I have a 7x57 that shoots the SSTs well and was considering using them for deer in South Texas. Has anyone had any field experience with these. They are running at 2780fps. The Nosler AB also shoots very well in the same gun at the same velocities. NAB will absolutely perform, I shoot them in my 257Rbts, but is it to much penetration. Will the SSTs under penetrate? Thanks for the input.

Perry: I don't shoot 139 grainers simply because my CZ 550 American in 7x57mm has the Euro-twist barrel which is not supposed to stabilize the lighter bullets as well as the more heavy ones. I will say, however, that in my particular rifle, the 162 grain Hornady SST is an absolute tack-driver. I can get .480 three-shot groups out of it and the personal best was .216 inch three shot group. These are with H414 powder and a chronographed muzzle velocity of 2,815 fps. I used that combo on some whitetails on the King Ranch a bit back with very impressive results. I shot one buck, a cull buck, as he came down the trail right to me at about 80 yards. The bullet penetrated almost all the way through and then glanced off the spine before the hindquarters and exited there. I got complete penetration with all three deer shot. The other two were broadside shots on does. I did manage a fairly decent hog at about 175 yards with another spine shot and he went down faster than a hog in a slaughter house with a .22 slug in the ear. I think you'll do just fine at the velocity you shoot. I might add, that my brother has a
CZ 550 in the full stock version in 7x57mm. It is exactly the same rifle, same barrel, but shorter at 20.5 inches (mine in the American model is 23.6 inches), same Euro twists, but his hates the 162 grain SST. He can't buy a two inch group if his life depended on it. But load up some 160 gr Nosler Partitions and Katy-bar-the-door, he is shooting .75 inch three shot groups. Now get this, a friend of my brother, who owns a restaurant i the El Paso, Texas, area, saw my brother's rifle, wanted one of his own, so bought himself a CZ 550 Full Stock in 7x57mm. It is an exact copy except for a bit more figure in the stock than what my brother's rife has in his stock, same barrel lenght, same twist rate, same chamber, but his friend's rifle loves Hornady 162 grain bullets in 7x57mm and like my rifle, it also likes the 160 grain Nosler Partitions. That is just the way rifles are I guess. So since you are getting good results with the 139 grainers, stick with them. I think they will be fine on whitetails and even hogs in Texas, or anywhere else for that matter. Good luck ... Tom Purdom

that bullet will work just fine.....personally, I'd like a little heavier construction like the standard interlock. But the difference is not all that big when deer hunting is the topic.

My experience reflects that of vapodog. I shoot both the 139 gr SST and BTSP Hornady's in my 280 and prefer the BTSP as it seems to be a little tougher bullet than the SST.

Perry and the others who answered on this thread, I appologize to you. Perry, you asked a question and for some reason I went off in a completely different angle. I see that so often where someone asks a legit question and then gets an answer way off target and it pisses me off. Then, I went and did it. Again, my appologies. I did answer at the bottom of my answer. In other words, your 139 grain Hornady SST load should do fine on whitetail deer. Some people complain that the SSTs destroy too much meat, but I have not found that to be the case, especially at 7x57mm speeds. Tom Purdom

Perry,

Took three Texas does and one pig, all with my 7mm-08 and the 139 SST. All one shot kills. One doe was 175 yards away, Bang! Flop!. She never moved, right behind the shoulder. It will do just fine if you you do your part....

I use Hornady LM, 139gn SSTs in my 700VSL, 7-08 with a 26" barrel. I get 2980fps. This should match anything you get with yourr 284. I disagree with the others only on one point. I can't tell any difference between the SST and the spitzer, both are interlock and both are excellent. capt david