Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 30/06 Penetration Power Point vs Interlock

I’ve had very good performance from the Hornady interlock bullets. I’ve never had one fail. I’ve used 165s for years and shot a truckload of deer with them. Penetration is excellent, accuracy is good and I’ve not needed a second shot on a single deer. I’ve had them hit a shoulder and still pass through. That’s pretty much what I expect. The 150s ought to perform the same way. I’ve not used the Power Points because I’ve never had a need to change. I don’t run the 165s red hot and I wouldn’t see a need to run the 150s too hot.

I found the interlocks can change a lot from lot to lot. I used them for years as a cheaper option to load for friends.then one year a friend complain of blow ups and separations. We glued a few different lots to a board and belt sanded them half way through and each lot was totally different. Earlier lots had thicker jackets and higher interlock rings. The newer suspect lot was thinner jacketed with a tiny lock ring close to the base. I lost some confidence that day.

My friend that's guided elk hunts and shot lots of elk himself has always sworn by the win pp 150 7 mag loaf. He's used a ruger ss boat paddle 77 with a Japanese Tasco world class for over 20 years with those win 150s. Out of curiosity I took his combo out and chronic it and did some expansion testing. They clocked a respectable 3150 and held together very well. I said carry on but they still have a crap bc. He said yes but they're cheap and they work.

The old 64g PowerPoint was one of the best 22 cal deer bullets for years. My little brother used to always have me lead those for him to hunt deer with. They were tge heaviest bullet his 700 bdl 223 would stabilize.

Bb

Good information. Thanks

Good thing you used up all your board tags and finally gave it the only test that counts...mb

Good one. Yes it passed the only test that counts. I have one deer tag remaining and will use the power point with confidence. If I ever learn how to post photos I will show animals shot with .308 hardware store ammo I used a long time ago before I drank the magnum caliber premium ammo koolaid. Nice to return to old ways my shoulder thanks me.

I am in no way disparaging magnums and premium bullets they certainly have their place.

Why are the corelokts so loved?

They are cheap, easy to find and damn near anything will kill a deer.

My buddy’s kid took a cow elk at 175 yards with a 7mm-08 and 140gr PP. Broadside shot, double lung with an exit. She was down within 40 feet of where she was hit.

Only two experiences with the Power Point. My son shot his first deer many years ago with a 130 grain bullet from a 270 Winchester. Broadside 140ish pound buck at about 40 yards. When he shot, the deer acted like it was electrocuted and dropped right there. He hit it just behind the front shoulder and there was a fist sized exit wound

Couple of years later I was using them in a 7600 chambered in 308. Same sized buck at 30 feet. I shot and the deer dropped but was moving around. I shot him again. Deer was very slightly angled to me and the first shot hit the shoulder, went to the scapula, and then out the top of his back. Slightly smaller than my fist exit hole

Can’t really say I was impressed or unimpressed with the PowerPoints but I moved on to other bullets, including Interlock, and have been happy. I now use them in my 250 Savage, 270, and 308.

No core lokts for me
Sierra game kings are accurate, cheap and hold
Together. Last year Shot a cow elk up close with 180 grain out of 06. Hot load. Perfect Mushroom
Otherwise ttsx is the one and done of you want full penetration/exit

I've used the 150 30-06 in Power-point, inter-lock, Corelokt, _& SST Superperformance on a number of caribou. The Interlock and Corelokt are my preferences under 300, beyond that, the Superperformance worked well- closer in ....big holes!. I've yet to try SSTs in likely slower handloads. Not impressed nor un-impressed with the PP - sample of 2 at about 250 yards, but dead is dead- they worked.

Like the SST, they tend to make large exit holes- not necessarily a bad thing.

I just bought 40 rnds 130 PP for the .270 - we'll see how accurate they are - they WERE (relatively) cheap- $31/box? -as opposed to everything else (limited yet) on SW shelves being over $40.

or an elk, moose, pronghorn, sheep, goat, etc., properly placed. I've found no flies on the Corelokt, over decades of use. But I'm not married to it either. . Not so easy to find since Covid, up here. Haven't seen any in a couple years, in fact. Just starting to get ANY common caliber ammo back in, mostly at inflated prices.

Bought some Herters in '06 at the Anchorage Cabelas a few weeks ago, at decent prices - have yet to shoot any, but I'd bet they are loaded with inexpensive Corelokts, or maybe whatever Federal puts in their Blue-box.

Game-kings are good....

I have never shot the pp. I have, however, shot A LOT of deer with the 150 Interlocks in the .308 and -06. They have never failed to do their job and are always accurate. I have used Interlocks for many years, in several cartridges and have never had a bit of issue with them. I have also shot other makes of bullets, but few performed any better than plain, old Interlocks.