|
|
Post by tpcollins on Jan 6, 2010 13:03:52 GMT -5
After some "lively discussions" with some members earlier this year I decided to try some of the highly acclaimed Hornady 250gr SST sabots. I admit they load and shoot well. However, I did have an opportunity to shoot a buck with them but didn't allow for the crosswind at 80 yards and the shot was further back that I intended.
I eventually recovered the deer later that evening on the next farm over. I had hit the liver but made a complete pass thru. Based on the exit wound it looked like it could have gone thru another deer! I realize had I taken lungs this would have been a moot point but I'm concerned whether these copper jacketed bullets are really expanding properly on impact? I'll use the rest of these for practice but I think I'll be going back to my all lead PR sabots.
|
|
|
|
Post by whyohe on Jan 6, 2010 17:51:55 GMT -5
I'm wondering if Hornady has changed the design of the SSTs construction? this is the second thread that some one has said that? they use to explode. I may have to try one in my magazine media and see if the results are different!
|
|
|
|
Post by tpcollins on Jan 6, 2010 20:02:48 GMT -5
After the range sessions and before the deer harvest, I called Hornady and asked them if the 45201 bullet listed for the 450 Bushmaster FTX was the same bullet used in the 250gr SST sabots and he said no - the SST ML used the 45202. He said the 450 Bushmaster had a thicker copper wall and required a higher velocity to expand.
I wonder if somebody got something mixed up? I opened a box of 45201 bullets at Cabelas and they look identical to my SST sabots.
|
|
|
|
Post by kenny549 on Jan 6, 2010 22:49:42 GMT -5
I have shot deer with these bullets and they blew up to much, this season in Ohio I shot a buck at 180yds and the blew up even at that yardage with 110gr TTT7. I think I will try the bonded ones on my next hunt. Has anyone tried the bonded type and were the results better or about the same?
|
|
|
|
Post by k on Jan 7, 2010 6:36:18 GMT -5
i've taken 5 deer with the 250gr.sst with great results.4 were pass thru's,3 of those were drt,1 made a 50yd.run but he was running when i shot him.the last was a huge doe shot at a severe quartering away angle.the bullet entered just in front of rear leg thru the internals,broke front leg then traveled inside the hide to front of chest.i found the bullet when skinning and it was an almost perfect mushroom.so based on my own experiances i like the sst's.i have heard on other forums that the newer sst's and ftx's are going to be one and the same now so i've loaded up a good supply of old stock sst's.while i have read alot of bad reports and i do not doubt them they have worked for me.all of my shots were taken between 30 -80yds...........karl
|
|
|
|
Post by spaniel on Jan 7, 2010 17:15:10 GMT -5
I've recovered QTs, Dead Centers, and Shockwaves from deer. Surprisingly the Shockwaves had opened the most. I found the PR bullets to mash back onto themselves, the .40cal bullets were about the size of a nickel.
I'll buy that PR bullets open better at low velocities but an 80 yd shot is not low velocity. If you really want a massive wound channel you'll need to go away from pointy bullets. The PR Keith Nose bullets would be one alternative.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2010 18:05:42 GMT -5
pointy bullets will open up, just depends really on the quality of bullet you are using. Some say, Ahhh , i aint payin no $1 a bullet, thats to expensive! Then they end up with poor performance on a hunt. A buck a bullet is expensive for target shooting, but cheap on the hunt! 250gr thor conical that i recovered from under the hide of a deer shot at 175 yards with 105gr Pyrodex RS.   entrance hole was in the neck as the deer was 1/4'ing towards us. Bullet broke the spine and broke the upper section of the shoulders offside shoulder apart.  |
|
|
|
Post by tpcollins on Jan 7, 2010 18:40:12 GMT -5
Holy crap - that looks like a Rambo bullet!
|
|
|
|
Post by whyohe on Jan 8, 2010 7:41:52 GMT -5
Kenny, alot have seen better "performance" out of the bonded. or you could go to the 300 grn SSTs, they are a stronger construction, heavier jacket.
|
|
|
|
Post by topusmc on Jan 8, 2010 11:22:02 GMT -5
If the FTX and SST, 200 and 250 gr are different, I cannot see it. I have also talked to Hornady, and say they are. I have shot both with two different ML and one handgun. They all shoot the same, and way the same and on my MIC they are also the same. If the jacket is different the only way to tell is if you melted all the lead out and weighed the copper, to cut them apart, its hard to tell if they are different.They both shoot extreamly accurate out of all my guns mentioned. Only bagged one deer, an 80 lb spike. At 80 yards, a 200 gr FTX, pushed by 120 grns of BH 209, from a Knight KRB7 went clean through, ( both lungs ). Only a tiny hole at entry and exit. No blood for twenty yards, very little after that. Found the deer about 50 yards.. After seeing the damage it done to he lungs, I do believe that had I hit bone, it gould have been a bang flop. I think the reason there was no blood is, it was a high lung shot but not high enough to catch the vertibrae . Although the heavy bullets have their place in line, I do not believe they are needed for whitetail. I will continue to use the 200 gr, I love the accuracy.
|
|
|
|
Post by tpcollins on Jan 8, 2010 17:32:31 GMT -5
I would think if you cut each one in half, ground the end so it had a clean look, then under a magnifying glass or optical comparitor you should see the difference in the copper wall thickness.
Then again if the tolerances are a bit broad they could overlap into each other's range . . . .
|
|
|
|
Post by whyohe on Jan 8, 2010 19:52:00 GMT -5
actually some one had already did this and i cant find the old post. I cant remember who either. you could see the difference in the thickness of the jackets.
|
|
|
|
Post by spaniel on Jan 10, 2010 14:46:23 GMT -5
If the FTX and SST, 200 and 250 gr are different, I cannot see it. I have also talked to Hornady, and say they are. I have shot both with two different ML and one handgun. They all shoot the same, and way the same and on my MIC they are also the same. If the jacket is different the only way to tell is if you melted all the lead out and weighed the copper, to cut them apart, its hard to tell if they are different.They both shoot extreamly accurate out of all my guns mentioned. Only bagged one deer, an 80 lb spike. At 80 yards, a 200 gr FTX, pushed by 120 grns of BH 209, from a Knight KRB7 went clean through, ( both lungs ). Only a tiny hole at entry and exit. No blood for twenty yards, very little after that. Found the deer about 50 yards.. After seeing the damage it done to he lungs, I do believe that had I hit bone, it gould have been a bang flop. I think the reason there was no blood is, it was a high lung shot but not high enough to catch the vertibrae . Although the heavy bullets have their place in line, I do not believe they are needed for whitetail. I will continue to use the 200 gr, I love the accuracy. Use the 200SW and you won't have to worry about them opening, they do so fine. No experience with the FTX but have put down 40+ deer with the 200SW. |
|
|
|
Post by tpcollins on Jan 10, 2010 15:06:09 GMT -5
What's a 200SW?
|
|
|
|
Post by nimrodder on Jan 10, 2010 18:15:38 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by rangeball on Jan 11, 2010 14:29:19 GMT -5
actually some one had already did this and i cant find the old post. I cant remember who either. you could see the difference in the thickness of the jackets. It may have been Al and if it was he posted them on the smokeless forum... |
|
|
|
Post by kenny549 on Jan 13, 2010 1:30:02 GMT -5
I purchased a box of hornady FTX in 265gr 44 caliber but never shot enough of them to try hunting with them yet. The 44 calibers have 2 cannelures on them. I dont know if the 250gr have the cannelure or not. The 265gr should be a good bullet though, anyone else had any experience with this weight in the FTX?
|
|
