Got Walkers....Hornady .223/.308 ZombieMAX(ZMAX) full review

[ALCOAR]

First off, I think the whole zombie movement is rather ghey, and typically I hate how zombies and AR-15s so often get associated with one another. If I was to believe in this whole "zombie culture", I might as well believe in the Easter Bunny, and Santa Claus. I bought this ammo to review based solely on the fact that the Hornady 55gr. Vmax is easily one of my all time favorite types of ammo for precision/accuracy.

Let's get the neat marketing stuff outta the way first,

FIRST PART: Hornady's marketing/labeling.....

http://i888.photobucket.com/albums/ac81/trident1982/DSC02237-1.jpg
http://i888.photobucket.com/albums/ac81/trident1982/DSC02247-1.jpg
http://i888.photobucket.com/albums/ac81/trident1982/DSC02271-1.jpg






SECOND PART: Comparing the individual components....Hornady 55gr. Vmax VS. Hornady 55gr. Zmax


http://i888.photobucket.com/albums/ac81/trident1982/DSC02259-1.jpg

http://i888.photobucket.com/albums/ac81/trident1982/DSC02209-1.jpg

http://i888.photobucket.com/albums/ac81/trident1982/DSC02205-1.jpg

*** Please note that this isn't the exact same ammo as the 55gr. Vmax loading, to my wonderful surprise these Zmax rounds actually have cannelures. So apparently they added the cannelures since this was "Zombie" ammo. I still wouldn't ever rely on it for HD/PD, but its still nice to see.

So if I'm not mistaken, this addition to the Hornady 55gr. Zmax makes it essentially the exact same ammo as the Hornady 55gr. TAP, instead of the exact same ammo as the Hornady 55gr. Vmax.

[ALCOAR]

PART THREE: Accuracy Evaluation....Hornady 55gr. Vmax VS. Hornady 55gr. Zmax


Test Vehicle: MRP SPR w/ Rock 5R 18" SS 1/7th 5.56...NXSc 2.5-10...SD-E trigger. All groups are fired prone with bipod and rear bag.
(Same test vehicle and procedure used for both types of ammo, No cherry picking allowed, 100yd/10rd groups, 4 groups per ammo)

Hornady 55gr. Vmax

http://i53.tinypic.com/zsvc01.jpg

Best group:
http://i54.tinypic.com/qpfgn4.jpg




Hornady 55gr. Zmax

STAY TUNED.........

[markm]

I saw these in Cabelas, but they were too expensive. I feel like I should have one box on hand. ;)

[COVERBUSTER]

I picked up a box of 9mm,45acp,.223 and .308. Not for shoot'n but for the collection. Its about marketing, nothing else. Props to Hornady for having a sense of humor.

[QuietShootr]

So it's good ammo, excellent.

I got a couple of boxes of the .308, just for fun.

[kmrtnsn]

I wish I knew where all that cheap Hornady TAP Training ammo went. Other that the smell, it was good stuff for the money.

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

Markiting alone is going to sell that product. I will buy some just as a joke for gifts. Nice write up Alex

[ALCOAR]

Thanks brother:)

Your correct that Hornady whether you hate it or love it is gonna make some serious coin off this stuff. It never seizes to amaze me how much I fall victim to marketing in general, even though I honestly had different reasons for wanting to actually buy this particular ammo as I stated above.

So anyways, my apologies on the delay on the Zmax accuracy report...it's rained straight the last two days, and I haven't even had the opportunity to go and shoot them yet. I'm pretty sure I'm gonna sample the .308 168gr. Zmax as well.

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

MY father inlaw does the same thing at his winery its all about the name on the bottel when it comes to some of them.

[markm]

So does he have a Zombie WINE?? :p

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

So does he have a Zombie WINE?? :p

LOL nope I left that wide open.

[jawalterusmc]

Ask and you shall recieve....just for you zombie loving wine drinkers

http://www.horror-movies.ca/horror_14368.html

[Moltke]

I will probably be buying a box of this just to keep on hand, it will be a good novelty item to show friends.

I'll leave the wine to you guys.

[micky_blue]

I have read this stuff is not selling well. The prices are supposed to be coming down in the near future.

[ALCOAR]

I just bought some more Zmax to test out...it's some pretty looking stuff for sure.

Hornady .308 168gr. Zmax

http://i888.photobucket.com/albums/ac81/trident1982/DSC02516-1.jpg
http://i888.photobucket.com/albums/ac81/trident1982/DSC02517-1.jpg

[ffusaf23]

Interesting...thanks for taking the time to enlighten us.

[ALCOAR]

No problem, it's my pleasure:)

[titanse05]

When I first heard of this ammo from Hornady I thought it was just a marketing ploy and I wasn't interested in buying any. But I got a box of 45ACP Z-max's from a friend for Christmas and have to say that I smiled when I saw them. They will prob never get used but you never know ;)

[nineteenkilo]

How can anyone NOT like zombie ammo? Hornady has hit a home run with one and they'll sell a load of it.

Novelty collectors like myself with GOTTAHAVEITNOWITIS can't resist. :p

[AEuropa]

Ermm....update? :jester:

- Alex

[jwfuhrman]

hell I bought a box just for shits and giggles.

I do keep a 20rd mag of the 53gr Superformance Vmax on hand. Maybe I'll load up a 20rder of the 55gr Zmax just in case.... lol

[ALCOAR]

Sure...sorry for not updating:)

These were the two rifles I used to evaluate both the .223 and .308 zmax/amax ammo...
http://i888.photobucket.com/albums/ac81/trident1982/DSC03660-1.jpg

first up .223 55gr. Zmax
http://i888.photobucket.com/albums/ac81/trident1982/target79.jpg
unedited pic...
http://i888.photobucket.com/albums/ac81/trident1982/DSC02536-1.jpg

next .308 168gr. Zmax
http://i888.photobucket.com/albums/ac81/trident1982/target78.jpg
http://i888.photobucket.com/albums/ac81/trident1982/target38.jpg

Ended up shooting about 160rds of this .308 zmax at 800+ yds with my MWS 16" CL and even got hits with it @ 1k.


Only bad thing to report on all of this ammo was one single round had a blown primer...
http://i888.photobucket.com/albums/ac81/trident1982/DSC02851-1.jpg

Overall I'd give it a 8.5/10

[Raven Armament]

How can anyone NOT like zombie ammo? Hornady has hit a home run with one and they'll sell a load of it.

Novelty collectors like myself with GOTTAHAVEITNOWITIS can't resist. :p
I think the zombie shit is retarded.

[St.Michael]

Tridents posts are always ****ing awesome and informative. LOL.

[gojira70]

Which powder des Hornady use , or is this a trade secret?

[Mike from Texas]

Oops, wrong thread.

[1_click_off]

7.62X39 is steel cased and $17.99 at academy. Very surprised it was steel. Didn't look at it long, it might have been aluminum, but it wasn't brass for sure.

[RichardGA]

7.62X39 is steel cased and $17.99 at academy. Very surprised it was steel. Didn't look at it long, it might have been aluminum, but it wasn't brass for sure.

I would think that steel would be the natural choice for anything chambered in 7.62x39. Mikhail K. designed his AK to eat steel cases, and to eat them all day without cleaning or maintenance, hence the big beefy extractor. The AR performs optimally with Brass Cased ammo because the Brass Cases expand to fill the chamber and prevent expansion gasses from entering the chamber. If you are using a NATO gun brass is best. For target ammo, I've found that if I can train twice as often with steel ammo for my AR, then I'll just use steel ammo. I've never had a failure to fire, failure to extract or a double feed with TULA ammo in my AR, whereas I have had problems with really cheap American made brass ammo. When the shot counts, I'll make sure I've got a mag with high quality brass.

[WillBrink]

I'm necro bumping this thread. The annoying marketing aside, is this just decent varmint ammo? I read conflicting reports it's V max made green, some saying it's not identical to V max. It's been around a while yet my google fu finds very little actual terminal ballistics testing on the .223. I have no doubt there's better choices for HD.