Interlock? Or SST?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Kwaynem

Member
Joined
Mar 30, 2019
Messages
177
I’m going on a cow elk hunt here in Oklahoma and was trying to figure out which of these bullets are better I know there are better out there but I have for my 300 winmag 150 grain interlock and 150 grain SST All I have is a hornady reloading book for data thanks
 
Mmmm... be forewarned that you will have a good number of people telling you that you need a bigger (heavier) bullet. I've never used the interlock but I can speak to the performance of the SST at 308 Win velocities. The SST performs somewhere between the highly frangible A-Max and the much less frangible interbond. Hornady claimed the interlock to be of more stout constuction than the SST. I have never recovered an SST on CPX2 class game but I've never shot an elk with one, and most impact velocities were 2100fps or so. Exit wounds tended to be in excess of 1 inch average diameter and internal wounding was devastating. Considering a typical hunting range of 300 yards, impact velocities will likely be above 2400 fps so I'd pick the the tougher bullet.
 
18.5” Barreled .308 Win, 150gr Hornady Interlocks @2,740fps muzzle velocity. White Tail deer at 80 yards. Give you an idea, it went through shoulder , chest cavity was soupy and ribs on opposite side, this is the exit wound showing the broken ribs.

Photo%20Nov%2002%2C%206%2057%2040%20PM.jpg

this load would probably do fine with a good shot on Elk however I load up a 165 Accubond for elk.
 
Last edited:
Never shot elk but have had great success with 150 interlocks on whitetail.
I have no doubt but remember, whitetail will run about 200lbs on a very good day while a elk cow can run as high as 500lbs plus. What works on deer may not work on Elk. I didn't want to be "that guy" but you might want to use a heavier bullet and a premium bullet like I already mentioned above. You are shooting a 300 WinMag, why not use it? If you want to shoot a 150gr bullet you can do that in a .308 or 30-06.

Just my opinion, you do what you see fit.
 
I have no doubt but remember, whitetail will run about 200lbs on a very good day while a elk cow can run as high as 500lbs plus. What works on deer may not work on Elk. I didn't want to be "that guy" but you might want to use a heavier bullet and a premium bullet like I already mentioned above. You are shooting a 300 WinMag, why not use it? If you want to shoot a 150gr bullet you can do that in a .308 or 30-06.

Just my opinion, you do what you see fit.

Have to agree. A 300 Win Mag should start with a 180 gr bullet.

Not to say a 150 won’t do it. Guys kill elk with .270 150 gr all the time. I just think the bullet weight should match the cartridge being used.
 
Have to agree. A 300 Win Mag should start with a 180 gr bullet.

Not to say a 150 won’t do it. Guys kill elk with .270 150 gr all the time. I just think the bullet weight should match the cartridge being used.
That was my point, you can probably do the job fine with a 150gr bullet but why take a chance? I'm guess those tags are hard to come by, it would be a shame to lose your prize.

I'm not saying to super heavy, just a little heavier and more importantly a premium bullet.
 
Last edited:
I have shot deer with both these bullets in 150 grain weight at .308-.300 Savage speeds from powder burn distance to 200 yards or so. Note the animal and velocity range. I found the regular interlock to be apparently more stoutly constructed in terms of terminal damage. More exit wounds, less poof. Now when Elk are on the table, and you're upping the velocity, I would certainly up the bullet weight. 180-200 grains, the interlock will do the job, as will any of several premium bullets on the market. The only 150 grain bullet I would consider for Elk service in your caliber would be a mono-metal.
 
We are going on a cow elk hunt in Colorado in November and are going to shoot the 150 gr SST out of a .308. I have loaded both the interlock and the SST. I think as far as how the bullets perform on impact I think they will be fairly similar. I do seem to get more consistent accuracy out of the SST.
 
I have no doubt but remember, whitetail will run about 200lbs on a very good day while a elk cow can run as high as 500lbs plus. What works on deer may not work on Elk. I didn't want to be "that guy" but you might want to use a heavier bullet and a premium bullet like I already mentioned above. You are shooting a 300 WinMag, why not use it? If you want to shoot a 150gr bullet you can do that in a .308 or 30-06.

Just my opinion, you do what you see fit.
Good point
 
We are going on a cow elk hunt in Colorado in November and are going to shoot the 150 gr SST out of a .308. I have loaded both the interlock and the SST. I think as far as how the bullets perform on impact I think they will be fairly similar. I do seem to get more consistent accuracy out of the SST.
Sst is what I deer hunt with and always have great success but this is a one time hunt I’m thinking about buying a box of hornady factory and using it before buying a box of 100 count just to use one time
 
18.5” Barreled .308 Win, 150gr Hornady Interlocks @2,740fps muzzle velocity. White Tail deer at 80 yards. Give you an idea, it went through shoulder , chest cavity was soupy and ribs on opposite side, this is the exit wound.

View attachment 870278

this load would probably do fine with a good shot on Elk however I load up a 165 Accubond for elk.
That’s what I was looking for
 
Sst is what I deer hunt with and always have great success but this is a one time hunt I’m thinking about buying a box of hornady factory and using it before buying a box of 100 count just to use one time

Before I bought a box of SSTs to reload with I shot several boxes of the Hornady Superformace SSTs. That's how I knew I liked them.
 
If one is going to hunt elk with a 150gr 308 and wants to stick with hornady bullets I would be using the interbonds.

If it was my hunt with my .308 I would be using one of the two following bullets, 165gr Nosler Accubond or 150gr Barnes TTSX.
 
If you want a 150, is recommend the Nosler e-tip.
Please do not use the sat. They are terribly fragile.
The only experience I've had with the interlock is in heavy for caliber and they were ok.
 
Ford or Chevy - I use the SST but either should work. Although I would not feel under gunned with a150 grain bullet, I would feel better gunned with a 180 out of a 300. Elk are not armored Tiger Panzers so they will fall with either a well placed 150 or 180 - as with any hunt, the skill of the person behind the firearm is the biggest factor.
 
I have been reloading and shooting the sst out of my 270 for whitetail the last couple years and haven’t taken more than one shot at a deer with about a quarter size exit hole in all exits BUT I have never shot an elk with one and didn’t know how the 150 grain held up I talked to a buddy I’m Montana he said sst were great on elk but would use a 180 grain or 180 grain eldx about the same thing you all are saying
 
2 years ago I shot a white tail doe with 7mm 139 sst at less than 20 yds. My only shot was at its white patch on her neck. The exit wound looked like someone filleted the muscles off of the back of her neck from shoulder juncture to base of skull.

Though I've never hunted elk I'd go with a heavier bullet or a bonded bullet.

I do agree though that the sst's are extremely accurate.
 
I agree with all those saying you should go with a heavier bullet. Leave the 150 grainers for the 308 Win and the 300 Savage.
You have an awesome cartridge in the 300 Win Mag, go with 180 grain or heavier.
 
I’m going on a cow elk hunt here in Oklahoma and was trying to figure out which of these bullets are better I know there are better out there but I have for my 300 winmag 150 grain interlock and 150 grain SST All I have is a hornady reloading book for data thanks
I have shot a boat load of Hornady bullets over the last 30 years or so. With a limited choice of only SSt or Interlock, I will take the Interlock every time. The SST's have always had a tough time holding together when they hit bone and the Interlocks have always held up with 70% + weight retention on those that I have recovered. Those with full penetration left awe inspiring exit wounds. One from a .308 at 150 yards+ not only opened a hole I could put my fist in, it carried lung tissue the size of a football out the hole, too.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top