Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 338 225 gr SST for elk

Will this bullet do well for elk at 2950 fps or so?

Any experiences?

Fotis take a look at this info. Assume you,re talking 338 win mag. In any case.

Good luck and shoot straight.

Bob


http://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/.338+Winchester+Magnum.html

For cow elk? Bulls? SST's are not known to be the toughest bullet on the planet. I won't even use them for deer, even though they probably work just fine. I'll be packing my 338 next week for elk. Like you are proposing, I'll be shooting 225 grain bullets but they'll be North Forks. They work perfectly, and I never have to worry about terminal performance.

Got it, basically stay away unless one can guarantee between the ribs shot...Which I can not when hunting elk.. LOL

What an odd question. Hornady recommends them for large/dangerous game, and they have an SD of .281. They aren't going to bounce off. SST'S have a reputation for opening fast and making large wound channels. I'm sure that Hornady knows its bullets pretty well. A lot of guys talk about how frangible SST'S are, but in my experience, if you pick the proper SD version, they make exit holes just fine, and usually huge exit holes.

I worked up a load for a good friend for his 270 for deer and elk, and he settled on the 130 SST's. I got them going 3150 out of his rifle, with half-minute accuracy. He has killed several deer and elk with that load. Before that, he had only shot factory ammo, mostly federal, and mostly their premium line using Partitions, and he thinks that the 130 SST rounds are the best hunting rounds he's ever used for his rifle on his yearly deer and elk. I have to admit that I had my doubts, because I prefer a higher SD SST for elk than the .242 of the 130 .277", particularly at such a high muzzle velocity, but Hornady recommends them for large game, and the guy gives me another rave review after every hunting season.

I know that the 30 cal 180 SST loaded to just over 2700 CAN exit through the ribs on elk around 100 yds. I know that the 7mm 162 SST started at 3050 CAN exit elk at close range to about 450, from several different shot angles. I know the .338" 200 SST CAN exit elk on broadside shots through the ribs.

I can only imagine that the .338" 225 SST would be more of the same, but I happen to like SST performance on big game, and I advocate for their use. I've seen them do massive damage, and I've never seen them "fail" to put an animal down.

Well, this is great! My gun loves these.

I just always heard they were very explosive......

Last year at elk camp one of the guys shot a bull in the shoulder with Hornady 338 ammo with 225 sst and it did not get through the shoulder it made a mess of the shoulder. It did turn the elk enough so the 2nd shot was behind the shoulder and did the job.

I do like the 225 interbond in my 338. I worked the load up with the SST and switched to the IB without any loss of accuracy.

Lots of folks say the SST's are "just like Ballistic Tips"...they couldn't be more wrong. They do resemble the early, first iterations, of the BT's, but not the BT's on the market today. Each one has undergone numerous upgrades, mostly toughening them up.

Well, certainly not definitive info, but I found the .338 200gn SST to be rather soft when shot into dry media. However, if it was damp, they actually did quite well. As well as a 180 BT for sure. My sister has killed bulls with the 180gn 30 cal version with no issues. FWIW...

FYI from Hornady Fellas

Exactly why I don't buy a bullet based on how it performs when things are perfect (as Hornady is implying). I want to know how its going to perform when Murphy's Law kicks in. Nosler Partitions, North Forks and the like are largely immune from Mr Murphy.

I'm not a "hard" bullet guy for most of my uses. That said, if I had a job that needed my 338 mag then it would be a job I'd address with a 250 Partition which the rifle loves.

SPS has several 338 cal blems in stock....when in doubt...4 out of 5 shoulder shooters prefer Partitions or monos....

Great way to think about bullets and big game!

I would give either the 210 or 225 gr TTSX a go. They should shoot very well once you land on the seating depth "spot", which in a Bee should be easy, and will handle about any proper shot on elk. No need to await the perfect rib shot.

Except for one 250 grainer in Nosler Partition, every elk taken (about 14) with 338's has been a 225. All have been bang/flops at ranges from 160 yards up to 580 yards. The only one that didn't exit was an SST and there were lots of pieces all over the wound channel. They do the job. Don't recall the range at which I took the elk with the SST but it was around 300 yards. I've never placed much importance on 'bullet performance'. If you got the elk quickly and humanely, the bullet and you did the job. It's really a matter of shooting and bullet placement. They'll all kill if you do your job.

210 Swift Sciroccos from my 338 rum does well.

You'd think they might toughen the 338 up a bit. Not many 338 shooters who need rapid upset

While were offering alternatives, I'd try a 185 TTSX out of a win mag. That would be a flat shooting, two hole making, Murphy proof alternative. Might even be a tad easier on the shoulder. Oooh, just looked at Hodgdon reloading data; a 160 TTSX at 3200+ with a temp stable powder like H4895 would be really cool!

Well I returned them and got the TTSX so I Worked up a load today for my 340 Bee Weathermark.

Anyway 88 gr of RL22 3150 fps with a 210 TTSX
Guess I am ready for everything