Experience with Hornady SST on deer?

[Trapper1960]

I'm thinking of using them out of my Ruger M77 compact in 7.62x39 this year for deer. Shot are usually less than 100 yards where I hunt. What are your thoughts?

Thanks
Bill

gun)

Bill, I think they work great for "deer sized" game. Go for it!

Mark

 

[Billdogge]

Thanks Trapper. I'm going to see how the gun likes them.

 

[Trapper1960]

I've found that 44 gr. of IMR-4064 works great for me with these (my best groups so far) good luck and let me know how they shoot for you.

 

[Billdogge]

Will do

 

[pburton]

Last year I used the 150 grain SST for my .300 wm. I shot two deer. The first was a whitetail doe at around 70 yards. Quartering away shot right behind the front shoulder. There was a hole the size of a softball through the opposite side shoulder. The second was a whitetail buck at around 150 yards. Again behind the front shoulder and again a large exit wound on the opposite side. Neither deer took a step. They do some serious damage at shorter ranges.

 

[Brentster7189]

I just started reloading the 162gn SST's for my 280. Thinking of switching to the 154gn Interbonds though. I'm loading the 139gn Interbonds for my daughters 7mm-08. I don't have any experience yet on taking game with them as I have just been shooting them at the range. I'm hoping the Interbond perform well though, I plan on using them on deer and elk.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

I would suggest that for deer you go with the Hornady SP or BTSP and then go with the Interbond for your elk hunting. The Interbond normally will not expand enough on deer as they are made more for the bigger game like elk and moose for deeper penetration before full expansion occurs. I'm shooting the BTSPs in my 30-06s for mulies out in Wyoming every year and find that the Interbonds shoot to the same POI, which is nice in that I don't have to rezero if I draw an elk tag.

 

[bigbrother]

The 154 SST works extremely well on pretty much anything out of the 7. I've taken groundhogs, pronghorn, whitetail, mulies, a couple of caribou, red stags, elk.. oh and I shot a red squirrel with one once too! Interestingly, while the SST will shoot 5/8" all day long out of my gun the 154 Interbond will not. I've never been a fan of "premium" bullets anyway because I'm a true believer in the only thing premium is the price. I make this comment in the context that the "non premium" bullets work great and in a lot of cases much better when the game is smaller and the impact velocity isn't as high so I've had no need to pay more money for the same or worse results.

Antelope at 409 yds and stag at 190 yds...both are obviously dead

 

[Trapper1960]

Nice pics, just curious, did you recover any of the bullets? if so, how did they look?

Mark

 

[bigbrother]

The only one I've ever recovered was from a caribou shot at 335yds quartering away. The bullet went through about 42" of animal and stuck in hide after blowing out the shoulder. I cleaned it up it weighs 88 grains. About 1/2" diameter jagged edge mushroom with about an 1/8" of bullet shank on the bottom.

 

[Daveinjax]

I have shot a pile of whitetails on crop damage shooter permits and hunting , well over 50 deer with the 7mm 139gr. SST bullets. I send them at 2950fps and they have all peformed well. I think most problem come from over driving them. Most bullets don't hold up well if if driven over thied designed velocity range. The guys shooting light for caliber bullets out of big magnum rifles are setting themselves up for failure. Also , IMHO the barnes bullets are a poor work around for a bad california law. They have no place outside of a no lead zone. Putting the heavier than lead metal in the base is a good idea but the price is crazy high. As for meat damage , don't shoot them in the shoulders and expand the bullet in good meat , shoot just behind the shoulder and destroy the back of both lungs.

 

[Daveinjax]

I just started reloading the 162gn SST's for my 280. Thinking of switching to the 154gn Interbonds though. I'm loading the 139gn Interbonds for my daughters 7mm-08. I don't have any experience yet on taking game with them as I have just been shooting them at the range. I'm hoping the Interbond perform well though, I plan on using them on deer and elk.

The 162sst is made for elk sized game with a velocity around 2850 to 3150. You don't need a bonded core bullet. Most people get poor accuracy from bonded bullets and pay more for it
lightbulb

 

[Topgun 30-06]

+1 I don't recommend the Interbond unless you are going for elk or moose because normally it will not expand properly on deer sized game. I use their BTSPs on deer and antelope and go to the Interbond for elk. None have failed me yet.

 

[jwp1964]

I hunt with a 6.8 AR and last year I switched to SST 120g bullets. Took a 260lb Kansas Whitetail Buck with it. Only a 50 yard shot head-on. Absolutely liquified his internals after going right through his heart. Devastating result.