Hornady 123 SST meets Florida Wild Hogs

[Variable]

LOL! Agreed! Good job RJ. Good looking son too (even if he certainly favors his dad!LOL J/K!). You have a squared away family and good reason to be proud.

[stokesrj]

Here is what a hog looks like when ground up and mixed with Cabelas High Mountain Maple Breakfast seasoning and then stuffed into links.

[stokesrj]

But I have some even more interesting photo's to share later.
Bob

[stokesrj]

To my surprise when processing the meat Bobby found the bullet on the hog that I shot had not exited as I thought, there was an exit hole in the shoulder which must have been made by bone driven through the hide but the bullet was found in the shoulder meat just short of exiting. Anyway, here is what a 123 SST looks like after penetrating 24" of hog and breaking the off side shoulder.




I think that this bullet performed in an excellent manner. First it killed the hog, it also stopped it so recovery was easy, it penetrated deeply and still had enough power to break heavy bone. It expanded well enough to destroy the vital organs yet held together well enough to allow deep penetration. I call this good.
Bob

[ricsmall]

very nice bob! I would call that great. Now all I need to do is find some hogs in the next couple of weeks and try mine out. Thanks for the info.

[Von Gruff]

So that was at 75 yds so would still have good velocity at the hit. 24inches of pig is a good test for any bullet and to hold together like that with what looks like a good 70% of its weight bodes well for the bullet in most aplications.

[jawbone]

considering the job that it did, that is one outstanding mushroom.

thanks, Bob.

[Bigfoot]

Yeah, that'll work on Bambie.

All of you that lobbied Hornady for the 123 A-Max and then the SST, thanks.

[Drifter]

Excellent!

[Grimmy]

Sounds like a ton of fun. And some good father son time!

[VASCAR2]

The bullet was fired out of a 14.5" barrel which puts the velocity on the lower end. At 6.5 Grendel velocities I think the 123 SST bullet will hold up fine at close range, say using a 24" barrel at 45 yards.

[stokesrj]

So that was at 75 yds so would still have good velocity at the hit. 24inches of pig is a good test for any bullet and to hold together like that with what looks like a good 70% of its weight bodes well for the bullet in most aplications.

Correct, 75 yards, the bullet weighed 93.2 grains 75.8% weight retension.
Bob

[Bennybone]

Very nice write up and excellent pictures.

We haven't tried the 123gr SST here in Texas, I hunt with DennisB as often as possible and he is using the 129gr SST.

Those are just pure devastation on the pigs, 150lbs and less at 200 yards or closer.

We both are hoping that Spring brings us a 300 lb'er to try the 129gr SST on, they usually are wearing a pretty good mud plate on their tough shoulders.

On another note I stalked to within 15 yards of a 100 lb boar this past weekend with my 6x45mm.

My shot placement was poor, behind the jaw and in front of the shoulder - in the neck wattle.

The boar was stunned momentarily and did the death roll/kick but then got up and bolted away not to be recovered.

Point is I figured the hydrostatic shock of the 80gr Nosler BT that close to the head and spine would kill the boar but amazingly this animal wasn't ready to die. It left a trackable blood trail, we tracked it about 700 yards till it crossed the road and left the property.

I have a video but haven't posted it on the site since it isn't a Grendel, if your interested I can PM it to ya.

I will check back later in the season to see how the 123gr SST perform for you on mis-placed shots.

I really do like the 6.5 class of bullets and of course in the Grendel cartridge.

BB