Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Anyone tried the Hornady .257 120 gr. HP on deer?

I am building a 257 Roberts (Win Model 70 CRF S/A) and I'm looking around trying to decide which bullets I want to try. I have always had great luck with plain Hornady Spire points so the 100 gr. Spire will be tested for sure.

But, I want to test drive some of the heavier bullets too. The Hornady 117 BTSP might work well. Still I have always preferred the flat base designs.

Is the 120 gr. Hollow point really just a flat-base Interlock Spire point in disguise? Is it too soft or too hard for deer hunting? When driven to 2800-2900 FPS?

Thanks,
Mark in GA

yes. i have used it in my ruger .25/06 a lot. with a load of h4831 or imr4831 i easily get 3100fps. i've shot about 15 critters with it(coyotes, hogs and mostly whitetails). only twice have i even had an animal run after being hit with it. it will blow clean thru the shoulder of a deer. the longest shot i've made with it is about 225yards on a doe. she never moved after being hit.

I have used it in the .257 Weatherby on small deer like fallow and it is very good. I know 2 hunters in Denver that have taken 5 elk with it loaded in a pair of .25/06's and they are very happy with it.

When I showed them my rifles they honed in on my .25/06 and told me I didn't need the rest.

I hate that word "need"! The politicians used it a lot in the old country whenever they talked about firearms.

AGW

The Hornady 120 hollow point is definitely a big game bullet. In spite of being a cup and core HP it penetrates very deeply. I have used it on Dall sheep in a 25-06 and never recovered one.

Exit holes are about an inch in diameter, so I know they expand, too. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Ted

I think before the 120 grain partition was available, the 120 grain Hornady hollowpoint was the bullet of choice in the 257 wby mag.

i like to try new stuff, but i always come back to the 120gr. HP.

I have some loaded up for m 25WSSM. When I kill a deer I will let you know the results.
Greg H

I've never tried the bullet, always wonted to.

I always had the same question as you. I've read that Joyce Hornady designed the 120 gr. HP for elk. Also have heard of its excellent penetration.

So it sounds like a pretty tough bullet.

I've found out at the speeds your talking a quicker expanding bullet drops deer on the spot rather than have them dart for the kudzoo ----

I used it on one buck and it looked like a spray paint can exploded. I don't know why I changed and I think I am going back to it.

joes

Have killed a half dozen whitetails with it in the 257 Roberts loaded to about 3000 fps.......All broadside shots with complete penetration and six very dead deer....very accurate to boot.....

I have killed a couple of deer sized animals with it. Both were pass thru's and both animals were very impressed. MV was around 3100 fps out of my 25-06. Limited experience but they worked for me so far.

Joseph

I used them out of a 25-06, and I think they are one of the finest "non-premium" bullets made. They are so good, that for deer - I sometimes why I went to more expensive bullets. Never was disappointed with a single one of them.

I just bought a box of 100!! I have never loaded a bullet with a canulure,can I load them "longer",with the canulure forward of the case mouth?If you load to the canulure,do you then have to crimp the case?

Just ignore the cannelure. Treat your loads like it wasn't there.

Yeh, what he said.

has anyone ever used them on deer-sized game out to 350-400 yards? the longest shot i've used them is about 225yards. just curious how well they expanded for people at more extreme ranges.

I haven't tried the Hornadays yet. I have used the Sierra 120 gameking(bthp).Any range you can get solid enough to squeeze one off will DUMP a whitetail.As I am writting this,there is one day left of the Wi deer gun season.I won't be hunting because the gamekings have put five deer on the ground!!The closest one was 15yards,the farthest just under 300,all were gravity checks.