Nosler Ballistic Tip vs. Hornady SST

[Smith and Wesson]

I've decided to get some premium deer ammo for my 30-06 and have narrowed it down to the Nosler Ballistic Tip and the Hornady SST. Accuracy is the same, so I'm focused primarily on the performance of each on game. Which of the two is tougher? I'd like to be able shoot through a deer's shoulder without the bullet turning into a grenade so toughness isbthe primary deciding factor. So there you have it, if you wanted a deer bullet that could go through a deer's shoulder without fragmenting would you choose the Nosler BT or the Hornady SST?

[10-96]

I don't have first hand experience with either one. However, I stumbled across a deal last year on 200 165gr SST's. Since then I've kinda kept an eye out and an ear to the ground on them.

From what I've learned, the SST's are not far above being classified as V-Max's. They disrupt pretty darn quick, but performance might improve as velocities drop. I guess if a guy loads to M1 Garand levels, he might be happy enough with them at 200-300+ yds.

[hooligan1]

At around 2800 fps or so I usually will find the Ballistic Tip in the off side shoulder of the deer I shoot with it. And I have taken one-shot kills up to 300 yards with that bullet.
I used 150 grain B Tips for years, not any idea with SST's but have heard they maybe more explosive the the Nosler bullet.

Im currently working up loads for 165 grain B Tips, Ill let you know how it goes.

[Mike / Tx]

Just curious as to whether you have tried the Accubond along side those two for accuracy?

I have shot them both in .243, 270, 308, and 30-06. My personal findings are they are very close in performance. They will both do nasty things when driven fast or when ranges are short. That said they do provide some dramatic one shot stops, but sometimes the damage is excessive even with normal for caliber velocities.

[jmr40]

Both work. SST's are cheaper if that is important. The SST's will expand more rapidly, but that is not always a negative. On deer sized game a soft rapidly expanding bullet into the lungs will put game down faster than a harder bullet in the same spot. On game larger than deer, or from less than perfect angles the Noslers will penetrate better. But between the BT and SST the difference is not that great. They are similar, with the BT being a little tougher.

As someone else mentioned the Nosler Accubond is the tougher bullet. It combines the aerodynamics of the BT with the penetration of the Partition.

[Mobuck]

I've shot a couple dozen deer with 165 Ballistic Tips out of a 30/06 and have to say they are very destructive. I've not used SST in that exact caliber/weight but have used similar weight to caliber SST's at similar velocities and really can't say there's a significant difference.
`150/165 bullets of .308 diameter at 2800-2900 fps are far beyond the power required to kill deer so there's a considerable leeway in bullet design/expansion.
I wouldn't shoot a deer in the butt with either brand unless there was no other option--but that's true of most any bullet.

[603Country]

I've shot many many deer with the 130 gr BT in my 270. The bullets are messy and very effective. I normally shoot deer right behind the shoulder, and a few times (too many times) I've placed the bullet too high and messed up a chunk of the backstrap. As for the SST, I have no hunting history with that bullet, though I have a bunch loaded for the grandson's 308. But he always reaches for my Tikka 260 when he heads for the woods.

[AllenJ]

I don't think you're going to have much luck with either of those bullets not fragmenting, especially if you shoot your deer in the shoulder. That statement brings me to this question: Why are you going to shoot your deer in the shoulder? You risk destroying a lot of meat when you do that and both of the bullets you're looking at do a wonderful job when poked through the lungs.

[Smith and Wesson]

I don't think you'regoing to have much luck with either of those bullets not fragmenting, especially if you shoot your deer in the shoulder. That statement brings me to this question: Why are you going to shoot your deer in the shoulder? You risk destroying a lot of meat when you do that and both of the bullets you're looking at do a wonderful job when poked through the lungs.

I would try to shoot behind the shoulder when ever I can, but if a less than perfect shot presents itself where a shoulder is the only shot you can take, I'd like to be confident that my bullet would hold together enough to get the job done.

[AllenJ]

Both of those bullets should get the job done, it'll just leave lots of trimming to do! When I was young I shot a mule deer in the shoulder with a 30-06 using Sierra 150 grain Gamekings. The deer was about 80 yards from me and at the crack of the gun it took off and ran about 60 yards before going down. Once I packed it out and my uncle saw the shot I had picked he made it very clear that when given the choice "we never shoot for the shoulder due to the amount of meat lost". The bullet destroyed the entry shoulder, passed through and did enough damage to the far shoulder that some meat had to be trimmed out. My uncle was a stern man and I've never shot another game animal in the shoulder since

[FrankenMauser]

6 of one; half a dozen of the other....

Try both and use the ammo that works best in your rifle. (I'm assuming you're talking about factory ammo, and not handloads.)

[Mystro]

There is also the SST Interbond if you want a tougher bullet than the standard SST.

[Smith and Wesson]

How come all the threads I start always say "moved" next to them?

[Doyle]

Neither. At the range the vast majority of deer are killed, ballistic tip bullets are both unnecessary and destructive. They frequently fail to give a pass-thru and result in poor blood trails. Ballistic tip bullets were designed specifically to expand WAY downrange.

[Clark]

I have killed one mule doe with an SST
I have killed 12 mule deer with BT.
I have killed one antelope with BT.

I get the same good groups with both.

I have had a terrible time with wounding animals with VLD hunting bullets at high velocities and close range, and now I am paranoid and only want to use BT that I know I can trust.

[thekyrifleman]

I have killed more than a few deer with both BT and SST's, all accomplished the task. The SST were Light Magnum, 280 and 7-08. Have had them blow up on shoulder hits, no penetration. Stopped using them. BT performance quite ok, 140's, out of a 7 STW. Impressive results! All behind the shoulder, a few spines, never a doubt. However, that said, don't plan on using any of the meat right near the entrance and exit holes...... Killed far more deer over thirty years with a 7 Mag and Sierra 140 Pro Hunters. Rarely any lost meat, 50 cent exit hole. Accurate, efficient, and a lot less EXPENSIVE!!!!

[Colorado Redneck]

Evidently the moderators think your thread is in the wrong forum. This subject (SST vs. BT) was directed at how the bullets work for hunting, so likely it was moved for that reason.

[Brian Pfleuger]

Originally Posted by Smith and Wesson

How come all the threads I start always say "moved" next to them?

"All" the threads "always"?

Of the last 10 threads you've created, four have been moved, the last four.

You started this thread is the Bolt/Lever/Pump rifles section. Unless there are new guns with funny names being made by Nosler and Hornady, neither of those things is a bolt/pump/lever action rifle nor do they work specifically or exclusively in those types of rifles. What is the question of this thread? "...if you wanted a deer bullet that could go through a deer's shoulder without fragmenting would you choose the Nosler BT or the Hornady SST?.... it's a hunting question.

One was titled "Deer Ammo" and the question is "any experience... on deer"... clearly a hunting question, so it was moved to the hunt. I don't know where it was originally started, but it's pretty obviously a hunting question.

One was "Barnes TTSX Weight". That one was also moved to "The Hunt". I don't know where it started either, but it's not specifically about rifles, accessories, handloading, etc, and asks about penetration on "elk and other undulates", so it seems like a hunting question also.

The fourth one is titled "Sierra Ganeking(sic) Bullets" and asks "...anyone have experience with Sierra Gameking BTSP bullets on deer?" Clearly also a hunting question.

[Smith and Wesson]

Originally Posted by Brian Pfleuger

"All" the threads "always"?

Of the last 10 threads you've created, four have been moved, the last four.

You started this thread is the Bolt/Lever/Pump rifles section. Unless there are new guns with funny names being made by Nosler and Hornady, neither of those things is a bolt/pump/lever action rifle nor do they work specifically or exclusively in those types of rifles. What is the question of this thread? "...if you wanted a deer bullet that could go through a deer's shoulder without fragmenting would you choose the Nosler BT or the Hornady SST?.... it's a hunting question.

One was titled "Deer Ammo" and the question is "any experience... on deer"... clearly a hunting question, so it was moved to the hunt. I don't know where it was originally started, but it's pretty obviously a hunting question.

One was "Barnes TTSX Weight". That one was also moved to "The Hunt". I don't know where it started either, but it's not specifically about rifles, accessories, handloading, etc, and asks about penetration on "elk and other undulates", so it seems like a hunting question also.

The fourth one is titled "Sierra Ganeking(sic) Bullets" and asks "...anyone have experience with Sierra Gameking BTSP bullets on deer?" Clearly also a hunting question.

I do admit that the term "always" was a bit of a hyperbole. And I do apologize for repeatedly placing my hunting questions under the wrong sub-forum, but I wasn't aware that there was a sub-forum called "The Hunt". If I was aware of "The Hunt" I would've posted my questions here in the first place.

[Brian Pfleuger]

No harm, no foul.

[603Country]

I'm with Clark, in that I trust the BT's. I've shot over 200 whitetail deer with BT's. Most in the 270 and in the last couple of years in the 260. If the bullet didn't work to my satisfaction, I'd be using something else. When possible, I put it behind the shoulder and shut down the lungs. When used like that, it's rare that I don't get an exit. As to how far away the deer were, that varied from 30 yards to about 400 yards. Worked every time.

I do try to avoid quartering shots, since an exit doesn't always happen.

And one thing to mention. In my 260, I've been shooting a 100 gr BT for a couple of years. They do fine on coyotes, pigs, and deer, but the 120 grainer does a better job. I shot a big hog about a month ago. About 250 pounds or a bit less. The 100 grainer did him in, but I had to plug him one more time before he could make it to the briar patch. Got an exit on the first bullet. I put it behind the shoulder and it had to travel through a very thick boar hog. Range was about 80 yards. MV is about 3100 fps.

[FrankenMauser]

I never voted, when I posted my original reply.
But, given that I currently have fewer than 100 Nosler BTs in my stash (.308" CT BTs), but there are over 600 Hornady SSTs on hand (6mm, .277", .308") and another 1,000 coming from Midsouth (6mm); I figured that I should at least cast my vote that way for the poll.

[6.5swedeforelk]

It's been asked already but I will reiterate... why would you EVER target any ungulate on the shoulder? What is the fatal area here?
As far as a non "ideal" shot, why is it then ok?

I believe that it's a bad habit to get into and if you happen to expand your hunting to include elk & moose... you will be wounding game.

[reloader28]

You dont want either of those bullets as they are made for expansion. If your going to shoot them in the shoulder you want a more solid bullet. ANY normal solid bullet will do. Ballistic tips of ALL kinds are nothing more than a hollow point plain and simple.

I shoot SST's. Shot many, many deer with 243 and 30-06 SST's with no problems whatsoever from 20yds to 600yds. But then again I dont waste the shoulder meat. I shoot them in the neck unless they're out past 350yds or so. Then its in the chest.

The one time I did shoot the shoulder with 243 SST was not pretty. It could have been WAY worse, but it was enough that I dont do that anymore. Besides, there something about a neck shot that is SUPER addictive.

[Clark]

reloader28
You dont want either of those bullets as they are made for expansion. If your going to shoot them in the shoulder you want a more solid bullet. ANY normal solid bullet will do. Ballistic tips of ALL kinds are nothing more than a hollow point plain and simple.

The guys I hunt deer with use partition bullets and I use Ballistic tips.
They give me a bad time, and compare me to other hunters they know that use BTs, with poor personal hygiene.
I would tell them off but good, except I need them to help me drag my deer to the truck.