I've used the Nosler Partition for years but I'm in the mood to try something new. Sort of looking for a better mouse trap. With my 300 H&H, in a 165gr bullet, which do you think is better for taking a shoulder shot on deer size game? The Hornady SST or the Swift Scirocco? Based on what I've read I like the Scirocco's, all but the price. The SST has a better price and hopfuly they'll have the 6.5's out next month. How does either of them compair to the Ballistic Tip? Which I dislike based on past experienc in taking shoulder shots. I know the Swift is bonded and the SST has the interlock ring. Which one would offer the best weight retention and penetration?

Mark,
could you elaborate on your experience with the N Ballistic tips,failure on shoulders?Did they blow up too much?I have seen them advocated here for deer sized critters to be perfect.What speed did you use them,caliber etc
thanks
sheephunter

Sheephunter,
My experience with the BT are from about 10 years ago. I got a friend who tells me all the time that Nosler has changed the BT since then, in fact he told me that again today. Which they may well have but I sill want use them. Anyway the problem I had with them is if I hit a bone, shoulder or spine, they came apart. The core would seprate from the jacket and usually without creating an exit wound. Hunting the pine thickets of Alabama I demand an exit wound. Also with the pine thickets in mind I want to drop a deer where I shoot him so I try to break at least one shoulder, two is even better. I've been on my share of late night tracking jobs. If you like the BT more power to you. Its a ford vs chevy thing and I'll take a ford every time.

I don�t KNOW about the weight retention, but I GUESS the Scirocco will leave the SST way behind in that matter.
at that speed created bu a .300 Mag I think you must use a bonded bullet to get it to stay together after a swhoulde shot.

I mean SHOULDER shot. I haven�t put on my contact lences yet.

I absolutly love scirrocos they have performed excellent for me in a 7 mm Stw. velocity at 3400 150gr. ecellent retension and accuracy.

Thee are two parts to this question in my view. One is which bullet is better FOR DEER and the other is which one will penetrate more and carry more weight retention. The SST is a better bukket for deer, but you do have to be careful with the 3000 plus FPS generated by the 300 H&H. If you shoot a deer at say, 50 yards with that bullet, the deer will die, but the bullet will invariably fail and cause a lot of meat damage. At the same range, a Scirocco will also kill the deer, but not cause as much meat damage. Once you get past say, 150 yards, the SSt will hold together very well for you and afford a quick, clean kill. The Scirocco on the other hand, is a much tougher bullet and not expand as well on a thin skinned, thin boned animal like a deer. Either bullet will do fine for you, so I would pick the one your rifle likes best. jorge

Jorge,
You make some good points. I tried to order some SST's this weekend, I plan to try them in a friends text box, but cabelas is on back order and I want pay midway the $4 rip-off small order fee. So when I find someone who has them I plan to order some 165gr SST's. As for as 3000fps I called Hornady, Doug was real helpful and faxed me some load data, 3000fps is MAX. as per their data. I plan to shoot for 2900-2950fps, which should be more than enough for a deer. I hope they work as planned, if so I'm going to order some 129gr 6.5 SST's for my up coming Antelope hunt.

[ 06-17-2002, 18:15: Message edited by: mark65x55 ]

I have made several kills with the 180 Scirocco in my 300 H&H and the bullet performed just fine giving complete penetration. I am now shooting the 180 SST and it is shooting better than the Scirocco in my rifle. I have not taken any game with it however. I will almost certainly shoot the SST this fall in either the 300 H&H or my 300 Win Mag. Like you I have been a Partition user for years and am just playing with these new bullets. When something really needs killing I will probably load up with Partitions as always.

JBD
Thanks for the info. I talked to the nice lady at Midsouth Shooting Supply today and since it was my first time she let me place a $18 order for the SSTs. I should have them by Wednesday You can't be to far from me, I'm in Jasper Al. which is north/west of Birmingham Al. So you got any load data for the 300H&H you'd care to share? Mine is a Winchester Classic Action with a Lother Walther barrel, Bearclaw (aka Doug)put it together for me a few months ago and did one hell of a job!

Mark,

I have been working up loads for my 7mm-08. I could not get the 150gr. Scirocco's to shoot under an inch. I have the 139gr. SST's shooting .591" and tried them on a hog hunt last weekend in south Texas. I took three hogs, all 100+ lbs. from 128 to 166 yards. The one I shot in the shoulder went 10 yards and dropped. It took out the shoulder and exited through the ribs. The other two were neck shots, both pass throughs also. Both dropped in their tracks. Normally I would have been using 140 gr. Partitions on hogs, but I wanted to test the SST's. One javelina also dropped in his tracks.

By the way, I found another LOW FENCED ranch in the area with management hunts for 130 class deer for $2250 if you still have not found anything yet.

Good Hunting,

Bob C.
The ranch

Hog #3
Hog #1
Hog #2

Bob
Thanks for the info on the SST at $18 per 100 these maybe a heck of a deal. Hope Hornady don't read this. Nice hogs, well done!

As per the Texas deer hunt I'd sort of given up and had been looking at Mule Deer hunts instead, based on price. But you know I got my new issue of the Texas Trophy Hunters mag. yesterday and you guys sure do take some nice deer!!!! If you will please send me the info you have, who knows it maybe just what I'm looking for. It'd be fun to try out the new SST's on a Texas Deer, I could tell my wife its R&D.

Mark,

Call Frank Harris at the Nueces Ranch: 830-373-4487. Tell him Bob Connell told you to call about a management hunt. I would call immediately if you are interested.

Good Hunting,

Bob