Field performance!

[Mike Vaccaro]

I currently have two loads worked up for my Pro-Hunter that shoot well.

300grain XTP
100grains by volume T7 2F
MMP 3Petal Ez

300grain Bonded Shockwave
120grains by volume T7 3F
Factory black sabot

We are all aware of the proven performance of the XTP so my question leans toward the Shockwaves. I have read many reviews, for both the bonded and standard Shockwaves where performance fell short of expectations.

My test showed the bonded to expand well into wet phone books at 100 yards yet I have read many accounts of poor performance. I'm looking for some input from our resident experts on the performance of both Shockwaves.

Additionally it has been said that Hornady makes the Shockwave for TC but nobody has stated if the SST is the bonded variety.

Last but of equal importance, a source to purchase these bullets in bulk. I don't really care if they are called SST's or Shockwave as long as they are bonded and scale 300 grains.

I have digested the forum, Wakemans articles and anything related off the net. I'm sold on a 300 grain bullet driven as hard as possible while maintaining accuracy. I can't talk myself into the price of Barnes or some of the other top end bullets. In my first year with the new gun I have gone thru over 200 rounds experimenting. Would really like to find a bullet with better flight qualities than the XTP while not dropping a dollar per bullet. Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated.

 

[Anonymous]

Mike

As far as being able to buy the shockwaves in bulk not going to happen TC & Hornady makes to much money off these bullets to start selling bulk.

The SST are not a Bonded Bullet They are just like the Reg. Shockwaves

I also like a heavyer bullet I do shoot the 290 gr Spitfire TMZ by barns BUT another Great bollet that I have found that shoots very very well is the 300 gr SPEER GOLD DOT. I find that I get Better Accur. out of the G D than I do with the XTP .

Also you can buy the speer in bulk 50 pcs. to a box $ 16.00 through midsouth shooters supply


RON G.

 

[Grouse]

At 150yds and under, the XTP is a great choice for muzzleloading.

 

[Nic_58]

I would not overlook the load consisting of 110 grs. of Triple Se7en 2F and a 200 gr. T/C Shockwave in the blue sabot. It is a great shooting load in a lot of guns and the 200 gr. Shockwave is a very tough bullet at Triple Se7en and Pyrodex speeds.

 

[sabotloader]

Mike Vaccaro

I really can not say a lot about expensive bullets becase I shoot Nosler Partitions, but my alternate is Speer Gold Dots... they are bonded and a very strong bullet. The .452/300 grain Gold Dot has a BC of .232 and flys along just fine. The BC of the SW/SST 300 grain is .250 so you are losing a little but it is far better than the Hornady 300 grain XTP.

Just a thought..

His a picture of an open Gold Dot - this is a factory pic...

Here is a series of pics of my recovered bullets....

Here is the Speer Info sheet on the 300. The ones you see that I shot were shot @ 1825 fps on average from my White with 110 grains T7-2f

 

[Ron S]

The Shock Wave,has great popularity,and the reason for it is,it just plain works. The bonded SW is for tough large game. Shooting White Tails isn't shooting large dangerous game. They have been taken down by anything from round balls to deer slugs. The SW bullet has allways had a large following form the start,so has the XTP,and Gold Dot. It depends on what kind of performance you are looking for. Long shots,you can't beat a bullet with a good BC,if you want penetration,a bonded bullet would make a good choice. On Deer I like a bullet with explosive expansion. I want to do as much damage to the internal organs as possible. I shot a buck this year at 162yds. with a regular 250gr. SW over 3 50gr. pyrodex pellets. The bullet performed as expected. The buck made 20yds. and dropped. The shot was with him facing me head on. The bullet penetrated his chest,then litterly exploded inside his chest. Upon field dressing him the heart,and lungs looked like they had been run through a blender. The biggest peice of the heart was about the size of a quarter! The rest could have been dipped out with a laddel like soup. The bullet had expended all of it's energy into the animal,and totally disrupted,and destroyed,the major organs. I can't ask for anymore than that. All that was recovered was the copper jacket,the lead core had exploded like a handgrenade! Ron

 

[Critter]

Oh I have 10 or so dead deer that will attest that the STS/Shockwave is a good bullet. I have not shot the 300's on game but I am thinking about adjusting my zero and trying them during our ML and late antlerless seasons. I know the 250's and 200's are deadly.

 

[Ron S]

Critter,I agree! I like to try to match the bullet to the game I'm hunting. If I was going after Elk,or Bear,the 300 would get the nod for sure. I've shot some 300gr. bullets in my Pro Hunter,but really couldn't see any diffrence,in accuracy. I'm sure the diffrence would be noticed on large game though. Ron

 

[choc-dog]

Sabotloader,

Thanks for sharing your info.

Chocdog

 

[sabotloader]

choc-dog

Here is another set of pics you might like to see...

This was a comparison of Gold Dots with XTP's into the same medium... The XTP's came apart. Ron seems to like this effect but I truly do not. I do not want them to blow up - power belts do that... I want the bullet to hold together - pass through and create massive hydrostatic damage to the internal organs. That is why I shoot Partitions - they do exactly that.... The 4x4 that I shot this was quartering down hill to me and my shot placement was not the best - so any way I got in high and behind the left front shoulder. I did get the bullet into a very smal part of the chest cavity then out the diaphragm though the internal (dang mess) and out the right side through the last rib. When I opened him up needles to say I had a huge mess in the rear cavity, but really impressed me was the condition of the chest cavity - both lungs were completly blown up - just red jello - the hear was intact but I bet I only got the very corner of the chest cavity but the hydrostatic damage did it'd thing in both cavities...

 

[zeke]

Shockwaves & Hornady SSt's

My experience with the SW and SSt's have been with the 250 gr bullets with 100 gr 777 ff and with slear shot also 100 gr.
My problem is that these bullets don't exit on deer and there is little to no blood trail.
Where I hunt there are thick areas and tall grass--so I need blood trails.
Expansion seems ok,but why can'y the bullet exit on thin skin game like deer?
I have lost 2-3 deer due to these factors and have switched to 300 gr Gold dots and XTP's for our second firearms season.

 

[Critter]

zeke,
Every one of my SW/STS hits have exited, all of them from 15 to 110 yards. It's odd that none of yours have.

 

[big6x6]

With most of the critters I have shot SSTs/SWs have NOT exited. Including both 250/200gr. Those that HAVE exited are usually longer range shots(>140yds) or when using 100gr or less of Triple Se7en.

 

[Ron S]

The S/W SST's seem to have a "sweet spot" that being a max velocity of around 2000fps,before they really become explosive. To me they perform much like a varmit bullet,when pushed over 2000 fps. They expend a huge amount of energy (read shock) to the animal,and the internal organs. I've never had one pass through the deer,but I have had massive blood trails from the point of impact to the animal (averages around 20yds). If a bullet does it's job (killing the animal quickly) I don't really care if it stays in one peice,or totally disentragrates. (I'm not going to use it again). I do allot of coyote hunting in the off season. Last year we got some PSP bullets on sale,the first coyote we hit with one,just spun around biting at his side and ran off. I'm sure he died(it went right through the boiler room) we found blood but not a lot. The next coyote we shot,we used the old stand by bullet (Hornady V-Max,kinda like a mini SW now that I think about it). That coyote jumped straight up in the air,and came straight down,kicked twice,and it was over. I've got a friend that is a mechanic. When we describe the heart/lung damage to him,he smiles and says: If ya take out the intake,and exhaust,plus the fuel pump is gone,your not going very far! I can't help but grin every time I think of that! Ron

 

[zeke]

Hornady SST's Performance?

Wanted to expand a little on this years first season's buck.
Opening morning I had a 50 yd broadside shot at a decent 8pointer with a solid rest-in the open.
Took the shot and the deer reacted as if hit and the shot felt good.
Tail was down and he ran off.
My son heard the famous thump!!
We looked and looked, but with no blood in thick brush its a hail mary.
Well the next day we were looking for another deer in the same area and found my buck with a classic double lung shot and the pink foamy blood coming out his nose. The meat was spoiled,belly bloated so all I had was the rack. I hate to not recover an animal or injure one due to my fault.
My load was a 250 gr SST over 100 gr of clear shot loose powder fffg.
I would say the deer went about 100 yds before going down.
No exit wound,bullet stopped opposite side pelt.
Somthin ain't right?????

 

[choc-dog]

After reading everyone's experiences with different bullets it seems apparent that the 300 gr weights are more reliable than the shock-wave 250 gr bullets.

It must be a bullet construction issue rather than a bullet weight issue.

Your comments on this are welcome.

Chocdog

 

[desertbull]

Re: Hornady SST's Performance?

Wanted to expand a little on this years first season's buck.
Opening morning I had a 50 yd broadside shot at a decent 8pointer with a solid rest-in the open.
Took the shot and the deer reacted as if hit and the shot felt good.
Tail was down and he ran off.
My son heard the famous thump!!
We looked and looked, but with no blood in thick brush its a hail mary.
Well the next day we were looking for another deer in the same area and found my buck with a classic double lung shot and the pink foamy blood coming out his nose. The meat was spoiled,belly bloated so all I had was the rack. I hate to not recover an animal or injure one due to my fault.
My load was a 250 gr SST over 100 gr of clear shot loose powder fffg.
I would say the deer went about 100 yds before going down.
No exit wound,bullet stopped opposite side pelt.
Somthin ain't right?????

Did the deer have a lot of fat on him that plugged up the entrance hole? Seems that there should have been blood pouring out of the entrance wound if it was double lunged. That's weird. There was no blood on the brush where the deer was running either? Sorry for your loss though.

I like it when the bullet stops at the opposite pelt. That means that the bullet has dropped 1500 or so lbs of energy into the vitals and penetrated all the organs in its path.

I like the Dead Center bullets myself. Accurate and tough. I shot my antelope right behind the front shoulder, quartering to me, and it exited right in front of the opposite hip. Went through 3 feet of antelope and kept on going.

240 grain Dead Center with 100 grains of T7 at 60 yards.

 

[Critter]

With most of the critters I have shot SSTs/SWs have NOT exited. Including both 250/200gr. Those that HAVE exited are usually longer range shots(>140yds) or when using 100gr or less of Triple Se7en.

That must be it, I used to use 90 grs in my LK-93 and now I am using 100 of FFg 777 in my Elite. Maybe I should try a bigger charge to see if I can recover a bullet.

 

[Doohan]

I would shoot the 300XTP hands down. I have witnessed good 300 bonded performance but it was at smokeless speeds.


The 300 XTP is a known entity, it will perform, it will handle velocity well above what it was designed for...... $$$$$ in the bank IMHO..




My one and only bullet these days is the 275 Parker Ballistic Extreme.. It does it all.

 

[zeke]

Input

Thanks for your input fellers.
I have re-sighted my Omega at 100yds with 300 gr Gold dots and 110 gr 777 ffg.
Hopefully this will give me more THUMP and a blood trail,
Second season in Illinois starts today,but I can't hunt til tomorrow.

Zeke