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Fiocchi Hyperformance 6.5 Creedmoor 129 gr Hornady SST

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Ammo Reports Team 4 6.5 Creedmoor

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Official Specs

Note: Fiocchi does not publish test barrel length. 2,820 fps for 129 gr in 6.5 Creedmoor is consistent with a 24″ test barrel. The SST bullet is manufactured by Hornady and loaded by Fiocchi under their Hyperformance line.

Ballistics Table

Calculated. Zero: 100 yards. Sight height: 1.5″ above bore. BC (G1): 0.527 (Hornady SST 129 gr, published).

Calculated from Hornady’s published BC. Real-world results vary by barrel length, temperature, altitude, and lot.

Key takeaway: the Hornady SST’s BC of 0.527 delivers a flat trajectory through practical hunting ranges — only 6.7 inches low at 200 yards and 19.6 inches at 300 yards from a 100-yard zero. At 500 yards the load retains 1,256 ft-lbs, well above the minimum for ethical deer hunting. The 129 gr weight class hits a sweet spot between the speed of 120 gr loads and the downrange energy retention of 140 gr loads.

The Hornady SST Bullet

The Hornady SST (Super Shock Tip) is Hornady’s polymer-tipped hunting bullet — a step below their premium ELD-X in the product hierarchy but sharing the same core design philosophy. Key characteristics:

• Polymer tip — drives rearward on impact to initiate immediate, consistent expansion across a wide velocity range
• Boat-tail base — reduces drag for a higher BC and flatter trajectory vs flat-base bullets
• InterLock ring — a mechanical feature that locks the jacket to the lead core, preventing the two from separating on impact for better weight retention than standard jacketed bullets
• Designed for whitetail and medium game — the SST is tuned for reliable expansion on deer-sized targets; it is an excellent deer hunting bullet but not optimized for the toughest game like elk shoulder shots

The SST is the same bullet Hornady loads in their own Superformance line for 6.5 Creedmoor. Fiocchi uses it in their Hyperformance line, paired with Italian-made brass and propellant.

Variants

This page covers Fiocchi Hyperformance FIO65CMHSA · 6.5 Creedmoor · 129 gr SST only.

Fiocchi’s 6.5 Creedmoor lineup also includes:

• Fiocchi Hyperformance 6.5 CM 120 gr Barnes TTSX — all-copper lead-free option
• Fiocchi Field Dynamics 6.5 CM 129 gr PSP — value-priced soft point
• Fiocchi Exacta Match 6.5 CM 142 gr Sierra MatchKing — precision match load

Best Uses

Good fit:

• Whitetail deer hunting at 100–350 yards — this is the SST’s primary design target; reliable expansion, adequate penetration, proven field record
• Mule deer and pronghorn in open terrain where the flat 6.5 Creedmoor trajectory is an advantage
• Elk inside 250 yards with proper shot placement on broadside or quartering-away angles — the SST’s InterLock ring provides better core retention than standard soft points but it is not a bonded bullet
• Hunters who want Hornady SST performance at a lower price than Hornady’s own Superformance load

Not the right tool for:

• Heavy or dangerous game where maximum penetration through dense bone is required — a bonded bullet like Federal Terminal Ascent or Nosler AccuBond is more appropriate
• Lead-free hunting requirements — the SST is a lead-core bullet; see Fiocchi 120 gr TTSX or Hornady Outfitter 120 gr CX for non-toxic alternatives
• Precision match shooting — SST is a hunting bullet, not optimized for group size
• Self-defense — not designed or rated for it

Reliability Notes

No structured submissions yet. General notes from open sources:

• The Hornady SST has an extensive field record across North American hunting — loaded by Hornady in their own Superformance line, the bullet’s terminal performance is well-documented on deer through elk-sized game
• Fiocchi brass produced at their Italian facility has a consistent reputation for dimensional uniformity; the Hyperformance line represents their premium selection within that production
• The 129 gr weight is a distinctive choice in 6.5 CM — most factory loads cluster around 120 gr (lighter/faster) or 140 gr (heavier/higher BC); the 129 gr SST occupies a genuine middle ground with a BC of 0.527 that outperforms most 120 gr options while maintaining higher velocity than 140 gr loads

Competitors

Price Reality

• Typical retail range: $35–38 per box of 20 (~$1.75–1.90/round)
• vs. Hornady Superformance (same SST bullet): Fiocchi runs $8–10/box less than Hornady’s own load with the identical projectile — the clearest value argument for this load
• vs. Federal Power-Shok / Remington Core-Lokt: those loads are $5–8/box cheaper but use simpler soft point bullets with lower BCs; for hunters who want a polymer-tipped boat-tail at a reasonable price, Fiocchi SST fills that gap
• vs. bonded premium loads: Terminal Ascent and AccuBond run $25–35/box more for bonded construction; for most whitetail deer hunting scenarios the SST’s performance is fully adequate without the premium
• Fair price benchmark: under $37/box is excellent; above $42/box approaches Hornady’s own pricing and loses the value argument

Where to Buy

Affiliate links. These do not influence ratings, data, or any editorial content on this page.

• MidwayUSA — add link
• Brownells — add link
• Palmetto State Armory — add link
• Natchez Shooters Supplies — add link

FAQ

Fiocchi SST vs Hornady Superformance SST — same bullet, why is Fiocchi cheaper?

The Hornady SST projectile is identical in both loads. The difference is the brass, powder charge, and brand premium. Hornady’s own Superformance line is loaded with a faster-burning powder that pushes velocity to 2,850 fps vs Fiocchi’s 2,820 fps — a 30 fps difference that is not meaningful in the field. Hornady’s brand recognition commands a price premium. Fiocchi uses Italian-made brass with their own powder formulation. For whitetail deer hunting, the 30 fps and $8–10/box difference is not a meaningful performance gap.

Is the SST good enough for elk?

The Hornady SST is rated for elk by Hornady and has performed well on elk in field use. However, it is not a bonded bullet — under extreme impact conditions (heavy shoulder bone, steep angles) the core and jacket can separate more readily than bonded designs like AccuBond or Terminal Ascent. For elk inside 250 yards with broadside or quartering-away shots, the SST at 6.5 Creedmoor velocities is adequate. For longer shots, difficult angles, or particularly large bulls, a bonded bullet provides a larger safety margin.

What is the InterLock ring and does it matter?

Hornady’s InterLock is a raised ring inside the jacket that mechanically interlocks with the lead core, reducing core-jacket separation on impact. It is not a bonded bullet — the core and jacket are not chemically or metallurgically fused — but it provides better weight retention than a plain cup-and-core bullet. In practice this means the SST retains more of its mass through the target than a standard soft point, producing a more consistent wound channel. For deer-sized game at typical hunting distances it performs reliably.

What is the practical difference between 120 gr, 129 gr, and 140 gr in 6.5 Creedmoor for hunting?

At hunting ranges inside 300 yards, all three weights are effective on deer. The differences become more meaningful at distance. 120 gr loads (like the Fiocchi TTSX) are fastest — flattest trajectory at close range, but shed energy quicker at distance. 140 gr loads have the highest BC in the class, retaining more velocity and energy past 400 yards, and drift less in wind. 129 gr is a genuine middle ground — faster than 140 gr with better BC than 120 gr; a practical choice for hunters who shoot in varied conditions from 50 to 350 yards.

Submit Your Data · Real-World Results

Manufacturer velocity figures are measured under controlled lab conditions — barrel length, temperature, and lot number all affect real-world performance. The data below comes from community submissions tied to specific test conditions and reviewed before
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Last updated: April 2026 · Data confidence: Low (0 submissions) ·