Experience with Hornady SST on deer?

[264junkie]

Looking for any "real life" feedback on this bullets performance on whitetail at ranges 10-500yds.
I'm in the process of working up a load for my 264 Win. Mag. in the 140gr and if feedback is good I'll also try their 129gr.

Thanks,
Junkie

 

[gonewest]

I started using the Hornady SPBT in 140 gr. in my .270. They really didn't group all that well but they really put down the deer. I tried the SST in a 140 gr. and found it to be more accurate but I didn't like the knock down it seemed to have. The farthest I shot a buck was 235Yds. I put it right on the shoulder and it ran off I new it was hit. It went about 75 yds. The shoulder was busted and the bullet went throught the other shoulder but a pencil size exit hole. I shot one in the middle of the chest looking at me and it ran off I found no blood and found the deer about 100 yrds away. The bullet never exited and I thougt I was lucky to find the deer. I have only shot 6 deer with the SST's compared to about 25 with the SPBT's. It just seemed to me the one was more accurate but I like the performance of the other on game. Just my opinion. Good luck.

 

[WesB]

I've shot three mule deer with Hornady 139 gr SST's out of my 7mm Rem mag. Velocity was 3150 FPS. The first one at 150 yards through the left shoulder. Very little penetration but enough damage to kill. It wasn't very pretty. The second was at 534, he was climbing a steep hill across the canyon so I put one right through the top of his shoulders. Once again, very little penetration, took a second shot to kill. This year I took a buck at 303 yards and the bullet entered the base of his neck and exited under his jaw. Enough to knock him down but it took one more to finish him. I haven't been impressed with them and no longer use em.
Wes

 

[HammerB1]

shooting the 150 gr. sst at 3000 through the 30 tc. shot 2 antelope one at 305 and one at 345. The buck at 305 did not take a step. The one at 345 was bedded and never went 20 yards. Both were lung shots and bullet exited both. That was my first experience with them and I thought they performed as well at the interlock.

 

[winmag]

Well, the only feed back Ive got for you is Ive hered and seen what they do to elk. 1 shot behind the shoulder and lodged on the other side against the leg bone just below the shoulder of the off leg. Dropped in its tracks. I wached my uncle shoot it(300 win mag, 180gr) at about 125-130 yds. at a down hill angle. I liked what the bullet looked like when we dug it out enough to start loading it in my 270WSM in 150gr. for Mule deer. And it shoots tight groups out of my factory Win. M-70 rifle. (best 5 shot group so far was .924, but 4 of the 5 grouped .541......I had a shooter indused flyer on #5). I wouldnt hesitate to use it on deer of any size or elk for that matter, and I plan to.
I cant find IB's anywhere or else Id try them too. I like the bonded bullet performance on game, but Im sure the SST's will do just fine.

 

[MTBULLET]

accurate, but more of a "target" bullet, very fragile. In the 300 RUM, you can count on a hole the size of a small truck at impact site.

 

[wolvrine]

Interesting...I've used them on whitetail extensively in the midwest. In .257 Wby mag, .270 win, 270 Wby mag, 7mm rem mag. I have been very happy with the accuracy on all, and equally happy with the terminal ballistics. I personally have had nothing walk away from them, and haven't recovered one due to total penetration. I have killed deer from 7 yards to 287 yards. My brother was impressed with them and started loading them in his .243 WSSM. He too has had very good luck with them. I have just loaded the 180 grn in the .300 Wby mag but haven't killed anything but paper. They are not the only bullet I use, but I have been happy with them thus far, and the BC's are relatively high, and way cheaper than "premium" bullets. Some will argue that you get what you pay for, and I think that is true also. I think that they will work for you on whitetail though...good luck!

 

[sambo3006]

I've only killed one deer with the .264 129 gr SST out of a .264 WM for what it's worth. A medium sized doe quartering away at about 75 yards. She started to turn to run just as the shot broke. Hit her just in front of the hindquarter and the bullet angled forward into the paunch. She ran about 20 yards and keeled over. The entrance wound was fairly large and I never did recover the bullet. It failed to penetrate into the chest.

 

[winmag]

I went out to the desert shooting yesterday. 450 yds,accross canyon witha 20-25 mph head wind from 11:00 position. The SST's shot beautifly!!!!........However theres a catch........... I found two bullets with complete jackett/core sepperation!
I know 3 of my shots hit the dirt just in front of my 5/8 plywood target board with my paper target secured to it, and left key holes thru the plywood.(I was shooting both my rifle and my dads, dads has a standard duplex, and I was doping the top of the bottom post when I hit the dirt). ANYWAY......long story short I only shot a ttl of 24 rounds, and found 2 with jacket/core seperation. So needless to say, I must re-cant my opinion of the SST. Even though I liked what they did on my uncles elk, I wont be using them for hunting like I planned. Maybe this is not a fair shake to the SST, but I have never seen a bonded bullet perform as poor as this no matter what I hit. Its bonded so it DOESNT seperate jacket and core. Ill be switching to the IB's, and I hope they fly as well as the SST's.
These were 150gr Hornady SST,s with .525 b.c. in 270WSM, with 61gr of IMR 4831(1 tenh of a grain over saami max). in both rifles. They both shoot under a min. with this load. Noslers Accubond only goes up to 140gr so Im sticking with Hornady, and going with the IB's. they have the same shape/weight/load data/and B.C., so hopefully they work up simmilarly to the SST.

 

[7rm1337]

I have shot two deer with 139 sst one was 200 and another at 250 both drt so ive had good luck with them so fargun)

 

[texan79]

Shot a spike at 175 yds out of my .308. Complete pass through with a massive wound cavity. He never took another step. (right behind the shoulder) Shoot this load out of both my .308 and '06 and love the accuracy and performance.

 

[Jinx]

I have a 264 Win Mag and have only used the interlocks from Hornady. I found that the 129gr cause a lot of meat damage and the 140gr provide better penetration but stil with meat damage. Try to shoot head-shots most of the time, but if a I know the shots will be at extended ranges I use Rhinos or SGK. Why dont you gives Barnes X a try?

 

[ForneyRider]

My brother put a 10pt East Texas white tail down with 130gr SST in 270 Win. I loaded the bullet myself with R22 powder. I like the accuracy and value of the SST, but I prefer the Nosler BT because it will open up easier than the SST. His shot was excellent with broadside that scraped the back of both of the front shoulders. The deer ran 40 yards and plopped dead with excellent blood trail. Exit hole was not much bigger than the entry. Didn't find any bullet fragments.

I've loaded the 139gr SST in 7mm Mag. It was accurate as well. But I went with the Nosler BT for my hunting.

If you like the H Interlock, R Core-Lokt, Speer Hot-Cor, or Win PP, you will like the SST just a bit better.

 

[keredeht]

I have used 95gr SST out of my 243 and they really do a lot of damage. Very accurate bullet but I have switched to Barnes 85 TSX. I like how they perform on game better and they are also very accurate. From my experience the hornady SST are more accurate than NBT's, in both 6mm and 7mm, in my guns at least.