In a previous post I promised to publish the results of my expansion testing of the new Hornady 225 grain SST bullets in soaking wet phone books. From prior testing of hundreds of bullets and comparing them to actual field returns we are confident that these results will be similar to actual field results in game. These bullets appear to be very soft and I would be hesitant to use them on bigger moose or elk sized game although they would be acceptable on smaller deer sized game. However, from the damage they did in the phone books they would leave a fairly explosive entry wound similar to Nosler Ballistic Tips. I shot 2 bullets at 50 meters and they retained 65 and 64% weight and their cores. I shot 3 bullets at 100 meters and they all separated the cores. The retained weights were 60, 63, and 63%. I shot 3 bullets at 200 meters and the retained weights were 66, 75, and 68%. One bullet lost its core. The muzzle velocity was 2825 fps and these were shot from my 338 Win Mag. If you shot these from a more powerful rifle I think they would act like varmint bullets. They are very accurate however and they will make great cheaper practice bullets if the Interbond and/or Accubond bullets shoot to the same POA. Steve

Thanks for the advice and test

Steve,
Those results are along the lines of what I found shooting the 150 and 165 grain .308 SSTs out of my 300WSM. My test were not as extensive as yours regarding the various ranges. I recovered bullets fired only at 100yds. Fragmentation was such that I was concerned about encountering bone...white-tail front shoulders. Althought they were accurate I chose not to hunt with them and opted for the Barnes instead. I will try the IBs when they become available.
Thanks for posting your results,
Dave

We tested .30caliber 165 Ballistic Tips and 165 SSTs at 2600F/S muzzle at 50 meters,too.The SSTs were slightly better.I use the 180SST on deer and average sized moose (under #500 at butcher ).

Finally a source! I purchased my first 338 WM today, but in anticipation(and cooperation) I loaded up some 225 SST's for a friend who also shoots a 338WM but does not reload. I have never encountered such a mystery bullet. Not only does Hornady not list the BC on the web site but a Hornady Tech told my friend it was .447, which seems somewhat mediocre to me. The biggest surprise was finding load data that was anywhere in agreement with one another. I still have found no 338 SST load data. After reviewing many conflicting scources on the net I settled for the data in Speer # 12. My two Hogdedon manuals were no help since I was loading IMR-4350. A 338WM 225 gr Speer SpPtBT in manual #12 lists 71 to 75 grains of IMR4350. I explained all this to my friend and he contacted Hornady and they told him 64 to 68.5 grains of IMR4350! I feel like Elmer Fudd during wabbit/duck season. So now I face dismantling our eighty rounds of 338 ammo with 71, 72 ,73, and 74 grains of IMR4350. Unless by the way, someone knows something this lawyer fearin Hornady Tech don't. Also, we were going to test the terminal performance of these rounds in preparation of our next moose hunt. Good to know info from your SST tests. thanks

Peppe: Try 76.0 grains of Re22, Fed 215 primer, WW brass or Fed Ni cases, and the 225 Hornady SST seated to 3.300" and crimped. I use this load with 225 grain Swift 'A' Frame or the two Hornady bullets. It is extremely accurate and depending on the brass used the velocity ranges from 2825 to 2850 fps. I usually get 3/4 to 1-1/4" 3 shot groups at 200 meters depending on the bullets. Best load I have found. Got it from an article authored by Ross Siegfried in Rifle(?) magazine and it works. Good luck, Steve