I can buy 284 cal 175 grain spire points or round noses for 10 dollars a box due to a closeout sale and I am wondering how to tell if they are interlock type bullets or not. Will the 175 grain spire point reliably expand out to 250 yards started out at 2500 fps from my 7x57?

If they are interlocks is will state it on the box along with the nose type (SP, RN SPBT)

The box will say "Interlock" on it somewhere.

They'll work fine from your 7x57 at any range.

$10.00/box is a darn good price. Better grab them while you can. Ummm, where's this store at, again?

R-WEST

Unless your after moose at short range, the 160 would be heaviest I would use in the 7X57, big bullet small case. The 150 gn bullet is proably the best all around bullet for the 7X57, something like the Nosler Part.

[ 03-05-2003, 05:53: Message edited by: Alaska Bush Man ]

The bullets will be used for thick cover feral hogs and maybe an elk hunt. If I were to shoot a deer with them I would shoot for bone. I looked more closely at the boxes and did find the word interlock on the white H on the bottom of the box. While lighter bullets may be better in some cases I have always had good results from the heavier bullets for caliber that expanded well. I also bought two boxes of the 154 grain round nose as I felt this bullet would work well too. I got a box of 175 grain Speer Mag-Tip bullets for 8.00, couldn't let that go either.

I recovered a couple 175gn SP interlocks from a moose I shot with a 7X57 @ 2600fps at around 250 yards. Was not impressed, very little mushroom even though it almost completely penetrated the calf. Would suggest you go with the RN & keep distances a little closer. For any distance I'd deff suggest going to a 150gn for more velocity.

The Hornady "Interlocks" that I have filed in half don't have much of a ring to lock the core. They show on in their literature but it's a drawing and not a photo! The candelure is deeper for instance.

Make a bullet filling fixture by carving the shape of half of the bullet in a piece of wood and driving a finishing nail near where the base will lie. File towards the nail.

As always it's best to practice with regular bullets and hunt with Partitions. So buy the cheap Hornady's but get a small box of Partitions of the same weight and hunt with them.

If we accept the assumption that a velocity of 1700 fps is needed for expansion, the 175 will meet that requirement, in the scenario listed. It will arrive at 300 yards with a velocity of about 2000 fps (pointblank simulation).

For elk and hogs, I'd feel comfortable. FWIW, Dutch.