Hornady Superformance SST Ammo - for Big Game?

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I have found this forum to be fill with very knowledgeable hunters and want to tap into some of that for a project I am working on. I recently traded for a rifle that is chambered in a nearly dead cartridge. Don't worry, I was not cheated (I think, lol). It is a Ruger M77 Hawkeye compact magnum. These were first introduced about 15yrs ago more or less. This one is chambered in 338 RCM. This is a short action rifle with a 20" bbl and gets nearly the same velocity as a typical 338WM with a much longer bbl. It is a nice rifle and appears to be unfired (no wonder).

Best I can tell, the only ammo currently available for this rifle is the Hornady Superformance loaded with their SST bullet. From what I can tell, the SST is most like the Nosler Ballistic Tip bullet? Not bonded and noted for rapid expansion and not deep penetration? They used to make an Interbond version that was bonded but it is no longer available anywhere I can find.

I really did not need a 338 Mag varmint rifle, lol. They claim it is for deer but I have read mixed reviews. I figured I could shoot some of it for the brass and load better bullets later. I do not like reloading for low volume rifles but would make an exception for this fine, handy little rifle.

Do any of you lads have experience hunting with the Hornady SST bullet? And is it too frangible to be suited for larger game, such as elk, moose, or African PG? Asking for a friend.

@JG26Irish_2
My son and I have shot a shit load of game with a 308 150gn SST and the 25 cal 117gn SST.
We have shot pigs, goats and deer with them and never had a problem. Game usually drops at the shot or a short run.
I run them in my 25 at 3,360fps and in the sons 08 at 2900fps. They expand quickly and drive deep in my book.
Only ever recovered one, a 150gn 308 the hit an 80kg pig in the shoulder thru the gristle pad. Bullet was found just under the skin on the off side and retained 117gn of weight.
Bob

The 150gn SST extracted from the off side of an 80kg boar pig.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Just to be clear, my PH told me he used the 300WM with the 220g Hornady SST bullet. And that it worked great on the Springbok. He did not quote to me the velocity or if it was factory loads or his reloads. I did a search for the velocity and got the wrong data. The AI search engine mixed up the 180g velocity with the 220g ammo specs. Not his fault. It was mine for trusting a single unverified source. I have since looked more and have not found a spec for a 220g factory load for the 300WM in the Superformance line with the SST. I did find other 220g loads and they all ran 2600-2800 fps more or less. Superformance ammo is usually about 100fps faster, sometimes a bit more.

Reloads never reach the Superformance velocities to my knowledge. The Hornady reload data found showed max loads running between 2600 and 2800 as well with various powders. So, with all that hand waving in mind, his load should have been running in the 2600-2700 fps range (est).

 

[JG26Irish_2]

@JG26Irish_2
My son and I have shot a shit load of game with a 308 150gn SST and the 25 cal 117gn SST.
We have shot pigs, goats and deer with them and never had a problem. Game usually drops at the shot or a short run.
I run them in my 25 at 3,360fps and in the sons 08 at 2900fps. They expand quickly and drive deep in my book.
Only ever recovered one, a 150gn 308 the hit an 80kg pig in the shoulder thru the gristle pad. Bullet was found just under the skin on the off side and retained 117gn of weight.
Bob
View attachment 678963
The 150gn SST extracted from the off side of an 80kg boar pig.

That looks like pretty solid performance Sir. I took a 325lb (148 kilo) wild boar a few years back in TN with my 308 loaded with my handloaded ammo which was a 165g Nosler BT. The shot was broadside at about 5 feet range, kneeling and hit the right side gristle plate and passed all the way thru the pig. I saw the entry wound appear and that hog never flinched which was a surprise, lol. But, he was dead on his feet and only ran about 30 paces before rolling belly up.

 

[JG26Irish_2]

My son and I went to the range over the weekend and did some father/son nitro therapy. He wanted to get familiar with his new pistol and get some trigger time on the 375HH in prep for a future hunting trip. I brought the little 338 rcm to get it zeroed and see what it could do. I mounted a Arken Optics EP-8, 1-8x LPVO. It is a low cost optic that punches well above its weight class and compares very favorably to my Z6i Swarovski that rides on top of the 375. The Swaro is marginally more clear but I could see my bullet holes on a black tgt background at 100y with both scopes when they were screwed up to maximum power. Kudos to Arken for putting out such an impressive little product at 1/10th the price. Plus it holds up to magnum level recoil.

My 375 is about a 9.5lb pkg with scope and the 338 is closer to 6.5lb all in. I was not surprised to find the recoil on the 338 to be much like that of the larger gun. Perhaps 80% more or less. First shot was within 2" of zero which is always nice. I shot five rounds of the 225g SST ammo getting the zero close. My son shot it and commented that after the 375, the RCM was positively pleasant to shoot. Up until that day, he had shot nothing heavier than his 270 but did have time with a 12ga shot gun which is a lot like the 375 in my view.

As for the 338? I cannot call it a tack driver. best I could tell was groups approaching 2"? But, I did not really shoot a true group. That will come later. I would shoot a shot and then tweak the scope another couple clicks. So, it is on tgt and goes bang every time. The pkg is short, light, handy and shoots well. Still like the rifle and the concept and will hunt with it in the fall.

One thing to verify later is this. The LPVO was designed with a hold over reticle that is calibrated to the 308 when zeroed at 200y. ON paper the ballistic drop of the 338RCM is almost identical to the 308. I am hoping that once I can verify a 200y zero, that it will be possible to use this to perform longer shots? I usually would never hunt on live game out past 300y but it would be nice to know that I can make the shots. Will see about that later.