Nice buck. I'm still looking

Definetly some poor performing bullets. I have never been too concerned with entry holes, it's what they do from that point on that tells the tale.

nice deer congrats

Nice looking buck congratulations

Yes real nice buck. I would also change your bullet choice maybe some XTP's or Harvesters

Whats wrong with Hornady SST? Do they come apart, or won't open up?

smokey92

Just need to tell you right off the bat - this is only my opinion....

The SST/SW is or would not be my bullet of choice for the hunting I do here strictly because of dependability. If I were consistently shooting 125/150+ it would in my opion be a very good bullet. My shots are NORMALLY 20 to 60 yards. It is my thought that the SST/SW will not expand reliably At the those ranges - they are traveling so fast they do not get the opportunity and seem to pencil through if they do not strike a solid bone, and at those closer ranges if they do hit a bone they can come apart - spearate the copper from the lead. Do they do this every time - not even close it would be a very small percentage of the time, but to large for me to wonder... so I choose to shoot another bullet.

And again - just my thoughts... even the XTP's will and do come apart. There are more reliable bullets on the market... again IMO

You hear a lot of mixed stories about the SST. Personally, I have used them a lot for target shooting, and some for hunting. My opinions on this bullet is as follows:

200 SST - good bullet, expands well, penetrates well. Sometimes sheds its jacket with high velocity impacts, but generally still gets the job done. Works well with a muzzle velocity of 1,800 - 2,100 fps. I would be wary of using it with a MV of more than 2,200 fps, as it may come apart on close shots

250 SST - probably the least consistent performer of the SST's. Everything I've seen points to it being a pretty lightly constructed bullet that comes apart and fragments pretty easily. But then on the other hand, you get people saying that it pencils through deer and doesn't expand. I would not use this bullet, personally, although I know many people that do and have success with it.

250 BONDED Shockwave (bonded version of 250 SST) - a great bullet for use at smokeless velocities. Probably too tough of a bullet for deer hunting at blackpowder velocities - will not always expand.

300 SST - Maybe a bit overkill for whitetail, but good for elk hunting.

Will the .300gr hold together on whitetails? Still trying to work an accurate load, then will be able to decide on terminal performance. thanks guys.

Congratulations btucker. Nice buck/miserable bullet performance.

The thing that worries me in the photos he included of the bullets he recovered is that 1. they did not expand at all and 2. even thought they did not expand they still did not exit the deer.