I happened to look outside right before dark and noticed a black blob motoring across the lower portion of our property. So I grabbed my Contender with its 24" MGM 6.5x30-30 AI barrel and hobbled outside. He was nowhere to be found and had likely dropped off into the creek bottom to wallow and cool off on this scorching day.

In a couple of minutes, though, I saw more movement, and a sounder had just stepped into a clearing. They hesitated when they cut the tracks of the hog that passed earlier, and it was all I needed to get the crosshairs of the S&B 8x56 onto the vitals of the biggest one out there.

The hog, a reddish-brown sow with salt-and-pepper highlights, was slightly quartering towards me, and when the heavy A4 reticle made its way onto the front portion of the shoulder, I touched off a shot, sending the 123 grain SST at 2600 fps MV on its way to greet the 190-yard target.

The hog stumbled at the shot, whirled and made 8 to 9 yards before giving up the ghost. The bullet performed as designed, breaking on on-side shoulder, nicking the very top of the heart and wrecking the lungs before exiting just behind the opposite shoulder. The dime-sized exit and souped innards -- along with a number of tiny jacket fragments -- was just the performance I expected from the bullet as it is more fragile than the 120 grain Ballistic Tip and penetrates less than the lighter Nosler in expansion testing. But for this application, it is very-well suited, though I am not certain this hog would agree.

This was the first hog I have been able to use the S&B Klassik on, and its performance really paid of. I still had a bright, vivid and contrasty image that showed plenty of detail, despite the fact it was virtually dark. And the A4 reticle drew my eyes in to where they needed to be and showed up exceptionally well in tough conditions. I found this scope in mint condition and paid less than I would have for a Z3 3-10x42 (or even a 3-9x36!). I still had to part with a few favorites to get it, but I am really thankful I did so.

So very proud of seeing you out there again, doing what you love!

My absolute best, Bobby!

quote:

Originally posted by Doubless:
So very proud of seeing you out there again, doing what you love!

My absolute best, Bobby!

Me as well.

Excellent job and a nice write up, appreciate you sharing it.

Nice hog and story Bobby and it's really good to see you hunting again.

Hey, if you ever run out of ammo give me a shout and I'll drive down and help you thin the herd.

Take care......Ike

Good stuff, BT.

I tried a few of the SST's years ago (circa 2005) in a 300 WSM. Nailed a hoglet at 120 yds. @MV of 3,150 fps. What a mess.

Have stuck with less frangible bullets since.


Best,


GWB

Thanks, guys.

Geedubya-Yes, they are definitely frangible. With some of the SSTs, it seemed Hornady simply modified the forward portion of the original SP bullet to accommodate the tip without any regard to internal geometry, and that wasn't the best overall recipe for success. The 123 grain 6.5 is a little different in that it was designed from the ground up, so to speak, but it still doesn't translate into a deep-penetrating bullet if the impact speeds are high.

I can get by using them because the MV is just 2600 fps. ANd on a brute, I'd have to be really careful with shot placement. I normally prefer the Noslers, but when I ran low, I found a deal on these, and they happened to shoot exceptionally well in this barrel, so there's more of a premium on accuracy with this particular load.

With my earlier 6.5x30-30 AI, I tried the 129 grain SST when they became available. A cursory look at jacket and core fragments in wound channels would have you thinking you used one of the old small-cal SX bullets. They did put game on the ground, though. But I killed a ton of stuff with the plain-Jane 129 grain SP and preferred its performance; it worked very well for me as long as the impact velocity remained within a certain range (optimum in my testing back then was 2100-2500). The Noslers are much more forgiving in that regard.

Good to see you got out again for a change.
Hope you're feeling better these days.
George

Another nice looking hog you got there.

My experience with the SST is in the 284 cal. In my 280AI they were about as good as a Vmax. I don't use them at all.

I did pick up a new box of the Amax ELD-X bullets. See how they shoot out of the 7mm mag and 280AI.

I agree with you and wouldn't use the SSTs in anything from .308WCF capacity-type cartridges on up.

With its pedestrian starting velocity and the fact I am no longer mobile -- meaning my shots will never be inside of 150 yards -- they perform OK for me in the 6.5x30-30AI. But they are far from what I consider optimal. And when these are gone, it's back to Noslers for me.

Nice pig there Bobby!

It's odd; I've had pretty good experiences with 129 grain SSTs in my 6.5x55. I've killed hogs, deer, and pronghorn (several of each) and have yet to recover a bullet though they produce a nice wound channel, great blood trail, and dead critters. I guess the ol' Swede is chucking them out there at just the right velocity to perform the way they do.

It's also a good possibility Hornady has tweaked them by now. My experiences with the 129 grain SST all came within the first year of so of introduction. I do know from speaking with them at that time that there were quite a few calls regarding performance. I have not used them since.

Back then, I simply went back to the standard 129 grain SP and didn't look back. What MV are you getting in your Swede? That's one of my favorite calibers. I used to load the 140 grain GameKing ahead of a book charge of Re-22 for around 2650-2750 depending on the gun and enjoyed fantastic results. But I also used the Speer 140 HC and Hornady SP with equal success.

Before launching any at game, I ran the the 123 grain SST through the paces in test medium, and -- with its 2600 fps muzzle speed -- it will positively expand for me as far as I ever intend to shoot. Even at 200 yards, the wound cavities are wide with bits of jacket and core fragments in evidence, but it certainly does the job -- as this hog would attest (if it could ) But the 120 grain BT does penetrate better and retain a bit more weight. It will also expand somewhat better at the outer limits of my range, but either will do the job.

In most hunting scenarios, it would not matter at all as both will kill cleanly, particularly on thin-skinned game like whitetail. Should the chance for another brute porker ever arise, I'd likely be a bit limited in shot placement choices with the 123 grain SST (among others!) but would have no qualms about killing it.

That could be Bobby. I know when I played with 150 grain SSTs in my .308 during that first year I was sorely disappointed. I busted a couple feral Spanish goats down in the Hill Country and remember thinking that those SSTs behaved like big Vmaxes!

I have never ran my 129 grainers over a chrono to know what velocity they're running. I load a pretty stiff charge of Re19. I played with 120 and 140 grain Barnes XLCs before trying the SSTs. They're so accurate and have performed so well for me on the game I shoot with that rifle that I haven't tried anything else. I'd like to try 130 grain Accubonds someday...

Hey Georgeld -

I meant to tell you that I did load up some of the many bullets you so kindly sent for the twins to use. When things cool off, they plan on perforating a porker or two in your honor. Rest assured I'll be sending pictures!

With a mild load in a heavy-barreled .308 WCF, recoil is soft, and it grouped really well for them (H4895 and the old-style Silvertips).

I have a feeling the hogs will NOT like that bullet or load.

Next on my agenda is getting them to shoot more of the cast bullets you sent, too.

DesertRam-

When you wrote "those SSTs behaved like big Vmaxes!", I could hear myself saying the very same thing as that was my assessment of the 129 grain SSTs early on as well.

Yes, they killed everything I shot with them -- no doubt about it. But it just wasn't the performance I wanted from a bullet. When it comes to putting game down on the ground in a hurry, the Berger Match Grade Hunting bullets are at the top of the heap, but they, too, aren't for me -- and while I know they work, I still don't use them on a regular basis.

Bobby, you must get a Christmas card from Thompson Center every year :-)

Bobby:
Good to hear it. Am waiting on the pictures now!Ha!

It did me as much good just to clean off the shelf as it does you to get them. Afraid to ask if you found evidence of the dust I had to clean off the boxes!
Most of those I inherited from an old friend so you'll be doing Mac a favor by killing a few pigs with 'em too. Several of those boxes were priced in the $3-6/100 just to give you an idea how old they might be. Hope they work well.

Good luck and hope you get better. Deer season is closing in on you. Fine looking young bucks you sent pics of.

George