Hornady SST's Performance?

[zeke]

Would like some opinions/advice on Hornady SST/TC Shockwavers.
My son & I both got 8 & 7pt bucks opening and 2nd day of Illinois deer season.
I shoot 100gr clear shot with 250 gr shockwvrs or the 250 sst.
Neither deer had an exit wound but certainly reacted as if hit--tail down back hunched.
My shot was a classic broadside double lung--not a spec of blood with four of looking.
My sons shot was a little farther back in the rib cage and lower--I guess it hit part of the liver/stomach-which is why he hunched his back but did not run. He also needed a 2nd shot to finish him.
I need to go to a sabot or powerbelt that will give me a blood trail!!!!
I am going to practice at da range with maybe 300 gr gold dot's and see how 295 gr power belts do.
I want a blood trail since th area we hunt is tall prairie grass divided by draws and crop fields.
Opinions Please------Zeke (oh I will post photo of my sons deer & recovered SST)

 

[bsn]

Stay away from Powerbelts if you want a blood trail, they are very hit or mis as far as penetration. Normally I get one shot kills with complete pass throughs shooting 200grn .40 caliber SSTs behind 120 grns of 777 on just about any broadside shot. Maybe up your powder charge some or is your powder old?

 

[Anonymous]

CONGRATS ON THE BUCKS.

IF YOU WANT A BLOOD TRAIL I WOULD NOT USE POWERBELTS ( JUNK )

ME AND MY WIFE SCORED ON DOES YESTERDAY OPENER IN INDIANA
SHE SHOOTS A 270GR. SABORTOOTH CONICAL STYL BULLET BY HARVESTER BULLETS SHE HIT THE DOE AT 75YDS IN THE RIBS DOE STUMBELED 20YDS AND WENT DOWN TO STAY. ( COMPLETE PASSTHREW BLOOD EVERY WERE 95LBS F/D )

I USE A 290GR KNIGHT/BARNS SPITFIRE TMZ WITH 95GR 777
MY SHOT WAS 90YDS THREW BOTH SHOLDERS IT WAS A ( DDRT ) OR WHAT SOME SAY A BANG FLOP SHE F/D AT 115LBS .

THESE ARE SOME BULLETS YOU MAY WANT TO TRY

KNIGHT/BARNS 250 - 290 GR SPITFIRE TMZ
GOLD DOT 250 - 300 GR
HORNADY XTP MAG 300 GR
SABORTOOTH 270 - 300 GR

SHOOTING THE SPITEFIRE TMZ THE FURTHEST I HAVE ERVER HAD TO TRACK ONE WAS MAYBE 10 OR 15 YDS ( 5 OUT OF 5 STARS )

GOOD LUCK

RON G.

 

[Paints-n-cows]

I killed a buck on Friday in Illinois with the 250 gr. SST at about 72 yards. The hit was high in the shoulder and right below the spine. He dropped like a rock but required a coup d'grace to finish him. Anyway, there were no exit wound and the shot actually took out the tip of the offside lung.

I haven't recovered the slug yet (have him hanging until tomorrow night) but when I do, I am interested to see what condition it is in.

I was really hoping that I could use the Barnes TMZs but they are just too tough to load.

BTW, I have been using that Shockey's Gold with 100 grains behind that bullet. Cleaning is the simplest thing and I am very impressed.

 

[bsn]

The APP and Shockleys Gold have been VERY inconsistant for me.

 

[fliowa]

THE HORNADY XTP'S IN 250 GRAIN WITH 95-100 GRAINS OF 777 PUT LOW IN THE SHOLDER HAVE GIVEN ME GOOD BLOOD TRAILS. THE 250 GRAIN SHOCKWAVES I USED THIS YEAR HAVE DROPPED BOTH A LARGE FLORIDA HOG AND A BUCK IN THEIR TRACKS.

 

[Ron S]

Here's all that was found of a 250gr. Shock Wave. The shot was at 162yds. in the front of the chest. The buck ran 20yds,and piled up. Great performance,but I think if I was going to try a sholder shot,I would use the "bonded" S/W. Ron

 

[Muzzy]

SST

Shot a 18 1/2" Wide 7 point, and 2 does with the 300 SST's all 3 dropped in thier tracks. The funny think is buddy shoots the same gun and load but for some reason Hornady change the plastic tip on the SST's I used the one's with the hard plastic tip and he used the ones with the soft rubber tips. His 3 deer he killed all ran. We found there is no specifics on when Hornday changed the tips, I have both in the same box of bullets. I just sorted them out. Has anyone else seen this?

 

[jims]

I read recently (unsure where) that all future SST's will use the soft tip and that all sizes of SST's will eventually have the soft tip.

 

[coh-1]

Speaking of tips, last night I was butchering my second Missouri deer that I?ve taken this year with my Pro Hunter and a 250 TC Shockwave and I found the plastic yellow tip. I shot the doe at about 100 yards through the shoulder and I found the tip on the opposite side near the exit hole. I thought it was interesting to find this in the first place and it looked like it had just been pulled from the sabot with no damage to it at all.