Reviews on Hornady 7mm 162gr. SST Bullets wanted

**PotashRLS** · 09-13-2007, 01:51 PM

I'm looking to work up a load for my Ruger M77 7mm Rem Mag and decided on the Hornady 162gr. SST based on ballistics charts. This is my primary Deer/Black Bear gun. I would appreciate any reviews anyone has on this load. Thanks!

**PotashRLS** · 09-24-2007, 08:35 AM

Does anyone have any experience with any Hornady SST bullet?

**WaCoyote** · 09-24-2007, 04:43 PM

Use the hornady interbond instead. I used the sst once and it's too soft and explosive. I hit a leg bone and it totally blew up the quarter. In a perfect world under perfect conditions it's be great but with 7mm mag velocities I'd advise against them The interbonds are awesome though and they are identical except theat they are bonded. since they're bonded they hold together and they mushroom very well dumping energy on impact. I've since switched to Swift Scirroco but only because they were a tad more accurate. If you want a poly tip boat tail look at the Hornady Interbond, Swift Scirroco, or Nosler ------- brain cramp can't remember the name---- Accubond?

**OJR** · 09-25-2007, 12:41 PM

I agree with going with the Interbond bullets!

I have shot deer and elk with them and they will not blow up! I use them in my 308, 270 & 30-06! Great bullets!

I have also used the SST's in these rifles and never had a problem. The 7mm will be faster and it could blow up, so that would be the reason to go with the Interbonds!

Several years ago, I had a 7mm Mag and was using the Nosler Partition, 160 grains. I shot an elk at about 200 yards and hit the bone in the off shoulder! The bullet blew up and I lost the whole front quarter!

**WaCoyote** · 09-25-2007, 04:56 PM

Originally Posted by OJR

I shot an elk at about 200 yards and hit the bone in the off shoulder! The bullet blew up and I lost the whole front quarter!

The damage is horrible if you hit bone, it literally blows everything up. The little red tip ended up in my grind. I bit it while eating a burger! OUCH!!

**deerslayer79** · 09-25-2007, 09:24 PM

I tried the 154 grain interbonds out of my Browning chambered in 7mm Weatherby,factory loaded,they were so-so,the best I could get off the bench was a 2in group @ 100yds consitently though.I compared them to 150gr nosler ballistic tips factory loaded from Weatherby and the groups shrunk to a 1/2in cosistently @ 100yds.The good thing is that hornandy ammo is about $20 cheaper per box than weatherby ammo.

**Reloader** · 09-30-2007, 12:51 AM

I use the SST's in my reloads for my 30-06.
Below is some pics of a test round I fired.
I set up several milk jugs in a line and fired a round through them at 100 yards, the bullet shown destroyed the first two jugs (like plastic confeti), punched a large hole through the third and was recovered inside the fourth jug. It retained slightly more than 60% of its original weight. Which is similar to most of the rapid expansion big game bullets I have seen tested such as the Sirocco, and better than the standard bonded core soft points.

definitely adequate for my eastern deer, but they might be a little fragile for anything larger.