Shockwave/SST performance @ 200 yds
 

This will be my fourth deer with the SST. Until now, I have been unable to recover the bullet - but damage to the four deer I have harvested has been considerable up to this point (extreme damage is probbably a better term). Today I was overlooking a large field next to a swamp - I could see out past 400 yds and spotted a large bodied 6pt at 330yds. I watched him for about 45 minutes as he drew closer and closer, feeding on grasses as he drew near. I was elevated in a tripod at 14', and being this was to be my last hunt of the season, I had made my mind up that if he presented me with a good 150 yd shot, I would take it (I had been practicing at 150 and was dead-on (3" groups). Well - instead of continuing on his path, he decided to swim one of the ponds in the swamp, and stood up on a small island no bigger than 5 yds long. When I ranged him - he was 193 yds and sitting there just as still as a 3-d target. Since there was very little wind (5mph) and it was in my face, I decided to hold just over the top of his back - about 3 inches. When the bullet hit him - he dropped like I hit him with a truck - not a step!! Little did I know that I had spined him just above the shoulders. When I realized what I had done - I immediately loaded my second shot (295g PB - HP) and walked to within 50 yds, and euthanized him. Upon cleaning him, the bullet was found lodged in his opposite side, just under the skin. It had completely obliterated the vertebrae above his shoulders. The bullet was in a perfect mushroom - after shattering heavy bone! The load was - 250g shockwave (.50 cal). 90g T7 FFG out of my Optima. What suprised me the most was the trajectory. I expected that bullet to drop at least 4" more than it did. These things shoot flat - and hit hard! Kudos to Hornandy for this projectile.

RE: Shockwave/SST performance @ 200 yds
 

Congratulations on the excellent shot and the nice deer. I have shot some of the Shockwaves out of my Black Diamond XR and have always been impressed with the way they shot. Again, congratulations on the deer....

And thanks for the excellent report of the bullet performance.

RE: Shockwave/SST performance @ 200 yds
 

Congrat's!

The SST 300gr has been an excellent performer for me.

RE: Shockwave/SST performance @ 200 yds
 

If you are sighted in dead on at 150 yds, they are only supposed to drop about 3-4" at 200 yards. I cant wait to kill one next fall with them

RE: Shockwave/SST performance @ 200 yds
 

If you are sighted in dead on at 150 yds, they are only supposed to drop about 3-4" at 200 yards.

- I know that now, but I'm not complaining! Honestly, I tried to euthanize him from the tripod (same distance) with the "second-shot" load as I mentioned above (295g PB HP - 2-50g pellets of T7). I was right on-line with him windage-wise, but the bullet fell about 5 feet short of the mark. So, having only two back-up loads to begin with, I had to make sure I ended the suffering with my final shot.

I would love to try the 200g .50 SST to see how well they group (if I could find some). Imagine how flat those things must fly!

RE: Shockwave/SST performance @ 200 yds
 

Just finished cleaning the fourth or fifth deer I have killed using 250gr shockwaves since changing from powerbelts. The power belts were fine, but was looking for better ballistic performance.

This deer, a 180 lb 5 point, was quartering towards me at about 90 yards. Bullet hit just behind the left shoulder, busted the middle of one lung and the edge of the other, then went through the stomach (yech) which was absoloutly full of corn (about 8lbs or so of it and blew it to crud) then went the rest of the way to the opposite left quarter. The bullet was just under the skin.

I have it and will post pictures later. Absoloutly perfect performance. Counld not ask for a better job.
r
Hank