Hornady 33102 SST .338 Caliber 200 Grain Super Shock Tip Bullets: The Hunter's Edge for Medium to Large Game

For serious hunters and precision reloaders who demand exceptional performance in the field, the Hornady SST .338 Caliber 200 grain Super Shock Tip bullet stands out as a premier choice. Engineered for devastating terminal performance, flat trajectories, and remarkable accuracy, this bullet is specifically designed to provide consistent, ethical kills on a wide range of game, from swift whitetails to resilient moose and similar-sized African plains game. If you're looking for a bullet that instills confidence and delivers results when it matters most, understanding the unique attributes of the Hornady SST is essential.

What Makes the Hornady SST an Optimal Choice for Hunting?

The effectiveness of any hunting bullet hinges on its design and how it performs upon impact. The Hornady SST (Super Shock Tip) is a testament to advanced ballistic engineering, combining several innovative features that contribute to its celebrated reputation.

At its core, the SST is crafted to achieve a delicate balance: provide tremendous shock transfer to the target while ensuring reliable and controlled expansion, particularly at higher velocities. This balance is critical for energy dissipation within the animal, leading to quick and humane takedowns.

The Polymer Super Shock Tip: Precision and Performance Combined

One of the most distinctive features of the Hornady SST is its sleek, red polymer tip. This isn't just for aesthetics; it plays a crucial role in the bullet's aerodynamic efficiency and terminal performance.

• Enhanced Ballistic Coefficient (BC): The polymer tip creates a sharp, aerodynamic point that significantly increases the bullet's ballistic coefficient. For the .338 caliber 200 grain SST, this means a BC of .455, indicating superior flight characteristics. A higher BC translates directly into reduced air drag, allowing the bullet to maintain its velocity and energy over longer distances. What does this mean for the hunter? Flatter trajectories and less wind drift, which are critical factors for accuracy, especially on those challenging longer shots.
• Initiates Rapid Expansion: Upon impact, the polymer tip acts as a wedge, driving back into the bullet's core. This action initiates incredibly rapid and reliable expansion, even at varying impact velocities. This rapid expansion ensures maximum energy transfer within the target, creating a wide wound channel that stops game efficiently.

Secant Ogive Boat-Tail Profile: For Optimal Downrange Capability

Beyond the tip, the overall bullet shape contributes significantly to its performance. The Hornady SST utilizes a secant ogive boat-tail profile, a design choice rooted in maximizing aerodynamic efficiency.

• Aerodynamic Efficiency: The secant ogive design minimizes drag over the bullet's entire length, not just the tip. This low-drag profile, combined with the boat-tail, which reduces base drag, allows the bullet to retain more velocity and energy downrange. For the hunter, this means more predictable trajectories and ample power for ethical kills, even at extended ranges.
• Superior Accuracy: A consistent and aerodynamically efficient bullet design leads to greater stability in flight. This inherent stability translates directly into improved accuracy, allowing shooters to place their shots precisely, a non-negotiable requirement for successful hunting.

The InterLock Ring: Unwavering Core-Jacket Integrity

Perhaps one of the most critical elements of the SST's design, inherited from Hornady's proven InterLock line, is the InterLock Ring. This internal ring ensures that the core and jacket remain locked solid during expansion.

• Controlled Expansion and Weight Retention: The InterLock ring mechanically locks the lead core to the copper jacket. As the bullet expands, this feature prevents core-jacket separation, which can lead to fragmented bullets and reduced penetration. By maintaining core-jacket integrity, the SST delivers controlled, uniform expansion with excellent weight retention. This translates to deeper penetration and consistent, devastating energy transfer, ensuring the bullet reaches vital organs.
• Predictable Performance: Hunters rely on predictable bullet performance. The InterLock ring ensures that whether the shot is close or at moderate range, the SST will expand reliably without fragmenting excessively, consistently delivering the performance needed for clean, one-shot kills.

Real-World Applications: Where Does the .338 SST Excel?

The .338 caliber is renowned for its power and versatility, and when paired with the 200-grain Hornady SST, its capabilities are significantly amplified. This bullet is an exceptional choice for a wide array of hunting scenarios and game animals.

Ideal Game Animals

• Medium to Large North American Game: The Hornady SST 200 grain .338 is perfectly suited for game such as whitetail and mule deer, antelope, elk, black bears, and even larger species like moose. Its rapid expansion and deep penetration capabilities ensure effective energy transfer and organ disruption for quick, humane harvests.
• African Plains Game: For hunters venturing to Africa, the .338 SST 200 grain bullet is a strong contender for a variety of plains game species, including Kudu, Wildebeest, Eland, and Gemsbok. Its ability to deliver profound shock and penetrate effectively through tougher hide and bone makes it a reliable choice.

Common Cartridges for Reloaders

Reloaders often choose the Hornady SST 200 grain .338 for its versatility across several popular .338 cartridges. Its design allows it to perform exceptionally well in:

• .338 Winchester Magnum: A widely popular and powerful cartridge, the 200 grain SST provides excellent ballistics for medium to large game, offering a flatter trajectory than heavier bullets.
• .338 Lapua Magnum: While often associated with heavier bullets for extreme long-range, the 200 grain SST can provide a faster, flatter shooting option for specific hunting scenarios where supreme accuracy and velocity are desired.
• .338 Remington Ultra Magnum (RUM): Known for its blistering velocities, the 200 grain SST can be driven to impressive speeds in the .338 RUM, maximizing its terminal performance and extending its effective range.
• Other .338 caliber wildcats or custom builds: The consistent quality of Hornady bullets makes them a preferred component for handloaders building custom loads for unique .338 platforms.

Whether you're crafting precision loads for a long-range elk hunt or seeking reliable performance for dense woods whitetail, the Hornady SST .338 200 grain bullet provides the adaptability and power needed for success.

Understanding the Technical Specifications: What Do the Numbers Mean?

Beyond the design philosophy, the precise technical specifications of the Hornady SST .338 200 grain bullet offer crucial insights into its expected performance.

• Bullet Weight: 200 grains: This is a versatile mid-range weight for the .338 caliber. It strikes an excellent balance between velocity and retained energy, offering a flatter trajectory than heavier bullets while still delivering significant knockdown power.
• Bullet Diameter: .338 inches: This standard diameter ensures compatibility with all .338 caliber firearms and reloading dies.
• Ballistic Coefficient (BC): .455 (G1): As discussed, this high BC signifies exceptional aerodynamic efficiency, leading to minimal velocity decay and reduced wind deflection, especially at longer ranges.
• Sectional Density (SD): .250: Sectional density is a measure of a bullet's mass in relation to its diameter. A higher SD generally indicates better penetration capabilities. For a 200-grain .338 bullet, an SD of .250 is excellent, contributing to its ability to drive deep through game and reach vital organs.
• Core Material: Lead: A proven and effective material for hunting bullet cores, providing the necessary mass for energy transfer.
• Jacket Material: Copper: Durable and capable of controlled expansion, the copper jacket works in conjunction with the InterLock ring to ensure integrity.
• Bullet Tip Material: Polymer: The advanced polymer tip is key to the SST's rapid expansion and ballistic advantages.

When choosing a bullet for reloading or as part of factory ammunition, understanding these specifications helps predict how the bullet will perform in various scenarios and how it will interact with different firearms and powder charges.

Why Choose Hornady SST for Your Next Hunt?

In the vast landscape of hunting bullets, the Hornady SST .338 200 grain distinguishes itself through a combination of thoughtful design, rigorous testing, and proven field results.

• Unparalleled Terminal Performance: The "Super Shock Tip" lives up to its name. The rapid, yet controlled, expansion ensures that maximum energy is delivered inside the animal, creating a wide, devastating wound channel that results in quick, ethical kills.
• Precision Accuracy: The aerodynamic secant ogive, polymer tip, and boat-tail design work in harmony to provide superior accuracy. This precision instills confidence, knowing your bullet will go where you aim, even under challenging conditions.
• Consistent Reliability: The InterLock ring is a game-changer, guaranteeing that the core and jacket remain unified during expansion. This consistency means predictable penetration and reliable performance, shot after shot, season after season. Hunters can trust that the Hornady SST will perform as expected when their trophy is in the crosshairs.
• Versatility Across Game and Ranges: Whether you're hunting smaller deer species or pursuing large, robust animals, the 200 grain .338 SST offers the versatility to handle diverse game with authority. Its excellent ballistic properties make it suitable for a wide range of shooting distances, from close encounters to more extended shots.
• Trusted by Handloaders: Hornady components are renowned for their consistency and quality, making them a top choice for handloaders who seek to optimize their ammunition for specific firearms and hunting conditions. The uniform weight, concentricity, and precise dimensions of these bullets ensure reliable loading and exceptional performance.

Choosing the right bullet is a critical decision for any hunter. The Hornady SST .338 200 grain Super Shock Tip bullet provides a compelling answer to the question, "What bullet will give me the best chance for a clean, ethical harvest?" Its blend of innovative design features delivers superior aerodynamics, devastating terminal performance, and unwavering reliability, making it a favorite among those who demand excellence from their hunting ammunition. When precision and power are paramount, the Hornady SST delivers the confidence needed for a successful hunt. These high-performance bullets are readily available from trusted sources like DEGuns, ensuring you can acquire the components necessary for your next reloading project or hunting adventure.

Hornady SST .338 Caliber 200 Grain Super Shock Tip Bullet Specifications

Feature	Detail
Brand	Hornady
Model	SST
Caliber	.338 Caliber
Bullet Type	Super Shock Tip
Weight	200 Grains
Diameter	.338 Inches
Bullet Tip	Polymer
Core Material	Lead
Jacket Material	Copper
Ballistic Coefficient	.455
Sectional Density	.250
Application	Medium-Large Game
Rounds Per Box	100
Boxes Per Case	15
UPC	090255331028
MPN	33102
SKU	56810