Hornady SST's

Lhedrick1

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Got to doing some reloading and shooting for the .257 Weatherby. Found a box of 117 gr SSTs I forgot I bought and tried a load with a hot dose of RL25. Great groups! How are these on game? I found one in the dirt shot from 200 yards and it weighed in at about 53 grains. Looks like a mangled mess of lead and copper.
 
Lots of people talk bad about Hornady SST bullets because they sometimes shed a lot of shrapnel at closer ranges and high velocity.
I happen to like the SST for deer size and smaller game and have seen several very dead elk that fell to a SST bullet.
I will say they aren't super accurate out past 400+ yrds.
But 200 or less, they put deer down quick. I shoot the exclusively in my .260 Remington.
Every deer I shoot with my .260 is down where it stands.
 
LAST EDITED ON Sep-01-19 AT 06:23PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Sep-01-19 AT 06:22?PM (MST)

9 rounds at 100 yards and never recovered a slug, lots of copper shrapnel but no lead.

I shot a 120 grain Partition @200 yards and managed to find one of those. It weighed in at 57 grains while the recovered SST at 200 yards weighed 53 grains. Pretty close in weight retenting though that's just a one round comparison.

Probably great for deer and goats but anything bigger better stick with a TTSX or Partition.
 
I am a fan of the SST. I have killed many mule deer and antelope with .270 130 gr out to 525 yards. The smaller calibers have a more frangible jacket that is less suitable for elk. I have killed several elk with the Partition 200 gr out of my .338 WM. Some people whine about the Partition losing lead out of the front half, but that is the design and it is deadly. If you can get your rifle to shoot the Partitions accurately, they will work just fine.

"You can fly a helicopter to the top of Everest and say you've been there. The problem with that is you were an a$$hole when you started and you're still an a$$hole when you get back.
Its the climb that makes you a different person". - Yvon Chouinard
 
My kids are up to 11-12 mule deer and 2 bull elk with a 139gr SST in 7-08, zero issues and a couple recovered bullets. 300 yards is about the longest shot on deer and 200 on elk.
 
Great Deer bullet. Shoot em through the ribs and watch em flop!



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The SST is one of the most consistently accurate bullets out of my 7mmRM (139 gr) and 300WSM (150 gr). I've shot several deer out to 450 yards with SSTs with both rifles, and could not be happier with the results. Seems like every deer dropped right where it stood, and the wound channels looked like a mini tornado had gone through them.

That being said, I've also shot two NM oryx with them, and even though I recovered both animals, I was not nearly as satisfied with the SST's performance on the larger animals. Whereas every deer I've shot had a decent exit hole, the oryx only had an entry hole, and I only recovered fragments of either bullet.

Based on my own experience, I'm enthusiastic about the SST on deer and smaller game, and pretty hesitant about them on anything larger.
 
Anyone have any more experience with these bullets? I have a tiny Weatherby Ultralight weight in 6.5 CM w/ a 20" barrel and it shoots the 140 SST's less that an 1" @ 200 yards. Love the consistent accuracy. Looking to use on goats and deer. The 140 gr Ballistic Tips are similiar accuracy while the 140 gr Partitions are about 1 1/2" @ 200 yards.
 
Anyone have any more experience with these bullets? I have a tiny Weatherby Ultralight weight in 6.5 CM w/ a 20" barrel and it shoots the 140 SST's less that an 1" @ 200 yards. Love the consistent accuracy. Looking to use on goats and deer. The 140 gr Ballistic Tips are similiar accuracy while the 140 gr Partitions are about 1 1/2" @ 200 yards.
Roll with it, you'll be happy with the terminal performance out of that gun, on those animals.
 
I love em in my .300 wby, great performance short and long rang on deer. Killed a couple cow elk with them.

Probably 15 to 20 blacktails and Muleys out to 700 yards have ended their lives with one of these bullets in their vitals.

Bill
 
I load them for my wife’s 7mm-08 and son’s .280, 139 grains. Extremely accurate.

that is the load for deer/antelope for both guns.

but based on the way they blow up I wouldn’t trust them on elk so both guns shoot Barnes txs 130/140 grains respectively for elk.

never used them on elk in either gun but after the first antelope hunt with both guns, I wasn’t going to risk it.
 
I'm in the camp that doesn't like the bullet ... Too fragile for my tastes.

I've seen them used both here in the US and in Africa on deer/antelope sized game, including Impala and warthog.
 
I shot the Hornady Light Magnum factory 139 SST out of my 280 Rem mountain rifle. They were very accurate but very explosive on anything but a straight on thru the ribs. I had a couple blow up on entry on angled shots and I was only using them on black tails and pigs in Ca. I've switched to 140 TTXS. I would not use them on elk.
 
happy with performance on deer (all 200 yds or less), but not so much with performance on elk . 180 gr SST in .308 out of the .30-06. Shot a large cow elk through left shoulder at about 60 yds... she ran over about 40 yds turned around, shot through right shoulder. she ran back to where she stood at first shot. i shot again behind shoulder and she finally went down. i did purposely shoot in shoulder trying to anchor her - it was on private land i did not want her to run off.. I believe there are better bullets for elk out there. good luck
 
All I ever used in.my 280ai since they first came out is the 162 ELDX
taken many many animals from pronghorn to moose, from 90 yrds to 625 yrds never lost a animal Never needed a, Second shot
Some dropped on the spot a few made it 45 yrds before falling over dead
 
They are NOT DESIGHNED to shoot through the shoulders hornady, clearly states, this on there web sight
They also clearly state at high Impact velocities the core and jacket will separate, you can go to thier web sight and read it, they do not try and make excuses they explain it in great detail
 
If you want a bullet that will hold together at all ranges and velocities try federal tlr or thier new terminal accent
 

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