225 gr. SST .338 Performance

[webbspinner]

Just thought I would ask for everyone's experience cause I know there will be some.
I am getting my new elk rifle ready for season and reloaded some 225 gr hornady interlocks and some 225 gr SST's for my new (to me) 338 WM Ruger 77.  Grouping @ 100 is around 3/4" if I do my part.  Have not run these through a chronograph but they should be about 2800 fps roughly.  They are what I had available for now and I was hoping that by keeping the velocity down around factory I would have good performance as far as penetration and lethality.  But looking for a little real world experience, I would hate to not be able to punch one thru on a quartering shot, but sounded like they might be fragile if loaded too hot.  So... give me the good and the bad and the ugly, that way I kinda know what to expect.  Shots for both bear or elk could be close or far..   Thanks everyone, I know there is a wealth of experience and knowledge here. 

[Biggerhammer]

All depends on what distance your shooting game at. Out past 200 yards is way different results than at point blank. As is the case with most bullets, for example like the 140gr Nosler Ballistic tip out of a 7mm Rem Magnum at point blank I have had the bullet completely fail, required a follow up shot on mule deer but out past 300 yards it was perfection, always found the bullet just under the hide on the off side perfectly mushroomed. I havE five or six of these in a jar that I recovered.

I know for a fact the 7mm SST at point blank is MESSY! Unzip them and pour it all out.

[webbspinner]

My thought was to keep the speed down a bit and hopefully hold together better, hence the 225 also.  Strange enough but both bullets seem to be same POI at 100 yds, I am sure that would change with distance.  Think the standard interlok would be better at close yardage?

[demontang]

Well if the SST is anything like the 200gr nosler bt then I know they will come apart and be nasty on meat out to 200yds. You should be fine with the interlock they seem to be a little more solid. I personaly run the 225 accubounds out of the .338 which the book tells me should be 2890fps and they work flawless from 30-200+ even hitting heavy bone they hold together I would bet the hornady interbound would be like the accubounds

[Woodchuck]

I shoot 225 gr SST's at about 2900 fps, and yes inside 200yds they will make a mess but so has every other bullet I have tried.  To date I have not required any follow up shots. I am very happy with accuracy and lethality. 

[webbspinner]

What about barnes ttsx, I see they have a 225 grain option, I am getting such good accuracy at the moment, or should I even be fussing with boat tails?  I have other guns which are dialed up and very accurate and proficient at distance (7mm RM and 300 WM)  I appreciate the advice for sure, where I hunt I could have a longer shot but likely to be under 100, should I just shoot the interlock flat base?  sounds like dead either way but could get messy.

[str8meat]

take some old phonebooks, free add papers aka thrifty nickel etc. stack them up until pile measures 20 inches. band them up with whatever ya can rope, metal banding , plastic band, even duct tape. just make sure you compress astight as possible. set out at 100 yards and shoot it. then go recover your bullet. you can measure how much penetration, weigh recovered, measure size of expansion and look at damage it will do to compressed paper. you should get results like these, all at 100 yards all 338 win mag all using 73gr. rl 19 with mag. primers 

[demontang]

I've tried a lot of bullets in my .338 and ended with the accubond. Expands at long distances and holds together close up even against heavy bone it holds together but expands on coyotes at 300+ too 

[BOWHUNTER45]

All I will tell ya is that those Interlocks fear no bone  I shoot nothen but hornaday bullets ..I do like the SST but the interlocks are definately the ultimate bullet and you can eat what you shoot ...the SST is alittle explosive when hitting bone but behind the shoulder shot it does drop sheet  just loaded some 162 gr SST for my buddies 7mag ...he loved the results it put on his Muley last year .......

[Yak-NDN]

accubond all the way keep the speed down and it is good for deer and elk with little blood shot.

[webbspinner]

I have had great results with the accubonds in my 7mm and my 270, but thought I would use the SST and the plain interlock cause they were cheap (i.e. free  ) I used IMR 4831 cause I had that.  I will have to try the phonebook and newspaper thing, just to see.  But probably won't get to that until after I get done shooting stuff with hide on it.
Is it just me or is this week just dragging by?  I put a bushnell elite on the 338, love the rainguard hd but I think that might be a little overkill for hunting blacktail in the brush.
Thanks for the insights and if you have anymore powder or load or bullet recommendations, keep em coming.  Its a true blessing to be able to poll information from people who are as passionate about guns, hunting and the outdoors as myself.  Thanks again.

[Salmo]

Just thought I would ask for everyone's experience cause I know there will be some.
I am getting my new elk rifle ready for season and reloaded some 225 gr hornady interlocks and some 225 gr SST's for my new (to me) 338 WM Ruger 77.  Grouping @ 100 is around 3/4" if I do my part.  Have not run these through a chronograph but they should be about 2800 fps roughly.  They are what I had available for now and I was hoping that by keeping the velocity down around factory I would have good performance as far as penetration and lethality.  But looking for a little real world experience, I would hate to not be able to punch one thru on a quartering shot, but sounded like they might be fragile if loaded too hot.  So... give me the good and the bad and the ugly, that way I kinda know what to expect.  Shots for both bear or elk could be close or far..   Thanks everyone, I know there is a wealth of experience and knowledge here. 

Not the bullets I'd pick.  But, put it behind the shoulder and you'll be just fine.

[demontang]

Well for powder Ive had great luck with imr 4350 and h414 Ive shot in 10deg weather all the way up to 100deg with both and it didnt seem to affect the powder that much I could still hit the gong at 300yds cold bore by holding dead on. Never had any signs of over pressure out of it either even running max loads

[BOWHUNTER45]

My thought was to keep the speed down a bit and hopefully hold together better, hence the 225 also.  Strange enough but both bullets seem to be same POI at 100 yds, I am sure that would change with distance.  Think the standard interlok would be better at close yardage?
[/quote HOLY SHEET BATMAN ... I can not believe I just read this comment !!! NAILED IT ....Keep the speed down just a bit and you will not blow sheet up .....One more thing .....I have killed sheet alot further than 100 yrds with interlocks and its always been the same results ....night night 

[Huntbear]

take some old phonebooks, free add papers aka thrifty nickel etc. stack them up until pile measures 20 inches. band them up with whatever ya can rope, metal banding , plastic band, even duct tape. just make sure you compress astight as possible. set out at 100 yards and shoot it. then go recover your bullet. you can measure how much penetration, weigh recovered, measure size of expansion and look at damage it will do to compressed paper. you should get results like these, all at 100 yards all 338 win mag all using 73gr. rl 19 with mag. primers

What kind of velocity are you getting with 73 gr. of RL 19?  I am just bariely hitting 2850 with 77.5 gr.  and less than 3/4 in. groups at 100 yds.  I also found that between guns, there can be a variance of almost 75 fps with the same loads.  Was quite interesting once we got a chrony and started using it for developing loads.