The quest for the ultimate hunting bullet often leads discerning outdoorsmen and dedicated reloaders to a select few options that truly stand out for their blend of accuracy, terminal performance, and versatility. Among these, the Hornady 3142 SST (Super Shock Tip) 7.62mm .310 123 Grain bullet emerges as a premier choice, meticulously engineered to deliver devastating on-target energy and reliable expansion across a wide spectrum of game animals. This comprehensive guide will delve into the advanced design, ballistic characteristics, and real-world applications of this exceptional bullet, helping you understand why it's consistently recommended for ethical and successful hunts.

Unlocking Superior Performance: The Hornady SST Advantage

For hunters who demand consistent, ethical kills, and reloaders seeking to craft the most precise and effective ammunition, the Hornady SST bullet offers a compelling solution. What problem does it solve? The age-old challenge of ensuring rapid energy transfer and controlled expansion, regardless of impact velocity, combined with a flat trajectory for confident shot placement at various distances. Whether you're pursuing a whitetail deer across a cornfield or preparing for a challenging encounter with a larger game animal, the 123 grain Hornady SST in .310 diameter is designed to minimize tracking and maximize your success in the field.

The "Super Shock Tip" designation is more than just a name; it’s a promise of superior terminal performance. This bullet is crafted to deliver a tremendous shock on impact, transferring maximum energy to the target while expanding quickly and reliably. This rapid, yet controlled, expansion is particularly effective at the higher velocities often achieved with popular cartridges like the 7.62x39mm, for which this .310 diameter bullet is ideally suited. The result is a highly effective, humane harvest that exemplifies responsible hunting practices.

The Science Behind the Super Shock Tip: Precision Engineering for Ethical Hunting

Hornady’s reputation for innovation is clearly evident in the advanced construction of the SST bullet. Every element, from the sleek tip to the robust base, is designed to work in concert, providing unmatched ballistic efficiency and terminal performance.

• The Polymer Tip: Aerodynamic Excellence Meets Rapid Expansion

  At the forefront of the SST bullet is its distinctive red polymer tip. This is not merely a cosmetic feature; it serves multiple critical functions that significantly enhance the bullet’s performance.

  • Increased Ballistic Coefficient (BC): The aerodynamic shape of the polymer tip drastically reduces drag, allowing the bullet to maintain higher velocities and energy levels downrange. For the Hornady 123 grain .310 SST, a ballistic coefficient of .295 signifies its impressive ability to cut through the air, leading to flatter trajectories and less wind drift.
  • Initiation of Expansion: Upon impact, the rigid polymer tip is driven back into the bullet’s core, initiating rapid and devastating expansion. This ensures that even at lower impact velocities, the bullet mushrooms effectively, delivering maximum energy transfer to the target. This rapid energy dump is crucial for incapacitating game quickly and humanely.
• Secant Ogive and Boat-Tail Profile: The Key to Flat Trajectories and Energy Retention

  The sleek secant ogive design of the SST, combined with its boat-tail base, is paramount to its exceptional external ballistics.

  • Secant Ogive: This scientifically optimized profile is more efficient than traditional tangent ogives, reducing drag and improving aerodynamic performance. It means the bullet flies truer, experiences less drop over distance, and is less susceptible to crosswinds. This translates directly to increased accuracy and confidence for hunters aiming at various ranges.
  • Boat-Tail Design: The tapered base of the bullet further reduces drag, especially at longer ranges, by minimizing the vacuum effect behind the bullet. This design contributes significantly to the bullet’s ability to retain velocity and kinetic energy, ensuring that it still possesses ample power for ethical expansion and penetration when it reaches the target.
• The Hornady InterLock Ring: Core-Jacket Integrity for Controlled Expansion

  A hallmark of many Hornady hunting bullets, the InterLock ring is a vital feature for reliable terminal performance. This internal ring is integrally molded into the bullet’s lead core and mechanically locks the core to the copper jacket.

  • Ensured Weight Retention: Even during rapid, violent expansion, the InterLock ring ensures that the core and jacket remain solidly united. This prevents jacket separation, which can lead to a loss of bullet weight and reduced penetration. By maintaining its integrity, the SST bullet can drive deeper, reaching vital organs for a quick, clean kill.
  • Controlled Expansion: While the SST is designed for rapid expansion, the InterLock ring helps to control this process, preventing over-fragmentation. This balance ensures that the bullet creates a wide wound channel while still achieving sufficient penetration, a critical factor for hunting medium to even some larger-bodied game.
• Lead Core and Copper Jacket: The Foundation of Performance

  While seemingly standard, the choice of lead for the core and copper for the jacket is foundational to the SST’s performance. The precise alloy of the lead core is carefully selected to ensure the desired malleability for expansion, while the tough copper jacket provides the necessary strength and structural integrity to withstand the forces of firing and impact. This combination, perfected by Hornady, results in a bullet that consistently performs as intended.

Understanding the Numbers: Ballistics of the Hornady 123 Grain .310 SST

For reloaders and ballistic enthusiasts, understanding the specific data points of a bullet is crucial for optimizing loads and predicting performance.

• Bullet Weight (123 Grains): This specific weight, combined with the .310-inch diameter, makes the Hornady SST an excellent choice for a variety of cartridges, most notably the highly popular 7.62x39mm. It offers a balance of manageable recoil, good velocity, and sufficient mass for effective energy transfer on medium game.
• Bullet Diameter (.310 inches / 7.62mm): This specific diameter is critical for proper bore fit in firearms chambered for cartridges like the 7.62x39mm. It ensures optimal gas seal and accuracy, which are fundamental to achieving consistent downrange performance.
• Ballistic Coefficient (BC) - G1: .295: As mentioned, this numerical value quantifies the bullet's aerodynamic efficiency. A BC of .295 is quite respectable for a bullet of this weight and type, indicating less drag and a flatter trajectory compared to many other hunting bullets in its class.
• Sectional Density (SD) - .183: Sectional density is a measure of a bullet’s mass in relation to its frontal area, and it’s a key indicator of its penetration potential. An SD of .183 for this 123 grain bullet suggests it has good penetrative capabilities, especially when coupled with its controlled expansion, allowing it to reach vital organs effectively.

Real-World Applications: Where Does the Hornady SST Excel?

The Hornady 123 grain .310 SST is a highly versatile bullet, making it a favorite among hunters targeting a wide range of species.

• The Ideal Whitetail Deer Bullet: Without a doubt, the Hornady SST is an outstanding choice for whitetail deer hunting. Its combination of flat trajectory, rapid expansion, and energy transfer leads to quick, humane kills. The SST’s ability to perform reliably at various ranges makes it suitable for diverse hunting scenarios, from dense woodlands to open fields. Many hunters consider it the best bullet for deer when using a 7.62x39mm rifle, offering an excellent blend of power and precision.
• Versatility for North American Game: Beyond whitetail, the SST performs admirably on other medium-sized North American game.
  • Antelope and Mule Deer: Its flat-shooting characteristics are a distinct advantage in the wide-open spaces where these animals are often pursued, allowing for confident shots at extended ranges.
  • Black Bear and Smaller Hogs: The rapid energy transfer and controlled expansion are highly effective on these tough-skinned animals, ensuring deep penetration and devastating wound channels.
  • Elk and Even Moose (with considerations): While often considered a medium-game bullet, the 123 grain SST can be used for larger animals like elk or even moose, provided shot placement is precise and velocities are within the optimal range for the bullet's expansion. Its design for tremendous shock transfer is beneficial here, but hunters must understand its limitations compared to heavier, bonded bullets designed specifically for large, dangerous game.
• African Plains Game: The Hornady SST’s description notes its suitability for "similar-sized African plains game." This typically refers to animals like Springbok, Impala, Duiker, and other medium-bodied antelope species, where its rapid expansion and energy transfer prove highly effective.
• Optimized for Reloaders: For individuals who enjoy reloading their own ammunition, the Hornady SST 123 grain .310 bullet offers consistent quality and performance. It allows reloaders to fine-tune loads for their specific rifle, maximizing accuracy and muzzle velocity, ensuring optimal terminal performance for their chosen hunting application. This bullet is consistently chosen by reloaders seeking to get the most out of their 7.62x39mm rifles for hunting.

Addressing Common Questions About Hunting Bullets and the Hornady SST

Hunters and shooters often have specific questions when choosing components. Here’s how the Hornady SST addresses some common queries:

• "Is the Hornady SST good for long-range hunting?" While the 123 grain SST has a respectable ballistic coefficient of .295 and a boat-tail design for excellent aerodynamic efficiency, its primary design focus is on rapid, devastating terminal performance. For extreme long-range hunting (beyond 400-500 yards, depending on caliber and velocity), some hunters might opt for bullets with even higher BCs or specific long-range designs. However, for typical hunting ranges encountered by most hunters, the SST’s flat trajectory and energy retention make it highly effective.
• "How does the SST compare to other hunting bullets?" The SST differentiates itself with its unique blend of the polymer tip for ballistic efficiency and rapid expansion, combined with the InterLock ring for controlled, deep penetration. It offers a balance that some other bullets might sacrifice (e.g., some purely fragmenting bullets lack penetration, while some deeply penetrating bullets might not expand as rapidly). Its "Super Shock Tip" design ensures that initial impact is maximized.
• "What's the best bullet for ethical hunting?" An ethical hunting bullet is one that delivers a quick, humane kill by causing rapid incapacitation. The Hornady SST, with its tremendous shock on impact, reliable expansion, and ability to transfer energy efficiently, is designed precisely for this purpose. When combined with proper shot placement, it is an excellent choice for ensuring an ethical harvest.
• "Can I reload the Hornady SST 123 grain .310 for my 7.62x39mm rifle?" Absolutely. This particular bullet (UPC 090255231427) is one of the most popular choices for reloading the 7.62x39mm cartridge for hunting purposes. Its .310-inch diameter is specifically designed for the bore dimensions of many 7.62x39mm rifles, and its 123-grain weight is a classic for this caliber, offering excellent performance on game. Reloaders can fine-tune powder charges and seating depth to achieve optimal accuracy and velocity from their specific firearms.

Why Choose Hornady? A Legacy of Innovation and Quality

Hornady has been a trusted name in ammunition and reloading components for decades, built on a foundation of precision, innovation, and unwavering commitment to quality. When you choose Hornady, you’re not just buying a product; you’re investing in decades of ballistic research and engineering excellence. Their dedication to the hunter and shooter ensures that every bullet, including the Hornady SST 7.62mm .310 123 Grain Super Shock Tip, meets the highest standards of performance and reliability.

For those seeking this exceptional hunting bullet, DEGuns is a reputable source. You can find the Hornady 3142 SST 7.62mm .310 123 GR Super Shock Tip 100 Box, along with a wide array of other quality hunting and shooting supplies, at DEGuns.com. Ensure your next hunt is successful and ethical by equipping yourself with the proven performance of Hornady SST bullets.

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Technical Specifications and Bullet Details

The Hornady 3142 SST (Super Shock Tip) 123 Grain .310 bullet is designed with specific characteristics to optimize its performance in the field. Below is a detailed breakdown of its key features and specifications, essential for reloaders and hunters to understand its capabilities.

Feature	Specification Value	Additional Detail
Brand	Hornady	A leading manufacturer of ammunition and reloading components.
Model	SST	Short for Super Shock Tip, indicating its design for rapid energy transfer and expansion.
Caliber	7.62mm	Common designation for cartridges designed around this bore diameter, particularly 7.62x39mm.
Bullet Diameter	.310 inch	Precise diameter for optimal fit in specific firearm bores.
Weight	123 grains	A versatile bullet weight offering a balance of velocity and kinetic energy.
Bullet Type	Super Shock Tip	Features a polymer tip and an InterLock ring for controlled expansion and weight retention.
Bullet Tip Material	Polymer	Enhances ballistic coefficient and initiates expansion upon impact.
Core Material	Lead	Traditional lead core, precisely formulated for optimal expansion.
Jacket Material	Copper	Robust copper jacket encasing the lead core, designed for structural integrity.
Coefficient (G1)	.295	Ballistic Coefficient, indicating aerodynamic efficiency for flatter trajectories.
Sectional Density	.183	A measure of the bullet's penetration potential relative to its frontal area.
Application	Medium Game / Varmint	Ideal for species ranging from whitetail deer to larger antelope and smaller hogs.
Rounds Per Box	100	Standard quantity for bulk reloading components.
Boxes Per Case	25	Indicates the wholesale packaging quantity.
SKU	72097	Stock Keeping Unit for inventory management.
MPN	3142	Manufacturer Part Number, specifically identifying this bullet type.
UPC	090255231427	Universal Product Code for unique identification in retail.