300 Gr SST's

[maggie221]

What deer hunting experience do you guys have with 300 gr SST's?
I have used 250 gr with varied success and no exit wounds.
Gun was T/C Omega with 110 gr 777,hornady sabots.
I now have a Savage ML and am playing with loads, but my son is using the Omega this year.
Some of these shots were 40-50 yds with no exit, causing me to lose a buck last year due to the lack of a blood trail.
I've heard the 300's are better than the 250's, but don't want to lose another animal.

Opinoins Please.

Thanks in advance--Mark

 

[Savage Shooter]

At BP velocities the 250 gr SST will do just fine.

 

[Semisane]

I have used 250 gr with varied success and no exit wounds.

Some of these shots were 40-50 yds with no exit, causing me to lose a buck last year due to the lack of a blood trail.

I wouldn't call that "just fine".

I've shot the 300's on targets, but never on game. Seems like they have to be better than 250's. Anyone have actual experience with the 300's on white tails??

 

[Lee 9]

The 250 bonded core SW is the same bullet with the jacket bonded to the core they penatrate much better, or the same bonded 300gr SW. I do not know if you can get the Bonded bullets in SST but I dont think so as I dont recall ever haveing seen any. In my guns the bonded and unbonded shoot the same so I use the unbonded cheaper ones for pratice and the bonded ones for hunting. Lee

 

[TritonK]

2 years ago I shot a medium sized 8 point Virginia whitetail at about 40 yards with the 300 grain sst. Deer was quartering away and the bullet entered behind the shoulder and exited the opposite shoulder. I was using 150 grains of triple 7 pellets so the velocity should be close to 110 grains of triple 7 loose. Blood was splattered about 5 yards on the other side of the deer. He turned 180 degrees and made it about 10 yards before expiring. I could not find any indication of the bullet fragmenting while cleaning it.

 

[maggie221]

300 SST's

Triton,

To expand on my 2007 story: had a 40-50 yd broadside shot,resting on a fence pole. Good squeeze and my son was maybe 20 yds away heard the "Thump". Well, dee jumped and ran with tail down sooo I felt good.
We gave him (small six pointer) about 45-60 min. before trailing him.
Did the circle thing and where we hunt is tall prairie grass in old strip mine ground.
Bottom line is you've got to paralyze them-spine or get you a gooood blood trail to follow.
Anyway, followed blood till we ran out, then it's a pig in a poke???
We found the deer the next day while trailing another one about 150 yds away.
After a hillbilly autopsy, he had a classic double lunger with the pink foamy blood out the nose--with NO exit wound.
I did my job, but the bullet didn't!!!
This is not the first deer I shot with no pass thru with 250 gr SST or T/C shockers
With 110 gr 777 powder,close range 40-50 yds,no brush in the way this should have been a done deal.

Mark

 

[frontier gander]

High shot?

Bullet doesnt have to exit to make an easy to follow blood trail. A high shot usually means it will take a while longer for the cavity to fill up and start leaking.

But yeah, i'd go with a new bullet or try something heavier.

 

[maggie221]

Front,

Two hole's are better than one especially in tall grass, draws and autumn olive thickets that are thicker than snot.
I'm a thinkin more grainers are the ticket, just wanted some in-the-field experience.


Mark

 

[TritonK]

Mark,
I have always prefered the heavier bullets for complete pass through and driven them hard to make sure. The deer I shot with the sst was was on opening day of Virginia muzzleloader season 2006. When I went to verify my scope in 07 I was getting a flyer with the 300 sst's so I went to the 300 grain Hornady XTP mag, again on top of 150 grains of pellets. Opening day same stand, a smaller bodied put bigger racked 8 pointer appears almost the exact same spot as the one in 06. Same 40 yard shot but broadside, bullet went in a little high and exited. Deer never took a step. The sst had more "shock" damage on the internals but I did find a small piece of the XTP where it broke off and ended up on the opposite side. I would not hesitate to use either again. Both shots were from a 26" Disc Elite.

 

[big6x6]

PERSONALLY...I've had really good luck with the 250gr SST. Not always an exit wound but USUALLY a dead deer(or aoudad!) pretty quickly! Most of the bullets started out at 2300fps or so although I've shot some that started out as low as 1850fps. Of course the lower the velocity or the longer the shot, the more pass thrus.

IMO...if unsatisfied there are three routes you can take. I'd try some of the Parker Ballistic Extreme 275gr. EXCELLENT bullet. Practially ALWAYS a pass thru. And practically always a heavy blood trail. You could also try some of the 250gr Bonded Shockwaves as mentioned. Then there is the 300gr SST you mentioned. Any of the three would be a good choice although I'd go the 275hnt Ballistic Extreme route.

 

[coh-1]

I have had good luck with both the 250 & 300 grain Shockwaves. (SST?s with different sabots.) I shoot 300 grains and 2 T7 pellets in an Encore 209 X 50 and 250 grains with 3 T7 pellets in an Encore Pro Hunter 209 X 50. I have killed seven deer with each and have had no complaints or lost animals with either. With both bullets, I have had animals drop dead in the tracks or run just a few yards. Depending on the hits, I have had some pass throughs with both but I never have lost an animal with either. Killing shots have been between 40 and 150 yards.

Curtis

 

[Reese]

I have had good success with the 250gr SST on seven deer so far. Using what is now probably considered a short barrel (21"), I use 85gr of FFFg T7. I keep the shots under 150 yards and have had very good results.

 

[Lee 9]

While their are a lot of things that can enter into what a bullet does like how high you aim or just exactly how far forward if you are really looking for consistant penatration use the .454 300gr Gold Dot ; I use the regular 250 Gold Dot myself as I prefer to drop them on the spot [placed exactly in the hollow behind the shoulder and just cutting the lower back edge of the shoulder it has done it every time for me. but for Elk and moose or big bear I like the 454 gold Dot 300 gr, the 454 is the gun its designed for its actually .452 . The bonded 300gr SST or SW is also very good for what you want I would go to a bonded or all copper bullet. Lee

 

[TMAX]

I have used the 250 grain SW (with three pellets) since they were released a few years ago...only had one deer run (50yards, pass thru) after being hit, the other's went down hard in their tracks. I have recovered several shockwaves just under the hide on the off shoulder, indicating that the bullet expended all it's energy inside the deer...which explains the deer dropping in their tracks. I have noted that the regular yellow tip shockwaves tend to shed some weight in these situations, I'm going to try the "bonded" version this year. I like a shot on the front half of the shoulder when I'm within 125 yards, otherwise I shoot for the behind the shoulder lung area. Good Luck !!

 

[Rafsob]

I did very well a few years ago with this fine 203 lb. Virginia six point buck:

I was using the 300 gr SST and 95 grs. of Pyrodex in my TC Encore 209x50. He was taken during the rut. He was running across an open field, looking for a honey to service. The ol=nly problem was I stood in his way.

 

[wayles]

250 sst

My daughter and I went to NM in 2004 elk hunting. She shot a huge 6x6 at 160 yds walking and hit him high through both lungs. He went 5 yards and laid down. I reloaded her and she drilled him through the shoulder. He leaped to his feet and fell over. She used 250 gr shock wave or sst and 100 gr of 2f T7. in a TC 209 X 50 Later in the hunt I shot a 6x6 stright on in the middle of the chest. Jumped him agin 50 yards later and missed. Left him alone 4 hours and foot trailed him [ he was not bleeding] about half mile found him dead appeared to have died within thirty minutes after being shot. I used TC 209X 50 and 120 gr 2f T7 and 250 sst. I will be useing at least 300 gr next time bonded if I can get it. Broadside on deer 250 work just fine. Shot a good mule deer quartering to me last year. about 150 yds. Point of shoulder hit a little high. Dropped him in tracks. reloading gun and deer got up and walked away could see blood where it came out completly covered his side. I left him laying down with his head still up came back at daylight to get my deer and he was gone. Heavy snow during the nit so no blood trail. Looked for him about 24 total hours. Shot angle was good as I seen entry and exit holes. Have harvested several deer with that same point of shoulder shot. Normaly they don't get up. I guess poor shot choice on my part I guess I should have let him turn broadside or walk off it appears. [My experiences with sst 250]
Wayles