Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting Hornady SST minimum impact velocity and opinions?

I recently started a post on Sierra 215s 338 cal that I shot out of my 338 WM that did not expand at around 2400fps. They were pretty accurate out of my rifle and the last few times out I had 100% hits on 12" metal gongs out to 900 yards.

I decided to drop the 215s after what I saw and what some of you guys experienced with the same bullet.

I went and got a box of 200gr SSTs and had promising results my first time out. I know the BC is only around .455 but the drop is way less than 250s at 800 and with a 15mph wind at 90 degrees the wind drift is about the same as a 250 with a BC of .550 (if the 250gr muzzle velocity is at around 2650).

The groups below were the first two groups I fired with the SSTs at 100m. These were two different seating depths with 73gr of S365 Somchem powder (IMR 4350 burn rate). Think I am close to it's sweet spot.







What is the minimum impact velocity required for expansion with these?

I will limit hunting distance with them to 800m. They are well priced around here and would enable me to shoot plenty of them compared to some other brands. I would appreciate any opinions on these.

Thanks

Pieter

That particular bullet, Hornady thinks they are tougher than I do. That said, SST in general, minus a couple weights and cals, open readily. I'd suggest staying close to the std 1800 for good performance though.

Seems to me that SSTs are soft. I think they would be fine for opening up at lower speeds, much like Ballistic Tips or the A-Max. I use BTs in reduced loads for my daughter's 7mm-08 with good effect and will try SSTs in my wife's .260 this year at medium-ish speeds.

Have used them in both 7-08 and 30-06 out to around 300 meters.Close in they are almost too much expansion for light-skinned smaller big game animals like a whitetail. Out at 200-300 they open fine with good effect on game. Like HuntnShoot said, stick around the 1800 and you should be fine.

Thanks for the info. Good to hear that they expand easier. I was thinking the other day and the 215 Sierras not expanding at velocities similar to a 220gr leaving the barrel of a 30-06 is not understandable and not a smart design (as some of the guys said).

Pieter

entrance hole

exit hole

2010 killed 1 deer 162 gr SST 7mmRM 3100 fps muzzle [2430 fps on impact], kill was at 400 yards Ruger #1, 1.75x6.5 scope

If you are thinking, "That was just a doe.", I would like to say, that was a BIG doe. I needed help to drag it 400 yards to the truck. Making a big mule doe go bang flop at 400 yards takes a good bullet.

I get better accuracy at the range with that SST than other heavy bullets in that rifle; 0.73" 5 shot @50 yards. That sound bad, but I can barely see the target with 6.5 power scope, and the other bullets do worse. That rifle at 3100 fps is kicking like a mule, and I have poor accuracy skills with heavy recoil.
If they stopped making Nosler Ballistic Tips, I would switch to SST, a very good substitute, in my mind.

You can make targets to fit your reticle/magnification/distance combination. It really works well when developing loads, shooting actual drops at distance and so on with low powered scopes and/or scopes with heavy reticles.

I don't want to hijack the thread, but mathman, can you explain (in a separate thread) how to make such targets.
I assume you need the reticle subtensions and "coverage" at specified distances with "x" magnification and make target posts that thick?
I have wondered about the 6mm SSTs too, for practice and switching to hunting bullets for the real deal.

Thanks

Sponxx, the 6mm SST is deadly on all Texas game if not pushed too hard. Keep the impact velocity down around 2800 fps or less and you will be good to go.

Randy

In this graph the SST is called "interlock".

It shows that penetration in deer bullets is ~ 14" across a wide range of terminal velocities, while partition bullets regulate to more like 20".
For deer, use deer bullets, those animals are more like 14" thick.