Hornady .284" 154gr Interbond Experiences...

[41mag]

I am looking for field reports on the Hornady 154gr Interbond bullets, specifically when used in the 7mm Rem Mag or the 7mm STW. That said pretty much any of the newer 7mm short mags would be fine also.

If any of you have used them, on anything pretty much, I am simply looking for detailed experiences as to whether they held up to the velocity they were driven to, shot accurately, and how they preformed on the intended game.

I am about to gather up my components to do a bit of development with them in my 7mm STW. I am looking to be pushing them to mid 3200fps as a muzzle velocity, but will settle on a realistic 3150, which I already know I can pretty easily get. Oh in case your wondering about my rifle, it is an early Sendero which sports a laminate stock, and 26" barrel. VERY sweet shooter and simply seems to love the 145 - 162gr bullets. So seeing as how it will shoot them all into tiny clusters out further than I should be pushing it, I thought I would settle on the middle ground and go with the 154 Interbond.

Anyway post up your stories or comments no matter if they are good, bad, or ugly. Feel free to throw in your load, and rifle data as well, I love to compare.

I'm pretty much already set on my powder, primers, and cases, but I keep an open ear for something that looks like it might have potential. I actually don't mind what they are fired from as long as there was something to be gained by doing so. I mean anything from a 7x30 Waters up through the 7 mm RUM or Weatherby will give me info on how they hold up and what they do when they hit game.

Thanks, and let the stories begin.

 

[baldhunter]

I shot some in my 7STW at the range a while back.77.0grs of Reloader-22 was giving me 3300fps.The same load with a 160gr Accubond was giving me 3180fps.My 7STW is just like yours.

 

[Salar600]

Few year back, I shot them in my 7RUM @ 3475fps, sub MOA accuracy.

Shot 2 caribous with these 154IB, abviously pass thru shot. the first at 50yds and the 2nd at 150yds.

Even thought they died, I didn't like the performance. I feel they are to strong bullets to expend rapidly and transfer good amount of energy in such mid size animal.

Both animal were shot double lugs and travel for ±75yds.

Mart

 

[green 788]

Few year back, I shot them in my 7RUM @ 3475fps, sub MOA accuracy.

Shot 2 caribous with these 154IB, abviously pass thru shot. the first at 50yds and the 2nd at 150yds.

Even thought they died, I didn't like the performance. I feel they are to strong bullets to expend rapidly and transfer good amount of energy in such mid size animal.

Both animal were shot double lugs and travel for ±75yds.

Mart

were they DRT (dead right there) or did they run?

 

[41mag]

Salar600,

I appreciate the input, could you elaborate on the internal damage you found when you dressed those animals out?

Was there any considerable damage to the lungs,heart, chest cavity, or was the wound track simply a small diameter hole right through everything?

I look at a lot of things before I decide that a bullet is going to work for me or not. I am mainly going to use these for feral hog control and they have a pretty thick hide on them which can at times make even a great bullet do not so great things.

That said I probably wouldn't hesitate to use them on a good white tail buck either, but usually if I am dropping the hammer on one, it is a good one, and I am not as overly concerned with the added damage as I am with putting it on the ground right where it stands. As such I usually try and put my shot through the shoulder/neck junction where it will take out a lot of their will to move another step.

As your probably well aware, this usually results in a lot of internal bone and muscle disruption in the frontal chest area as it is usually a more dense area than simply catching the back side of a shoulder blade and possibly a rib on passage. It's not quite a high shoulder shot like is exemplified by a lot of folks, but it does generally wreck the CNS and most major arterial routes to the brain usually resulting in immediate dysfunction of all forward progress.

Anyway thanks again for you input, and hope to hear more.

 

[Salar600]

were they DRT (dead right there) or did they run?

Not DRT kill, they run for ±75yds

 

[Salar600]

Salar600,

I appreciate the input, could you elaborate on the internal damage you found when you dressed those animals out?

Was there any considerable damage to the lungs,heart, chest cavity, or was the wound track simply a small diameter hole right through everything?

I look at a lot of things before I decide that a bullet is going to work for me or not. I am mainly going to use these for feral hog control and they have a pretty thick hide on them which can at times make even a great bullet do not so great things.

That said I probably wouldn't hesitate to use them on a good white tail buck either, but usually if I am dropping the hammer on one, it is a good one, and I am not as overly concerned with the added damage as I am with putting it on the ground right where it stands. As such I usually try and put my shot through the shoulder/neck junction where it will take out a lot of their will to move another step.

As your probably well aware, this usually results in a lot of internal bone and muscle disruption in the frontal chest area as it is usually a more dense area than simply catching the back side of a shoulder blade and possibly a rib on passage. It's not quite a high shoulder shot like is exemplified by a lot of folks, but it does generally wreck the CNS and most major arterial routes to the brain usually resulting in immediate dysfunction of all forward progress.

Anyway thanks again for you input, and hope to hear more.

I like and want DRT kill (no big deal if they do a step or 2 thought). I want minimal meat lost so my prefered shot is broadside, an inch behind the shoulder.

In both cases damages were quite minimal.

first kill was broad side shot like I want, 50yds, exit hole max 1 inch. After this kill I tought bullet might be to strong and to fast so that's why it just pencil in. This caribou run for over 100yds pomping blood everywhere. The year before same shoot with my -06 and SST150g as been a DRT kill (bullet staid inside).

For the second kill, I decided to take a quatering in shot at the jonction of the neck and shoulder, bullet exit in the off side shoulder. Shot was ± 150yds. Internal damages a bit bether, but honestly can't remind exactly. The caribou didn't go to far being a 3x4 but still 40-50yds. Again I think speed and strong construction doesn't match for this caliber and animal size. Might do better in stronger animal? Caribous are light frame animals and weight approx 175lbs.

Event thought I didn't like me experience whit this particular bullet/cartridge combo, I am an Hornady fan, I shoot SST bullets and like them more then the 154IB. I'm using 130g and 150g in a 270WSM, 150g for my -06 and 180 in my 300Wby

Hope this help, best of luck.

 

[41mag]

Thanks for the added detail and yes it does help. I also have the same weight in the SST, but figured that they might be a touch on the lighter side of construction for this velocity range. Now after reading what you have experienced and with the second shot being what I would more than likely take on a deer, well that pretty much summed it up. Granted these were only two accounts but sometimes it don't need to take a hundred cases to see a trend.

The deer where I would be using these run between 150-200# on the hoof, the last one I took was 178# before we dressed him out. I don't shoot many due to when they go down they had better be going on the wall. Landowners rule and I don't mind doing a LOT of looking before dropping the hammer. It don't cost anything to look.

Well I will give them both a good work out and see if there is any difference in the accuracy. Then which ever one wins out on that round I will give a work on on some hogs.

 

[Salar600]

In my RUM I had to lower my powder charge by 2grs to keep the same accuracy and bring velocity at the same level. SD/ES were better with the IB.

I though the 2gr ajustment was cause by IB being harder then SST (higher pressure)? Not sure about this one but worked that way for this rifle.

I forgot to say on caribou #2, exit hole was 1 1/2'' to 2'' wide.

Let us know your results.