GMX or InterBond for elk?

[ArcherandShooter]

The ever-lovely springmom gave me an elk hunt for Christmas last year. I'll be hunting the Chama valley in northern NM the first week of December.

My outfitter tells me the .30-06, 165 grain I plan on is fine for the elk they see and for shots out to about 300 yards (typical for the area, he says). He also tells me to plan on using a deep penetrating bullet, not one that will expand instantly on impact.

I've narrowed my choice to the Hornady Superformance .30-06 using either the InterBond or the GMX bullets. While both look like they'll do, for a hunt like this I want every possible factor working in my favor.

So - preferences, experiences with either bullet in a comparable load on elk-size game?

Thanks.

 

[sixgunner455]

Either will work fine. Choose by accuracy in your rifle.

 

[JEB]

my gut would say go for the interbond. try both and see how they shoot in your rifle and choose based on accuracy. might also try the nosler accubond (only other bonded rifle bullet i can think of off the top of my head).

 

[35 Whelen]

The Interbond is a lead core bullet while the GMX is solid copper. The GMX will penetrate far deeper than a lead core bullet if it's anything like the TSX. I've killed a few elk and I'll take penetration over a wide frontal area any day. In my Whelen I switched from a Partition to a TSX and never looked back.

What kind of hunt will you on in December in New Mexico? Surely it's a private land hunt because as far as I know, all the bull seasons are over by November and NM no longer allows non-residents to draw antlerless tags. That late in the year I'd be concerned about snow.

35W

 

[jmr40]

Shoot some first. In my experience the Superformance ammo has not been accurate enough for me to use it.

If either of those loads shoot well in your gun, then I think either should be up to the task. But if they don't, I'd start looking at a conventional 180 gr bullet. With my hand loads zeroed at 200 yards the 180's are only 1/2" lower at 300, just 1.2" lower at 400 yards, but with more energy and penetration than you'd get with a conventional 165 gr bullet.

The copper bullets will often equal or beat a coventional bullet even after dropping down 1 or 2 bullet weights. But a conventional 180 from a 30-06 has proven to work pretty well, so don't see you at any disadvantage if you go that route.

 

[WYOMan]

Whichever shoots best would be my pick. Nosler sells their ammo with the 165 grain accubond. Might try that one too.