Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 7-08, 139gr. SST

They make a 154 grainer in the SST version.

Never shot SST's in my 7mm-08, but used 140's last fall on antelope and elk in my .270.. they preformed fine.. BUT two animals is hardly a test..

Tried out the 154gr SST's this year. 3-shot groups of .75 outside measure. Didn't find a volunteer in the animal kingdom yet so can't tell you how they work on game.
I have loaded some in my 30-06 and some factory 165's in my 300 Win Mag. As soon as I shoot up the 300 WM ammo, I'll switch to something else.
I've shot 8 deer with the 300 and the 165 SST's. Ranges varied from 75 yds to the longest of 260 (laser ranged that one just before I shot). ALL had 3-4" exit wounds. Whether I aimed for the shoulder, neck or behind the shoulder, same result.
The 30-06 has taken 5 animals with the 165's. All had exit wounds no larger than 2-2.5" and 3 were just over an inch. Ranges were rather short - 50 yds to the longest at 150.
If I get a chance to take an axis, I'll find out how they work in the 7mm-08.

Never had a problem with the SST bullet, I loaded several calibers with them when I ran out of Ballistic Tips, the deer did not notice the difference, and none went more than 10 ft. I stocked up on what I could get right after the Newtown shooting so I have both Hornady and Nosler bullets to load for my hunting guns. I have no qualms about using either.

I used a Hornady factory load 139g in my 7mm-08 and took 2 elk with it. Pretty much bang flop

Both high facing me (slightly turned) neck shots. The one recovered broke the spine, went through the upper shoulder and stopped under the hide. Didn't weight it, but guessing 60-70% weight retention.

Shot was 60-70 yards.

I ran a 139 gr SST factory load into a buck this year at 247yds into the shoulder. A very small piece of the bullet made an exit in the offside shoulder and another chunk out the throat and another out the belly. I was amazed a bullet could do that but I won't shoot another at a deer. The buck ran off like he wasn't hit without blood and I found him about 40 yds in the brush.

Shot a bunch of the 130's out of my 270 (I know, not the bullet in question) and never had a complaint. Killed deer and antelope out to around 400 yards and never lost an animal. Probably 12 deer and 6 goats. My hunting buddy shoots the 139s in his 7RM and loves them. That's a lot faster than you're going to be pushing them. He gets pass throughs 80% of the time I'd say. He won't shoot anything else.

I killed 6 or 7 antelope with Hornady's Light Magnum 139 SST load. Accuracy was good but the meat loss was horrendous so I quit using them. If you're looking for a 139 grain 7mm bullet, the Interlock is a much better hunting bullet.

I had lots of carnage with the 165gr SST in a 30-06 at 2,900+fps. I'd only want to run the SST in medium to heavy weights at speeds below 2,700fps or so. If I had to shoot the 139's in a 7mm-08 carbine, I'd certainly try to get lungs, but I'd not be scared to go the deer woods with them in my rifle.

Tried them in my 7-08 over H414 and could not get decent groups. Switched to 140 SPHs over Varget and got dramatically better results. YMMV

Blow up city! Will not even consider them again. Think Interlokt. powdr

Give me the Interlocks and pass on the SST's.

I shot them for a while in my faux Ti before I switched to the 162 amax. The only animals I shot with the 139 sst's were rock chucks and rabbits. They really opened them up.

Bb