6.5 CM 130gr bullet test, Part 2 - 129gr Hornady SST

[bdbrown66]

Of the 3 bullets tested, this bullet is hands down the one my rifle prefers for accuracy. In my load development, it produced several groups under .5", including two at around .3". So from an accuracy standpoint, this load was the favorite going into the test, but I wanted to get an idea how it would perform.

Load data: 129gr Hornady SST, 38.5gr Varget, Sig brass, Fed. 210M primer, 2791 fps



The aftermath:



1st jug:



2nd jug:



3rd jug (bullet jacket and core found inside):



4th jug (just barely poked a small hole):



The jacket and core did separate:



Retained weight 77.5 gr:



The core measured .467" at its widest:



The jacket measured .736" at its widest:

 

[DrMike]

The bullet would reach the vitals of a deer if you stay off of bone.

 

[Aussie Wanderer]

It’s a reasonably tough little bullet in our experience, at least at the velocities generated in a 6.5x55. It has punched through shoulder blades, ribs and spines on red deer. They do expand quite violently. I think this bullet is much like a ballistic tip in that the first iteration might have been too explosive but subsequent designs fixed those flaws. As a white tail bullet in a creedmore I would think it should be excellent.

 

[Ralt71]

I don't like the way these come apart, especially for hunting and hoping for an exit hole. I love the way they shoot though. I've found them to be accurate in my 7mag, 6.5prc, and 6mm.