Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game H. Interlock vs. S. HotCor

Basic Beer,

I have kept notes not only on the big game animals I have taken but the ones I've seen taken for the past 40+ years.

A few years ago I went through all that data and found that, gee whiz, the old story about boattail C&C's separating more often was BS. In fact my notes (of several hundred big game animals) indicate that flat-base bullets separate at least as often as boattails.

My guess is that every time a boattail separates somebody says, "Lookit that!" When a flat-base separates they say, "Gee, tough animal."

JB.... Thats twice in one day you've had something you stated reek of common sense. We can't be having that from somebody in your line of work Please tell the group how we need hubblescopes and oober-mags for whitetails while you still have some credibility

I've never had the pleasure... I did shoot a lot of critters with Hornady CNCs though, and they died... The ones that took a finisher was usually my fault. I'd seen some seperations on some critters, but I refuse to argue about bullet failures when the bullets were recovered from DEAD animals.

Now they say the Speer BTSPs aren't a Hot-Cor. But when they shoot SUB-MOA to 400 off a bench (and under 2 MOA prone with a sling) I really don't care I'm betting they work at least as good as the HornDaddies

Well, ya learn something every day...and you should

Back when I started shooting/reloading, the boat tail CnC separating more often was 'common knowledge'...guess that prejudice got stuck in what's left of my brain...

Just for the record, Speer says in the #12 manuel I have that their boatail bullets are slightly lighter constructed than their standard Hot-Core bullets. They expand somewhat faster and have a wider frontal area which would result in slightly less penetration. It is, they say, an excellent choice for lighter game or "heavier varmits" (?). They go on to describe them as a tapered jacket design, etc.
I have not seen any description of differences between boatail and flat base bullets designs by any of the other bullet makers. E

Two buddies and I have shot two 358 Norma Mags and a 358 Winchester for a long time.

After trying most of what was out there, we all ended up using the same bullet, the 250 Speer HC spitzer. Between the three of us, we must have a half-pint jar of recovered bullets. Would guess this represents about half of the bullets used to kill moose, big mountain caribou bulls and bears. The rest were complete penetration and just kept going.

The amazing thing is that all the bullets look the same, whether started out at 2800+ or bless than 2300 fps. Garry uses a 358 NM, and has some that were shot at moose way more than 200 yd away, and some that connected at less than 20, and it is hard to tell them apart.

Bert uses the 358 Win and has killed several dozen animals over the past 25 years. most with one shot and the bullets look just like the ones out of our Norma Mags. One exception was a moose he shot the last day of the season at around 400 yds. Late in the day, he needed meat, and held a body thickness from withers to brisket over the moose. Killed it with a single shot through the lungs. That the bullet failed to expand at all. The lead spitzer nose was just kind of smeared back, but the moose went into the freezer.

Ted

I have always had good luck with Speer bullets. The last ones I experimented with were 130 grain BTSP's out of a 7mm/08. I killed two or three with them. Have taken a couple with the HC version.

It seems like the Hornady bullets are a tad cheaper around here, and so many folks buy them.

I am thinking that they are both very capable bullets for taking deer, bear, elk, and antelope.

My brother and I have used 139 Hornady, and 145 and 160 Speer hotcor on mule deer and whitetail enough to feel both brands are very good.
Just pick the load your rifle likes best and you will have venison.

I used them for years on deer. When I was a kid I used to go with Dad to get reloading supplies 30 miles away. All that shop carried were Speer and I guess it stuck with me. I have used Nosler BTs more the past 10 years but started using more Speer bullets again last year. I killed 2 with the Hot Cores last year, a 150 Mag Tip in a 308 and 145 in a 280 both DRT. I've killed several deer without a hitch using Hot Cores.

And here I thought you were posting under an alias????(I'm so confused....grin)


Danny, I'm a little leary about hunting with them. Could be a mess on a close shot from the WSM???? They sure are accurate though!

I really like the performance of ,
.30 180 gr Speer Mag Tip, 300WSM and 300 win .
160 Mag Tip for 7 rem mag.
250 Interlock,for 35 whelan, rn. and spire pt.
The .308 gets 150-165 Interlock
Speer TNT for lite accuracy loads of prarie rats

I can't make a true game-based comparison. I've only taken a few deer in Maine, and only with the Speer .308/200 grain standard spitzer from my 30-06 JC Higgins Model 51 (MV ~ 2500). No bullet pictures to show, as they provided complete penetration and exit from quartering / broadside shots (no shot longer than 150 yards). Minimal bloodshot meat loss. Accuracy is about 1.25 - 1.50 moa. Exit wounds look reasonable (golf ball size, indicating decent expansion to me). Distance deer travel after being shot range from 2 steps to 30 yards. Can't beat it. Why change? Completely satisfied with the Speer 200 grain .308 caliber flat base spitzer HotCor. Sectional density is 0.300 (same as 160 grain /6.5mm, 175 gr/7mm, 285 grain/9.3mm). I like long bullets and modest velocities.

Let your job and Old Lady beat your ass up for about 10 more years, you'll trade the WSM on a bar-B-Q and a 308 and never look back.

I fragged a couple Hornadys when I was younger and into cannons while shooting deer. They die in a hurry if vitals are hit. I had a 300 Kong on a #1 Ruger once (this was before the 30-378 was SAAMI spec) It'd do nasty things to does and antelope with 150 Hornadys. Think 87 grainer in your Bob on a coyote and your close...

My WSM is far from a cannon. Think short action '06.

How old are you anyway grandpa?

33 going on 50

The 8 Lbs 30-06 does a lot of sitting in the gunsafe these days too.

Ahh hell you only got me by a year gramps.

Schitt, I thought you was 25-26...

Who you calling gramps, punk ass??

I get better looking ever day, that probably threw you off gramps....(grin)

Me, I go balder, and grayer.


I try to pickle myself in alchahol, but its not working...

Sure is fun trying though.