Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Hornaday SST or GMX in 7mm-08

Both my Daughter Sandi and I both shoot 7mm-08's starting this year. Just wondering what results you 7-08 folks have had with these two. I shoot the Whitetail as my rifle, 77 Hawkeye, shoots half inch groups with it so I not about ready to change. Sandi's compact Tikka shoots anything you put in it. Its amazing. Anyway, she took one smaller buck this year using the GMX and it did alright but was wondering what your experience has been with the SST.

personally

the 120 NBT is my bullet of choice having killed at least 40 or so deer with it

of those 2 bullets you mentioned GMX would have my vote over the sst

Definitely avoid the SST. Never tried the GMX, but here on the 'fire, results seem to have been satisfactory. My daughters and grandchildren have been killing deer and pronghorns with the 120 BTs in their 7mm-08s ever since they replaced the Flat Bases in the Nosler line-up. I highly recommend them.

My Dad and I have been using the 120 ttsx for years now. I know they are not on your list of choices but from Canadian whitetail to mountain goat they have been awesome. Dad is 73 and kinda likes the light recoil as well . I'm not a fan of the sat personally but to each his own. Can also never go wrong with a npt .

No experience with the 7-08 or SST, but the 160# buck I shot with a 300WM GMX 10 days ago was DRT. Double lung, through and through. It'll be my go to bullet after seeing those results.

No experience with the 7-08 or SST, but the 160# buck I shot with a 300WM GMX 10 days ago was DRT. Double lung, through and through. It'll be my go to bullet after seeing those results.

SST!! My GF used 139s in my 280 and creamed her 1st buck with it. 2 steps and done.

We are open to anything that will get the job done. Using heavier loads as we may run into a pig while turkey hunting (we always have a rifle with us) but that's not written in stone. Also have some Barnes vor tx that have a nice light recoil and are also accurate. Also getting Granddaughter Amanda a 7mm-08 so price is getting to be a consideration but not at the expense of losing a animal. Boy, are these 7mm-08's fun to shoot.

My experience with the SST is with my 30-06. They seemed like they are best for long range and tore up too much meat with a close shot. I load Remington 140gr CoreLokts for my 7mm-08 and will switch to Hornady 139gr flat base bullets when I buy more. They're cheaper than the CoreLokts now.

having killed deer with the 7mm-08 for the past 10 years or so, out of a 10" encore handgun and bolt action riffle with both bullets mentioned either one works fine.

Used a Sako 7mm-08 for over twenty years. Hornady 139gr Interlock Spire Point drops them dead every time if you hit anywhere in the chest, shoulder, neck.

I can't speak for the gmx but I can tell you from several deer my wife has shot over the years that the sst is wicked. I never remember losing a deer with them. Some would run but never far and the blood trail was good.
I have since swapped to the 140nbt only because I load for 5 different guns in 7-08 and a couple 280s and they seem to shoot the 140nbt better as a group. Nice to have one bullet in all.

My family has been using the GMX bullets and the .243 80 grain, the .308 150 and 165 grain bullets, and the .338 185 grain all worked well. Small year and a half old deer to elk, the bullets all opened as expected.

The two choices seem quite far apart on the expansion/retention scale, with the SST opening very quickly and losing a lot of weight; the GMX the opposite. Both can work, given the right parameters.

Why not choose a more balanced bullet with medium rates of expansion/retention? For what you've mentioned as a so-called all-around bullet, you'd be happier in the middle.

Sounds like you are looking for factory ammo options. Personally I use the 120 BT, 140 PT and Hornady 154 RN in my 7mm-08's all handloaded, all kill deer well. Personally I would look at the 139 Hornady interlock in Whitetail line, Remington 140 Core lokts and Federal 140's. The little 7-08 seems to kill very well indeed and are a lot of fun to shoot

To the OP...anything but the SST....