Hornady SST good deer bullet?

[Spinnerblade]

A couple weeks ago I shot two, one gallon milk jugs backed up with a dry phone book at approximatly 100 yards. The recovered 150gr slug had shed its jacket and only weighed 36.5 grains.

The picture on the bullet box shows the cannelure pressing into the lead and an "interlock" feature between the cannelure and the base. The box also has a statement saying "Heavy construction with interlock feature delivers deep penetration every time"

I have also read accounts that the SST can cause alot of bloodshot meat at closer ranges.

Anybody want to share their first hand experience with these bullets on deer size game or larger?

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h290/spinnerx/sst001.jpg

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h290/spinnerx/sst002.jpg

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h290/spinnerx/sst003.jpg

[Brass Nazi]

I have never used an SST. To my recollection it is touted as having a fast opening "ballistic point" design but is also designed to retain weight kinda like a partition but not as tough.

IMO the ballistic point designs are terrible for use in a fast cartridge on deer because of meat loss. Think cartridges like .270, .280, 7mm magnum, 300 win etc.

But, I believe that the slower cartridges could benefit, .250 savage, .257 roberts, 7-08, etc...

[nitesite]

Water is a very harsh test medium, as it rapidly creeps into stress fractures and exaggerates the hydraulic effect on most bullets. Core~jacket separation is a very regular occurrence when shooting into water, even when testing handgun bullets so multiply that when testing rifle velocities

Flesh/Meat is an entirely different story.

I wouldn't use that bullet on heavily-muscled thick game animals but (if I did) the bullet performance would be far better than the water test you did. I'm not knockin' your findings, just the water medium.

I shoot a very similar bullet, the 6mm Combined Technology 95-gr Ballistic Silvertip. If I were to shoot it into water jugs the results would be truly disappointing. But in a 175-lb deer the ballistic performance is truly remarkable.

[Spinnerblade]

Water is a very harsh test medium, as it rapidly creeps into stress fractures and exaggerates the hydraulic effect on most bullets. Core~jacket separation is a very regular occurrence when shooting into water, even when testing handgun bullets so multiply that when testing rifle velocities

Flesh/Meat is an entirely different story.

Very true. That is why I was asking for people who have used the SST's on game for their experience. I'm guessing for the most part they work fine. I would just like to know if anyone has had any problems.

I will try some wet phone books soon, just for a comparison. Maybe I'll even try a few different types of bullets. Maybe this weekend.

[D. Manley]

SST's will do just fine on deer sized game. As mentioned above, water is a very tough medium for expanding bullets and does not translate to performance on game. It's real-world performance will compare to the Nosler Ballistic Tip and others of similar design.

[BigSlick]

I haven't tried SST's on a critter yet, but, for sheer hold together and penetration Game Kings and Core Lokt's get the job done well.

Nolsers will too, but I've only shot a deer with a Nosler a couple of times. Both were right thru shots to the neck, so I didn't recover the bullet.

[ASH]

I shot this buck at 80 yard's with a .308 win 150 sst and he was DRT. Small entry wound and golfball size exit. I also shot a doe two day's earlier at 180 yard's with the same result. It shoot's real nice out of my Tikka T3 to boot. I have no problem using it on whitetail deer.

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc207/cwade550/Myfirstbuck003.jpg

[Spinnerblade]

Went shooting today and had some 150gr Core-Lokt reloads, same charge as the previous 150gr SST test.

First up two, one gallon milk jugs with a dry phone book backing them up.
The CL penetrated the two jugs but did not stick into the dry phone book.
It did keep its jacket and weighed 97gr.

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h290/spinnerx/sst010.jpg


Next I soaked two phone books in a five gallon pail for about eight hours and placed them in front of a dry phone book and shot them with an 150gr SST on top of 44gr Varget.

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h290/spinnerx/sst012.jpg

The bullet almost made it through both wet books.

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h290/spinnerx/sst015.jpg


The SST also held onto its' jacket and weighed 105gr.

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h290/spinnerx/sst016.jpg

[BigSlick]

Interesting results.

Deer hide/meat is a lot softer but even with the phone books it retained it's jacket.

Makes me wonder what it would do if you hit a shoulder on a quartering shot. DRT for sure, but I can see it tearing up some meat

[Spinnerblade]

After shooting the wet phone books with the SST, I shot the same wet phone books with a 150gr CL also with 44gr of Varget.

The CL did not penatrate as far as the SST but did weigh a little more at 114gr.

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h290/spinnerx/sst019.jpg

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h290/spinnerx/sst020.jpg

[BigSlick]

I think you winged an attorney there Spinner :rofl:

[Spinnerblade]

I think you winged an attorney there Spinner :rofl:
Yeah, they're on the back covers of the phone books too :)

Last pic here's the exit-entrance holes between the 1st and 2nd PB. The CL is on top.

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h290/spinnerx/sst018.jpg

[Spinnerblade]

Hey Ash, looks like your having good results with the SST.

After shooting these phone books and seeing how close the performance was to the Core-Lokt, I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

I think I was just surprised when the one I shot into the water filled jugs really went to pieces. Live and learn:)

[Blackdog]

The phone book guy seems impressed.

http://www.glockpost.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=143&pictureid=1209

[Spinnerblade]

The phone book guy seems impressed.

http://www.glockpost.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=143&pictureid=1209

He should be, he had a front row seat.

[Spinnerblade]

Today I shot a Speer 150gr btsp at the same two jug, phone book setup.

It looked just about like the Hornady SST, jacket gone and just the base left. Have not weighed it yet.

Update, Speer 150gr BT recovered weight-44gr.

I guess the water filled jugs is a tough test. I remember when the Mythbusters shot a 50bmg into the swimming pool and it went to pieces. It's probably unrealistic too, it's way different than bone or muscle. Too bad I don't have any fresh bones about.

[Spinnerblade]

Mon. I went shooting and I had loaded up a few of the Barnes 150gr Tipped TSX's.
I went ahead and gave one of them the same test as the other bullets.

Same carnage as the other bullets.

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h290/spinnerx/sst038.jpg

But deeper penetration.

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h290/spinnerx/sst040.jpg

And looks like almost total weight retention (the bullet fell out of my jacket pocket so I haven't weighed it).

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h290/spinnerx/sst041.jpg

I have some Hornady Interbonds on the way. They're next and that will wrap this up.

[BigSlick]

Looks like a hammer load with excellent expansion and weight retention :thumbsup:

How is accuracy with the Barnes ?

[Spinnerblade]

I only loaded up three rounds.
I fired two on a target and saved one for the water jugs.
239 yards two shots.

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h290/spinnerx/sst042.jpg