# SST vs. TEZ/TMZ



## adamb (Sep 23, 2007)

Am I worrying over nothing? 

This year I bought a CVA Accura V2, I put a Vortex 1x24 on it, I was told by the gentleman at Sportsman's to start out with the SST 250 grain because I was planning on going after just a buck this year. 

I have sighted in very well at 100 yards with the 250 SST with 100 grains of BH209. 

This past weekend my girlfriend's grandfather offered me a landowner's elk voucher for his property! :mrgreen:

So I have been doing some searching on the internet and I have been reading not so good things on the SST on elk... :? A lot of possible fragmenting?

Do y'all suggest I swap out and start over with either TMZ or TEZ that I can use for both my deer and now elk? If so, which grain?

Or just stick with the SST and maybe jump up to the 300 grain?

Any help would be greatly appreciated! I really don't want to mess up on my first elk.


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## Rattler (Jul 13, 2014)

I dropped my elk with a 300 grain hornady SST. I hit right behind the front shoulder and he only went 10 yards. No fragmentation but it didn't go through the front shoulder.


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## Dahlmer (Sep 12, 2007)

Depends, If you're happy with your groups at 250 grains then moving up to 300 should be pretty consistent with what your experiencing and should be a much better bullet for elk.

If you want to shoot 250's then you should switch to a tougher bullet.


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## Calling all ducks (Apr 22, 2009)

*Bullets*

I would use the SST 300 Grain for your Elk I shot mine with it and it did the job.


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

havent had the chance to shoot an animal yet with mine but, my 290gr TMZ sure do shoot good! 
I dug a hand full out of the gravel pit I shot into and they looked perfectly mushroomed up like the barnes X does. If you wanted to stick with 250gr I think the barnes would be a great choice. I think a 250gr would tump hard. I started out with 290's and they shot great so this year i'm sticking with the 290's. This spring I may play around with some 250's but, why bother I guess.


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

goosefreak said:


> havent had the chance to shoot an animal yet with mine but, my 290gr TMZ sure do shoot good!
> I dug a hand full out of the gravel pit I shot into and they looked perfectly mushroomed up like the barnes X does. If you wanted to stick with 250gr I think the barnes would be a great choice. I think a 250gr would tump hard. I started out with 290's and they shot great so this year i'm sticking with the 290's. This spring I may play around with some 250's but, why bother I guess.


once you get use to shooting those big 290's at deer you won't want to try 250's.


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## Spry Yellowdog (Sep 8, 2007)

A 290 through a deer and there will be no time wasted tracking in the heat of the day or darkness of night.

Spry


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## adamb (Sep 23, 2007)

Now where to find them... I dropped by the Riverdale Sportsman's and the muzzloader supplies are pretty slim.


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

AdamBrewer said:


> Now where to find them... I dropped by the Riverdale Sportsman's and the muzzloader supplies are pretty slim.


I find the only place I get the 290 tez is at cabelas. Just order them online and ship to house.


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## derekp1999 (Nov 17, 2011)

You can also order them from Sportsmans Warehouse online and have them shipped to the store to save a couple dollars on shipping. It's pretty convenient if the Riverdale store is not too far out of your way.


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## adamb (Sep 23, 2007)

derekp1999 said:


> You can also order them from Sportsmans Warehouse online and have them shipped to the store to save a couple dollars on shipping. It's pretty convenient if the Riverdale store is not too far out of your way.


That's not a bad idea!

I dropped in Kent's Shooting Supply in Ogden today to see if they had any TMZ or TEZ, but they were also out. The gentleman I was talking to there showed me Federal's new B.O.R. LOCK MZ. Has anyone used that bullet? Would that 270 grain be enough for deer and elk?

Is the TMZ going to be hard to load in my Accura? Should I go with the TEZ?

Sorry for all the questions... :shock:


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

AdamBrewer said:


> That's not a bad idea!
> 
> I dropped in Kent's Shooting Supply in Ogden today to see if they had any TMZ or TEZ, but they were also out. The gentleman I was talking to there showed me Federal's new B.O.R. LOCK MZ. Has anyone used that bullet? Would that 270 grain be enough for deer and elk?
> 
> ...


not sure on an accura but out of my optima the tmz was pretty dang tight. The tez's load perfectly in my optima.


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

you do need to pick up that ramrod bullet attachment tho that barnes sells so you don't smash the plastic tip.


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## Caddis-n-Cutts (Sep 28, 2007)

Smith & Edwards always seems to have the 290 gr. T-EZ's in stock, but the are selling the 15 pack for the same price as the 24 pack (Cabela's price). I haven't tried the TM-Z's but the TE-Z's seem to be perfect size for my Accura. Sportsman's is a joke they NEVER have what I'm looking for in stock. And I check during the "off season" as well, not just right before the season(s).


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

I shoot the Accura V2 and I have no problem pushing a TMZ down the barrel.


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## Raptorman (Aug 18, 2009)

I just switched to the TEZ 250 Grain for my elk hunt. With a solid Cooper bullet I am hoping that if I do my part it will be enough to knock down a big old bull come Sept 21.


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## Caddis-n-Cutts (Sep 28, 2007)

Caddis-n-Cutts said:


> Smith & Edwards always seems to have the290 gr. T-EZ's in stock, but the are selling the 15 pack for the same price as the 24 pack (Cabela's price).


Scratch that. They aren't as bad as I thought they were. I just got back from S&E's and they want $27.99 for a 15 pack of 290 grain T-EZ's.

Is it bad to quote myself?


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## adamb (Sep 23, 2007)

I ended up going with the TEZ 190 grain! 

I had a little bit of time after work to get out near my house in the foothills for a few shots.

My gun was zeroed with the SST 250 grain sabots with 100 grains of BH209. 

Shots #1 & #2 were right after each other at 50 yards. Pretty much in the same hole!! 

Shot #3 was still at 50 yards with a little adjustment. Moved it to the right a little too much.. 

The sun was going down quick so I moved to 100 yards for one shot and that was #4. 

It's crazy how small that yellow dot can get at 100 yards away.. 

I think I am going to be shooting some pretty tight groups here soon! After my last class on Tuesday I'll be going right up to the range by Avon to get it perfect :mrgreen:

I'm glad I went with the TEZ, I don't think the TMZ would have gone down my barrel... :shock:

Thank you everyone!


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

nice! I thought I would talk about this since it's a pain for me and wonder if anyone else does this.. So I swab after each shot on the range and I always hunt with a clean barrel. but when I do have to reload my gun out in the field when it's dirty, I've found that it can be a pain even with the tez but I do shoot dirty 777, so that could be why or just for some reason my barrel is extra tight... But I take out my breech plug to my gun and I push through a tez. This thins out the plastic on the sabot a bit. I then keep that round as my speed loader round and it loads perfectly in a dirty barrel.. I can always tell at the range when I've grabbed one of those rounds because in a clean barrel they load a little too easy than a brand new one that has never been pushed through.


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## bj_utah (Aug 28, 2015)

I like the TC Shock Wave Super Glide Bonded 250Gr/50Cal with 100Gr 777 for deer. Hunt with whatever you sight with, don't change horses in mid stream.


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