I just got a 7 Mag. I was thinking of reloading 154 grain Hornady 'Interbond" bullets for this year's elk hunt. Has anyone used them? Also what powder gives you the best accuracy ? I've used Hornady bullets in the past & have had great success with them---so I thought I start with them. CB

I tried them and couldn't get them to shoot in my rifle.

Ended up using 160 gr. Partitions and RL25.

What Powder?

It's hard to beat R22 in a 7RM. 66 grains under that 154 grainer should give you somewhere in the neighborhood of 3100 fps out of a 24" tube.

Good Luck!

Reloader

I couldn't get them to shoot as well as the 160gr NAB. I also think the IB is a bit soft if impact vel. is over 2800fps or so.

I tried interbonds in my 30gibbs and best groups were 3-4" When I called Hornady they said my barrel needed to be recrowned. They did replace the IB with interlocks though and it still shoots like a sheep rifle should. Breakup in full force here. Jim

What's going on at Hornady ? I tried the 7mm 139gn SST and get 3 inch groups with 3 different powders . The 140gn Nosler BT shoots 5 into 0.85 inches with the same powder charge . Nosler BT's shoot groups half the size of Hornadys in my .243 AI as well .
You might like to look at the 160gn Nosler Accubond . I'm hearing good reports .

I used the 154 Interbonds last season in my 7RM and had good results. Accuracy was around 1", but I loaded it for max velocity and not target accuracy. Velocity was hovering at 3100 fps (poss. a little hot, though). Sorry, I don't have the load in front of me, but I think it was around 68 grains of IMR 4350. Don't hold me to that though, I loaded those in the summer of last year and have focused that gun on match loads lately with 162 Moly A-max's and H1000 powder.

As far as Hornady bullets go, Bushchook, I've had much better luck with them than you have. In my 7RM I've been able to develop MOA or sub-MOA loads with 120 V-max, 139 SSTs, 154 SSTs, 154 Interbonds, and 162 A-maxs. Hornady bullets also shoot VERY well in my .22-250. Just as a side-note, both rifles are Savage factory (new stock on 7RM).

I forgot to mention that I only was able to take one deer with the Interbonds last year but they performed well. I took an off-hand shot at a moving deer from below at approx 75 yards, though, and my hit was not one I'm most proud of. The bullet entered right at the diaphragm about an inch below the spine, bore straight through a rib, went through the spine completely destroying three vertebrae (I could bend the deer in half afterwards) and exited the other side with about a 2 inch exit wound. Bullet not recovered, of course, and the deer dropped and died within a few seconds. Unfortunately, I don't know how well the bullet held together, but I can tell you that it did a tremendous amount of damage, enough to qualify as overkill for deer-type game.

FWIW, I tried an early box of 154 IBs and couldn't get them to shoot. 150 and 160g partitions no problem.

Am thinking it is an ogive and throat relationship issue rather than bad bullets, as the same rifle sprayed Sciroccos. This particular rifle has a throat on the long side.

I used the 139 IB last year. I would rate it to a soft bullet.Then again thats only one shot.I get good groups with the 154 SST with H1000.

I´ve shot half a box of 139 ib at 3150-3200 and I´ve got nice acuracy, I´d say the best with my rifle. They are tough and have not recovered one, though I was not shooting elk.