Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 130gr .277 Hornady Interlock

Any opinions on how this bullet shoots from an acuracy standpoint and how it holds together at 270 win velocity in big critters like Moose?

I have never had a problem with their accuracy, they are my practice bullet of choice across six different calibers covering half again as many different chamberings.

The bullets below were fired into a good size mule deer. While not a moose the bullets are certainly tough enough to withstand very high impact velocities. From a post I made a while ago:

Here are two Hornady .277 130 grain SP Interlocks recovered from a deer shot at about 90-100 yards and again at 6". Winchester Model 70 .270 24" barrel, load used RL-22 for right at 3200 fps MV - yes, I was attending the Bob Hagel School of Reloading in those days. These were both found under the skin on the far side of a previously healthy mule deer buck of about 250 lbs live weight, both shots broadside through the chest, left bullet hit about 1/2 of the way up behind the left foreleg, second bullet fired as a finisher into the top of the heart/aorta area.

Left bullet hit at an approx. velocity of 2950 fps, the right one hit at a full 3200. Left one is expanded to .480" measured across the lead and weighs 78 grains, right one is about .410" and weighs 59 grains, that's including whatever petrified deer is left in there. Middle bullet is an unfired bullet of the same type for comparison.

So, even at high impact velocities - I think 3200 fps is considered very high for a C&C, the cup and core did not separate, they expanded to almost twice their diameter and retained around 60% and 44% of their weight respectively. The weight that was shed did its job as shrapnel since internal damage to the lungs and heart was extensive.

They are very accurate, just as long as everything else about the rifle is sound. I prefer the Hornady 150 Interlock FB myself. But, you weren't asking about those. I imagine some folks have used the 130 in a .270 on moose. I don't believe I would.

308

I have used Hornady 130 I ls in my 270s for years on WT - not Moose. I never -- NEVER - had a bullet failure. My normal handload vel is 3100 +/- and shot white tail in woods and on right of ways.

I can't make a recommendation per Moose - they're scarce in Ar. La. Ms, & Al.

If it were me, I'd use the 150 I ls.


Jerry

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It's been among the most accurate bullet in the 270s I've shot it in, particularly with RL22 or Ramshot Hunter. Was a pass through on the buck at around 70 yards so never recovered it.

I have been using the hornedy Whitetail ammo and it uses the interlock bullet. I have killed several deer and they hold up very well........I use the 270 130 grain

A couple 270/130's from a friend's cow elk... look good to me:

My wife and I have been using the 130 Interlock since the mid-1980's. The last animal taken was a mule deer buck I killed in 2014 with my O'Connor Commemorative Featherweight.

Wouldn't hesitate to use it on moose with ribs shots, but would try to avoid hitting heavier shoulder bones.

Can’t speak to moose but I’ve shot a lot of hill country whitetail with them usually at less than 50 yards and have yet to have one not exit

How have they shot for everyone? Looks like several of you fellas have had some success getting them to shoot. Im a little nervous as I've had troubles in the past with the inter bond grouping...

Thanks everyone for the detailed responses! Im thinking it should work fine...truth be told they will be used primarily for whitetail and punching paper with an occasional elk and hopefully a moose tossed into the mix in the next couple of years.

If I were deciding on a Moose bullet the 130 spire point IL wouldn't be my choice but it would work on some shots. I have used it on many deer and antelope finding it pretty destructive generally and killing them quickly. In fact I like the Interlok better than the SST and I really don't need another 100 points of BC anyway when I start them at 3100 fps.

To split a fine hair I can generally get better groups with more costly Sierra match bullets in those rifles that would see the difference - which does not include .270 sporters out of which I shoot a total of zero match grade bullets - but even in the .22 and .24 calibers we're talking a couple or three tenths of an inch aggregate maybe, across several rifles of varying accuracy capabilities, which makes zero difference on a moose unless there is some particular flea on its back you wish to simultaneously execute .

I have used them back in the 70s on Big western Mule Deer and also killed a few horses on the ranch with them. My experience with them is pretty much what you read above. Good bullet, excellent accuracy, BUT just like what we see above, it's not uncommon to recover them from large deer. That means they didn't go clear through an animal of 180-275 pounds.

So................ in my opinion you should use a 150 or a 160 grain on moose if you can. Moose are anywhere from 650 to 1,800 pounds.

I am a firm believer that a 270 is just fine for moose, but I also believe in the deepest wound you can get, preferably 100% with an exit wound. The 160 grain Nosler Partition or a 150 grain solid expanding bullet Like the Barnes would probably be a better choice.

Will the 130 gr Hornady kill them? Yes, without a doubt, and may even drop them at the shot especially if you hit the spine or a neck vertebra.
But if you don't drop the moose at the shot and the moose moves much after that shot you may have to follow a blood trail, which will be quite light with no exit wound.

I have used 270s since 1968 and I have killed more game then I can count with them. I also have killed hosrses, cattle and sheep with 270s. I have not personally killed a moose with one, but I have seen 4 of them killed with 270s, 3 of which I was right next to the shooter when they fired. They kill fine. Far better then many magazine articles would have you believe.

But they are very large and from my experience as a hunter and as a guide I recommend using the combination that gives the deepest penetration you can get with your rifle.

I loaded for a friends .270 down in East, Tx, 'early 80's. I loaded the 130 Speer BT and the 130 Hornady SP. I told him,.." use the Speer on these little whitetail here and the Hornady on mule deer/elk for Colorado". Yep, he took the Hornady by mistake and shot through a big doe ( big by East Texas standards). It was very late in the evening, drizzling rain,(East, Tx :() and she was only about 80yds out, spun and hit the thickets. He lost her and he was 'soured" on the .270 from then on! He was a bonafide 30-06/150 man (later I loaded him the Speer 165BT) and was used to hammering them down; he never used his .270 again! What a shame as it was a tack driver, one of the first Browning A-Bolts. So....from what I've seen, yes, it is accurate and yes it is a tough one!

Three30eight,

Hornady Interlocks are one of several bullets I use when working up loads for a new-to-me rifle, to see how it shoots before (maybe) working up loads with a "tougher" and more expensive bullet.

I have used this very bullet for years in my 270 Weatherby. Only lost one critter,a really big wild sow pig. I shot her square in the shoulder at maybe 10 yards.
Never found any blood or the sow. Every deer shot with this same bullet was dead right there within ten yards. Literally dozens of deer at many different ranges and angles were killed instantly.

Because of my one negative experience,I would stay away from shots at heavy bone especially at close range.

Interbonds are a little different and have been much tricker to get to shoot IME between the two, mainly due to the secant ogive of the IB. I've worked the 130 IL from around 57.0 to 60.0 grains of RL22 and just about all the charges in between shot well.

Interlocks have been my favorite cup and core bullet for quite a while. I’ve tried quite a few. I think they are on par or better than my old favorite Remington CL’s. Though I find that Interlocks are easier to shoot smaller groups than I did with the CL’s. CL’s were accurate enough though.

I have limited experience with Interlocks pushed more than ~ 2,900 fps - once or twice. I’ve been lucky as they worked OK. I’ve read that pushing them fast will cause them to open up more than I would want.

95%+ of my hunting loads are 2,800 fps or less.

Early in my shooting career I was hunting whitetail in Missouri. I had two rifles along. One was a 30-06 with 220 grain bullets and the second was a 264 WM with 120 grain bullets.

The ‘06 dropped a buck. The deer shot with the 264 ran off. I had shot that deer in the lungs with the 264. Due to poor tracking I lost that deer. 50+ years later, that still haunts me. Wounding a game animal is not in my plans!!!

Pushing a bullet fast, at least for me, means using a premium bullet. Partitions has been my choice for 50+ years. I’m trying others, none seem to work better than Partitions. I never want to lose another deer or other game animal.

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