Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game SST Vs NBT (which is tougher?)

OK, so I've never used a SST (that I can recall) but I always thought that the SST was a bit softer than a NBT. Have used the NBT to fill up several arks.

Thinking of giving the 129 SST a go in a 260, so what's the deal and which one is tougher if one is more so than the other?

Many thx gang

Dober

I used the 140 SST (in 6.5x55) on one caribou hunt a number of years back. I still think the bullet looks cool in all its sleekness, but the ones I landed on the 'bou from that trip sure weren't very cool to look at. In fact, I really didn't find anything that resembled the original bullet. Granted the deer were all shot on the run, and away from me so you get some idea what the impact zone ended up being.

Oh, and by the way, the 120 BTs I've used on 'bou have always been recognizable bullet lumps, even the early renditions.

Shoot the 120 NBT, and the 130 AB, and between the two, you'll find something good.

Let me know if you want those dies..

The 120 NBT most certainly has my attention, thx

Dober

Thx Rancho, but I found a set that made their way to my truck the last trip to SW so I'm good.

Thx

Dober

(I take it you and yours got the other thing sorted out?)

I wouldn't use the SST again on a dare.

My (smaller) experience mirrors Klikitarik's. 140 SST out of a 6.5X55. It killed the deer, but I would be more inclined to use them as a varmit bullet. I most certainly would not shoot for shoulders with them.

The BT, even the old style, have held together better for me.

I shoot those BTs pretty quickly in my Swede using 7828 or R 19. Those may seem slow juice for the weight, but they must leave pretty good tracks in the sky 'cause every pill seems to follow the same path as the first.

I've seen a handful of SST kills. They are bombs.

I have used both the 129 sst and 120 NBT in a .260 and like the NBT better in both on game preformance and accurcy

I used a 150 grain SST on an antelope hunt from a 300 WBY. They work awesome if you get them slowed down a little. 400 yds wasn't too far. It was what I had on a moment's notice, so I used it.

The 129 SST in .264 caliber are quite good bullets unless you are pushing them from a .264 magnum.

Never been a BT fan since I blew the head completely off a coues whitetail with one about a million years ago. (right after the switch from solid bases).

If you want a really good tipped 6.5, get a Scirocco.

NBT are much tougher IME.

Thx gang, sounds like my bullet tuning fork was pretty much right on.

How about the Speer 120 HC, anyone done anything with it?

Thx

Dober

I have shot at least 10 deer with 130gr SST in my .270. Impacts ranged from under 100yds to just over 500yds, and I have no complaints. They exited all the deer I have shot with them, and the deer expired quickly.
I would use them in any rifle for sub 300lb animals. I had some bad experiences with the early 130gr NBT and haven't shot anything but varmints with NBTs since.
I am actually considering trying to get my .270 to shoot SST and GMX to same POI so I can practice and deer hunt with one, and switch to the other for elk, moose, sheep and bear.

Yep! We'll see where it goes.. Thanks.

I am running H4831 and 129gr Hornady IB's in my 6.5x55AI. The have been perking with min fussing FYI.

We tried the SSTs in a .257 AI, a 7mm-08 and a .280. They are bombs. The 117 SST in the.257 AI turns coyotes inside out. Never had a 6.5 so I can't speak to that, but the 120 BTs are our staple in the 7-08s and the .280 for deer and pronghorns.

Before I handloaded I shot 95gr nbt in 243 and my brother shot 95gr sst's in 6mm. He always killed his deer and they worked well but dang did they make a mess. Didn't seem to be near as tough as nbt's. That's the only comparison I have but I'd pick nbt's due to that.

Dober, I know this ain't the classifieds but I have (200) 129 grain 6.5 SSTs I will sell for about half what I paid if ya want to at least try them out. 1 box is unopened and 1 box has only had the seal broke. PM me if interested.

I used a 165 grain SST in 30.06 and shot a doe at approximately 30 yards maybe a little more and was less then pleased with the bullet perormance. I won't use them again. On the flip side my buddy uses a 140 grain ballistic tip out of a 7 rem mag 2 grains over max and kills deer just fine.