No question in SST performance for me

[12ptdroptine]

On some other forum's I have read questionable comments about SST 250gr performance. That if it hits "solid" bone that it might fragment... Everything I have ever shot with this bullet has went down quickly except for my very first deer with the Encore...8 years age..a 135 yd bad shot buy me.Not the gun or bullet's fault. But since that time and getting to know my load's and gun better ..They all drop very quickly. All my exit wounds (never had anything less than a complete pass through) have been big enough to put a golf ball through. Here is my deer for this season. Shot at 125 yds. He went about 50 yds . Bullet did its job again. Drop

[1187VX2]

I've killed several with the 250 gr XTP and A few with the 250 gr SST.  You're right about how great the SSTs (& XTPs) normally work.  Now I never hit any solid bone with either, but I did kill my biggest buck with an SST last year.  He was quartering to me and the bullet hit upper shoulder/neck & angled back into the lungs.  No exit wound & I found the bullet pieces lodged in the lungs.  The lead core had seperated from the outer jacket and hadn't even gotten to the other side of the rib cage.  The deer never took another step & this isn't 'bullet failure' in my book - it did it's job.  However, these bullets certainly now are questionable for me on other than broadside shots.  Just how close to failure was that bullet?  I don't want to find out the hard way & switched to Barnes bullets for hunting.  I do still use the SST's for the majority of my practice rounds, as they're cheap, I have them and trajectory is very similar the the Barnes at least out to 200 yards. 

[ricktile66]

I used to use the Barnes bullets but had two problems with them.  They were impossible to load in a dirty barrel and had to be beat down a clean barrel.  They shot well and dropped everything I shot with them in their tracks.  Started using the SST this year.  They shoot well, are easy to load and dropped both deer in their tracks.  One at 50 yards and one at 142 yards.  Won't ever use anything else for hunting.

[pozoutdoors]

I used to have an encore .45 cal. and always used the 200gr. sst!! They were awsome!! The only way I ever retrieved a bullet was to do a texas heart shot. Other than that they would go on through!!! I can't wait to see how the 250gr sst does in the .50 this next winter!!!!

[DennyRoark]

I've collected a handful of picture perfect SW's over the last few years, generally 80 to 150 yd shots with 100gr Pyro RS.  One was at 25 yds, hit the off side shoulder blade and zigzagged up into the neck.  Bangflop!  My current Omega X7 doesn't shoot well over 80gr, tho and was disappointed with bullets performance at slower speeds.  I got a big doe at 75 yds, one lung and liver (quartering towards me), complete pass thru and she went over 400 yds.  My wife got a small buck with the same load from her Sidekick at ARO 125Yds.  Bullet broke the upper leg bone and passed thru as well.  He went 200 plus yds, stopped and licked his shoulder and fell over.  I don't think either opened up as the exit holes weren't much bigger than the entry.  I have a buddy that shoots 150gr Pyro pellets and has a handful of copper "flowers" taken from under the off side hide.  His were blowing up until he switched to the bonded ones.  I shot three into a 5G bucket of mason sand @ 90 yds before the season and all three were again picture perfect mushrooms.  I now have mixed emotions about this bullet.  All in all, still a good accurate bullet, but I have my doubts about lower velocity use.