Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Bullet performance pictures of SST/Interbond

I have very extensive experience with the use of these Interbond bullets from my 30/06 loaner rifle in RSA which is what many of my hunters to use.



I load 165 grain IB's at about 2900fps. In the first 25 animals shot we recovered only one. It was a classic mushroom. Since that time I have seen them perform without any problems and in most cases to the extreme edge of what could be expected. For the price, cheaper then Partitions! I will not likely be using anything else in that 30/06.



For those who have not seen some of the photos of past posts I havce put up on this topic, I will put some on here for you.



From what I can see in the original photo above on this post the bullet hit the deer and killed it without failure. I'm not sure what more I would ask. If bone were hit the IB is clearly the better choice being bonded then any unbonded bullet. I was using Swift Aframes in the 30/06 for several years prior to the testing of the IB's. At nearly 3 times the cost they did not kill any better and were not any more accurate from a sub 3000 fps cartridge. They are a clealy better choice on very heavy game or from rifles over 3000 fps. The partition design in the center keeps them from peeling back as far.



Here is a recovered bullet from a heart shot 361 class bull elk with the 165 grain IB. the shot was about 100 yards and the bullet was through the chest, heart and under the skin on the exit side.









If you look closely at the shoulder area of this bull you will see the bulge of the bullet under the skin right in front of where the scapula is. The hair is not lying flat and sticking up a bit odd.







Here are three bullets recovered from Wild boars. The same load as above, the distance was between 100-150 yards, not all from the same boar:







The bullet on the far left is the most fantastic expanded bullet I have ever seen. It is 90% inside out and was 146 grains.







The bullet that was nearly inside out was not from some little hog, but an exceptionally big dude. The bullet was under the gristle plate. Not many bullets from any cartridge would penetrate that on the exit side from my experience.





Here is an exit wound from a Bull Gemsbok shot at about 100 yards. The first shot hit some brush and the gemsbok was sick but not hit properly. After tracking we caught up for the hunter to take this finisher. The first shot that hit the branches, was tumbling and hit the bull sidways about the diaphram. We recovered that bullet bent into the shape of a banana. I wonder how many bullets would have stayed in one piece hitting a hardwood branch at 2800 or so FPS and then continue on relitively straight and intact? The second shot which was the finiher was shot steeply quartering away and exited the front shoulder area. It was in the range of 100 yards or a bit less.



I have plenty more photos but this should show why I think they are such a great bullet and really competitively priced. In the last few years I have seen well in excess of 100 animals killed with these bullets and not a single animal was lost. I just don't think you're gonna get much better hunting quality for any price then these bullets. That's why I'm sticking with them until something better shows up.



[img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid71/pe1bd1aab2cee633ca7da62a33c1b5d0b/fb8c800f.jpg[/img]

Dang JJ, nice elk ! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Tony.

Regarding the bullet at hand.

The facts:

Interbond on the left.









Impact range = 30 yards

Estimated impact velocity = 2780 fps

Estimated live weight = 150 lbs.

Recovered bullet which obviously created a good wound channel resulting in a dead deer.



Just because you don't like the way the bullet looks doesn't mean it didn't or won't do a good job of killing game.

they both killed each deer very quickly so i am not sure the interbond is that much better moving at these speeds? it might be more useful than an sst when pushed at higher speeds or larger game

Imagine the difference in both bullets hitting solid bone. That difference should be easy to understand.

It's a tall order to ask a bullet to hld together enough for good penetration at 50 yards, and yet still expand well at 300 yards. Few bullets ever made can handle that kind of stress.

From my experience with hundreds of big game killed and many different kinds of standard and premium bullets there are a few that really stand out in performance.

Over 3000 fps the Aframe is a specacular performer which will always manage to hold together even through bones.

Under 3000 fps is a much easier test. However making an accurate bullet that is inexpensive and still holds together and expands well is much harder. The Interbond does this with the best of them and is also the least expensive.

I sure like them quite a lot. I have never seen any instance which has shaken my confidence in them with well over 100 big game taken.

Well said JJHACK; and if I may add:

Most people only see FPS(they over look the RPM'S involve in the equation...IMHO that's the "thing" a bullet has to be able to withstand "X" velocity plus "Y" RPM'S at "D" range, and still "work" as expected; simple answer is: they don't (none of them) ALWAYS do THAT .......EVERY time; but IF they can MOST of the time that's AWESOME!!!

I'm a "Hornady slut" and make no apolgies for that; IF IT WORKS WHY FIX IT? They simply time and time again work!!!!

IF you want to pay the extra $$$ for something else; I have no problem with that; but unless you've given the Hornady's a "fair test" then why pay more???? My grandpa used to say" you get what you pay for, but just remember, you can only spend a $ once; so IF you can get more for less; that's a good thing"... I can't argue with that logic myself!!

BTW he was born in 1888 and lived to be 93, so I think he just may have learned a "thing or two about a thing or two"??

OK, the Interbond performs great, especially it will work in my .308.

Now how about the new Federal Fusion? It looks to me like it will perform nearly the same as the Interbond, and do it even cheaper yet with wider selection (for factory ammo).

YIKES!!

I love Hornady bullets too......but I'd never call myself a slut........

I sure hope so!!

How are these priced?? Supposed to similar to "standard" factory ammo. If so, I'm in for a few boxes, for a start.

I paid $16.99 (not on sale at all) for the Fusion. I haven't had a chance to use them on any game yet.

Dakota Deer,

I'm from another country, so how did that price compare to Win Super X, Rem Core-locks, etc??

Also, how is availability where you are. I haven't seen any on the shelf here yet.

One thing to keep in mind is that the 150 grain interbond has a short shank to begin with. If it hits bone it is going to open up wide and peel back.

Even a 150 grain partition can look like it peeled back too far, just because the shank behind the partition is so small.

The interbond in question did a good job on the deer.

One Arizona 6 pt...85 yards....rib to rib with a 1 3/4 inch exit.
The bull went nowhere. 165 IB out of 300 saum. I'm happy with the performance...