Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters My Dad is dead but he was right...HORNADY ONLY!

Nice bulls shrappy. I'll concur as well. All of my 30-06's have loved the 165 sp interlock. Extremely accurate, minimal blood shot meat and pass thru's all the time.

Never even tried the GMX, soooooo I don't use them, the SSTs, or the Interbonds, only Interlocks.

1 out of 4


That makes me an expert on Hornady products by Campfire standards, doesn't it??

Amen brother.

For sure!

I like the Interlocks a lot; they're the first bullet I reach for when I get a new rifle.

I hadn't drunk the monometal Kool-aid but when MidwayUSA put 90 gr GMX blems on sale I decided to try em through my 257 AI. They grouped nicely... And these groups came before I realized they benefited from weight sorting.

[URL=http://s480.photobucket.com/user/efrrwake99/media/257%20AI/P1420109.jpg.html]

It worked REALLY well on a whitetail dink this fall and I expect they'll replace 100 gr Interlocks as my "go to" in that rifle. Haven't chrono'd yet, but based upon experience w/ Hunter & 100s I am pretty sure I am pushing 3450 fps w/ that load.

My 06 gets a steady diet of 165 Interlocks and a good friend uses 165 SSTs in his 308 which, while highly frangible they do the job perfectly on whitetails.

Based on very limited personal experience, but corroborated by the opinions of many whom I have learned to trust on this forum and others, I stay away from the SST's. But I like the interlocks.

What I find puzzling, is that Hornady seems to have put many more Interlocks on "Temporary suspension" than SST's. IOW, there are a lot more SST's currently available now than IL's.

So I would guess that, our experts notwithstanding, the SST's must be more popular than then IL's?

ingwe;
Top of the morning to you sir, I trust this finds you and yours doing acceptably well this snowy morning.

I'm always of two (at least ) minds when it comes to answering in on threads such as this because when a particular bullet works well for us we stock up and then if changes are made in manufacturing later we might not know because we're burning "old stock" so to speak.

That's where I'd be at with regards to the .308" 165gr and 180gr Interlock bullets for instance - both flat base spires and boat tailed spires.

We did launch the 165gr from a .308 Win carbine at 2600fps, an '06 at 2850fps and three different .300 Win Mag/.308 Norma rifles at 3200fps for a few seasons though - enough to get to get the flavor of what would happen when they landed into deer/bear/sheep sized animals for sure.

The 180gr was used in both the '06 and .300 Win Mag on a bunch of local bucks. Again enough that we could predict what would happen to the bullet when we put them in different spots on the buck.

As far as the Interbond, I killed one big for the Okanagan mulie buck with a single 180gr in a .300 Win Mag and it was most positively dead at 60-70yds. Truly ingwe, it's the only time I found the bottom tip of the heart on a log beside the deer carcass - interesting that.

I want to say I've shot at least 4 bucks with a 130gr GMX - from the cartridge that must not be named or my gender preference will be called into question.......

A 3rd or 4th rack mulie caught one - it's here between a .250" 80gr TTSX and a 168gr TSX.


Finally on the subject of Hornady projectiles, I seem to be one of the few dissenting opinions on their 220gr RN bullets after launching them into a 375-400lb carcass bull moose and a first rack whitetail.

These two were caught in the moose and while it logically must have expired for me to have this forensic evidence, as a good friend said, "that's why we test bullets on things that don't bite back".


Anyway that's the morning report from the south Okanagan ingwe.

All the best to you folks this weekend.

Dwayne

Are you saying that based upon the list from Hornady or upon availability thru supply houses? Seemed to me that all the SSTs were temporarily suspended, but my recollection ain't what it used to be and I haven't reviewed that Hornady list in months...

At lower speeds and on light game they've performed well for me and my friends. They're definitely frangible, but if that's what you like...

Yes, stay away from SST's.

My Dad and I have used a pile of 130gr Interlocks out of our 270's for the last 40 or so years and have never had a problem. Of course being a looney I have to flit from bullet to bullet, While my Dad being pragmatic, just keeps on killing stuff with the 130gr.

I have used the 130gr Interbonds, and they were fine. Really like the GMX's. Used a bunch of the 140gr BTSP and amazingly, they work too. I had some left over 150gr reloads that I used on couple of deer and hogs. Favorably impressed. Way better than the archaic 7x57

Use the 200gr out of 338-06's with good performance. I have some 286gr for my 9.3x64's, but have punched nothing but paper. I also have some 165gr 308's to load in my newly acquired 30-06 and soon to be finished 300 H&H.

My only complaint was shooting a few deer with the 100gr out of 243. The bullets seemed too hard. Very small sample, and I am admittedly biased against 243.

efw: Just looking at the Hornady website: if I counted correctly, they list 58 Interlock bullets, 35 of which are suspended. They list 21 SST's and 2 are suspended.

And all I see locally are SST's. Sure do miss my 120gr 257HP's!

I've actually seen SST's work pretty well. They were REALLY explosive at first, but I suspect Hornady started using harder core alloys, just as Nosler did after the first batches of Ballistic Tip deer bullets didn't do so well. A hunting partner in Wyoming put a 180 into a 5-point bull elk at 350 yards, using a .300 WSM, and it ended up under the hide on the far side, perfectly expanded. But I don't think they're the best choice for "woods" hunting, especially at faster velocities.

I started using Hornady Spire Points before they even had the Interlock ring, back in the 1970's, because even then they had a reputation of being tougher than other cup-and-cores. Probably they had a harder core alloy, but I put a pile of 150-grain .270's into various animals and never had a real problem. Oh, sometimes jacket and core would separate, but only after the job was done.

Since then have killed antelope, whitetails, mule deer, caribou and elk with various Interlocks, the bullets including 100 and 117-grain .25's, 130 and 150-grain .270's, 139 and 154-grain 7mm's, 165 .30's, 225 .338's and 250-grain .35's.

As a matter of fact Eileen killed a bunch of animals with 130 Interlocks before she started handloading herself, because I worked up two loads for her first .270: one with Interlocks for sight-in, practice and deer/antelope hunting, and one with 150-grain Partitions for heavier lifting. Back then we didn't have much money and Interlocks cost a lot less than Partitions! The single box of Partitions I loaded lasted until she sold the rifle years later, because they were only used on elk, moose and the occasional big buck encountered while hunting bigger stuff. In the meantime she filled several pickup trucks with Interlock 130's.

I also use 165 Interlocks in my .300 Winchester Magnum for scope-testing, because they shoot so well with Reloder 19 that any little flaw in adjustments or general ruggedness shows up quickly.

EGAD !! I did the same with my first 308 rifle I purchased in 77. Stupid seems to sum it up pretty well. Have since replaced it and it seems the same if I don't think about it too much.

Dwayne, a friend of mine came about as close to being mauled as possible without being harmed by a grizzly after one of those 220 RN's from a 300 Wby came apart on the bears shoulder. An hour later the bear charged and our buddy stopped it at very close range with a single 200 gr E Tip from a 338 WM. I do like Hornady Interlocks but will stay far away from the Round Noses especially in a fast magnum round.

The 129 gr Spire Point is one of my favorite 6.5mm bullets, they have been very accurate in any rifle I have had.

Hornady's have always been my most favorite non premium slugs..

And varmint/target bullets, too...

gerrygoat,

You and Dwayne reminded me of the one Interlock I had trouble with, the discontinued 160-grain 6.5mm round-nose from a 6.5x54 Mannlicher Schoenauer at only 2200 fps. In my brief acquaintance (I didn't use it long) it acted just about every way it's possible for an expanding bullet to act.

I still have a bunch of the 160 gr RN's but am a bit scared to use them on game because of their erratic behavior. On the plus side they are accurate and make really nice round holes on paper.

When it comes to 220 gr bullets, the 220 gr Partition is hard to beat.....

Really?!? When people post about their favourite, most used bullet, they always claim to be using either Knoslers or Burnes. No disrespect intended here, but reading this thread suggests that most people use Hornadys.

My Spidey sense is tingling.



Now, I agree with the poster's dad. There's no need for fancy, overpriced designer bullets for most hunting. Hornady Interlocks it is. All you reloaders, buy Hornadys! There's really no need for Burnes or Knoslers! With the money you'll save, buy quality optics like Leupold.



(Dear Leupold people: Make the cheque out to Steve Redgwell, 303british.com)

gerrygoat;
It's always great to hear from you sir, I trust this finds you and yours doing acceptably well so far this year.

Thanks to you and JB for sharing your experiences with the RN bullets, it's good to know these things sometimes.

When a local shop in Penticton closed I ended up with 3 boxes of 200gr Partitions and shot a couple whitetail bucks at different angles with them just to see what they'd do.

Lets just say I'd be much more comfortable carrying my .308 Norma with 200gr Partitions in it if I ever decide to put in and get drawn for grizzly LEH.

Lastly, we've shot a bunch of 129gr Hornady in our eldest's Swede as I've been able to come up with a load that has the same point of impact as her 130gr TSX load. She's yet to "catch" one of those TSX's in an Okanagan buck gerrygoat - either mulie or whitetail.

Thanks again for your input and all the best to you this weekend.

Dwayne

There is a 7x57 in my safe that is fond of the 154 grain Interlock and it has accounted for several Whitetail and a lot of Mule deer. I have only caught a bullet twice.

This bullet was launched at about 2800 fps and killed a large Mule deer buck at 180 yards.

Guys I've seen them loose a jacket from time to time but always after the game had been decided. Of all the deer my Dad killed...and it was a bunch...the Interlokt's always did the trick. Nice opening, devastated insides and either inside or outside...a dead deer. Some of those pan handle whitetails were very big for Texas deer, 150-175lbs, but the little 117gr Interlokt took them w/o any problem what so ever. I loaded for Dad in his later years and decided to slip him some SST'S into the mix. Around Thanksgiving that year a nice little 5 point buck showed up right after daylight and he put one into the very tip of the shoulder bone. That deer ran around and flopped like a fish out of water. Upon inspection the bullet blew a 6 inch hole on the surface and some of the lead barely made to the inside of the deer. I got an awful bad look from my Dad that morning and I knew it was back to the Interlokt's and no more experiments. powdr

How dare you question my veracity!

See my earlier post, Ive used bunches of Hornadys and continue to do so,but I wouldn't be a true looney unless I used a bunch of other stuff, which I do�.

And I wouldn't be a true Campfire ex-spurt unless I expounded at length on the virtues of something I don't use all the time...

And my nose isn't that long, you'll have to check another thread, it will explain that its a kazoo�.

Why, it was just a couple years ago that I killed a deer with a Hornady��honest!