Hornady Interlock SP

[herkyguy]

So I've been working through the 500 free 150 grain Hornady Interlock Softpoints I got a few years back with my single stage press. I've had great success with them out of my Winchester Model 70 in 30-06. I've got 51 grains of 4007SSC that gives me 1 MOA groups at 100 yards and runs about 2600 fps. Most deer I shoot are 100 yards or less with a max distance of about 120 yards. I know it's a bit slow, but eastern NC deer are not monsters.

Anyhow, every deer I've shot has dropped with a shot through the shoulder and vitals. This past year, I had a group approaching my blind head on. When they closed within 40 yards, I opted to take a center mass shot on a doe's chest. She fell sideways, kicked three times and was done.

I've never had the opportunity to recover a bullet, but on this one I did, finding the bullet in the attached photo just under the skin and forward of her left hip. It appears that the jacket had separated, but the lead still showed some decent expansion.

Wondering how common jacket separation is and how much, if any, of a concern this would be for other hunters/reloaders.

If I ever get the chance to go west and hunt something bigger, I've got some higher end bullets to work up, but I've put so much effort into a good load for the Hornady 150 grain interlocks that I hesitate to put these aside.

 

[ZWCoffindaffer]

I'll start by saying I am NO expert, but regardless of wether or not that bullet retained its jacket, it looks like it did retain a good bit of weight. Did you weigh it to see how much was left there? If it's been getting the job done, I dont see reason to be concerned.

Again, I'm not an expert, someone else may have better insight.

 

[splattergun]

I killed my mule deer buck last October with a 165 gr Interlock SP from my 30-06. The bullet broke the right front leg, scrambled the lungs, broke the left front leg and lodged against a piece of leg bone pressed against the skin on the left side. The recovered bullet is still bonded to the jacket and weighs 153 grains.

Don't worry too much about the Interlock separating. It will get the job done on western game.

 

[jmr40]

That is common for cup and core bullets. They work just fine on normal game at normal ranges at normal speeds. Bonded bullets tend to stay together better and penetrate deeper on larger game with faster impact speeds.

 

[gspn]

I shot a mature bull elk at 150 yards with 150 grain Interlocks from a .30-06 this year. The lung shot went through and through...which tells me it retained some mass. The heart shot drove through the heart, then through the far shoulder and lodged under the hide...all I got back on that bullet was the jacket.

It looks like those two hits performed very differently, but they both got the job done.

 

[azar]

Everyone has different criteria for what they want in a big game bullet. For some, a bullet shedding it's jacket is the end-of-times. I don't see it that way, especially in your case. That interlock performed near flawlessly, save for the core slipping.

You got the deer without issue, the bullet didn't blow up into tiny fragments, but penetrated to vitals. So it lost it's jacket, big deal. Lead bullets start out jacket-less and still manage to kill effectively, somehow...

 

[GooseGestapo]

One shot, bang flop, I presume?
Close shots with high velocity cartridges do that!
Bullet did it's job.
If that's a problem, use a heavier, slower, heavier constructed bullet.
However, don't be suprised if you loose a large amount of meat, too.

Bullet worked perfectly!
Bullet failure is when bullet fragments, lack of penetration causes loss of game. Alternatively, lack of expansion just as bad.

 

[Ifishsum]

My brothers and I have been killing deer and elk with Interlocks for 15+ years, have not lost an animal yet. The only time I've had them shed weight significantly was at relatively close range, but they've always done their job well for me. If one is a proponent of front shoulder shots rather than heart/lung, a bonded core would probably be a better bet but I have yet to be disappointed with the Hornady interlock.

 

[redbullitt]

Always worked well for any I have used or seen used on white tail.

If i were paying and traveling for moose or elk etc I would use something tougher though. Otherwise, use that load you worked up! I figure it will do pretty much anything you need it to in a pinch.