Hornady bullets

[Pat B.]

Is there any difference between the 6.5 140 grain AMax and SST bullets, other than the cantalure?

Would they both be suitable for hunting deer out to 6 or 700 yards?
thanks

 

[Matt27]

Pat

I don't know about the differance but i have started to work with the SST for hunting. Jerry Teo has done more work with them than me.

There was a thread awhile ago started by him about the B.C. of the bullet. When shooting steel all the way out to 1000 between the 139 Scenar and the 140sst the SST seemed to hit harder leaving a visible impact from 500 -1000. The Scenar you knew hit the steel but you really had to look.

I took a mule deer this year that was 250lbs plus. He played hide and seek with me for 3 days. I was confidant with a 600 yard shot but never got the oppurtunity to shoot at him. On the last day i spotted him from a mile away bedded down and i high tailed it around the section. It would have given me at least 400 yard shot. When i got there and started the stalk over the hill he was right there at 50 yards. Dropped to my belly and lined him out. I hit him a little high in the shoulder and dropped right there. Entrance hole was small but exit was the size of baseball and i heard the bullet exit.

Do a search for the 140 SST. We had a good discussion about it. I have no doubt that the SST will be a good long range hunting bullet.

 

[goodgrouper]

I have found the Amax to be more uniform in weight and ogive length than the SST's, but the SST's are a hunting bullet, and the Amax are match so it might be expected that the AMAX are a touch better. It is like comparing a Matchking to a Pro-hunter. The jackets on the MK are held to a tighter tolerance.

 

[Pat B.]

Does it seem like the A-Max bullets will offer some expansion or are they likely to penetrate without upsetting at all ??

 

[Ian M]

I killed some deer this fall with A-Max's with excellent bullet performance - this was with .30 cal. 168's. Would hunt deer with them anyday - they shoot very flat and they are accurate.

 

[Guest]

Oh the A-maxs expand alright if anything they will open faster and farther than the SST , I believe that the jacket is a little thinner.
I shoot them alot out of a 308 and they shoot more accuratly than the 165gr SST or 165gr Ballistic tips and seem to shoot a little flatter than the 168gr Sierra Match Kings , their BC may be a little higher not sure though

 

[winmagman]

Pat B
I shot 13 deer this year, 2 with the 140 gr SMK and 11 with the 140 gr SST. Of those 11 there were 2 under 50 yds both of those went about 40-50 yards after being shot. The other 9 were between 200 and 525 yards all of them were down in under 20 yds. All 11 had exit wounds ranging from quarter size to tennis ball size and it seems as though the further out they were the more dramatically they went down. The three furthest (327, 355,& 525 yds.) all dropped where they stood.

I load them in a 6.5-284 over 49 grs of Re22 and average muzzle velocity is just under 3000 fps. Accuracy leaves a lot to be desired the BEST my rifle will do with them is .75" at 100 yds, the SMKs regularly go into .2-.3" at 100 yds.

As much as I like the terminal performance of the SST I want better accuracy so I have some A-maxs loaded on the bench waiting for better weather. I hope they shoot as well as the SMK and kill half as well as the SST, if they do I'll be a happy man.
Chris

 

[sakofan]

I'm heading out tomorrow with my first A-max reloads.

.308 168gr.A-Max, Fed. brass, 45.5gr. Varget, and Fed 210M primers.

I'm hoping for some real tight groups. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
This is my VS's pet load for 168gr. SMK's, so we'll see..sakofan....