Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Anyone actually like using Hornady SSTs on Game?

I've seen a mix of reviews on these and some saying they made the copper a bit thicker to prevent them blowing up. Anyone like using them to harvest game?

I personally never used them even though they do well on paper, heard a lot of stories of them blowing up, whether true or not I can't tell, maybe if they were loaded under 3000 FPS they would perform better, other people swear by them.

I used them for a few years in their Superformance 7mm-08 load. Accurate enough and an instant drop on a couple of deer, but I thought that they were a little soft at the near 3,000 fps that Hornady advertised for that load. BT’s are a little harder and give me the same drt results. SST’s were said to be their Interlock with the plastic tip and I did like their Interlock load from my .308 though the deer did run farther after the shot. Always an exit with those, so a good blood trail resulted.

139 in a 280 at just under 3000fps has worked very well on 8 or 9 deer. Only 1was recovered, a perfect mushroom.

In 270 Winchester with a max load of Reloader 22. Most deer move 3' vertical after the shot. The ones that run leave a blood trail Ray Charles could follow. 120-170 pound Virginia whitetail with lung / heart shots or slight quartering.

I used the initial version in a 308. It was an 30yd, easy broadside shot, aimed behind the shoulder. The SST hit a rib came apart only taking out one lung. I recovered the deer (it is the one in my avatar pic) but it was a pain and took several hours of searching. I was not happy with them. It was reported that Hornady toughened them up a year or so later. IMO, they must have because there are a lot of them out there and few stories of their failures anymore.

I had a couple boxes of 150 gr for my 308 given to me. Didnt group worth a damn in my rifle. Gave them to a guy that liked them.

I have had excellent results with the 154gn SST out of my 280. As an added bonus, the 154 interbond shoots same POA with the same load. Very accurate loads at about 2900fps muzzle
I shoot beanfield whitetails, paper and steel plates with the SST and reserve the IBs for when I think I need something more. Haven't yet. I think they act just like Nosler BTs

They were a little soft when introduced, just like the NBT. Run the old ones 2400-2600 and they work rather well, just like the '80s NBT.

I used one once.

Once.

I do, though I have only shot a couple of animals with them, both antelope. Last year’s 150 entered breaking the last rib, ranged forward exiting ahead of the offside shoulder. Pretty mushy inside. Maybe 25 inches of penetration. Near max load of RL17 for right at 3000 fps. I will use that load again this year for deer.

I use the 150 grain in my .300 Savage. They perform well for me. That being said they don't get pushed that hard I'm my loads.

never had a problem with them-7mm-08, 7x57, 270, and 7mm magnum.

Love them !

95gr in the .243 & 117gr in the 25-06.

Both in factory superformance, @ around 3000fps = dead deer.

I do stay off bone (other than ribs).

Used 123gr. 7.62x39 on a couple pigs. They worked but I'd like something tougher for hogs. Should be ideal for deer or social work.

Killed a hog with a 117gr. .25-06rem. Seemed a little too fragile for my liking. Not going to be buying anymore.

I could never get the SST to shoot real well in the couple of rifles that I tried them in.

I like the way they shoot, but only took two animals with them. 165's IIRC in an '06. They do leave a big hole and I could see how some shots would damage a lot of meat.

I'm not the biggest fan of polymer tips in general, but the 170 SST tops my current deer load in 8mm-06. No issues thus far.

SSTs are meat grenades.
l stick with Interlocks.

I found the SST’s to be very accurate in the 25-06, 7x57, and the 6mm. I bought 5 or 6 boxes in each calibers. After using one on a whitetail from the 25-06, I sold all the boxes I had, CHEAP. That deer had an entrance wound that looked like a softball could have safe passage through it. The bullet blew out the other side and I never found the bullet. The hole on the opposite side was smaller.
I read where they are tougher now. I would have to see the good results myself. There’s other bullets on the market and I’m getting too old to try something twice, when the first time sucked.