Anyone Hunting With 140 SST In a 6.5 Creedmoor?

[EmperorMA]

I am wondering if anyone is putting the 140 Hornady SST into deer, elk, moose and/or speed goats with a 6.5 Creedmoor? I’d love to hear about their performance on game.

I have a buddy who uses the 129 SST in his 1-9” 6.5x284 and he is wildly successful with that bullet, so it got me to thinking about the 140 version in my 1-8” 6.5 Creedmoor.

Whenever I think of the SST in the 6.5 Creedmoor, I remember the video of Wayne Van Zwoll absolutely hammering a big bull elk with the 129 SST at over 600 yards. Think the 140 SST would have left that same great exit wound?

 

[Longrange2]

I took a nice antlerless elk with the 129 SST from my .260 at about 325 yards. Right through the heart and lungs with a tennis ball sized exit wound.

 

[menhaden_man]

Love the 117 gr SST in my 25-06, dumped a dozen plus antelope and mule bucks out to 350 yds. Bought some for my manbun but haven’t loaded any yet (ELDX shoots great). Let me know how it goes!

 

[NorthernHunter]

I load my own and love the 140 sst. I have taken a half dozen whitetail since I started with that bullet and none have taken a step. I do make sure to miss the shoulder as the only one I did that to destroyed 2 shoulders. The other 5 dropped immediately. I loaded up the eldx for my wife's gun and wouldn't fear using that for anything. Full penetration and baseball size exit. The 140 rocks though. Must expand pretty violently. This year's buck i saw the hooves come up into my scope as it flipped over.

 

[menhaden_man]

I load my own and love the 140 sst. I have taken a half dozen whitetail since I started with that bullet and none have taken a step. I do make sure to miss the shoulder as the only one I did that to destroyed 2 shoulders. The other 5 dropped immediately. I loaded up the eldx for my wife's gun and wouldn't fear using that for anything. Full penetration and baseball size exit. The 140 rocks though. Must expand pretty violently. This year's buck i saw the hooves come up into my scope as it flipped over.

That’s my experience with the SST in the 25-06... drops the hammer even with shots that were a little off. Can’t recall any of the animals taking more than a few steps.

 

[EmperorMA]

Big bull elk taken with 129 SST in 6.5 Creedmoor at 603 yards.

Clean pass-through, and exit wound can be clearly seen on the video. Great shot!

 

[EmperorMA]

I load my own and love the 140 sst. I have taken a half dozen whitetail since I started with that bullet and none have taken a step. I do make sure to miss the shoulder as the only one I did that to destroyed 2 shoulders. The other 5 dropped immediately. I loaded up the eldx for my wife's gun and wouldn't fear using that for anything. Full penetration and baseball size exit. The 140 rocks though. Must expand pretty violently. This year's buck i saw the hooves come up into my scope as it flipped over.

Sounds like excellent performance!

What rifle are you shooting those 140 SSTs out of?

What powder?

 

[Meatsmith]

I load my own and love the 140 sst. I have taken a half dozen whitetail since I started with that bullet and none have taken a step. I do make sure to miss the shoulder as the only one I did that to destroyed 2 shoulders. The other 5 dropped immediately. I loaded up the eldx for my wife's gun and wouldn't fear using that for anything. Full penetration and baseball size exit. The 140 rocks though. Must expand pretty violently. This year's buck i saw the hooves come up into my scope as it flipped over.

How fast are your 140’s flying? I’m loading some for the first time and they are moving about 2650 FPS . H4350 . Just wondering if your hunting load is in that neighborhood?

 

[NorthernHunter]

How fast are your 140’s flying? I’m loading some for the first time and they are moving about 2650 FPS . H4350 . Just wondering if your hunting load is in that neighborhood?

I tend to load on the slower side. I don't like to push my cases. Because of that I tend to get more than 20 firings out of a piece of brass. I've used 4350 but currently use superformance. They are only going 2530 but the SD is 8. Once I got it holding .31'' @ 100 and sub 6" @ 1000 I quit messing around with it. I'm sure there is probably a better load out there.

 

[Motown]

I know this isn’t what you are looking for but its pretty close. My 11 year old son is shooting 140 Nosler Bt’s out of his 6.5 creed CA Mesa. He shot his first buck last weekend at 170 yards with a perfect should hit and the deer didn’t flinch and there was very minimal meat damage. I would imagine its probably only moving around 2500-2550 out of that 22” barrel.

 

[EmperorMA]

I know this isn’t what you are looking for but its pretty close. My 11 year old son is shooting 140 Nosler Bt’s out of his 6.5 creed CA Mesa. He shot his first buck last weekend at 170 yards with a perfect should hit and the deer didn’t flinch and there was very minimal meat damage. I would imagine its probably only moving around 2500-2550 out of that 22” barrel.

I am a big Nosler Ballistic Tip fan. Back in the old days, with my superbly accurate custom 6.5x284, I absolutely hammered many a deer and speed goat with a 120 NBT leaving the muzzle at 3050 fps. Great bullet that provided perhaps the highest percentage of bang/flop kills of any combo I have ever used.

A buddy of mine is just doing really, really well with DRTs using that 129 SST so I thought I might try the 140s for shits & giggles in my faster-twisted 6.5 Creedmoor. I have already loaded some 140 NBTs and they shot great.

 

[Motown]

I am a big Nosler Ballistic Tip fan. Back in the old days, with my superbly accurate custom 6.5x284, I absolutely hammered many a deer and speed goat with a 120 NBT leaving the muzzle at 3050 fps. Great bullet that provided perhaps the highest percentage of bang/flop kills of any combo I have ever used.

A buddy of mine is just doing really, really well with DRTs using that 129 SST so I thought I might try the 140s for shits & giggles in my faster-twisted 6.5 Creedmoor. I have already loaded some 140 NBTs and they shot great.

I feel the same way about ballistic tips and imo they may be the best deer bullet going. I use them out of a 6.5 creed, 270, 280 Rem, and a 308. I have never had a single deer I shot with them go over 40 yards and most are DRT. It they do run they leave a massive blood trail.

 

[Desk Jockey]

My tikka shot them well but I couldn’t find a supply of them. Switched to a 120 all copper, which shoots well enough but not as good as the heavier bullets.

 

[Deplorable77]

Old thread but I figured I'd throw my experiences in. The SST should not be the first choice on any game under 300lbs or under 300 yards. I've used it in 6.5creed, .270, 308, and 243.
It bang flops every time but the meat loss is unacceptable imo. Shoulder shots look like IED entrances and clean double lungs are still 3-5 " exits.pic is 6.5 exit @ 175 yards

 

[Meatsmith]

Old thread but I figured I'd throw my experiences in. The SST should not be the first choice on any game under 300lbs or under 300 yards. I've used it in 6.5creed, .270, 308, and 243.
It bang flops every time but the meat loss is unacceptable imo. Shoulder shots look like IED entrances and clean double lungs are still 3-5 " exits.pic is 6.5 exit @ 175 yards View attachment 265467View attachment 265467

I hunted 30 years with 130 grain bullets in .270 win. Maybe 8 years with 130 sst home loads . I have seen big holes like that from most bullets that hit leg bone passing through the shoulder. Even this past season my friend had a near identical result with a 150 grain federal fusion that hit bone before blowing out the far shoulder. I like sst enough to load them in my new 6.5 , but I haven’t shot anything yet with the gun. I shot many deer and a few moose with the 130 sst in .270 and it was impressive enough to make me want to try it in the 6.5 cm. I usually shoot for the lungs when possible because I hate losing meat too.

 

[EmperorMA]

I hunted 30 years with 130 grain bullets in .270 win. Maybe 8 years with 130 sst home loads . I have seen big holes like that from most bullets that hit leg bone passing through the shoulder. Even this past season my friend had a near identical result with a 150 grain federal fusion that hit bone before blowing out the far shoulder. I like sst enough to load them in my new 6.5 , but I haven’t shot anything yet with the gun. I shot many deer and a few moose with the 130 sst in .270 and it was impressive enough to make me want to try it in the 6.5 cm. I usually shoot for the lungs when possible because I hate losing meat too.

Are you going to shoot 129 or 140 SST in your 6.5 Creedmoor?

 

[Glockster26]

Old thread but I figured I'd throw my experiences in. The SST should not be the first choice on any game under 300lbs or under 300 yards. I've used it in 6.5creed, .270, 308, and 243.
It bang flops every time but the meat loss is unacceptable imo. Shoulder shots look like IED entrances and clean double lungs are still 3-5 " exits.pic is 6.5 exit @ 175 yards View attachment 265467View attachment 265467

Maybe I’m a weirdo but that’s what I want an exit hole to look like. Much better than a pencil hole in and a pencil hole out. Good shooting.

 

[Meatsmith]

Are you going to shoot 129 or 140 SST in your 6.5 Creedmoor?

I am playing around with 123 sst, so far I like it