Lemme guess. 130s?
Hornady SST's tip pretty banged up after 1 week of carrying them around
- Thread starter huntingfish
- Start date
Lemme guess. 130s?
Then I guess the annealing is what makes the difference for me...
I am not condemning the SST categorically. But, for my hunting, I have to know that the bullet I am using will reach the vitals from any angle, close in or out further.
The SST undoubtedly will work OK out at ranges where velocity has dropped off somewhat. In close, and when contacting larger bones, it is simply too fragile to suit my requirements.
I have no desire, [nor the time] to anneal a C&C bullet to hopefully make it perform better when there are so many superior designs out there. [premiums]
Some cite the costs of premium bullets....it's a non-issue, since only one or two bullets will be used to kill an animal. And possibly 15 - 20 to do the sighting in beforehand. [$30.00 or so]
Compared to fuel and other costs to hunt, that is peanuts.
If you are having good success, carry on. For me, I will not be shooting SST's at any game. [A-Frames, Partitions, Interbonds, Accubonds, Scirocco II's, TTSX's, GMX's, E-Tips...those are my preferences]
Regards, Dave.
The SST undoubtedly will work OK out at ranges where velocity has dropped off somewhat. In close, and when contacting larger bones, it is simply too fragile to suit my requirements.
I have no desire, [nor the time] to anneal a C&C bullet to hopefully make it perform better when there are so many superior designs out there. [premiums]
Some cite the costs of premium bullets....it's a non-issue, since only one or two bullets will be used to kill an animal. And possibly 15 - 20 to do the sighting in beforehand. [$30.00 or so]
Compared to fuel and other costs to hunt, that is peanuts.
If you are having good success, carry on. For me, I will not be shooting SST's at any game. [A-Frames, Partitions, Interbonds, Accubonds, Scirocco II's, TTSX's, GMX's, E-Tips...those are my preferences]
Regards, Dave.
I shoot a lot and I prefer to shoot with the same projectiles (and load) that I will be using to hunt with. For me, 40 cents vs. $1 adds up in a hurry.
Having said this, I am not "married" to the SSTs. If they ever let me down and/or I find myself to be independently wealthy, I'll likely switch to something else. For now, the 15 seconds it takes to anneal the 150s is well worth, it, especially since I only anneal the ones that I plan to deliver to an animal.
Having said this, I am not "married" to the SSTs. If they ever let me down and/or I find myself to be independently wealthy, I'll likely switch to something else. For now, the 15 seconds it takes to anneal the 150s is well worth, it, especially since I only anneal the ones that I plan to deliver to an animal.
duncansuds
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Weyburn, SK
Ok. I gotta ask... Annealing bullets? I assume we are talking the projectile right? I have taken a pencil sharpener to the plastic tips to reform them before, just cause I like em' all straight. Don't think it would have effected 200 yard accuracy though lol.
So here is the argument where some guys want complete weigh retention, while others want the bullet to break up. I use the SST in the 270WSM, and have experimented with bullets in the 130, 140 and 150gr weight. I hear all these great things about this bullet or that bullet... but what does my experience tell me?
When I think back to the buck my wife took with a 87gr varmint bullet from Hornady; The deer was bang flop. Then hit a buck with a 150gr, blow out its heart and follow a blood trail.
The job I expect a bullet to do it to quickly dispatch an animal with minimal meat loss. I don't care if the lungs get vaporized, I care that the "meat" is not blown to hell.
This year I shot my buck in the neck with a 140gr SST. Deers' head flung back and it hit the ground. Did the bullet work? YES.
When I think back to the buck my wife took with a 87gr varmint bullet from Hornady; The deer was bang flop. Then hit a buck with a 150gr, blow out its heart and follow a blood trail.
The job I expect a bullet to do it to quickly dispatch an animal with minimal meat loss. I don't care if the lungs get vaporized, I care that the "meat" is not blown to hell.
This year I shot my buck in the neck with a 140gr SST. Deers' head flung back and it hit the ground. Did the bullet work? YES.
Well, I am not about to argue with anyone about their use of this bullet, or that bullet. My original contention was that the SST is NOT a premium bullet, and I stand by that.
Using a varmint bullet on deer often gives spectacular kills. Problem is, sooner or later, using a varmint bullet on them will bring on a disaster. A large surface wound that does not kill.
Also, I stated that I want a bullet that will get to the vitals regardless of the angle of the shot or whether or not it has to break substantial bone getting there.
Varmint bullets, and even the more fragile "hunting" bullets will not guarantee this. [Think most Ballistic tips, Berger VLDs, Sierra Match kings, SST's etc, etc] I had a 140 grain Hornady Interlock
completely disintegrate on the ribs of a big Whitetail buck. [270 Winchester] It dazed him a bit and allowed the second, killing shot, but if he had left immediately, I have no doubt he would have been lost.
Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to be an "Eliteist" here. I do not believe you need a premium bullet to kill deer sized game. But, since I may run into much larger game while deer hunting, I load the premiums to
give me that extra confidence.
When I have a Partition or other proven bullet up the spout. I feel positive about shooting a legal Moose, Elk, etc from any angle they may present, knowing I will not have a wounded animal to chase.
50+ years of hunting BC and Alberta's Big Game has made me somewhat opinionated, but it's hard to argue with success.
Regards, Dave.
Why is it that people select a bullet based on long range specific features like boat-tails, polymer tips, high BCs and accuracy, then act all horrified when it is also soft enough to be ideal at extended ranges? That's what they are for, not for a substitute for a cord-less drill. There's dozens if not hundreds of bullets that work just fine from powder burn range to distances that where most hunters quit a long time ago.
exophysical
Member
- Location
- Slave Lake AB
x2 on this. They would probably be about my last choice for hunting moose, not saying that they wouldn't work, just saying that they are very far from ideal. Long range shots on deer and antelope, sure. Clipping a moose shoulder at 25 yards, no friggin' way.
Everyone has their opinions, I guess. I chose the SSTs based on Nathan Foster's recommendation:
This is coming from a guy who has taken (along with his wife and clients) over 8000 head of game in NZ. I trusted that recommendation quite a while ago, and so far the annealed 150 grainers have not let me down. They perform exactly as he describes. That's good enough for me.
At 25 yards, I don't shoot moose in the shoulder.
exophysical
Member
- Location
- Slave Lake AB
Meh, heavy corelocts will smash through a moose shoulder any day of the week in any of the "All Arround calibers", but have fun with the anealing. It doesn't take much of a bullet to take big animals unless the velocity is pushed up to magnum speeds, but having used the sst's on deer I would not use them on moose. I believe Nathan Foster also claimed that the Speer Hot Core/ federal fusion bullets were tougher than Nosler partitions. Having used both those bullets I would disagree with that opinion as well.
That's almost laughable. Guess 70 or whatever years of the partition being the standard by which all other game bullets are measured along with thousands and thousands of hunters proving the only thing tougher is a mono bullet means squat because one gent says differently? Lol
Reference?
Agree with this wholeheartedly!
I watched the video clip of Nathan Foster annealing the SST bullets. I am skeptical that the short time in a candle flame would have any noticeable effect on the jacket material.
Here's why. Copper and gilding metal [Copper alloys] actually take about 400ºC to properly anneal them.
Lead melts at about 325ºC. The core would have to be well past melting point to anneal the jacket.
The candle flame would never melt the lead core in that short a time of exposure. Therefore, I cannot see any value in such a process, since the jacket would not be annealed.
Regards, Dave.
Actually, the copper could easily hit 400C before the inside core melts, because the copper is on the surface and copper conducts heat better than any other material. The core would not absorb the heat nearly as readily as the jacket, and thus could easily remain solid while the jacket hits 400C.
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
Annealing copper in a candle flame is bull####. To anneal Gilding Metal you have to raise it's temperature to between 800-1450F. Keep doing what you're doing, just know that you're wrong.
Only the base half of a Partition is tough, the front half is easily expanded and fragmented at low velocity, and as often as not blows right off at high impact velocities. That's not a bad thing, its what it is supposed to do and why it works as well as it does. Half varmint bullet and half jagged solid just in case the varmint bullet half comes up a little short in penetration.
Candle flame temperature: Dark brown/red inner part of the flame: 1000°C (1830°F). Red/orange inner part of the flame: 800°C (1470°F).
