I shot 3 deer last weekend with this bullet in a 6.5-284 running about 2700fps and did not get a single exit wound. 8 point at 235 yards quartering to me entered just in front of shoulder, he moved about 20 yards and crashed. 6 point at 125 yards straight entering at base of neck, he ran about 50 yards into swamp, left no blood trail. and a doe at 50 yards quartering to me destroying shoulder and dropped on the spot. Granted there was a lot of meat in between entry and potential exit. The 6 point left no blood at shoot sight or trail and he ran about 50 yards. I think a side on shot in heart lung area would have exited with a good ventilation hole. I am pretty happy with bullet performance.

Dead Deer = Good Bullet Performance

I've made that shot on a number of deer though never with an SST and can't remember an exit wound either. Few have run, most did not. The ones that did run did not leave a blood trail that I can recall, but the vitals were a mess and they didnt go far. There is a lot of meat/bones right there that I think really help bullet expansion. I've been looking at loading the SST in my 270 and maybe my 280. Good to know you have had a good experience with them.

Good job!

Adam

It doesn't surprise me. The SST is a really good deer bullet that is designed for violent expansion more than penetration. There is a reason they called it "super shock". You'll probably get exits with broadside shots but quartering shots are extremely tough. I shot a nice 8 point last year with a 155 Mega out of my Swede. That bullet has an SD of about .320. I hit him quartering to me and the bullet never exited. Made a nice entry wound, deer went 20 yards down hill and died.

Glad it's working out for you. I saw a similar performance in October on an antelope that took two 100 grain SST bullets from a 243 at 134 yards standing almost perfectly broadside. Same thing happened and the bullet didn't make it to the other side. For my own liking, I perfer two holes, which is why I shoot Barnes and Nosler Partitions!

Hmm. I shoot 129s in my 6.5x55 and haven't recovered one yet from deer, hogs, or antelope. I love 'em in that rifle. I've never ran 'em across a chrono, so I wonder if I'm sending them downrange just enough slower to preclude the rapid expansion and lack of exit that you've observed with the slightly heavier ones.

quote:

Originally posted by DesertRam:
Hmm. I shoot 129s in my 6.5x55 and haven't recovered one yet from deer, hogs, or antelope. I love 'em in that rifle. I've never ran 'em across a chrono, so I wonder if I'm sending them downrange just enough slower to preclude the rapid expansion and lack of exit that you've observed with the slightly heavier ones.

Definantly. I use 129's (SST and Interbond) in my .264WM and the SST is a varmint bullet at higher velocitys.