My rifle absolutely loves these bullets. These 154 gr at 3100 fps shoot almost 1/2" at 100 yds! This is from a 7mm rem mag. Any experiences with these bullets shared will be appreciated greatly.

Are they as "soft" as their 162 boattails or tougher? Thanx

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"Hope for the best.....Expect the worst!"

Well, hopefully someone else will post here with more experience on game using Hornady 154 grain bullets than I have.

However, my 7mm Weatherby Mag also shoots them like a match bullet. I get groups much like yours and have them going somewhat faster than you do. This bullet seems to be a favorite in some rifles, but in general, is not known for this kind of accuracy in rifles.

Having said that, I know a BUNCH of pistol silhouette shooters who use this bullet in any number of 7mm pistols. It is a VERY popular bullet for that use.

Based only on the shooting of one antelope in Wyoming and several coyotes in CA, I would say that this bullet is indeed a little on the "soft" side. The antelope I shot died on the spot, but the exit hole on the opposite shoulder was pretty dramatic to say the least. I am glad he was just an average buck and I did not want to have him mounted. The taxidermist would have had to be a magician.

So, while it is very accurate and a good bullet for deer, antelope, etc. I would hesitate to use it on elk, moose, or some big old bear that might bite back. (I have switched to the Nosler 160 grain Partition and am happy with that.)

Good Luck, R Flowers

When my brothers and uncle were still in Alaska they all shot 7mm Rem mag's. And they all used the 154 hornday. I never saw a failure on caribou but I did see two failures on moose. They also took 4 grizzly with this bullet all 1 shot kills. I love my 280 but it does not like the 154. It only likes 'X' bullets or grand slams and I use it on caribou or smaller game. I like bigger guns for the big guys. I have a brother-in-law that is in the navy, and he keeps telling me that he is going to swipe a 10" gun off of a battle ship for me one of these days.
God I would be forever in his debt if he would.

I have taken several animals from deer to pig to cow elk with Hornady Interloks from 6.5mm to 35 Cal and have had very good results. Perfect mushrooming exit wounds on the deer and smaller pigs...under far side skin on the elk and bigger pigs.

Go ahead and use the 154on anything you like and the only shot I would avoid is a Texas heart shot.

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MED

The sole purpose of a rifle is to please its owner

I love their 7mm 139 gr. SST bullets. I just hope that they come out with them in 154 gr too!

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NRA Life member

Thanx for the info fellas. It will be used mainly on deer ....maybe antelope.

I have used the Hornady 162 on everything from antelope to elk and it is a good bullet. I am not too crazy about it at under 100 yds range though. Not even on deer. I figured in my mind that the 154 would be tougher and hold up better due to its flat base.

They do make the 154 in SST format for the gentleman who was interested!

Thanx all!

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"Hope for the best.....Expect the worst!"

Pop:

I have used the Hornady 154 grain both round nose and spire point in a .280 Remington at about 2800 fps, and have shot both deer and elk with the bullet. They have been both accurate and reliable.

l-n-b

I had a 7 mag that loved the bullet and so did my friends 7 mag. He did get an elk and recovered a bullet. It didn't weigh much.
I think it's an excellent deer bullet.
FYI--I cut apart a couple 30 cal hornadys a while back andfrom what I could tell they both have jackets of .035". If I was a betting man I'd say pretty much all the 7mm and 30 cal bullets use the same jacket. I don't think there is a difference in "toughness" between. I've always thought that the reason hornady's have such a good non premium reputation is the fact that the cannelure holds em together better than the others out there.

Pop,
I think well of Hornady bullets but shots under 100 yards with bullets driven at over 3000 fps MV often exhibit core separation, even on deer. The 154 & the 162 are similar in performance to the earlier Nosler Solid Base 162 grain boatails in that they seem to hold together much better at 200 yards and out, when driven fast in the 7 mags.

Never shot anything with them, but my 7mag is nearly always under 1" (5) with them, and not rarely under .5". Great shooters. FWIW, Dutch.

Thanks for the info POP. I'll be ording some ASAP!

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NRA Life member

No problem !

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"Hope for the best.....Expect the worst!"

Any other experiences with it on game?

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"Hope for the best.....Expect the worst!"

[This message has been edited by POP (edited 12-30-2001).]

I have shot several Whitetails and mule deer with them, Great results even up close. I tried the 162 gr this year and am going back to the 154 in my 7mm RM.

Did the 162 gr separate or fail in any way?

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"Hope for the best.....Expect the worst!"

POP, I think the 162gr exploded. I have had some in this forum say I must have hit a twig but there was no twig between me and the doe at 30 yds. The entry wound was softball size and no exit. I have shot deer at this range before with the 154 with no problem.

The Hornady RN bullets are excellent in my 243 and 7x57. The 154gr RN is the only bullet I have tried and is so good for woodland stalking I doubt I'll try anything else for a long time.

Hi All: Just looked at Lock, Stock&Barrel and see that Hornady has the 154 grain in SST? Anyone have experience with this bullet. Is it a flat-based or boattail? Thanks ... Tom Purdom

Tom It is a BT! with a polymer tip.

Bummer. Was hoping it would have a poly tip and a flatbase. I have a CZ550 American in 7x57mm Mauser that appears to really like the 162 grain Hornady (48.2 gr. H414 chronographed at 2,820 fps smokin) that groups a tad under one inch with five shots. I am still experimenting with seating depth. This CZ has a very, very long throat and I have to seat way off the lands with the boattails. I am trying starting at the canlures and working my way out in .005 inch increments. That slightly less than one-inch loads (once five went into a .68 inch cluster) was done with the bullet seated .010 off the canlures. It still had a whopping jump to get to the lands, but what the heck, those groups ain't nothing to sneeze at. I was thinking maybe the 154 in a flatbase. I really like the Hornady bullet line. Have taken with the 139 gr. SST five javalina, three feral hogs, six whitetails, seven coyotes and one turkey (in Texas) and most all of them were one shot kills with Keith's magical half-dollar sized exits. Hit the turkey in the neck and popped his head off. I have used the 162 grain at 2,750 fps for elk in Colorado (with another 7x57mm Mauser, this one in a Ruger Mark II) with a one-shot kill on that fella too. There was separation from the core, but to tell you the truth, I don't think that elk knew the difference. He took six or seven steps, fell over and didn't complain once about the core separation. He was just this side of 200 yards away when I shot him and stepped that side of 200 yards when he fell. With the interlock design, I think the 154 grain Hornady would be a good one for animals up to and including elk. Of course, one elk with a 162 grain Horrnady does not make me anywhere near an expert with the 154 grainer, so what I said is merely an opinion. Have a nice day all ... Tom Purdom

Wow....it looks like this has been a very accurate bullet for alot of other folks out there. It is by far the most accurate bullet for my .280 rem. At 2800 fps it seems to perform great. I think it is a little soft for shots under 100yds with my 7mag though. It will still kill em plenty dead!

Jarrett