John B, I just sent off for your new book. Are these topics covered in detail? I am hoping for a an in depth look at the partition as possibly the best "all around" bullet out there today. I know, I know, aint such a thing!!!
Faith and love of others knows no mileage nor bounds. That's simply the way it is. dogzapper
After the game is over, the king and the pawn go into the same box. Italian Proverb
In the mid-nineties I did my own dry paper test not because I knew as MD states that it is more reflective of tissue resistance but because over the two days I conducted it I didn't want to haul water out to the site and then haul all the wet garbage back home again when finished.
I used most of the recognized premiums at that time, the Nos Part, Barnes X, Swift A-frame, and non-prems, the Horn Interlock and Speer GS, all in .338 and for interests sake a 250-gr Barnes .338 solid. These were all out of my .340 Wby at about 40 yds and were 225-gr except the solid and the GS which was also 250-gr.
Penetration of most wasn't as good as your wet paper test but the X (~98-100%)beat all at 18", followed by the Part (60-70 %) then the A-frame, then the GS with the Interlock going maybe 8". The GS and the Interlock came apart. This was tightly packed, dense magazine paper, 30" of it snugged in a box with a .25" cast iron plate behind it. The solid by the way traversed all, breaking through the cast iron sheet also and whizzed away.
Bottom line from that point on was I used Nos Part for game and recently incorporated the TSXs in my loads for game because they are the most accurate of all presently in a .30-06, .270 Wby, .340 Wby, .375 H%H. None of my rifles liked the original Barnes X which were erratically inaccurate and the Swift acted like a less efficient but slightly different--retained more weight-- copy of the Part. The exception in game use is the Sierra 140-gr Game King in my moderate 6.5x55 for whitetails otherwise I use Sierras or Hornady Interlocks for practice in weights equal or close to the TSXs I use for game loads. There is no doubt they--the non-prems-- work for game if applied right but I try to keep things as simple as can be and use as few bullets as possible and that means the Part or TSX for me. I'm not a writer so don't have to have broad experience with bullets on game. Bullets are the first thing not to scrimp on when forming a load for hunting.
With my limited experience, I have to agree with Mule Deer's assessment of Interlocks. Although I've only shot at deer-size game, friends have used the Interlocks in various calibers on elk, caribou, bear, and plains game in Africa with uniformly good results, and all the accuracy you could want.
"Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing." Robert E. Howard
Kept at a reasonable MV, the InterLock is a wonderful bullet. And, I have seen the InterLock ring work, and work well, on recovered samples. As a general rule, though, I wouldn't shoot it in any belted cartridge if relatively close-range shots were a possibility.
Ironically, Weatherby has Norma load the InterLock as the standard bullet in their ammo. I always thought a Partition would be a much better choice in that line.
Once again, here is an attachment with graphs derived from Gary Scuiscetti's exhaustive tests of several bullet types. According to his test, there isn't a dime's worth of difference between the major "standard grade" bullets. They all work well between 2100 and 2800 fps. Below that, they don't open, and above that, they tend to fall apart.
Vertical axis is penetration in inches, and horizontal axis is impact speed, in fps.
Our very experienced Dogzapper has also used Horn Interlocks IIRC with very good results and that should not be forgotten--that they can be used successfully and on big game. But considering the options I've just decided to go with those whose structure promises more integrity in the most situations.
Quite candidly, the only bullet test I ever put any faith in is the dead-animal test.
When it comes to the Hornady Interlock, and the Speer Hot Core and Grand Slam bullets, I've mixed results. Accuracy has often been incredibly good. Terminal performance has NOT always been so good, and I've had a number of these bullets, including the Grand Slam, come apart on game, limiting penetration.
So fundamentally I don't use any of these bullets for hunting anymore, even for deer. My basic all-around bullet is the Nosler Partition. It kills deer just as well as the other bullets do, and on bigger, tougher animals it works much more reliably in my experience, plus in most rifles it shoot very, very well in its own right.
I have plenty of reasons to stick with the Partition as well as other premium bullets that equal of even exceed its performance, and fewer and fewer reasons to run with Hot Cores, Interlocks, Game Kings, etc.........
AD
Amen brother! That is a solid mouthful. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />
John B, I just sent off for your new book. Are these topics covered in detail? I am hoping for a an in depth look at the partition as possibly the best "all around" bullet out there today. I know, I know, aint such a thing!!!
Is John's new book on bullet out? Where do I get it?
Beginning in the early 70's with a .300 Win Mag, I used many 165 gr (non-interlock) Hornady Spire Points on deer (over decades and at a mv of frequently well over 3200 fps). The bullet simply bored a nearly 3" tunnel through deer at distances shorter than a couple hundred yards. I've had similar performance from the later Interlocks and the Speer Hot Cores, but not quite as dramatic.
The two bullets aren't much different, it seems to me -- both are tougher than the old Hornady's.
For a fact, I shot a few deer with Nosler's 165 BT at the same initial velocity and found that bullet tougher than the others. Go figure. It acted like a strong 180.
Good intentions will always be pleaded for every assumption of authority. It is hardly too strong to say that the Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. -- Daniel Webster
Although this may apply to another thread more so than this one, the .270 WCF with about any 130 gr bullet has yielded more "drop right there" shots than most bullets out of the .300 WM at similar ranges, unless the old Hornady's are allowed for the 165's.
A standard 150 cup/core out of a .300 WM can be be dramatic, but I've done it enough to not really like it. By and large, I think a decent 130 gr bullet from a .270 does as well or better.
Good intentions will always be pleaded for every assumption of authority. It is hardly too strong to say that the Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. -- Daniel Webster
