Changing from SST

[kevmag]

I using hornady SST at the minute but i find that they make a massive amount of damage if i shot in the chest area, there perfect for neck shots but at longer range i'm more comfortable shooting at the chest.

 

What would be a good replacement for the SST? i have be using them for a year and its the only type of bullet i have used before.

[moor man]

Hi Kev, I reload for 6.5x55 using Re 22 and SST129g, I find them v. accurate in my rifle. They do occasionaly cause more damage than I would like but will stick with them till they are gone. I find meat loss through shot/blood damage more if neck shot, however ive had chest shot deer with good shot placement + end up with messy gut damage through fragments of bullet. I really rate the old fashioned Speer RNSP/hotcor? good reliable expansion, just an honest opinion. In future I plan to develop a flatter round for fox and may go back to lighter SSTs for that. Most of my stalking is woodland and as such mainly close range ie. under 100m, obviously fox to 200m+ is more than a possibility on open land hence sst for accuracy.

What calibre, heads, powder,etc. combination are you using? What deer species?

Shot a heavy fallow pricket earlier this week with sst, textbook (but the round slipped between the ribs) ATB, MM.

[Bewsher500]

interlocks

 

Partition performance at Aldi cost

[kent]

quite calibre and quarry specific- we dont know this for sure.

 

I used to find the same with .243 and 95grn SST, impacts speeds were too high especially at shorter ranges. Nosler 95 grn balisic tip solid base hunting bullets replaced them being my favourite 6mm Roe bullet. I am figuring its not Roe though as your in Ireland, so go up to the partition type of twin core bullet for Sika etc in 6mm or especially if its a bigger slower deer calibre rather than a fast one try Seirra pro-hunter / gameking. Calibres like 243" ,25-06, .270 etc can be a bit meat hungry with lighter more frangible bullets at short range / high impact speeds chest shooting in my experiance

[kevmag]

Hi Kev, I reload for 6.5x55 using Re 22 and SST129g, I find them v. accurate in my rifle. They do occasionaly cause more damage than I would like but will stick with them till they are gone. I find meat loss through shot/blood damage more if neck shot, however ive had chest shot deer with good shot placement + end up with messy gut damage through fragments of bullet. I really rate the old fashioned Speer RNSP/hotcor? good reliable expansion, just an honest opinion. In future I plan to develop a flatter round for fox and may go back to lighter SSTs for that. Most of my stalking is woodland and as such mainly close range ie. under 100m, obviously fox to 200m+ is more than a possibility on open land hence sst for accuracy.

What calibre, heads, powder,etc. combination are you using? What deer species?

Shot a heavy fallow pricket earlier this week with sst, textbook (but the round slipped between the ribs) ATB, MM.

 

Thanks for the info, i'm using factor hornady i don't reload at the minute, but they are 150 grain SST for a .308, 29.50 a box so there not the cheapest round there is,

 

If i hit a chest shot and hit a bone there is massive amount of damage to the meat, i remember taking a hole shoulder of a few times that was very badly damage and couldn't be used.

 

Its most red deer, lowland deer so there are very well feed, a few sika but not much.

Edited November 9, 2012 by kevmag

[kent]

150 grn pro-hunter or gameking from seirra, dont know who offers these in a factory load- if no luck try something with Nosler partitions (i think fedral might do this load)

[kevmag]

150 grn pro-hunter or gameking from seirra, dont know who offers these in a factory load- if no luck try something with Nosler partitions (i think fedral might do this load)

 

When i got my last few boxes of hornady the gun dealer had federal 180 grain soft point .308 win, there the same price as the hornady SST

[Bewsher500]

personal wouldnt touch federal factory ammo again

I found it very destructive

 

decent quality bullets in factory ammo are always going to be pricey

any decent Soft Point Norma etc will be fine for your needs

[kent]

personal wouldnt touch federal factory ammo again

I found it very destructive

 

decent quality bullets in factory ammo are always going to be pricey

any decent Soft Point Norma etc will be fine for your needs

 

Its not the brand its the bullet head thats used Fedral do Varmint, target and Deer ammuntion even large dangerous game stuff. Now i shouldn't say fedral was rubbish if i took the 70grn balistc tip made for fedral by Nosler i have in the safe on a buffalo hunt and neither should i use them on deer. Bullet selection is very mis- understood by handloaders let alone those who only use factory, one must simply delve a little deeper and check out manufacturers websites etc. In general never listen to the fool behind the counter of the gun sellers

[Bewsher500]

my point in reference to the Federal Soft Point game bullets in factory ammo in the post above ...they are poor quality IMO

nothing like as predictable as better made (not necessarily more expensive) soft point bullets (norma, Hornady, nosler Sierra,...)

 

my experience was with 150gr SP in .270 on red deer

only bought as I needed some and they had no Norma

 

they fractured leaving multiple wound tracts and huge damage for otherwise straight forward bullet placement

[kent]

my point in reference to the Federal Soft Point game bullets in factory ammo in the post above ...they are poor quality IMO

nothing like as predictable as better made (not necessarily more expensive) soft point bullets (norma, Hornady, nosler Sierra,...)

 

my experience was with 150gr SP in .270 on red deer

only bought as I needed some and they had no Norma

 

they fractured leaving multiple wound tracts and huge damage for otherwise straight forward bullet placement

 

Like i say lots of different bullet heads have been available in fedral. See Dunkelds recent post for instance, they are available with more suited heads to purpose from this manufacturer. All bullets will ocasionally fail to act predictably, so much depends on were it strikes at what angle and at which speed, its more about how often things go bad. I had great results on paper with Fedral 100grn .243 win factory when i first started but by crickey they recked some meat on the other / exit side- it put me off the .243 as a deer rifle for a few years until i started to play about and understand the terminal performace of bullets more at which point it became my firm favourite

[njc110381]

In my 6.5x55 I found the Federal 140gr soft point to be a very nice bullet. I don't know what the .308 version would be but it could be worth a try.

 

Maybe try upping the weight a little. Heavier bullets that are designed for bigger game often hold together better and make less mess, you just need to take care that you don't go too far as a big game bullet will go straight through and do nothing.