Anyone use them? Just curious on your experiences with the 139gr SST on deer/antelope size game. Trying to figure out what bulltets I want to try out of my new 7mm-08.

I've used the Hornady Light Mag 139 SST's for years now. Usually the most accurate factory ammo out of several different rifles I have had. Shots under 60 yards or so they can either pass through or blow apart and cause major damage to meat. 100 yards to 400 yards they have been excellent on deer, antelope and Caribou. September Antelope in NM used this round to anchor a nice buck at 287 yards.

I've used the 139 SST's in 7-08 Light Mags by Hornady on 6-7 antelope, all 100-150 yards away. They were violently explosive, maybe a bit much meat damage, and the goats tipped over immediately. Any standard cup and core is fine for antelope.

Yep..they tend to blow up....

sst bullets suck,by far the worst bullet hornady has ever produced. stay with the interlok.

We tried 117 grain SSTs in a .257 AI and 139 grain SSTs in a 7mm-08 and a .280. After taking one pronghorn and one mule deer, we quite using them on game--they just ruined too much meat. The pronghorn was shot a little high with the .257 AI and the bullet hit the spine, shattering and embedding pieces of bullet throughout the front quarters of the animal. The mule deer was shot by my wife with her .280. He was quartering away and she lined up the shot with the off shoulder. That shoulder was mostly ruined. The mule deer was taken around 125 yds and the pronghorn was just short of 200.

Interesting comments, I have shot many whitetails for years now with a 150 gr. SST in a .308 (carbine) at around 2600 fps with wonderful results. YMMV

Randy

I don't know guys... I've been shooting SST's for a long time and have taken some nice critters at all distances with them with nary a hiccup... Yep, they put 'em down pronto, and that's what I like. I don't care that much for shoulder meat, and there's not that much of it anyway. (grin) I like killin' what I shoot at, and that's what happens when I touch off a SST.

This large bodied Kansas whitetail was taken at a bit over 500 lasered yards with one shot with a 139 grain SST leaving my 7mm Rem Mag at 3250 fps. Lights out right now, and look at the bullet performance even at that range.

What cha reckon his opinion of 'em is?

jeffpg, if the boys dont like the meat damage of a SST they sure will not like what a Berger does! I shot a couple of does last year with a 280AI, 140 grain Bergers at 3000 fps and HOLY MOLEY now they tear stuff up!

Randy

I've been leaning towards trying the Bergers for a long time now Randy, I just haven't made my mind up to do so because a few of the guys who "won't use them on elk" have me kinda concerned about how they'll deal with a quartering away shot on one. I have seen what they have done for the long distance hunters and I'm sure I'd like 'em, I guess the Accubonds are simply working so well for me on the big critters.

At what distance did you take the does?

Man, I do love a 280AI... I just picked up a 1st generation Rem Ti in .270 and I am almost hoping it don't shoot to my liking so I can rebarrel it to the Ackley. Almost, that is. This .270 hasn't been fired much and although it's not my favorite caliber, it is plenty capable of getting the job done and really isn't far from a .280.

First off, let me say that I'm not a big fan of BT's. But back in 2000, before I started reloading, bought some Hornady LM SST for my .30-06, one box each of 150 gr and 165 gr; my .308 Win., one box each of 150 gr and 165 gr; and my .270, one box each of 130 gr and 140 gr.

IME they were not every accurate. They might blowup if you hit a deer on the shoulder and you might lose it.

IME a behind the shoulder, ie double lung/heart shot works beat. You will have a caliber size entrance hole and an exit hole only a little bit larger if shot at less than a 100 yards.

Jeff, I actually shot 3 does last year with the Berger's, 2 of them inside 150 yards and 1 in excess of 375 (my longest shot ever) all 3 were shot behind the shoulder on purpose just to see and the damage was impressive

I have hunted up Canada quite a bit and when I do I have always used Accubonds, 6 years ago I took my largest whitetail at a whopping 77 yards with a 7STW and a 160 grain Accubond. I broke the deer down thru the left front shoulder and the Accubond pole axed the deer. I have used Partitions, Accubonds and the older Hornady Spire Points on larger animals with much success. 30 years ago I killed 3 elk in 3 years with a 130 SGK in a 270, DRT. Who knows, I guess if you put em in the right spot they all work.

Randy

I used them a couple years ago, I wasn't impressed. Last year I used some reject 139 grain interbond that worked pretty well. In my opinion you don't really need a premium bullet for deer or antelope, the plain old 139 grain spire point is all the bullet you need.

I have taken several deer with a 7mm08 & the 139gr SST.
I hand load so my loads are running about 2400fps. I like the SST for the type of hunting I do. They work great for me, give them a try.

B.S. on that. If an SST hits a deer in the shoulder, he's dead, particularly if an SST "blows up".

I've only shot these on paper but my rifle likes them alot I mostly use the 139gr il flat base.

The 154g SST is a tougher bullet in the 7mm class, especially for the 7 mag at 3150+, really puts the shock on deer.

Now the 162g SST is a really tough bullet, totally in another class of toughness.

These two particular SST bullets like to kiss the lands, accuracy can be supurb if the rifle likes them at all.

My 270 hate the 130g SST(Have some for sale), and my 7 mag hated the 139g SST.

There maybe some magic load out there that is magic or these two bullets.

In my 7/08, I shoot a load of IMR 4895 with a 9 1/2 with a Speer 130g SpBt...unreal accurate and simply flops deer.

I have a 284win that I'm working up loads for and the 139 SST is one of my choices. After seeing what the 165 SST out of my 30-06 did to the 3 NC deer and bobcat I shot last year, I thought they'd be just the ticket for the 284.

Since you are asking about factory loads - thought I'd share that I tried the Superformance 139 SST ammo in both of my 7mm08's and was not impressed. However, the 140 grain Barnes tsx Federal Premium ammo shot sub 1/2 inch at 100 yards in both guns. Everything I've shot with a tsx (28 deer or bigger critters and counting) have been 1 shot kills with everything from .243 to .338RUM.

I also had the same Berger experience as the posts above. 140 grain 6.5mm at 3400 fps - 150 yard shot left 5 gallon bucket sized exit. Sold almost all my VLD's and might sell the rest - way too much meat damage. Here's an example...

Damn, two deresonators? Did it really help accuracy? Thanks!

SST=AMAX=NBT=SGK

They are all bombs. If you know it in advance, you can put the crosshairs in places where an explosion is a good thing.

Agree 100%. We have killed 3 deer with that bullet and lost a great deal of meat from each deer.

Yeah Calvin, the second deresonator did make a difference, helping an already "good" group shrink into a "great" one. I have experienced this on more than a couple of my rifles that were already accurate with standard loads, but didn't shoot Hornady's Heavy and Light Mag loads quite as tight. With the extra couple hundred fps of velocity came a slightly more open group, which the second deresonator rectified. I might could've achieved the same result by sliding the deresonator towards the muzzle, but I like to keep 'em close to the forearm. I always try loads without a deresonator, but if I'm not satisfied with how it shoots, I don't hesitate to try the donut on 'em.

The Superformance ammo is supposed to be more accurate with it's decreased chamber pressures, and althought I have shot some in 22.250 using no dereson with great results I haven't fully tested the larger calibers but soon will.



This big bodied muley fell to the 165 SST from my old 30.06 in the background that is also wearing double deresonators. The shot was quartering away at 280 yards and the bullet did it job as it always does.

I can't count the number of one shot kills that the Hornady SST has delivered for me through out the years...

Hey, I agree with barrel donuts....they come in handy when you get hungry!

That's awesome... but this is more healthy!

Very destructive, keep em in the ribs.

Gunner

Here is the link to my season last year using 139 grain SST's in my 7mm-08.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...250/My_Deer_2010_Deer_Season#Post4864250

I bounce back and forth between the 139 grain SST and the 140 grain Corelokt in my gun. I've been very pleased with it.

That's a heck of a muley buck there Jeffpg....details? IMO the deresonator is a gimmick, but that' s my opinion. I've been shooting Hornady heavy mag 139 gr SST's and IB's for years now @ 3200+ fps out of a stock Tikka Whitetail. It prints them -1" all day long if I do my part.

I'm digging your system, sactoller.

Thanks JGRaider, but the deresonator is positively NOT a gimmick. At least not according to Webster's definition. Do you say this because you have tested them with negative results? On what basis did you form your opinion?

I will admit to having way too many rifles to play with, and yes I do spend a lot of money on ammo, trying a lot of different stuff in a lot of different rifles and calibers. But I am single, and can't starve anyone but myself, lol. Having a shooting range out my back door, with a covered bench where I can shoot my steel in any weather, I spend a lot of time in shooting in the weeks I have off from my offshore job. Sure, a lot of rifle/load combinations shoot fine without deresonators, but even these can often be improved with one or even two of them installed on the barrel.

It's usually the hotter loads that require a little help to get the tight groups, and some of my rifles handle almost any loads without the use of a deresonator, but not all do. I absolutely LOVE the ones that do, and the donut helps me to LIKE the ones that don't.

It is NOT rocket science... no more than ballistics is. It is simply physics. By modifying the harmonics of the barrel, you can effect accuracy by helping to create a consistency to the barrel's harmonics so that the bullet leaves the muzzle under a more controlled and repeatable pattern of vibes each time. The Browning Boss system did the same thing in a different way. The electrical tape that I see on some barrels obviously do the same, although I would expect to a lesser degree. I haven't tried the tape, but I'd be interested to know some of the results obtained by this.

For more info on the mule deer, here's a link to my story on the hunt...

http://www.muledeeraddiction.com/index.html?pg=articles

Jeffpg, gimmick is a poor choice of words so please take no offense. That Tikka/Hornady setup I told you about shoots so well I just don't feel the need, that's all. It may very well work in some cases. Thanks for the link......great stuff. I'm a muley addict and already have that issue and read it. I just didn't put it together. Congrats again on a real stud.

According to hornady, the sst's are designed for rapid expansion and 50% weight retention, the interlock is 70% weight retention, and the interbond 90%.

Where abouts can I find this?

The big doe i shot last year went about 50 yards before dying. Unfortuneatley it was 50 yards into the brush. I found herafter about 20 minutes of searching. The bullet blew the bottom part of her heart off and she still went that fa. I think it depends on the animal and how much adrenaline they got going on? I have tried them in a couple 7mm08 rifles a weatherby that really didn't shoot anything good so i sold it, and the savage axis i still own. I haven't been able to get much under 1" - 1 1/4" groups with them, and the the lead tip sp 139 grain hornady give about the same results. Thinking of trying a different bullet weight, but not sure whether to go lighter or heavier?

Several years ago I shot some out of a Ruger No. 1 in 7mm Rem. Mag. over book max loads. Don't remember the exact velocity but it was up there. They exploded (fragmented) on WT deer. Never got an exit. Never found anything but pieces. Only took three does with that load before changing. So it's a sample of three. As I understand it they work well when slowed down. So could reasonably be expected to perform well at 7mm-08 velocities.