Grand slams vs Interlocks

[todbartell]

Skip the Starbucks, shoot Accubond

 

[RonR]

My intentions are to use them in non magnum rifles, i'm thinking along the lines of 30-06, 308, 6.5x55, 7x57, 9.3x62 and so on.
And for my magnums i will keep the partitions and accubonds, i'm with leeelmer i don't believe animals wear bulletproof vests.
I have seen a few animals that are known to be dangerous killed with a 30-06 with a simple cup and core bullet, back there and then there was no such thing as premium bullets, sometimes when there was no hunting ammo people used to cut the tips off of the fmj that were given to us by the troops when they went on patrols.
Once again i didn't ask if i should use premium or non premium for hunting, what i asked was a comparison between Interlocks, grand slams and hotcore, of the 3 wich one would you say it's a better performer.
I know i shouldn't be using interlocks in my 300 Bee but this is not what i asked.

So here's the real comparison. Each bullet was taken from a dead elk and shot by me. All at similar ranges, from 50-150 M. fired from a .35 Whelen, 250 grain, 2500 fps muzzle velocity. Hornady Interlock SP and RN on the left, Speer GS on the right. I normally don't find GS bullet IN elk, they just go on through. I like that. Two of these GS bullets hit some bone and then tumbled, that's why I was able to recover them. I would choose the GS over the Hornady whenever pushing them at higher velocity, or choosing lighter weight bullet, or hunting big tough critters. But the Hornady Interlock worked just fine for me , with a heavy for caliber bullet, moderate speed, and broadside shot. Edit: I just remembered the centre GS bullet was actually taken from a big mountain caribou, not an elk. Same results anyway.

Freire, agreed with the bullet proof comment and understand your post and parameters for response. Longwalker provides some good data and photo (Thanks for posting that LW...that's proof in the pudding for me.). I think you are fine with either choice and my son uses a Nosler cup and core which gets em just as dead.

My 2 cents and perhaps a different perspective is what you are left to eat after the knives are put away.

Below a bonded bullet from this years white tail buck. Brisket shot entry slight quarter, ended up in the muscle tissue adjacent to the hide at start of hind hip muscle group. 50yd minus distance and about 28 inches of penetration. Absolutely no muscle tissue damage inside or out of the rib cage from collateral jacket separation in this instance …. which for me...puts more edibles on the table. (This buck didn't have his vest on. ) That's why some of the other comments from Tod and others resonate with myself.

I find a lot of value in that and personally I am willing to pay a buck or two bucks a bullet for this kind of result at the butcher table...every time.


Regards
Ronr

PS. 7mm-08 cartridge

 

[Eagleye]

The Hornady Interlocks of recent manufacture are not as robust as were some made years ago.
My 270 Winchester turns the 130 IL inside out in water jugs at 100 meters. This is at 3120 MV.
Ditto the 180 IL in my 308 Norma at 3100+. I do not shoot these bullets at game in these rifles.
There are many bullets that stand up better when the speed gets up there.
Cannot speak for the Speer GS, but have shot a couple of moose with the 200 HC Speer from a
300 H&H magnum. They seemed to do OK, but were started at around 2800. Dave.

 

[jethunter]

My intentions are to use them in non magnum rifles, i'm thinking along the lines of 30-06, 308, 6.5x55, 7x57, 9.3x62 and so on.
And for my magnums i will keep the partitions and accubonds, i'm with leeelmer i don't believe animals wear bulletproof vests.
I have seen a few animals that are known to be dangerous killed with a 30-06 with a simple cup and core bullet, back there and then there was no such thing as premium bullets, sometimes when there was no hunting ammo people used to cut the tips off of the fmj that were given to us by the troops when they went on patrols.
Once again i didn't ask if i should use premium or non premium for hunting, what i asked was a comparison between Interlocks, grand slams and hotcore, of the 3 wich one would you say it's a better performer.
I know i shouldn't be using interlocks in my 300 Bee but this is not what i asked.

Sounds like you already know the answer then. I'd have no issue using interlocks on the game you mentioned, but I'd go for the heavier bullet and keep max velocity below 2800. Meaning a 30cal 180gr interlock will work fine in 30-06 or 308.

OTOH, how much do you have invested in a hunt? If you shoot a lot at the range then cheaper bullets can save enough money to be worthwhile but for hunting the bullet is such a small part of the total cost I wouldn't sweat it.

 

[freire]

Sounds like you already know the answer then. I'd have no issue using interlocks on the game you mentioned, but I'd go for the heavier bullet and keep max velocity below 2800. Meaning a 30cal 180gr interlock will work fine in 30-06 or 308.

OTOH, how much do you have invested in a hunt? If you shoot a lot at the range then cheaper bullets can save enough money to be worthwhile but for hunting the bullet is such a small part of the total cost I wouldn't sweat it.

I don't know the answer, what i said was that i know what interlocks are capable of, my question was for those people that have experience with interlocks and speer bullets which one they thought was better.
I never mentioned any expensive hunt or trying to save on a hunting bullet.
Don't you just love the judges , jury and executioners here at cgn.
Thanks to those who answered my question.
Cheers.

 

[jethunter]

I don't know the answer, what i said was that i know what interlocks are capable of, my question was for those people that have experience with interlocks and speer bullets which one they thought was better.
I never mentioned any expensive hunt or trying to save on a hunting bullet.
Don't you just love the judges , jury and executioners here at cgn.
Thanks to those who answered my question.
Cheers.

My reply wasnt meant to be judgemental or critical and you didnt mention which rifles you were using. I will try to avoid your tbreads in future so as not to inadvertently make you angry again.

 

[freire]

My reply wasnt meant to be judgemental or critical and you didnt mention which rifles you were using. I will try to avoid your tbreads in future so as not to inadvertently make you angry again.

I'm not angry at all, it's just that sometimes and you see this quite a lot, people ask a simple question that warrants a simple answer but instead get schooled on morals and ethics about hunting and how a person should carry on with his life etc etc etc, that's rubbish.
Look jethunter we don't know each other and i do believe you mean well but not everybody that asks a question like the one i asked are greenhorns when it comes to hunting, i wasn't asking if bullet x was suitable for moose or elk or anything else, i only asked for a comparison.
And as for you trying to avoid my treads that my friend i can't do nothing about it, you got to do what you got to do, i was just annoyed but i do believe you are the one that got angry and offended.
Cheers

 

[jethunter]

I'm not angry at all, it's just that sometimes and you see this quite a lot, people ask a simple question that warrants a simple answer but instead get schooled on morals and ethics about hunting and how a person should carry on with his life etc etc etc, that's rubbish.
Look jethunter we don't know each other and i do believe you mean well but not everybody that asks a question like the one i asked are greenhorns when it comes to hunting, i wasn't asking if bullet x was suitable for moose or elk or anything else, i only asked for a comparison.
And as for you trying to avoid my treads that my friend i can't do nothing about it, you got to do what you got to do, i was just annoyed but i do believe you are the one that got angry and offended.
Cheers

You need to calm down a bunch. There is nothing said by anyone in this thread that is out of line or warrants your reaction.

 

[redbirddog]

Great info. You guys are classy... like the discussion. Learning lots.

I've been a partition guy for 25+ years. Got a few vintage boxes of GS and have been playing up loads. Hate to see when technology messes up a good recipe that was proven. Glad your not vexing this talk with powders. Hope someone who manufactures these bullets gets to read this and takes it to heart. Thanks for the great read so far.

 

[pete dobinson]

In the rifle's I've shot I found that hornady interlocks were more accurate than speer grande slams, so for me I would go with the interlocks, especially at long range. I do agree that the grande slam is the tougher bullet.

 

[bc7mm]

Shot 160 GS and 162 interlock as well as several other so called premium bullets out of a 7 stw on bears, moose and deer for several years. Of the 2 the GS penetrated better and retained more weight. My STW was sending them out there pretty fast, however, never lost an animal, all were quick human kills. More pass throughs with the GS for sure. This was 10 plus years ago so the bullets may not be the same construction now.

Interloc edged out the GS for accuracy, but not by a significant amount.

 

[Paul M]

I only have experience with GS in 180gr for harvesting a couple of deer. Shot with a Ruger M77 30/06. One was just over 200yds. Both deer knocked down right away. Bullet gave great performance. For the same gun I also have a load with 165gr GS. No need for adjusting the scope, They both fly almost identical with their respective loads. As well, I have a load for a Gustov in .257 with 120gr GS. Taken one bear with a head shot. Needless to say no worries there. What has me using the GS in these is the load itself. Cloverleafs at 100 yds for all of them. With that I can confidently go into the field and make a good shot providing I myself don't screw it up.
My two cents

 

[freire]

I think i will be buying a few boxes of of GS and hot cors, got a few rifles that i would like to work up a load with them.
Thanks guys.