I shot them last year out of a 260 Remington. 129 grain SST's at well under 3000 fps. Shoulder shots, neck shots and rib shots. All equal dead deer. I wouldn't hesitate to use them again. The caveat being that the starting velocity be under 3k fps. (or the shots taken be at 150 yards or greater).
Each his own.
That's the bullet my mom was using. Shot was 175 yards and the bullet blew up on the shoulder near as we could tell. Deer never recovered. Not worth the gamble if you ask me.
Interesting.
"The number one problem with America is, a whole lot of people need shot, and nobody is shooting them." -Master Chief Hershel Davis
My brother shot a small buck with his 7mm-08 and 139 grain SST. Deer standing 75 away broadside. Just behind the shoulder entrance and exit straight down through the brisket - bullet never made it across the body cavity. Probably the strangest bullet results I have seen. Luckily, the exit at the bottom of the brisket bled pretty well and we recovered the deer.
Even though it's reported that the newer SST's are an improvement over the earlier ones, I'm still not convinced to try them again, based on my earlier disappointment.
To me, there are just too many good choices to circle back and try those again. I will keep reading reports, won't say never.
These pics are of a buck shot@ 25 yds this year with a "newer version" 154 Gr SST from a 280 Rem. Deer stumbled another 25 yds and was down for the count
1st pic is entrance
Last edited by Highoctane; 12/13/18.
"Pride is the only disease that makes everyone sick except the one that has it"
My son got about a golf ball size exit and short blood trail from a 150 grain SST from his .308 this last season with a lung liver shot. I used an older version SST 139 grain from my 7mm-08 on my last deer and it dropped at the shot from a quartering to shot from a tree stand that probably got his spine. No exit on that one which will have me shooting up those old ones and getting the newer stronger constructed ones. I haven't had many down right there deer and I'm a little put off about watching an animal writhe around on the ground in front of me in its death throws instead of it going down 50 yards away and out of sight. Contrast that to a previous buck that took the 140 grain TSX Barnes that ran away and hid after leaving 5 drops of blood and I don't like that either.
My other auto is a .45
The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of low price has faded from memory
My son got about a golf ball size exit and short blood trail from a 150 grain SST from his .308 this last season with a lung liver shot. I used an older version SST 139 grain from my 7mm-08 on my last deer and it dropped at the shot from a quartering to shot from a tree stand that probably got his spine. No exit on that one which will have me shooting up those old ones and getting the newer stronger constructed ones. I haven't had many down right there deer and I'm a little put off about watching an animal writhe around on the ground in front of me in its death throws instead of it going down 50 yards away and out of sight. Contrast that to a previous buck that took the 140 grain TSX Barnes that ran away and hid after leaving 5 drops of blood and I don't like that either.
I'm not sure anyone is ecstatic about this part of hunting but it's all apart of it. Let's face it, a deer Down RT, shot through lungs/heart only lives a few seconds. I hope my death, when ever that is only takes that long...
"Pride is the only disease that makes everyone sick except the one that has it"
And some folks would be amazed and maybe otherwise if they saw what it takes to die.... just cause it runs out of sight, all that means is you didn't witness the rest....
We can keep Larry Root and all his idiotic blabber and user names on here, but we can't get Ralph back..... Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over....
I shoot 'heavy for caliber' everything , 117gr. 25-06 , 162gr. 280ai - no wacky results so far . 208 amax in 308win. , my favorite - thanks MontanaMarine !
PRESIDENT TRUMP 2024/2028 !!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Bristoe The people wringing their hands over Trump's rhetoric don't know what time it is in America.
In my experience, the present SST's act very much like Interlock Spire Points of the same diameter and weight IF driven to the same muzzle velocity.
Velocity is apparently big factor that creates so much controversy over bullet performance. It can even make a difference in much "harder" bulets than SST's (or Interlocks, Ballistic Tips, Core-Lokts, etc).
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
I shoot 140 grain SST's from a 270 WSM at 3175 fps. Most shots are between 200-250 yds. The exit wounds look much like common cup and core. I've hit deer at less than 100 yds too and the bullet still holds together. I like 'em.
This season's buck fell to a 200 grain Hornady Interlock RN out of my .35 Whelen, a quartering shot at 100 yds. The bullet passed thru the chest diagonally coming to rest just under the hide on the off side, it was perfectly mushroomed and weighed 122 grains.