Alot is mentioned on the site of just how good a bullet the Interlock is. Besides the price, you read lots of positive notes on expansion, reliability and the like. Very few people mention Speer's HotCor, however. Is it any less of a bullet? Is performance on par with the Interlock as long as it is kept within its limits? Anybody care to reason why the Speer doesn't get as much mentioning?

I think it doesn't get mention because there are no sexy features. I personally prefer them to Hornady bullets in many circumstances. The game I've shot with Hornady bullets always left me wishing for a little more expansion, but they're accurate and cheap and penetrate well. In most cases I'm using more than enough gun, so I'll take a little more expansion and a little less penetration for deer sized game.

Both are excellent. I use more Hornaday's with an unproven or unfounded thought that they were more accurate, just because one rifle preferred them. The hot cores are excellent game bullets and may prove more accurate in some rifles. It seems they are getting phased out or are harder to find. Please correct me if this isn't the case.

To me the Hornaday is a controlled expansion type bullet and the Hot Core is an almost bonded bullet. Both ideal for medium game they deserve to be used more. The Speer bullets were popular for game culling in Africa with those that reloaded.

Use whichever one shoots best in your rifle. Either will work very well when started at 2700 fps or so.

I prefer the Speer by a wide margin. The Speer 140 grain is the best bullet I have ever used in my .264 Win mag.

While the Interlock has typically been more accurate in a variety of my rifles over the years, I think the Speer HC is a better controlled-expansion hunting bullet.

If both shoot equally I'd always prefer the HotCore.

Brads an 06 guy I'm a 270 guy. Point being, I go a bit differently....go figure eh Mac...grin

I've used em both, but I have used the Horns quite a bit more. Seems to me and I sure could be wrong but I've as a general rule had the Horns shoot a bit better.

As for how they hold together, I've shot and seen a lot of game taken with the Horns and they hold together incredibly well.

I've not seen or taken near as much game with the Speers so I really shouldn't say how they hold together. But from what I hear it sounds like they do very well.

If I ran an 06 I could easily spend the rest of my days with either a Horn 180 flat base and or a Speer 180 Mag Tip.

I do feel that the accuracy of the Speer TNT's is pretty much unbeatable by anything out there. And like I mentioned I really dig their 180 Mag Tip as well.

Fords and Chevy's I really think.

Dober

Hornady Interlocks get the blue ribbon from me, on accuracy and meat performance. If a .270 win won't shoot 130 gr pills in tiny clusters with a max. dose of IMR 4350 or 4064, there is a problem.

I had one bullet to "blow up" last year. A shoulder shot at 75 ft +-. The hole was big as a cantelope, 1" deep. No exit. Only found small fragments. Complete pass thru's most of the time out to 250 yds.

I did get some Speer's for .270 and the .30 cal's the other day. I cut some paper this morn, can't wait to cut hair with 'em in a few month's.

Roger

Roger

I suspect that's the key in any difference between them;as with most CC bullets,likely impact velocity is gonna have a greater bearing on how they behave than anything else.And as you go up in weight in a given caliber,and down somewhat in velocity,there is greater liklihood they will do "better".Speed is the gremlin that tears up bullets.

+1

I took my first elk with a 162g Hornady Interlock BTSP running around 2950fps at the muzzle. THe elk was broadside, around 100-110 yards. The bullet hit a rib on entrance, slipped between them on the off side (might have nicked one but mostly a miss), and came to rest under the hide on the off side. Dead elk, straight down. The Interlock retained about 47% of its weight even though the challenge to its integrity was minimal.

The next year I switched to Speer 160g Grand Slams. It took me 20 years to recover one (all broadsides) and when I did the bullet had destroyed both shoulder joints on a 5x5 bull elk and was recovered from under the off-side hide. Weight retention was a tad over 70%, which I believe had a lot to do with it getting through all that bone.

These days I use North Fork, Barnes TTSX/MRX/TSX, Swift A-Frames.

I have had no real issues with either bullet. The Speer Hot-Cor and boat tail are more accurate for me with the two rifles that I loaded extensively with Hornady and Speer bullets, one 30-06 and one 280. I use 165grn in the '06 and 145grn in the 280. None of the animals shot knew or will ever know the difference, for they all died. There are some small differences depending on what caliber and bullet weight being used. For example, the 7mm 154grn Hornady is much tougher than the 139grn. The Speer 30 cal 165grn Hot-Cor is equally tough or tougher than the 180grn Hot-Cor. Speer's boat tails are softer than their Hot-Cor flat base.

I have had a few Hornadys fragment. I had one Speer boat tail leave the jacket in the off-side hide. I have yet to recover a Hot-Cor. The 180grn Mag-tip that I use in my 300 Savage is a perfect match at 2400fps. That bullet opens wide and penetrates very well.

Back to your question, I wouldn't change what has worked so well for you. If you do change, Speer recommends the 220grn bullet for bears in the .358 win.

, I never specified what cartridge I was using, BUT if I do ever trade my .25-06, .30-30, .338 Win, (etc.) in or buy a .358 Win, I will keep their recommendation in mind .

Just picking Goose! Thanks guys, I really appreciate the insight and experiences you all have provided.

WarEagle : since you are a 25/06 shooter, I've had outstanding performance from both the 120gr Speer HC, and the 120gr Hornady HP. Used the Hot Core for years with perfect satisfaction. couple of years ago, I tried the Hornady HP, just 'cause. It has been great too. Don't think I or the deer can tell the difference.

I shot a lot of speer sp hot core out of a 270. Back then I was doing a lot of shooting on tree farms. Crop Damage. The load I used was IMR-4831 57.5 gr a Winchester Western Case Fed 210 primer and a 130 gr Speer SP Flat Base. Worked every time I pulled the trigger, on day I pulled the trigger 8 times. The other bullet I used was the 160 gr 7mm Speer SP in a 7x57 and 7mm RM. They work fine, thou in rifles like the 7mm Ultra Mag might be a little much vel wise. I don't think you really can go wrong with either. It's more a function of the launcher than anything else.

Hey Southtexas, I don't know why but I did pick up some Speer 120gr BTSP's for my .25 a few weeks ago and didn't even look twice at the HotCor's....I think the B.C. got the best of me . I haven't even loaded them yet, been preoccupied with another rifle right now. I have high hopes for some reason but know I shouldn't as the Ruger #1 that they are for is the most finicky rifle I have ever shot....

Pretty similar in performance from a test I did a while back. The Speer was more accurate in MY rifle.

Hornady IL 250gr from .35 Whelen


Speer HC 250gr from .35 Whelen

Nice comparison BCSteve. That is a great visual.

I believe the Speer hot core is a softer bullet than the Hornady inter-loc. I used a 140gr Speer in my 6.5X55 on an average sized whitetail buck and the bullet didnt exit. The buck jumped back into the mountain laurels and while he was dead on his feet, it took me a little while to find him. There was very little blood, and i was nervous until i found him. This was the first time the little swede didnt completely penetrate a deer. I have had 129gr Hornady's always fully penetrate, and thats what i want in thick brush.

While the pictures of the 35 cal bullets from a whelen are cool looking you have to remember a whelen is only pushing them @ 2,550fps max, once you get up to 2,800fps things will be different.

Someone else here posted on great results with the Speer grand slam but that is a very different bullet than the hot core. The hot core was very accurate in my rifle but not enough to go with instead of a Hornady that will leave a good blood trail.

I guess that's what happens when you read too many threads and then go back and reply to one. If you do pick up a nice .358 Win, you know where to start!

+1. Puttin' either one where they belong will result in death.

Generally speaking, the Hornady has shot better in my rifles than the Hot Cor.

The other thing I've read written by trustworthy gun writers is that the molten lead process of Hot Cor leaves gas bubbles in some bullets.

I've had the pleasure of discussing some of Speer's products with one of their sales reps some time back. What he told me and what I've picked up from several sources might be of value here.
In the .358 bullets, the 250 gr. spitzer is made with a heavier jacket for higher speeds than the .358 or the .35 Whelan produce. However, I knew a guy that had used that bullet alot of big alaskan moose out of his .358 and loved it. Said it would penetrate surprisingly well even on tough muscle and bone, like almost 30 inches lenthwise down the neck. But others have reported less than ideal expansion on broadside shots with deer.
Their boatails are not made as tough as the HC's, or with the Hot-Core process.
Their Mag-Tips both open at lower impact velocities and hold together at higher impact velocities than the standard Hot-Cores. But their BC's are lower. Frankly, I'd take the wider expansion/hold together characteristics over the higher BC any day.
Their Hot-Cores, while they work very well, do not perform like the true bonded core bullets.
Ditto on their TNT's being super accurate. Even though they don't seem very consistant in weight, which I've also found with some of Remingtons' super accurate Power-Lock bullets, they shoot better than anything else I've tried in my heavy .308
While I've had an easier time finding really accurate loads with the Hornadys than the Speer Hot Cores, I'm not convinced that is a bullet quality difference. I suspect it's just a rifle/load perference. E

Since someone mentionned the Grand Slam, might as well post it too.

Again, 250gr from .35 Whelen

The Grand Slam is now, more than before, an under-rated bullet in my opinion. If you like a classic mushroom there is little not to like.

My take on the comparison is the Hotcor is a deeper penetrator especially in the heavier weights. There may not be a better deer bullet in 30 caliber out of a 30-06 than the 150 gr. Hotcor flatbased bullet.

One thing I would like to add...I avoid boat tail cup and core bullets for hunting. The boat tail provides very little difference in exterior ballistics at any sane hunting range, and increases the chance of core/jacket separation on impact.

I used to think that I needed to avoid BT cup n core but I no longer think so.

I've taken and have seen a lot of game taken with the 130 Sierra BT in a 270 and the 150 NBT in my 7 Mashburn Super. Personally, on game from lopes to elk I've not found a reason to look elsewhere.

As to the sane range comment, they work for me at the kinds of ranges that my ability tells me is sane...

Dober

Mark, the only C-n-C bullets Ive ever used were Hornady Interlocks, 30 cal, 180 and 190 gr. in .300 Mags...They worked great, never had a separation ( Though I gotta admit, a couple cores were loose in their moorings when I found them, but they never separated...)
ingwe

I'd killed a lot of critters on the East half of this state when I was younger with the Hornady ILs. On my side of The Hump I'd always stuck with Partitions in case I had the chance to fill a Bear or Elk tag.

I'm older and wiser now... Bears and Elk aren't that tough. Since my 308 Montana shoots the 165 Speer BTSPs so well to 400 yards, thats what I'm going to kill everything with next fall. Having 300 of them loaded right now, and 200 more on the shelf, makes that decision pretty easy

And some people here catch chitt for bein' older and wiser....
Specially on the 7-08vs..308 thread....
Go Figger....I'm like the elder Dangerfield..No respect....
Ingwe ( Tongue in cheek...)

I have used a lot of both H-IL and Speer HC over the years. Both have worked well but as I scan my reloading bench, there sure are a lot more yellow boxes than red ones these days.

WN

Danny, thought I was the only one slumming those. Have you killed a few critters with 'em?

hi everyone this is my first post here i shot alot of hornady interlock at deer here in pa out of my 338 ultra mag they were the 225 interlocks they did a real nice jod on the four deer i shot with them

Did you get all four with one shot?

no sorry if the post sounded like that i shot one a day over the of hunting season

Oh ok.

samolson have u shot any of the 150gr speer hot cores in 30 caliber if so how did the work for u i just got a box for my 300 wby and my 30-06 to try iam loading them with 52gr of 4064 in the 30-06 and 83gr of h4831 in my weatherby

Negative hunter8mm.

Sammmm...you couldn't help yourself coud 'ya?
Beat me to it..
Ingwe

Mortie...is that you?

WN

I used the Speer 120 SPBT for several years on Alberta whitetails, mule deer and antelope. I only switched to the Speer 120 GS because I bit into the "premium" bullet syndrome.

I seldom recovered either bullet, but of the ones I did, the BT held up as well or better than the GS, retaining about 60-65% of it's weight. Both bullets are very accurate. Most bullets recovered were shot into the front chest and found in the rear hams or just under hide by the hips. Good 3ft of penetration.

Can't find fault with either.

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.

Yep... Tonight was a 6er of Bridgeport IPA. I don't want to go back to work tomorrow afternoon


But at any rate, in WoDak, I wouldn't worry about killin' critters with Speers or Horndaddys. I can't fault the logic of using something heavier (like a Partition) if Elks on the menu too. I know I did it for years...

Hows that for a back on topic segway???

There 'ya go Dan..when we have a MT get-together and some one yells "Gramps",confusion will reign!
OTOH when someone yells "Stud" only one person will be confused and raise his hand.....
Ingwe

Laffin...

Maybe we should just plan a fall bear hunt somewhere, and bring lots of beer

And fishin' poles, and steaks and stuff...
but no guns....
Ingwe

We could prolly make this work out. Travis (Deflave) is already going to try and get over here this fall. I got boo-koo vacation banked up too (and not a good enough score to get middle of November off)

Time off is a biggie for me...I am in "the outdoor business" so everyone at works all wants off at the good times ( Sept. thru Nov..) and I'm no different, gotta get in my fall fishin' and of course go doink a couple deer, plus usually have a couple dog schools to attend at that time...
A year's worth of livin' packed into three months...
Ingwe

Same problem for me... Most everybody down there has 2 weeks paid a year, and all 200 of them are outdoorsy types. With the skeleton crews we run, each shift can have 5 off.

Used to go on seniority/per shift, which meant I got the shaft (there used to be 7-8 20year vets on swing shift) Now its based on your performance review score. Which mine is "average" after I bailed out of a mid-level supervisory position and ruffled a few feahters... So for me, nothing much changed... Its still impossible to get middle of September or November off, but I can usually get one week off in there to hunt something with a bow, or gun. But my favorite time of year late September early October...

Ditto...I live for it..
Ingwe

I ain't worried about killing, I'm worried about a nasty, jumbo exit with the thin jacketed Speer. Of course the ol' lung/rib shot would probably be just fine.


Paid vacation?
Only a distant memory now so you two need to quit your whining....(grin)

Now that is a great quote!

Dober

Heat must be getting to you Dober!


Seriously, you and I both know they aren't really 'magnums' when you compare 'em to the big boys. They sure are short and fat however WSF(Winchester Short Fat) probably wouldn't have been a wise marketing ploy.

For Danny maybe...
My only distant memory is my youth...
Can I get some cheese with my whine??
Ingwe

I don't feel so bad now Ingwe, thought you had one of those fancy jobs were they pay you to go have fun. I do believe it's beer time eh?

Beer sounds good....maybe tonight...gotta have dinner first and go do some Bite work with a dog,then I might kick back to a cold one...
Fancy job, yeah, right.....youve seen pics in my posts...you can tell by my flashy wardrobe what a cool job I have!!! Can't scrape up enough to get one of those orange Sam O. Toupe's!!
Ingwe

laughin'!

I'm gonna go look in the fridge.....

BOTH excellent bullets. I buy whatever happens to be on the shelf and have no complaints with either.

My only real complaint about Speer bullets are the prices are getting up there. They used to be a bit less than Hornady or Sierra bullets.

If we don't want to pay the price for super-premiums, premiums, or even standard cup/cores like Speer, what does that leave us? Cast I guess. Nothing wrong with cast.

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I suspect the Speer is as good as the Hornady..I have used them both over the years off and on and never had either one fail..All that said I still think Noslers are the best bullet at the best price for what you get..North Forks, Woodleighs, GS Customs, Speer, Hornady, Nosler, are all great bullets..I also think any bonded core bullet works good..any partition type bullet works good. Cup and core bullets can fail, but only on rare ocassions and if pushed too fast.

I think most of todays bullet makers have done a fine job..

I remember reading JO loaded 160 Speers in Eleanor's 7x57, while loading Nosler partitions in his .270.
That is when I tried Speers and was happy.

160 Speers are super in the 7x57! BTDTBTTS

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