Hornady Interlocks at high velocity

270winmuley

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Starting to get low on my supply of Nosler accubonds and am thinking of developing a load with RL 26 and Hornady interlocks. I am currently pushing 3150-3180 with my current accubond load out of a 270 Win with 140 grain. I never shoot past 500 yards but need to be able to take a shot at 50 yards if necessary. Has anyone shot interlocks at these speeds on mule deer or elk? Will they hold together well enough for a shoulder shot? I know that they are a cup and core non bonded bullet but I have heard that they have a fairly thick jacket for what they are.

I also have alot of 140 Berger classic hunters but I'm worried they would disintegrate at that speed.
Any input would be appreciated.
 
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I see that no one has answered your question,,,,,so I'll relate my experience ....though a different caliber at somewhat lower velocities.

I used the interlock with satisfaction at around 2700 + fps mv. When I used the same bullet in a different cartridge at higher velocities (2900+), I found that on close shots (inside of 100 yards, I was a little disappointed, as the penetration seemed to be substantially decreased. While the bullet held together showing the picture perfect mushroom, it had shed approximately 35 to 40% of it's original weight.

This is purely conjecture on my part, but I believe that the rapid expansion, bullet weight loss, and reduced penetration, were directly tied to the increase in velocity! Your potential velocities, may increase the effects that I noted! memtb

Though I went to a different bullet (a mono), I would still prefer the Hornady Interlock over many of the very fragile bullets popularized today......especially for elk, moose, ect! memtb
 
Like anything in life there are give's and take's.The Interlock is a super bullet.I have shot it out of a 300 savage,308,30-06,270,300 win mag and 300 H&H mag.At the velocities you list most cup and core bullets will have the same problem as it can come apart and that's not all bad.
I have an interlock that killed an elk dead as a door knob and when dressing it out the cup went one way and the core was underneath the skin on the other side but dead is dead.
The only cup and core I have shot at 380 yards and killed the elk and remained together was a Nosler Ballistic Tip,the newer ones.
I have used the Interlock many times where it did not come apart with 30 cal magnums.
I was told by Hornady that the newer Interlocks have a thicker jacket than the older ones.
 
I use the 30 cal. 165 gr sp. fb. interlock in my 300win driven at a bit over 3200 fps (ww brass- 215 primer- rl22) and have killed from 30 yards to 642 yards with it. It's my mid range rifle and has killed better than 20 deer. If I'm contemplating what rifle to take my wife just says "take the 300" meaning my Browning 300win. I've never had a pill not pass through deer sized game, even when I cored a 5x5 mule deer from shoulder to poop shoot once.
 
long live the plain old interlock! I've used them many seasons in my 270, the 130 and 150 flat base and the 140 boat tail. They all kill. On whitetail I've found the 130 to be the most violent and spectacular and it still usually exits so no downside over the heavier offerings. They're all accurate in my rifle. The 130 I chronoed at 3180 or so out of my 22 inch barrelled savage 111. Most of my shots were between 80 and 200 yards, full bodied and full winter-fur bearing Saskatchewan white tails, got exit wounds with shoulder shots and just a stupid amount of internal damage.
 
They will separate at high speeds sometimes, but still do the job.
I have indeed recovered a few and they certainly weigh a lot less than they start but I don't get what the big deal with weight retention is anyways. They were recovered from animals that piled up within 40 yards of where they where shot so it seems confusing to me that some
Would refer to this as bullet failure.
 
I shoot the 100gn .243 at 3000 FPS. On WTD at ranges of 50yds they do not exit but kill instantaneous, at 300yds they hold together break shoulder bones and exit off side. At 100-200 yds it can be either, shot placement decides. Sierra GK of the same caliber and Velocity IME behave the same as the Interlock.

Interbond (I shoot 139gn/.284) is a different experience, I love that bullet also.

Edit: I lost focus on the Elk shoulder part of the question, disregard if not applicable.
 
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Starting to get low on my supply of Nosler accubonds and am thinking of developing a load with RL 26 and Hornady interlocks. I am currently pushing 3150-3180 with my current accubond load out of a 270 Win with 140 grain. I never shoot past 500 yards but need to be able to take a shot at 50 yards if necessary. Has anyone shot interlocks at these speeds on mule deer or elk? Will they hold together well enough for a shoulder shot? I know that they are a cup and core non bonded bullet but I have heard that they have a fairly thick jacket for what they are.

I also have alot of 140 Berger classic hunters but I'm worried they would disintegrate at that speed.
Any input would be appreciated.
To specifically answer your anatomical questions, they'll be absolutely fine for shoulder shooting deer, done it many times, but I might be a bit reluctant about shoulder shooting an elk with a 270 and soft points of any kind
 
I shot a big mule deer at just under 400 yards with a 7mm 139 grain Interlock. The hit was just touching the top of the back part of the shoulder. The bullet penetrated thru the deer and stopped just under the hide on the opposite side, missing the opposite shoulder. The bullet was a perfect mushroom. This was from a .280 Rem having a MV just under 3100 fps. I am guessing the impact velocity was about 2200 fps. I also used the same load on rodents with satisfaction except recoil & heat.
 
I like Hornady Interlock bullets in several rifles. At the velocity you are asking about though at 50 yards on an elk shoulder I think there are better choices. Those Same "better at 50" choices aren't exactly the bee's knees at 500. This is true of most bullets.

I think you should plan for what is most likely. Then plan your shots for the least likely. If 50 yard shots are more likely then something like a ttsx or etip may be the best, if 500 is more likely, a ballistic tip or similar would be my choice.
Maybe a Nosler Partition is your best compromise.
 
I shoot the factory american whitetail 139's out of my 7mm08 that crono between 28-2900 out of my suppressed 700...

Dumped my mulie on the run in CO @50 yds, and haven't had a whitetail walk away from it yet- last three being head shots

I have 140 BT's and accubonds in the waiting but the interlocks shoot 1/2" consistently.
My thinking is find a load that's accurate and you're confident in. The rest will come together...
 
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