Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Is an interlock ever the wrong choice in the lower 48?

I have been reloading for a few years and read as much as I can regarding loading for many different rifles. It seems to me that pretty much no matter what cartridge or game species (short of dangerous game), there is an interlock that suits the need very well. From 6mm to 35 caliber and everywhere in between they have an offering that not only seems to be cost effective but accurate and reliable as well. I have purchased many nosler bullets from SPS and on sale and I have them on my shelf still but I am starting to think I should have a lot more of the little red boxes on there as well. Who knows what the election will bring as far as guns and ammo are concerned. I am thinking I should stock up on some of the interlocks to feed my habits in case buying ammo starts to get more difficult. Anyone else really like the interlocks?

I don't think so, unless you push them faster than 2800.

.30 cal, 165gr BTSP Interlock has been my "go to" hunting bullet for over twenty years. As accurate as I can shoot, in a number of .308 Win, .30-40 Krag, and .30-06 rifles.

Ed

Never use one again in a Magnum for sure 7mm Rem mag 162 grain interlock blew up like a hand grenade on a huge mulie buck , I had an elk tag on the same hunt. I recovered the buck but there was shrapnel everywhere. The shot probably 250 yards or so

I love them and did most of my hunting with them – 30-06 165 and 180 grain and .270 130 grain mostly, with impact velocities from around 2300-2400 fps up to just under 3200 fps, those on mule deer and elk (and ground squirrels). One season I used Nosler Partitions in a 7mm RM on deer and elk which obviously worked but never ran into any situation where a proper weight Hornady Interlock would not have done the job just as well.

I haven't used an Interlock on game in over 20 years, but this year I decided to give them a re-visit. 165 BTSP in my 308 for 2,740. Super accurate, and I have no doubt it will perform well on elk.

The election? Heck who knows what Hornady will do? The Interlock line takes a back seat when demand skyrockets and Hornady has been discontinuing various Interlocks in some calibers. It can only be assumed that they do not sell as well (or perhaps do not bring in as much revenue per bullet) as some of the newer offerings. They are not high B.C., plastic tipped, AMP-jacketed match grade, or mono metal wonder bullets. If you like them, stock up now because there's no telling what the manufacturer will do to them, let alone any scarcity due to a gun-unfriendly president.

But yes, I do like them. And I believe if you pick the right caliber and weight of bullet for the job they can handle all North American game. They didn't get the nickname "The poor mans Partition" for no reason.

That being said, I still like Barnes TTSX for heavier duty applications...

They worked well for me in a 300winmag, 180grn at 2960fps, and in a 257R 117grn btsp at 2800fps+/-. Very accurate and effective on game.

The only time I held off a shot with an interlock was a full on Texas heart shot on a bull elk. I didn't take that shot, but in retrospect if I was loaded with 180TSX of 200 Partition, I might have. Anyway, that is guessing about a shot that I didn't take so who knows. I wouldn't have paused for a second if it was a whitetail with that load combo, 300wm, 180's.

Can you shoot?

If yes, then you're likely good to go. If no, then a different bullet won't solve the problem.

As a couple posters alluded to earlier, the election (or another mass shooting) is unlikely to result in any particular bullet being banned, but can adversely affect availability of all components due to panic buying of everything on the shelves. When production ramps up to resupply retailers, manufacturers tend to produce the higher profit items first, until demand for them is sated. Once inventories are restored on those products, they begin producing the lower profit items again, unless they decided to discontinue them.

My favorite hunting bullet of all time for deer and elk is the .284", 160 grain Speer Mag Tip. Not sexy, not a high B.C., sturdier than most "non premium" bullets, and half the price of "premiums". When Speer began discontinuing the less popular sizes of Mag Tips in the late '90s, I decided to stock up on them with a lifetime supply (five boxes) in case they became discontinued. I had learned my lesson when Nosler discontinued the old Solid Base (pre-Ballistic Tip) bullets, which had been my favorites in both .284" and .308" calibers, and I didn't buy several boxes of each before they were gone.

If you have decided that the Interlocks are all the bullet you'll ever need, stock up now, especially if you use them in a less popular size (i.e. .257" or .264"). You'll kick yourself if you don't and down the road they are NLA.

It's not like they go bad over time or anything....

I used to...should rephrase that...still do, but am amazed at the nonsense Hornady dreams up with zombies, plastic tips, rocket science, and dropping many of their interlock line, including most round noses, even though it is a part of their logo.

I like Sierra bullets now, at least they're LEAD, and don't disappear from the production line like a fart in the wind.

That being said, I find no flaw with interlocks, it's where they should focus all their attention instead of the nonsense. Today's upcoming "sportsman" is a different breed who has to climb mountains during raging snowstorms, shoot a black something or other rifles at super long range, and has tattoos of skulls with flames coming off them. I just don't fit in.

I'm not sure that I'd ever say that it's the wrong choice, but depending upon application, there may be a better choice. memtb

If you can't do it with an interlock, it likely can't be done with any other bullet either... Hint...

Good post..

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Me too.

Frankly, I don't think the Interlock is the "Poor Man's Partition"... I think that title belongs to the Speer Hot Core. The Interlock is somewhere behind the Partition/Hotcore...

Why limit it to the lower 48? I used them extensively in Alaska for many years. The 180 interlock usually retained more weight than the 180 partitions I recovered from 30-06 kills.

I love them and have more red and white boxes than the others on my bench. Could probably use nothing else for the rest of my hunting and not miss a beat, that'd be boring though

And way behind a Nosler BT.

Thats interesting as that is the one cup n core Ive never used on game. Ive found Speer accuracy to be very hit and miss in my rifles. The BT generally shoot well, the Grand Slams I could never get to shoot. Might have to try some Hot-Cor's.

Is Speer still making bullets for reloaders?