I shoot TC Omega, 100gr 777, and 300gr Shockwaves. I shoot awsome groups @ 100 yds with this setup. I am having 2 problems, they are hard to load, and the bullets are not expanding. I shot several deer @ less than 20 yds and in every instance the bullet just passed right through the deer. Also happened several times last year with 250gr Shockwaves. I shot a doe this weekend, less than 20 yds right through front shoulders and lost her. Any suggestions...Thank you

Bullet report

A buddy of mine just got back from N. Carolina on a hunting trip. The guys using the 300 gr. Shockwaves/SSTs got the same results you did.

Those SSTs are designed for speed & long yardage travel & deep/pass-thru penetration. They do not function properly if speed & long yardage are not met. In short yardage situations, bone contact is much more suitable for them to do their job. Your 100 grain loads/no bone contact & 20 yards traveled do not suit that SST/Shockwave bullet to your hunting style. You need either the "regular" Hornady XTP 240 gr. (not the XTP-Mag) if you desire to stay with copper or buy a pack of soft-leaded T/C Cheapshot 240 HPs. Another good one is the Winchester Platinum Tip 260s. The XTP-Mag bullets are tougher skinned -- much like your SST. They shine with powder charges of 120-150 grains.... plus a few new MLs that let shooters use 200 grains.

Do not buy the T/C Mag Express Sabots either. They are 240 grain XTP-Mag bullets. You need to find the Hornady XTP brand. If the bullet is difficult to load, change the plastic sabot to a Harvester sabot. They come packaged in 50. If you want to buy bulk bullets to fit the 50-pk plastic sabots, a good 240 or 270 gr. bullet with good expansion for short distances are the Speer Gold Dots. Find them & also the Hornady XTP bulk bullets in the reloading sections of hunting stores.

Just remember to buy 44 cal plastic sabots for the 429-430 bullets & 45 sabots for the 451-452 bullets. You can expect to read posts from SST users who don't agree with me, but in certain weather conditions like 100% humidity, warm to hot weather, below sea level altitude or in a few instances where the micrometer specs of the SST skin is a little undersized (factory 2nds offered by some stores), the SSTs/Shockwaves may expand without hitting bone. So in a "few" instances that may get reported here, deer harvests with SST expansion have occured using your method of hunting.

That same reason was a concern of mine when selecting the bullets to shoot this year out of the Black Diamond XR. I knew in the southern end of the state where shots would be 100 yards or better the Shockwaves were the right choice. In the northern end of the state where shots might reach 50 yards I am going with the T/C Mag Express in 240 grain XTP out of the rifle. Or I am using a .58 caliber shooting a 405 grain Buffalo Ball-et hollow point. I am sure that will make a hole through them.

One thing I want to point out, if you put a .45 caliber hole through a deer's heart you will kill that animal, the question is how far it can run before you recover it. All I can say for your wounding is, change bullets but keep looking... they are laying out there if you placed your shot.