Got a cow elk with the muzzy

[Macegl]

Got a cow elk and figured I'd share. Pretty stoked to get it done with a muzzleloader.

I was shooting a 250 gr saboted sst over 100 gr by volume triple seven. The things I have heard about this bullet have been all over the board. Ive shot a couple mule deer with them and never recovered the bullet as they were all pass throughs, based on the results I always assumed they were performing well.

The cow was quartering slightly away, and the bullet broke one rib on entrance, I recovered it just under the offside shoulder blade but not quite touching it. I weighed it on my reloading scale when I got home and it weighed right at 248 grains.

 

[Superkodiak38]

I have had terrible blood trails with my muzzleloader. It kills them but you have to work for it. I shoot Hornady SST's out of the 20 gauge might have to try them from the smoke pole. Congrats on the cow

 

[TFin04]

I've killed four whitetails with 250gr SST's over 100gr powder charges. One of them I literally blew the heart in half and it ran 110 yards without a blood trail. A wounded buck I chased down got double lunged at about 60 yards and I had to shoot it in the head with my carry Glock because it was still breathing. The other two were does that ran about 30-40 yards and I watched them drop, don't really remember looking at/for their blood trail.

I am not impressed with the SST. I switched to the 240gr XTP but haven't launched one through an animal yet. Hoping to any day now.

 

[Macegl]

I’ve heard multiple similar stories, but I guess I’ve been lucky.

My boss shoots the xtp’s and has been very happy with their performance, hopefully you have the same results.

 

[TomAZ]

Congrats on your cow. Doesn’t look like the set expanded a ton, but it held together and did the job. As a rule, muzzleloader blood trails are generally not that impressive. YMMV


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[Rmhely]

Congrats on the elk. She will eat well. Got to love the SSTs.

 

[Macegl]

Congrats on the elk. She will eat well. Got to love the SSTs.

Thanks, been awesome eating so far. This ones not gonna last long!

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As a rule, muzzleloader blood trails are generally not that impressive. YMMV

While I have had good overall results, I will agree that blood trails have not been real impressive. However, from what I have seen that is not limited to just SST’s. Is that a result of slower velocities?

 

[TomAZ]

Thanks, been awesome eating so far. This ones not gonna last long!

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While I have had good overall results, I will agree that blood trails have not been real impressive. However, from what I have seen that is not limited to just SST’s. Is that a result of slower velocities?

I agree. Not the fault of the SST’s. That’s why I prefer full bore projectiles of either solid copper or lead. At least gives the chance to punch through and get two holes. But it looks like the SST worked in this case.


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[Newtosavage]

That's pretty impressive bullet performance IMO. I am an SST fan and have nothing but good things to say about them.

Having said that, I have ML hunted elk in Colorado, so I'm not allowed to use them there. Instead, I've been using the FPB's and they shoot very accurately out of both of my ML's (Ruger 77/50 and CVA Optima).

 

[morphetm]

Congratulations, nice elk and good performance by the SST. I have shot them for 4 years and they are accurate. First deer I shot with them was close range and had the SST pass through both shoulders, I was impressed since I had read they would explode at close range.
This year though I had the other extreme of the bad rep the SST has, I had it pencil through with what appears to be 0 expansion. My guess is that I was at the lower end of the velocity and I am looking into that. I am experimenting with Barnes all copper but not getting the groups the SST's can shoot. Also going from 90 yrs. BH209 TO 110 grs. Hopefully I can get a nice consistent group.


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[Macegl]

Thanks, I’m probably going to try the Barnes on a hunt this fall as well, assuming they shoot well. A friend at work swears by them, and I’ve had a few others recommended them as well.

Hopefully I’ll have a muzzleloader antelope tag, mule deer tag and cow tag this year and be able to see how they both do. Fingers crossed!

 

[Hoytman]

Got a cow elk and figured I'd share. Pretty stoked to get it done with a muzzleloader.

I was shooting a 250 gr saboted sst over 100 gr by volume triple seven. The things I have heard about this bullet have been all over the board. Ive shot a couple mule deer with them and never recovered the bullet as they were all pass throughs, based on the results I always assumed they were performing well.

The cow was quartering slightly away, and the bullet broke one rib on entrance, I recovered it just under the offside shoulder blade but not quite touching it. I weighed it on my reloading scale when I got home and it weighed right at 248 grains.
View attachment 81995View attachment 81996

I went from power belts to the SSTs and love the accuracy. 130 grains of powder gives me a pass through.

 

[Hoytman]

I went from power belts to the SSTs and love the accuracy. 130 grains of powder gives me a pass through.