Hunting Eland - what bullet?

**armandvdwalt** · 14-01-2019, 15:38

Originally Posted by TStone

Definitely not the 300 H&H with the 180gr SST's. The others will all work. Will you be hunting mature bulls or cows and sub adult bulls?

So I want to revive this

I have a .308, 20" bull barrel, 1 in 10 twist, using a 180gr SST I'm getting muzzle velocity of about 2360, can't remember exactly what it was, so I understand from most people SST not great for hunting, but what about the 180GR Interbond, they have the exact same BC and I can apparently use the exact same load as with the SST? Would the Interbonds work for game such as Eland? At what max distance?

Using SST for paper and since sales guy told me I can use interbonds with same load it made sense to then not having to do load development with expensive bullets...

**TStone** · 14-01-2019, 16:32

The Interbond's will work as long as you avoid the heavy shoulder bones (which is not difficult) and avoid extremely angled raking shots. At that velocity the load should be good out to 250m (provided you study the actual trajectory) or so and will actually perform better at closer ranges than the same bullet launched at a higher velocity.

I'm not sure about the interchangeability between the SST and the Interbond, however, there are a few members here who can give you good advice on that.

**Pirate** · 14-01-2019, 17:50

Originally Posted by TStone

I'm not sure about the interchangeability between the SST and the Interbond, however, there are a few members here who can give you good advice on that.

Not the 180gr, but I found this true for the 150gr. I actually did completely seperate load development for 150gr SSTs and Interbonds, specifically to test the theory, and arrived the same "best charge" for both.

IIRC the Interbond is a little longer than the SST but that didn't make a perceivable difference.

I would do a direct substitute (your speed is low so the pressure will be safe) check the speed of the Interbond, and then tweak the charge to go back to your SSTs "good speed". Of course, if the direct substitute shoots to satisfaction, just go hunt ;-)

**Messor** · 14-01-2019, 17:54

Well I'd rather use a 308 with 180gr SST's than a 300 H&H, that is for sure.
Also, at 2360ft/s muzzle velocity I am willing to bet money the bullet will not fail.

The last few years I have shot many things with a 180gr SST out of my 308, and I have started to get huge respect for it at slower velocities.

If I am offered a shot at a big eland, with my own money, with a 300WM or H&H, I would probably pass(because I am poor).
But with a 308 at that velocity, I'd not feel worried too much.

**Pirate** · 14-01-2019, 17:59

LOL I just wanted to add that Messor will tell you the 180gr SST is stronger than we think!

**Messor** · 14-01-2019, 18:07

Not stronger, the materials are the same as in a bonded bullet, the only reason to bond something is to keep the jacket and core together, for retained momentum.
If you have a MV of 2360ft/s, and lets say an impact velocity of 2100ft/s, man that bullet is not just going to disintegrate, the people used to hunt eland like that in the olden days with no problem at all, people only started to run into trouble when they shot frangible bullets too fast.

But if you put up the money I will prove it to you :)

**TStone** · 14-01-2019, 18:20

I had two failures with 154gr SST's out of a 7x57, on blesbuck, both shots at over 200m. Both bullets breaking up on shoulder bones from a frontal angle, both bullets failed to reach the vitals. Hardly high velocity, hardly large animals. Then an acquaintance experienced the same thing, also a 7mm, same bullet, also blesbuck. I certainly won't use them on an eland, in any caliber.

**Pirate** · 14-01-2019, 18:23

Originally Posted by Messor

Not stronger, the materials are the same as in a bonded bullet, the only reason to bond something is to keep the jacket and core together, for retained momentum.
If you have a MV of 2360ft/s, and lets say an impact velocity of 2100ft/s, man that bullet is not just going to disintegrate, the people used to hunt eland like that in the olden days with no problem at all, people only started to run into trouble when they shot frangible bullets too fast.

But if you put up the money I will prove it to you :)

No man, those weren't fighting words, I mos remember things you post and I can only concur with your observations. So you don't need to prove this to me ;-)

Off topic but I've also mentioned before that a friend of mine just shoots 150gr SSTs, and he shoots them fast (~2800fps). Sample of two, but on seperate occassions we both shot a blesbok (I use Interbonds) and BlackWb. In the blesbok's case he had no more meat damage than I did. His BlWb was shot behind the shoulder while mine was on the shoulder, but then again he was closer so higher impact speed. Again, he had essentially negligible meat damage. In fairness, these cases are not his primary application (which is head shots on springbok) but it made me realise that SSTs aren't shit bullets that just break apart for nothing.

For the Eland I'd still prefer the Interbond over the SST, but in honesty I'd probably prefer the GMX (or a similar expanding mono) over the Interbond...

ETA: and regardless of what I said above, I'll definitely defer to TStones experience! Some time ago though I seem te remind myself Messor postulated that the larger-diameter bullets of the same "model" may perhaps have thicker jackets than the smaller diameter ones. Perhaps that tipping point comes between 7mm and 30cal for SSTs?

**Messor** · 14-01-2019, 18:29

Originally Posted by TStone

I had two failures with 154gr SST's out of a 7x57, on blesbuck, both shots at over 200m. Both bullets breaking up on shoulder bones from a frontal angle, both bullets failed to reach the vitals. Hardly high velocity, hardly large animals. Then an acquaintance experienced the same thing, also a 7mm, same bullet, also blesbuck. I certainly won't use them on an eland, in any caliber.

I have now shot 2 kudu bulls, through both shoulders, bullets exiting both times, where an accubond once failed to do so with the same shot.
Every year I ask my brother with what combo he wants to hunt kudu this time, and that time it was a 180gr bullet shot at 2400ft/s, which in my rifle is node 5, 38.5gr S335 at 2400ft/s.

You would not, respect, but I would.

Maybe the force is just strong with me, who knows :)

**Dash431** · 14-01-2019, 18:33

Originally Posted by TStone

I had two failures with 154gr SST's out of a 7x57, on blesbuck, both shots at over 200m. Both bullets breaking up on shoulder bones from a frontal angle, both bullets failed to reach the vitals. Hardly high velocity, hardly large animals. Then an acquaintance experienced the same thing, also a 7mm, same bullet, also blesbuck. I certainly won't use them on an eland, in any caliber.

So T, would you consider a 165gr Peregrine VRG4 a good option for Eland?