Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Hornady Interlock vs Nosler Ballistic Tip Hunting?

I’ve a pile of great experience with Hornady Interlocks but not much with Nosler Ballistic Tips.

Reason being that back in the late 80’s I had a ballistic tip blow up on the entry side of a medium Blacktail. - never tried them again. Time has passed & improvements have occurred. I could use your thoughts in comparing the two.

Especially curious how a 150gr .308 IL compares to same BT?

In my experience, for many years they're worked very similarly on game. When recovered, both tend to retain 40-60% of their weight--but both often exit. This is from using the same diameter/weight of each on similar-sized animals.

For me if I've had years of great experience with the Interlock---I'm not changing a thing. Why fix what's not broke. Maybe winter doldrums ?

Pints same thing happened to me same time frame with 130 gr 277" btips was 20 years before I used them on game again. Only because JB said nosler had fixed the problem and he has more credibility than nosler. Mb

Keep impact velocity between 2000-2800 fps with either, and you’ll be fine.
The old NBTs in the 100ct boxes tended to blow up. Problem fixed in the early 90s.
If you push the Interlocks hard, they can expand past the interlock ring and come apart.

Thanks JB! I was hoping you’d chime in.


100% winter doldrums + healthy curiosity!

The 30 caliber 180BT is much tougher than the 30 caliber 180 hornady BTSP.

which one can you get....i guess price isnt much of a issue if you just hunt with them
in my experience dead and dead

I have been using the BT’s hard for the past few years in multiple calibers with no complaints. They are a go to for me.

GreggH

I started using BTs when they 1st came out, they were great for double lung shots, fragmented badly on any shot that hit solid bone.

The newer "Hunting" BTs are a great bullet, I've yet to recover one from a broadside shot, and they hold together better than the earlier ones. Importantly, they're a very accurate bullet in every rifle I've shot them in; .223, .243, .260, .270 and .300WM.

I've used 150 Interlocks in .308Win, and they also worked well on whitetails and pigs. I just prefer the BTs.

I started out using 150s/165 NBT in 308 & 30-06 when I first started handloading. Also used them a bit in 7x57 and 250Savage.

Switched to the Interlock 5-6 years ago for no other reason than they were available. The NBTs always worked well but I do like the 150Interlock. Accuracy has always been great as has performance. Used it on quite a few deer, pigs, a leopard and a kudu. Zero complaints and won't be switching in my .308 Win anytime soon.

I don’t really shoot or hunt with either. So I can’t say too much.
But I do have some laying around from having traded or what not.. I filed each one down to see the cross section and you can clearly see the thicker copper jacket on the BT. Very similar to accubonds. The interlock has a very small “lock” I’d be surprised if it’s even a 32nd of an inch. of a lock and the jacket is not that thick. Pretty standard with all the other cup core soft points. Like core lokts.
I’d choose the ballistic tip Any day of the week. Plus it has a boat tail to boot.

I recovered pieces of the old 150gr Ballistic Tips after it exploded on the scapula of a buck from my 7mag

I recovered one of the newer 180gr Ballistic Tips shot from my 30-06 after a lot of bone contact on a red stag.The jacket weighed 70grs.This is the only newer Ballistic Tip I was able to recover after more than twenty head of game,all others exited.




Hole through the scapula of a red stag from a 180gr Ballistic Tip fired from my 300 Win Mag.Bullet exited behind offside shoulder.


I shot four whitetail does with a 165gr Hornady Interlock from my 300WSM.All were shoulder shots at ranchers request.None of the bullets exited and I have to say,the meat waste was much worse than any bullet I have ever used.I think it had to do with the lead core hardness.The lead core is not the same in all bullets.The amount of blood shot meat was far worse than what I ever get with the newer Ballistic Tips.

I had the exact same experience with the 130gr 277 bullet in the 80's. Violently expanded on a WT. Got the deer, but Dad was pissed I had ruined so much meat.

Tried them again after MD stated they were better. Have shot a few deer/antelope with the 130gr 270. Deer and black bear with the 338 200gr ballistic silvertip. No issues

That's what I would expect from most any cup-n-core on a shoulder shot out of a 300 magnum unless at long range or a significantly heavier for caliber bullet. That's not to say the lead cores couldn't have been soft though, and not discounting that they performed worse than other bullets in your experience either.

Well said.

The only apples to apples comparison I can make is 55gr Btip and 60gr Hornady SP out of a .22-250rem. I had very good results on deer and small hogs with the Noslers and great performance on coyotes. However on large 200+ hogs they were a little too fragile causing a few tracking jobs. The 60gr Hornadys seem to be much tougher. I haven't caught one in a deer or coyote yet.

I use the 140’s out of 7 mags, haven’t lost a deer or pig, killed a couple of 200lb or heavier aoudads too. I haven’t recovered one.

I have killed around 40 elk with a 165 grain Hornady Spire Point bullet with great success. It worked better than most would think among those that place the highest value on Nosler Partitions. Nosler Partitions do perform well, but I haven’t ever felt I needed them when the 30-06 and a 165 grain Hornady worked so well.

After getting bumped out of a stalk on some elk, I decided I needed a longer range 30 caliber cartridge and went to a 300 Weatherby with 200 grain Accubonds, before my brother talked me into a 30-378. I shot the 200 gratin Accubond bullets in the 30-378 and only shot a few elk with it before I realized it was too much gun.

I went back to the 300 Weatherby and 180 grain Ballistic Tip and have killed dozens more elk with about the same success as the 30-06 and the Hornady bullet. I have concluded that it isn’t necessary to shoot bonded or partition bullets to kill elk…

I shot four whitetail does with a 165gr Hornady Interlock from my 300WSM.All were shoulder shots at ranchers request.None of the bullets exited and I have to say,the meat waste was much worse than any bullet I have ever used.I think it had to do with the lead core hardness.The lead core is not the same in all bullets.The amount of blood shot meat was far worse than what I ever get with the newer Ballistic Tips.[/quote]

My experience has been just the opposite. I see far less meat damage in the animals that I shoot with Interlocks in .264, .284 and .308 cals, than I do the animals that my buddies' take with BTs., I should state that I prefer high shoulder shots whenever possible. Both bullets put animals on the ground. I prefer the Interlocks.

It is now, wasn’t always.

Both are great bullets in my opionion and by great I mean good performance at a reasonable price. Interlock flat bases are my first choice for a lead tip cup&core bullet and Ballistic Tips my first choice for a plastic tipped bullet. If I want a tougher bullet for larger game like sambar deer the Accubond does the job. I could quite easily get by with these three bullets alone.

I could be wrong, but I believe hunting legend Bob Foulkrod liked using 180 grain B/T in his 300 Win. Mag.

That should be all that needs to be said.

The 180BT is about the best cup and core bullet going.

30 some years ago it was less tough. It's been tough bullet for a very long time.
I used the first versions in 7mm snd despite the claims to the contrary they never failed me.

I never used them cause I heard several stories of them not holding up at all. I used Core- locs and Hornady Interlocks. Lately though, I have been seeing Speer bullets for a lot less than Hornies so I bought some but have not used them yet. I am sure they will be fine too. It seems getting what you want is the problem now days.

Thanks for your post Shrap - very informative!

This is great info. I also love the 165gr Hornady spire point as well. The btsp version takes second place when it comes to those 2 bullets. They (spire point) have always shot well in every 30-06 I've tried them in. If I had some IMR4350 on hand, I'd load some up for my new to me 30-06 and do some testing.

I've used them both and never recovered one of either. I still use Interlocks quite extensively, along with TTSXs. But I’ve gone away from BTs because of excessive meat damage.

After years of success with an Interlock 130gr .270win im pretty bummed to report that we had one explode on the surface of a 150-160" class whitetail this year. For that reason I'd say find a different bullet. Don't use either. Not worth it. Buck of a lifetime for many 60yds. Nothing but hair in the sky like shot out of a cannon. Or go ahead and wing it.

I agree with those who have said that there isn't much difference between the two bullets on game. However, I'm going to say something I can't prove, in my experience, the BT seems to be generally more accurate at ranges beyond 300 yards. That being said, the Interlock is a great bullet.

Every animal I've shot with an interlock in the shoulder or chest cavity has died within 100 yards of where it stood. Massive blood loss. Mainly in a 243 or 30-06. Several in a 6.5-06. My favorite deer bullet is a 150 interlock in an 06. Those suckers pound animals. I've shot coyotes to 300 pound mule deer with it. Can't speak for elk, but every deer I've shot on the point of the shoulder died. Would normally find the bullet on the offside just under the skin and it would retain 40-50 percent. Behind the shoulder exited 100 percent of the time. Freak deals happen but I trust that interlock. If I was to pursue an elk, I think I'd go parition or accubond.

When did you acquire the bullets? I have some suspicions about some relatively recent 150 grain .308" Interlocks.

What’s your suspicion?

Back when Nosler made bullets to sell, the Ballistic Tips covered nearly all of the possibilities. These days, it’s no contest. Hornady bullets get to the dealers’ shelves, so they by default.

Well 3040fps @ muzzle maybe too much for said bullet at 60yds? At your .308 velocity I'm thinking your good to go. My only experience is with the 130gr .270. This Particular rifle is MOA with 140gr Partitions so I'm headed that way.

I had a couple come apart at 300 Savage speeds in modest size hogs. Not what I'm used to from that bullet.

I haven't needed to buy any of the 130 grain .277" in a while. The ones from two or more packaging changes ago worked fine on deer and hogs with full blow loads from a couple of 270s I've loaded for.

Too bad when they change up good stuff that works!

Maybe I missed it but when did Hornady change them? Until this season I'd always thought of them as a poor man's Partition.

Man, that sucks big time. A few years ago, I sent some 225gr interlocks for beretzs to test in some milk jugs. They did not perform nearly as well as I had hoped. A lot of fragments and bullet weight was low. I don't believe penetration was great either. Since the bullet shot so well, I decided I'd take them elk hunting to see how these newer interlocks would do. That year I shot a pretty nice bull:


That bullet penetrated clean through the elk broadside through the heart lung area. DRT. Shot was just shy of 200 yards. Maybe if it had been 60 yards like the bull I shot in 2021, it may have been a different story??

Some Hornady boxes, older to new from left to right. i don't know the dates of the packaging changes.

I can tell you the best shooting .308" in 150 and 165 grain Interlocks for me came out of the old style boxes.

If you don't have confidence in the Hornady, have you tried a Speer hot core? Or a nosler accubond? They will penetrate for sure. A partition is cool and all but I don't see the use for them on deer unless your shooting a 243 or 6 rem. I went the game king route and I found those to be pretty explosive. The interlock has held together real good for me, especially the new production batches.

The only bullet I’ve ever had fail was a 130 gr .308” Interlock fired at reduced velocity from a .308 Win. Around 2600 fps. Put it right behind the shoulder and it was like I’d set a grenade off on the surface. Never have had that problem with any ballistic tip.

I don't think you'll find that listed as an Interlock.

That is what I wonder myself. Sometimes if that initial speed sluffs off enough it goes back into its happy place. I tested them up close at full speed, so that is about as torturous as it gets.

Rifle does double duty deer and elk.

General observation on game, and digging bullets out of my earthen backstop is (at least when it comes to 30cal's), the Ballistic Tip is slightly tougher than the Interlock. Having said that, I'd not hesitate to use either (and have) on elk.

If I was shooting big elk like you guys I’d go partition or Bear claw. I shot nothing else until the Obama years, couldn’t get Partitions.

You got me. I was going off of memory. I still have the box of the remaining 130s downstairs because we never shot them again. They’re simply 130 gr Spire Point. This is the new thing I learned today. That experience caused me to swear off of Hornady bullets for hunting until I was doing load development in a pair of .260 Remingtons. They both highly favor the 129 Interlock and terminal performance has been fantastic with them on deer

I've been loading 260 hunting ammunition for years from old stock 129 grain Interlocks. They're from my father's 264 mag loading stash of 30+ years ago. They have been truly excellent on deer and hogs.

I laid in a stash of the 6.5mm 129 gr. Interlocks for a lifetime worth of hunting. I have other bullets that I play around with for target shooting and such, but these shoot so well and terminal performance is better than the 120 gr. Nosler BT or 130 gr. Nosler AB I've used. The 140 gr. Partition will run a mule deer from brisket out the hindquarter, but doesn't shoot as accurately for me as the 129 gr. and I've had nothing but stellar performance with the 129 gr. Interlock. I've only recovered one from a deer shot at 385 yards and I had 60% weight retention. Can't argue with that. Nowhere near the bloodshot damage that the 120 gr. Ballistic Tip and 130 AB gave me, though the two deer I shot with the 130 AB were both less than 100 yards away.

I've been loading my 260 Rem with 100 TTSXs, but have a few hundred 129 Interlocks that I'd like to give a go. Care to share your load info?

With the 129 I loaded 46 grains of Re19 or 47.8 grains of H4831. The Re19 worked very well in a Remington M7 and a Browning Low Wall. The H4831 worked very well in the Low Wall but I don't recall if my friend tried it in the M7.

Remington cases, CCI 200 or Federal 210 primers

Good point. In my somewhat limited experience, I’d say there’s not much difference in performance but if you can’t find BTs to buy there’s not much debate on which one to use

The deer that I’ve lung shot with Interlocks ran 60 yards after the shot. The deer that I’ve lung shot with BT’s have been drt. I’ve been giving the BT deer away these last few years, so I’ve not done the necropsy on the more recent ones. The exits don’t look extreme from my 7mm-08 and drt has seemed more humane.

BTs are tougher than ILs.

I agree. Plus the interlocks are much easier to find (THANKS Hornady!!) and they are cheaper: No brainer. Next question please.

Old biases are hard to break...I vowed to never shoot big game with ballistic tips after two experiences back in my high school/college days. One buddy shot a nice whitetail solidly up front (I didn't see the shot personally) and didn't recover it after a lot of searching. Another buddy shot a big whitetail (I was with him when he did it) in the shoulder. The result was a massive entrance wound and a very alive deer. Luckily he ran into a small patch of brush and after some manuevering we were able to get a follow up after I pushed him out to my buddy. Both were ballistic tips out of .300 win mags inside 200 yards. I don't know which weight or which vintage of ballistic tip...I just "knew" ballistic tips were junk for anything bigger than prairie dogs.

When I put together some loads for my .30 Gibbs the 180 Ballistic tips showed excellent accuracy but I was convinced I needed an Accubond because of my previous experiences. I have been using the Accubonds and they have performed great but honestly the ballistic tips are a smidge more accurate in my rifle and being cheaper would lend to more frequent practice. Sounds like I need to pull my head out and give the .308 ballistic tips another shot.

The last several years, partly due to glowing reports on this forum, I have been loading 120 ballistic tips in a 7-08 and am extremely impressed with those on deer and antelope at 7-08 velocities. I would not hesitate to shoot elk with them in any reasonable shot presentation that offered a direct path to the vitals.

The 7mm 120gr Nosler Ballistic tips have been very accurate in my 280 Remington. Haven't had a chance to try them out on game yet..

I've had 165gr BT in a .308 win at modest velocity disintegrate on a small black bear. Killed the bear no problem, big entrance hole, no exit, only bits and pieces of lead and copper jacket found. Haven't used that bullet since. The 180gr BT from the 8mm is a different story, it has a heavier jacket and preforms very well. Punches through double shoulders with ease on quartering shots. I recovered one on a nice bear and the heavy jacket is very evident.

The interlocks have also been good to me, and am a fan of them at non magnum velocities. Never failed me once.

Don't be afraid to use them, I load them for my nephews 7-08, he's shot 2 bull elk and 2 cow elk with them. Shots were 70 yards, 238, 105, 110...all one shot each.









My youngest nephew shot this bull last fall in WY with his 7-08 and a 139 grain interlock, one shot at 115 yards, elk went 5 yards:



I don't think a person can wrong with either bullet, but I agree with others that the BT is a slighter tougher bullet.

Great stuff Buzz!

I’ve shot and seen a few deer shot with 150&165BT out of an 18.5” m7 308. Both killed the deer and both spit out their cores and I found the jackets lumped up in the off side hide. I’ve shot a pile of deer with the 150 IL out of my kimber 308. It’s been very effective and I’ve never recovered a single bullet. Others here have mentioned they’re suspicious of the new IL’s…. The last time I bought a few boxes, probable 2 years or so ago, I popped them open and looked at them and they appeared to have a different nose from the last ones I had bought probably 5-8 years before…. I haven’t shot them yet but I did see a difference in them vs the older ones. I hope they offer the same boringly superb performance the old ones gave. The deer shot with the BT’s were probably 12-15 years ago…. So I’m not speaking of current gen BT’s.

I personally prefer the Ballistic Tip... I think it is superior to the Hornady Interlock...

BUT THAT BEING SAID : the Interlock is never a bad choice either....

Its just preferring one over the other....nothing more or nothing less...

Wouldn't it be nice in life, is out of two choices... both of them would work well, and as well as the other?

I use both the Interlock and the Ballistic Tip depending on the caliber I'm shooting. I have great confidence in both bullets. The Interlock is generally cheaper than the Ballistic Tip which is why I started using them when I started handloading.

Dan

I use both 129, 139, interlock or 120, 140 bt. I used the 120 BT exclusively in my 280 and 7-08 this year. I get very good accuracy but in my opinion the interlock seems to do better for whitetails.
I buy what's on sale. Like 2 years ago I found the 120's BT for $10/50. I bought a lifetime supply so I even use them in my 280ai with great success.

When the ballistic tip bullets came out they were pretty poor in my opinion, judging from hunting partners’ bullets used on whitetail. I’ve never been tempted to try them until recently. Still have not used them on game, but I would. I’ve used interlocks pretty much since they came out. I probably used 100 grain 257 interlocks the most. I also have used 139 grain, 154 grain and 162 grain interlocks in my 7x57, 280 & 7mm RM quite a bit. I’d recommend the heavier interlocks for the larger cases. Other interlocks include 35 and 30 caliber bullets.

Since the ‘management’ of Hornady abandon my favorite bullets, I am no longer developing loads for most Hornady bullets. I developed some loads for my 300 H&H with Hornady GMX - then they dropped the bullet. I’ll keep shooting the loads I have used, just no new testing. Not enough time left in my lifetime to be let down with Hornady again.

My favorite bullet in a xp 100 in 7 mm br was the 140 gr Ballistic tip . It expanded well and killed deer at the somewhat mundane velocity and shot under a half inch. The 120 gr bullet was much stouter in my unscientific opinion. 150gr Balllistic tips out of a 7x57 and 280 seem to be abit much on the expansion .
Hornady Interlocks always seemed to work well in the various calibers I have used them in .

The Nosler BT Hunting and the flat base Hornady Interlock have both given me a few early break-ups but not chronically. They are perfectly OK in my book for deer sized game and probably 95% of the time work well, but I prefer something more resistant to break up for elk and larger game.

Now the Interlock BTs have not shown me a good track record at all. They tend to come apart far more often then they don't. Erratic terminal paths and less penetration from the boat tales made me swear off them for my hunting. The flat base interlocks just work better on game (in my experience anyway)

My favorite Interlocks were the older RN designs, but Hornady has dropped most of them from the line so it seems. I used them in 25 cal 117 grain, 7MM 175 grain, 30s in 180 and 220 grain and 375 in both 270 and 300 grain.

What year did the 165 disintegrate?

These bullets were recent production. Bought new in around 2019 and bear shot in spring of 2020.