks volumes too me regarding the tainted history of PMR's Key-Holing with CCI ammo...and?...for a number of design characteristics of the CCI bullet itself as I'll point out in the "Batch of 5" pic below because along with them being copper plated (which makes for a much weaker bullet construction) instead of copper jacketed?...

They are also of a SWC/HP (semi-wad-cutter/hollow-point) geometry...which means that they have not one but (2) "Lips" that can become deformed during the feeding process...one of which (the lip leading into the hollow-point cavity itself) can cause serious accuracy issues if the perfectly round shape that hollow-point cavity is compromised (and here's the rich part) where "Increasing Velocity Of Such" can and does amplify loss of accuracy at an exponential rate...and then you have...

"THE SECOND LIP"

where the parabolic shape of the swchp bullet transitions into it's full bore cylindrical base...and folks were wondering why they were getting key-holing and fliers with these CCI's?...where I'm looking at them and trying to figure out...

"How could you NOT expect to get key-holing fliers?"

and thinking...

"What a waste of nickle plating on those pretty cases holding those crap bullets!" LOL!

and here?...even I thought Armscor was going to be the red headed stepchild of the 3...but not imnsho...the CCI are...cases are great...powder is most likely premium (to get that 2,200 fps velocity) and then?...they stuff a crappy plated bullet in the end?...c'mon man...they dropped the ball on the most important component...for shame CCI...for Shame! LOL!

and now on too?...."Armscor"...

Now I have to admit...for some reason?..my PMR gobbled these up like throwing IAMS to a dog that hadn't eaten in days...but made just as big of a mess...both at my pistol and on the target and it's easy to see why...no two bullets are the same going in so why would anyone expect them to hit the same spot going out?...if they do?...buy a lottery ticket! LOL!

What Amscor Did Right:

1. They actually use a real swagged copper jacket on their bullets.

What Armscor Did Wrong:

1. I'm amazed at how they got their hollow-point cavities to come out in such a wide variety of shapes and sizes! LOL!...which in turn explains why...

2. They are the only one of the 3 that knurl their bases...so the sized casings have something to hold onto! LOL!...but then in turn compromises the cartridges ability to block moisture and humidity from fouling the powder within which in turn make me ask...

3. Where'd they find such dirty burning powder?...Did they buy out Bullseye? LOL!

and now?...let's look at just how tight and consistent both the bullet construction and and "Quality Control" is on the Hornady VMax cartridges...cause with these?...even under the scrutiny of a HD close-up group photo?...

They look like virtual clones of each other sharing the same exact DNA!

What Hornady Did Right:

1. They used a Premium Quality Bullet...actually?...they used a "SUPREME" Quality Bullet.

2. That has no lips to hang up or deform during feeding and?..

3. That has absolutely no flat frontal area too it's geometry and comes to such a fine and consistent point that if these don't effortlessly and utterly reliably feed into your chamber?...chances are they forgot to put a hole in your barrel! LOL!

Note: The following is an extremely important and highly valued (too me anyways) difference that separates the VMax from the other two which is....

4. "The Bullet is Pressed Into The Case"....and not..."The Case Pressed Into The Bullet" (like the CCI & Armscor are)

You can actually see the slightest witness of this where the bullet base ends in the casings and what this means is?...

A. Zero Bullet Deformation

B. Creates a Vastly Superior "Moisture Barrier"...which means your ammo will still go bang even after many years of exposure too humid environments or even after experiencing complete submersion.

5. If you go back too the 2nd pic?...you can actually see the wall thicknes on the brass case appears thicker and more robust along with a tooled champher on the O.D. of the case which is not rolled or crimped.

which is why I didn't hesitate dropping $350 on a 1,000rds delivered...

Hope you enjoyed reading this tongue in cheek ammo review as much as I enjoyed posting it!

Ride, Shoot Straight & Tell The Truth! L8R, Bill.

 

[MightyHunter]

Great article lol

 

[Mozella]

True, the Hornady 30gr V-Max ammo looks nice, but it's the only ammo my PMR 30 has choked on. I get frequent FTF problems as well as the occasional stove-pipe.

On the other hand, the CCI Maxi mag, in spite of them being not as pretty, feed reliably 100% of the time, are more accurate in spite of the variations in shape, and don't show any tendency to key-hole. Why should I hate them?

I don't want the bad guy to admire my Hornady ammo by saying, "Gee, that's a pretty stove pipe you've got there".

 

[H2OMAN]

Jinkster, thank you for the informative review.

Has anyone run this through their MR-30, C or P ??
It's the same bulk price as the 30 gr. V-MAX.

 

[EB1911]

The Hornady V-Max has been working great for me in both the PMR and CMR.

 

[4ster]

Jinkster, thank you for the informative review.

Has anyone run this through their MR-30, C or P ??
It's the same bulk price as the 30 gr. V-MAX.

Yes, they work well in my PMR.

 

[Jinkster]

The Hornady V-Max has been working great for me in both the PMR and CMR.

And that's the sort of report I'm getting from every review I've read or viewed (except one contained herein) and that that the HVM ammo works great in both the PMR'S and the CMR30. ..the latter of which I'm seriously contemplating purchasing because....

These 1,000 rds of .22mag?...weigh about 10lbs...nearly 1/3rd the weight of 1,000rds of 9mm...making the PMR/CMR pretty much the ultimate bug-out combo imho.

 

[H2OMAN]

Another CCI product I'm interested in.

Specifications
Caliber: 223 Winchester Magnum Rifle
Bullet Type: Jacketed Hollow Point
Bullet Weight: 35 GR
Muzzle Energy: 342 ft lbs
Muzzle Velocity: 2100 fps
Rounds Per Box: 200
Boxes Per Case: 10
Application: Medium Game
Casing Material: Brass

 

[Jinkster]

Another CCI product I'm interested in.

Specifications
Caliber: 223 Winchester Magnum Rifle
Bullet Type: Jacketed Hollow Point
Bullet Weight: 35 GR
Muzzle Energy: 342 ft lbs
Muzzle Velocity: 2100 fps
Rounds Per Box: 200
Boxes Per Case: 10
Application: Medium Game
Casing Material: Brass

I'd like to try those as well as the Hornady Critical Defense but literally can't find the latter.

 

[H2OMAN]

Yeah, HCD is currently unobtainable... the search continues.

Since the HVM is a winner, I think I will order a sampling of the two I posted and see what's what.

 

[LoupGarou]

Another CCI product I'm interested in.

Specifications
Caliber: 223 Winchester Magnum Rifle
Bullet Type: Jacketed Hollow Point
Bullet Weight: 35 GR
Muzzle Energy: 342 ft lbs
Muzzle Velocity: 2100 fps
Rounds Per Box: 200
Boxes Per Case: 10
Application: Medium Game
Casing Material: Brass

I've been lucky in finding these in Walmart and Cabela's lately... Runs well in my PMR, I haven't had a chance to do any "real" accuracy testing as yet, but offhand it seems to group better than anything else I've run through it so far.
The Hornady V-MAX I ordered just arrived yesterday, can't wait to see what it does.

 

[850sub]

Nice review. But how'd they shoot?
The gold dots work fine in my PMR.

 

[pktrkt]

Another V-Max user here.. Runs in PMR and CMR with outstanding accuracy..

 

[Jinkster]

Nice review. But how'd they shoot?
The gold dots work fine in my PMR.

Alas I only received these two 500ct bricks after work last night so while I've fired the CCI and the Armscor?....I've yet to pump the first round of the Vmax ammo through my PMR (which is why this was just an "initial observations" review/comparo....a range report should be following within the next few days despite the fact that the Web is loaded with reports of this ammo from a PMR...including a vid of how it faired against FN'S FiveseveN as tested against level II body armor...where it preformed amazingly well imho.

 

[H2OMAN]

Today's delivery...

 

[TSiWRX]

With the 30 gr. V-Max in my PMR, I get a muzzle flash fireball that's gotta be at least 2 ft. long.

 

[Jinkster]

Well I didn't make it too the range today...10hrs at work...and may not make it tomorrow....have work in the morning and hitting a gun show in the afternoon but I promise that by Sunday evening?...I'll have a range report on the HVM ammo out of my PMR...meanwhile?...I did find this vid interesting...enjoy.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIZiboXUKdY[/ame]

 

[H2OMAN]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mLS1TP9kbTY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Jinkster]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mLS1TP9kbTY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I was really dig'in this young mans review and thought he was doing a fantastic job right up until...

he began claiming repeated malfunctions with the Hornady 30gr Vmax...which makes him exactly "the 2nd PMR owner" I've ever heard denounce the HVM's while I've read & heard dozens of others give the HVM's nothing but praise and accolades...but where it really got ugly for me was at 16min/15secs into his vid where if you hit pause?...you can clearly see that...

"HIS MAG IS LOADED WITH HOLLOW-POINTS AND NOT HVM's"

Yet yes...he's speaking of HVM's (as though that's what he's shooting and experiencing repeated FTF's)....but to me?...they look like either the CCI or Speer hollow-points...but they are definitely hollow-points and NOT the Hornady Vmax rounds.

I'll be finding out first hand shortly here if my PMR suffers the same as what he speaks but I doubt it will and if it does?...

There's this Savage A22 I got my eyes on at Bass Pro.

 

[TSiWRX]

Guns of the same make and model are not identical. There's always tolerances at-play, and what might work great with my Gun X, your Gun X, our pastor's Gun X, the mechanic's Gun X, my brother-in-law's Gun X, your great-uncle's Gun X may quite surprisingly not work nearly as well or even at all in yet another person's Gun X.

Ammo is strange like that, and no-one should take it as a personal insult that his/her favorite ammo for their Gun X does not work well in another's.

My SR9c doesn't like Cor-Bon's 115 gr. +P DPX. Through 7 different magazines I have for that gun, none would feed it reliably, and I've heard of no others who have this same complaint. So I don't feed it that ammo.

My Kahr PM9 starts to "hang" on Federal HST 147 gr. considerably sooner than it does on Speer's GDHP of that same flavor.

One of my two XDm9 3.8 Compacts will lock up tight (so tight that it has to be mortared or even need to be punched out with a dowel) on once-fired Federal AE brass while the other will play just fine with the same in malfunction medley drills.

My DDM4V5LW doesn't play quite as well with PMags, sometimes failing to drop them free.

Now, that said, I do agree with your complaint on his video - at 16:16, those are clearly hollow-points and not V-Maxes.....