Can’t find the massive 6.5 bullet test threads but don’t know if these were in it or not.
Comparing the 120 Nosler BT and the 129 Hornady SST, which one of these is tougher?
Please note I’m not asking BT vs SST in general, as I know both of these types of bullets have undergone changes over the years, but specifically looking for comparisons between the current 6.5 120 and 129.

For background, I don’t handload. I’ve been shooting BTs in my 260 but see that Hornady loads the 129 SST. I don’t know why they won’t load an IB or GMX for the 260 but oh well. If the 129 SST are tougher than, or at least about the same as, the BTs I may give them a try.

Also, the 7mm 120 NBT gets great reviews around here due to its thicker jacket. Out of curiosity, how does the 6.5 120 NBT compare to it?
Has anyone ever sectioned the two for a side by side comparison?

Thanks in advance

They're both probably so old and pics absent that they're not as relevant as they were then, but here you go.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...4/huge-264-bullet-test-with-lots-of-pics
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...s/4783400/huge-264-bullet-test-part-deux

Seems like thirteen years ago the Nosler 120 was fairly soft compared to the other bullets. That surprises me.

120gr Btip


140gr SST (sorry, I didn’t do the 129gr)

Bump

What speeds approximately did they touch down at? Both look pretty danged good..

beretzs, not BCSteve, but I'm guessing these are from his 6.5 Test a few years back. He loaded to mild 6.5x55 velocities.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/11184704/1

Steve is the Campfire's "Bullet Tester" extraordinaire!

Thanks Brad.

Thanks for the links and pics.
I’m about to change scopes and clean anyway so I think I’ll go ahead and switch to a Partition or TTSX.

Don't forget Scenars, 123 and 139. They're tough, accurate and deadly. Do a search for Scenarshooter and check out his portfolio of dead critters.

My Swede prefers the 139 over MRP to about any combo.

My Creed does great with 123's over Varget.

DF

Not much difference between the SST and BT now. I prefer the 129 inter lock for general use.

129g Interlock does not let you down, if your rifle likes them!

When shooting SST's, I would go heavy for caliber

6.5-140g
7mm-154

7mm 154g sst is a super bullet on white tails, we use the 154g Interloc on hogs. 7 mags will shoot a hole through both shoulders on a large hog with the 154g IL, it was our elk bullet also out to 550 yds with R#25 win WLRM primers.

Two friends went to Africa with Weatherby 7 STW's with the 162g sst loaded and took the 6 major plains game each, all one shot, MV of 3150, lot tougher bullet than the 154g sst.

This is exactly what I have experienced as well.

Are you guys sure about the Scenars as I thought they were marketed as a target bullet?

What they are marketed as is irrelevant. Do you believe marketing? Do hot chicks surround you when you drink a particular brand of beer?

That said, yes, Scenars are marketed for paper punching."Target" bullets have been found by many of us to perform exceptionally well on actual animals in actual hunting scenarios to our complete satisfaction. I use "target" bullets to kill animals as least as often as I use "hunting" bullets. I've not used Scenars, but it is obvious that they work at least as well as Hornady BTHP and ELDM, or Berger. Some say they work better. I have found ideal bullet performance from the cheaper Hornady versions, and this year, I'll try some Nosler RDS and Barnes Match Burners.

Like Brad said, I loaded them up for approximative 100 yards impact speed from a 6.5x55 or .260 Rem (and I guess 6.5.Creed now )

Here’s the Hornady 129gr IL for comparaison.

I used the 129 grain Hornady spire point in my 264 win mag for mule deer.

Do a Fire search for Scenarshooter and check out Pat's extensive portfolio of dead critters via Scenars.

AND, don't tell him Scenars are only for targets...

DF

thank you for posting the picture, I keep coming back to 129g IL for Swedes, generally very accurate & easy to load.

Of course either 123g or 139g Scenars are too...

125 partitions would be great. I use 120 TTSX in Creeds, 140 Ballistic tips in 264’s and 26 Nosler rifles.

Count me as a 139 scenar believer.

The 136 also worked great on the one antelope i shot with it.

I have some 136L's loaded for my Creed. I've not killed anything yet with that bullet.

What's the terminal performance like? As a LR bullet, I was thinking it may be a tad softer than the 139, but have not seen any reports.

DF

I don't worry about the two that the op mentioned. I have used several different bullets and now shoot the 129 Interlock entirely in my .260s. They are very accurate, inexpensive and perform well. No need for anything else for what I do. I have read that the SST is a better bullet now, as well as the BT, but I will never load another SST in anything. There are too many other choices.

I shoot 147 ELDMs in one Creed, and Speer Gold Dot 140s in the other. The 129 does extremely well in the Creed, too, and I will probably go back to it, when these bullets are burned up.

They might be, IIRC they have a little less lead in them (hello Captain Obvious) in the nose, but I don’t recall if they have a thinner or thicker jacket than the 139. I have no complaints with the way it put this antelope down. However I personally decided to stick with the 139.

Hit this guy at 235 yards with the 136L, impact velocity was right around 2,600.

Entrance was on right shoulder:




Exit:



Internals:

The last time I recovered a 120-grain 6.5mm Ballistic Tip was a decade ago, when I shot one started at 3100 fps just inside the right shoulder of a doe pronghorn almost facing me at about 250 yards. The bullet was recovered under the hide of the left ham, retaining 59.4% of its weight.

Haven't tried the 6.5mm SST on anything, but two years ago went on a whitetail and pig cull/trophy hunt in South Texas with some other folks. We were all using .308 Winchesters, with Fiocchi factory ammo loaded with 150-grain SSTs. The ranges were all inside 150 yards, if I recall correctly, and we didn't recover a single bullet, even on a 200-pound buck shot frontally at an angle, and a 200-pound boar shot through both shoulders and the spine.

In general, I have found Ballistic Tips and SSTs act much like Interlocks of the same approximate weight and diameter these days. When recovered (not many are) they all retain about 50% of their weight, give or take 10%. This is true even when Ballistic Tips lose their cores, because the jacket weighs more than in conventional cup-and-cores.

Hey Marty,
Who is the guy in the picture with you?

Doug,
His nickname is Scrawny.

My, my! They grow up fast, don’t they.

I tested them both in wet phone books. Performance was similar with the BT penetrating a little better and the SST expanding a little wider. I’d not hesitate to use either where appropriate.

Here is the link with pictures.

https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co.nz/f15/6-5-bullet-test-results-28258/

Nice find! Glad to see my pictures survived over there.

Wow! That was one heck of a test. I know it took a lot of work, so thank you. Here are a few of my impressions.

Your test affirmed my belief that Partitions are never the wrong choice. The Interlock surprised me! For a budget bullet, it did the job. We don't hear much about Swift. Both the Scirocco and the A-frame were impressive.

You don't hear too much about Swift, but they look like they will get the job done.

I have only used the Nosler 120gr BT but did so for a long time on Deer and Antelope in a .264 Win Mag and for 99% of the time it worked great with complete pass through. I even made my longest shot just over 500 yards on a Antelope.
I have almost cut a coyote in half I shot at close range it was like a bomb went off.
I finally decided to move to a little heaver bullet and tougher and now use Nosler 130 AB.
In anything smaller than .264 Win Mag you will be completely satisfied with Nosler 120gr BT.
It was only on close in shots I had a problem. Never lost a animal just made mess.

Interlocks are called the poor man's premium.

Interlocks are called the poor man's premium.
[/quote
yes the interlock is a great hunting bullet and is indeed termed as "the poor mans partition".
Big Ed

Enjoy....

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...77783/all/Deceased_via_Scenar_bullet_pix