Hornady 130gr sst?

ole5beards · Post by **ole5beards** » February 2nd, 2013, 2:56 am

I'm gonna need help from some of you ballistics guys. I shoot a rem 700 in .270 caliber. The best group I've had came from the hornady 130 gr sst. First off what does sst mean or stand for. I used to shoot the same bullet out of my .308 however alot of the deer I shot with it ran a good ways before I found them so I went back to the .270. Back to my questions. I always thought sst was a ballistic tip. When I shot my buck the other morning he was about 80 yards away and my shot was high in the lungs. However I didn't find much blood at all but fortunately I found the buck. When I was looking at my shot I noticed that the exit hole was almost the same size as the entrance hole and that's why the buck didn't bleed much at all. Anyhow that reminded me of the last 2 bucks I shot with my rifle. One was last year. 320 yd shot on a powerline. I knew I hit the deer but we found no blood at all and just happened to walk up on the deer dead. Same deal small exit hole. Well rewind about 4 years ago when I was shooting the .308. I shot a buck at 100 yards had a good rest and nailed the buck. I looked for about 4 hours and never found any sign of hitting the deer. I started convincing myself that I had missed, but I really felt confident that I hit the deer. Anyhow about 2 weeks later I was scouting that area where the buck ran off and I caught a wiff of something dead. After a brief search I found the buck dead. He ran about 300 yards. He was eaten up pretty bad that I couldn't find where I hit him. I've been thinking about this since yesterday. I tracked it back to this bullet. Same grain sst in .308 & .270 with the same results on 3 different bucks. I'm beginning to think SST stands for Super Speed Technology, because that's all that bullet does is speed right through the deer doing minimal damage and disappointing exit holes and blood trails. Again the only similarity on these 3 bucks were that bullet and this bullet shot the best out of both my rifles. So I'm thinking I need another bullet. Does this sound about right for this bullet? If so anyone else have this type experience with this bullet? Just trying to figure out why I got these results with the same bullet.

Spuriosity · Post by **Spuriosity** » February 2nd, 2013, 8:02 am

The SST (Super Shock Tip) is Hornady's answer to Nosler's ballistic tip. They generally have a great reputation as a deer bullet. They have a high BC, i.e. they are streamlined with a boat tail and plastic tip. They are non-bonded ard generally held to be a fast expanding bullet. They are generally not known for penciling through game, but open pretty explosively, especially at higher impact velocities. They will generally exit animals when hit broadside, but may not on raking angles or when heavy bone is encountered. They are supposed to have the interlock feature that locks the core to the jacket (like the excellent Hornady Interlock SP and BTSP), but I have heard varying reports about that. It is possible that the small exit wounds you have seen were the result of the bullet losing it's jacket and the core squirting out and through without expanding.

The only critter I have shot with one was a coyote with a 7mm-08 at about 60 yds. It had an orange sized exit wound. BTs and SSTs are usually pretty accurate, but I prefer a little stouter constructed bullet in case I have to make a less than optimal broadside shot. Hornady's Interlock SPs have worked very well for me, usually exiting the deer, but they do not have the high BC of the tipped bullets. If you like the tipped bullet style, Hornady's Interbond or Nosler's Accubond are good choices, as are Barnes TSXs and TTSXS. Some will argue that those are too tough for deer, but you will definitely get an exit wound every time with them.

Your findings are unusual. If you have any of the rounds left, you could send them to Hornady describing your results. They might send you a box of something else. Hope that helps.

frank1969 · Post by **frank1969** » February 2nd, 2013, 9:01 am

how fast are you pushing them

Johndoe · Post by **Johndoe** » February 2nd, 2013, 9:26 am

Lee
I shoot them in 140gr. Superb performance always. A hi lung shot can give you problems as the hole can clog with lung and the cavity will fill with blood. Little to trail. Not the bullet. Its shot placement.

John

Shooter · Post by **Shooter** » February 2nd, 2013, 11:12 am

I really don't know what to tell you. Those bullets are designed to expand fairly easy.
I have had bad batches of bullets before, but since you had the same results with two different sizes, I just don't know.
I'm a Nosler guy, through and through. In all my years of using them, I do not recall one instance where one has failed.
They do have two different Ballistic tips though. One for small animals, which pretty much explode on impact, and the hunting version for deer sized game, which is designed for a controlled expansion.
I've had the best luck with the Accubonds and even Partitions.
Partitions were designed for larger game, such as Elk, Moose, and Bear, but they do nicely even on our small 130 lb deer here in TN.
I have had great success with Hornady, and Sierra bullets too. No problems come to mind.
I can tell you this though. Do NOT use the Sierra Matchkings on deer, they do NOT expand,...lol
Let myself get talked into using them on a deer a few years ago. Punched a pinhole right through, and the deer didn't even run. He just walked off like nothing into a thicket and died slowly.

ole5beards · Post by **ole5beards** » February 2nd, 2013, 11:40 am

If you get a second go to the Mr.Squiggles post. Zoom in on picture 3, that's the exit hole. Zoom in on pic 4 and you will see the entrance hole. Look behind the bend in the elbow and you should find them both. Again I know my shot was a touch high however I just expected a lil bit bigger exit hole. I don't want to sound like I'm bad mouthing this bullet because its a great grouping bullet and has shot the best for me. Just got too thinking after I shot this last buck and the only explanation I came up with was that bullet. Could be I got the only 2 bad boxes!! Figures, if it weren't for bad luck I wouldn't have any!! Anyhow I appreciate the feedback.

HookedSpur83 · Post by **HookedSpur83** » February 2nd, 2013, 12:07 pm

I use the sst for .308 reloads in 165gr they work great for me good exits on all except for one. On that one it centered the shoulder bone and it was just under the skin. But it done a lot of damage on the inside

davisd9 · Post by **davisd9** » February 2nd, 2013, 6:32 pm

Try the Barnes vortex 130 gr. Great bullet!

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk 2

ICDEDTURKES · Post by **ICDEDTURKES** » February 2nd, 2013, 10:07 pm

I do not have the vast knowledge some of these reloaders have, but I have been on a bunch of track and kills as well as skins.. I mirror basically what shooter has said about the Nosler Accubond and Partitions.. I have seen enough deer with SST and other non bonded ballistic tip bullets where they worked as intended but now how I prefer a bullet to work.. If I wanted a ballistic tip bullet it would be of the bonded variety Accubond or my father shoots the bonded Hornady Ballistic tip the Interbond with great results.. As mentioned the TTSX Barnes is one wicked bullet. The SST muzzleloader bullets are complete garbage..

Just this past fall a good friend of mine bought a 300WSM.. He was going bullet shopping and I told him, no unbonded ballistic tips.. Well what did he buy the Federal Nosler BTs.. He remarked how well they shot on paper.. Fast forward to his trip to NE.. He shot two deer, complained how he had no blood, no exit.. But remarked at the damage in the deer.. Worked as intended but not how I want a bullet to act on game..

The more and more I shoot deer with Barnes out of a rifle and muzzy I am becoming an all copper guy.. I do not see how the Barnes bullets can fail and they provide high weight retention and almost always a awesome exit.

drenalinld · Post by **drenalinld** » February 2nd, 2013, 11:17 pm

Good bullet if kept under magnum velocities. It will come apart on impact at 3,000 fps or more. If impact velocity is less than 3K it will do fine.

Tom, you and I agree on the Barnes solid copper. They are the real fail safe for me. The TTSX is da bomb!

slickyboyboo · Post by **slickyboyboo** » February 4th, 2013, 12:45 pm

Shooter wrote:I really don't know what to tell you. Those bullets are designed to expand fairly easy.
I have had bad batches of bullets before, but since you had the same results with two different sizes, I just don't know.
I'm a Nosler guy, through and through. In all my years of using them, I do not recall one instance where one has failed.
They do have two different Ballistic tips though. One for small animals, which pretty much explode on impact, and the hunting version for deer sized game, which is designed for a controlled expansion.
I've had the best luck with the Accubonds and even Partitions.
Partitions were designed for larger game, such as Elk, Moose, and Bear, but they do nicely even on our small 130 lb deer here in TN.
I have had great success with Hornady, and Sierra bullets too. No problems come to mind.
I can tell you this though. Do NOT use the Sierra Matchkings on deer, they do NOT expand,...lol
Let myself get talked into using them on a deer a few years ago. Punched a pinhole right through, and the deer didn't even run. He just walked off like nothing into a thicket and died slowly.

I agree, I have been shooting noslers in several different calibers for years, and never had a problem with results from them. I have decided to shoot some SSTs in the .280 I am building, bought some in 139 gr and 162 gr, so we shall see how they work. If I can get the gun finished, I am going to try to take it lope hunting this fall, if the trip works out.

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