Cheechako,

I honestly don't know how fast they are going since I don't have access to a chronograph . I have no excess pressure signs and I'm shoot 57gr. of IMR 4831, I figure that's about as max as you can sanely get with this powder and bullet weight. I don't think that they are a "bad" deer bullet, I just preffer something a little more stout. If you take chest shots (no shoulder) and shoot 200+ yards on deer pretty regularly then SSTs would probably be the ticket. Good luck y'all.

I rencently used the 139 gr Hornady SST on an antelope hunt. Their average velocity in my rifle was 2990 fps. Two shots equalled two dead antelope. I shot my antelope as it stood quartering towards me at 170 yards. Through the near shoulder both lungs and out the far side. The bullet was not recovered. My father ended up using my rifle as his developed some unsafe mechanical issues. He shot his antelope at 200 yards severly quartering away. Bullet passes through most all of the animals body coming to rest just under the hide after going through the far shoulder. Recovered weight was 70.2 grains and a beutiful mushroom.

I also use the SST in a .270, and ballistic tips in my 257rbts. I hunt both NY and PA. Here during deer season we have a lot of hunters. I'll take the trade off of having a little more meat damage and having the deer not travel. If it does there is a good chance of loss to other hunters or to posted property. In another situation say out west where I wouldn't have those factors I would probably choose a little stouter bullet. Not always the optimum penetration with these choices but I have yet to lose even a shoulder shot deer with them.

PS: The Nosler BT's in the roberts are only starting out at 2800 fps so the seem to hold together well on deer.