Thread: Issues with 165gr SST at short range

Indeed your aim point can be worked on in line with leg and third of the way up into body was always a recommended point to shoot since....forever. the yanks seem to prefer back behind legs into lungs only which kills but allows a dead run,of varying lengths,but bring aim forwards and destroy means of locomotion and running becomes.... problematic for animal. If worried it's the set up close.consider something else for the close shots,options are endless the interloct,is obvious if reloading,but don't discount buying box of factory cup n core loads...your flash Harry SST reloads in mag and plain Jane up first for the close deer,spook n shoot. Your rifle SHOULD poke them within inch or two at most of same point of impact under hundy....past hundy you be using the SST anyway.

Originally Posted by jamesgn8

I had similar with Sst. I found when hitting animals up over 2600fps it was an issue but soon as they slow down they are fine. I changed back to 150gr interlocks in my 16in 308 and haven’t had an issue.


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Yes the MV is 2700fps for this load and I'm definately not having an issue at longer range - 200 yards and beyond its a deadly load the issue is just close shots

I had a similar problem with factory SST 140 in my 6.5x55. Approx 80m shot and I expected bang flop but the animal took two shots to drop it. Check out youtube five worst hunting bullets by Alaskan Ballistics. SST is in there. Its frangible - blows up as soon as it hits something. Not great for close range but apparently ok at longer range once it slows down. I'm now using different ammunition for bush hunting.

a different approach if you are interested my old Forest service Boss Russ carried an 8mm mauser - first round in was a cast solid lead slug for close range - second round in was a long range round if I rememebr right something like a 170 grain boat tail - I think it all kind of amused him - he called our .222 rifles squaw guns

Originally Posted by EricE

I had a similar problem with factory SST 140 in my 6.5x55. Approx 80m shot and I expected bang flop but the animal took two shots to drop it. Check out youtube five worst hunting bullets by Alaskan Ballistics. SST is in there. Its frangible - blows up as soon as it hits something. Not great for close range but apparently ok at longer range once it slows down. I'm now using different ammunition for bush hunting.

Lets modify your blank statement a little, "blows up as soon as it hits something" and change it to something more realistic like: "some SST bullets disintegrate faster than ideal at a give weight/velocity/range/impact zone" .Why did you expect "bang flop"? I expect bang flop when I shoot deer, but I am using a specific bullet impacting a specific zone on my deer to get that result. Hiffing a lump of lead and copper in the general direction of an animal gets all sorts of results irrespective of bullet design.

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

I wonder to if some hunters are being a little unrealistic about projectile performance - all this bang flop on here quoted by hunters - does not always work like that in practice - shoulder shooting with my .222 I know they are going to go a little way - with my 308 ( all factory rounds ) I dont expect bang flop every time - I tried 243 many years ago and gave up on it - that to me did not seem to drop well - me old 270 did very well indeed - my mates 22-250 impresses me for knock down on fallow feck they dont like that caliber

"Tried .243 many years ago" Barry, mate...... you clearly didn't try hard enough!

probably not and was limited by what the sports store had in ammo - just had a lot of bang run bleed and odd ones no find !! and gave up on it - got my 270 and never looked back - I only got the 243 so my wife could have a go - plus no patience at all rifle wont shoot out it goes

I’ve got a theory that bullet selection is far more important than caliber choice. I’ve had many different rifles over the years and all of them could perform really well or equally badly if they were throwing a bullet that was not suited to the task at hand.

Bullet selection and shot placement are two sides of same coin. Soft bullet for soft tissue and harder bullet for harder bits. Get it wrong way around either way and it's less than ideal. Many on here have said the same thing.

I shot a lot of animals with the 150sst out of the 308 when I first started. I use to call it the meat grenade. It was quite explosive.
Changing to the 168eldm was a game changer. More accurate, extended my range, far more empathetic killer

Originally Posted by Gkp

I shot a lot of animals with the 150sst out of the 308 when I first started. I use to call it the meat grenade. It was quite explosive.
Changing to the 168eldm was a game changer. More accurate, extended my range, far more empathetic killer

How far did you extend yr range from the 150ssts to the 168 eldm Gkp?.Im very happy with the 150ssts out to 330yds where some of my deer get shot at.Now the lowest price I can buy them at is $100 pkt,you gotta try make a one shot kill n accurate.

Could be at close range the bang gets their adrenaline pumping more than at longer ranges where the bang isn't quite so loud?

Originally Posted by Gkp

I shot a lot of animals with the 150sst out of the 308 when I first started. I use to call it the meat grenade. It was quite explosive.
Changing to the 168eldm was a game changer. More accurate, extended my range, far more empathetic killer

How do the 168grELDM go at short range. Wouldn't they be quite expolsive as well?

Originally Posted by Trout

How far did you extend yr range from the 150ssts to the 168 eldm Gkp?.Im very happy with the 150ssts out to 330yds where some of my deer get shot at.Now the lowest price I can buy them at is $100 pkt,you gotta try make a one shot kill n accurate.

From 400 to 650yards

Originally Posted by Ed123

How do the 168grELDM go at short range. Wouldn't they be quite expolsive as well?

No i think the extra weight helps. We are not talking magnum speeds. From memory they were only doing 2600mv