What is some of the largest game that you have taken with this bullet? Describe the terminal performance of it. What cartridge did you use, and at what velocity?

Thanks,

Well, a whitetail deer isn't very big, but my brother won't use any other bullet in his 7mm Rem Mag. We get around 2900 fps with it and all shots are thru and thru so far. A fair amount of bloodshot meat, but when the deer falls right away, I guess you can't complain.

I`ve dropped a couple whitetail with it from my 7-08 @ ~ 2700+fps at ranges under 50-60 yds. All were one shot kills through the ribs / lungs with very little, to no running. I haven`t recovered a spent bullet. I`m very happy with it for this cartridge and game.

Partner has used it in his 280 for 25 years. We don't have to trail deer. Works great except he never has a bullet to show me...

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One whitetail. The muzzle velocity was around 2,750 and deer was around 200 yards quartering away. Bullet traveled through about 18 inches of deer and out the front shoulder. Couldn't ask for much better from a non-premium.

Come to think of it, I need to go back to these for deer!

I've taken Whitetail deer most every year since 1989 with the Hornady 139 grain Spire Point, that's when I got my 7mm-08 Rem.

Velocity somewhere around 27-2800fps (by the book).

I have always gotten complete pass-thru! The exit hole was usually about 1 - 1 1/2 inches!

I've taken deer anywhere from 30 feet to 150 yards with it!

They don't go very far when one of these go through their ribs!



I switched off to Hornady 120 grains for a while, I never lost a deer, but I wasn't satisfied with it. They just seem to come apart when they hit a deer and the biggest part of the bullet I ever recovered was most of the jacket and slivers of lead!



Went right back to the Hornady 139 grainers! That's what I'll stay with!

Whitetails, mulies, one moose, coyotes, wolves. All from a 788 carbine in 7-08. It was my main hunting rifle for a few years, and I used it for everything, and the 139 was the bullet it liked. The bullets held together OK, depending on where I hit them. - Dan

Moose huh...Cool! I always liked Hornies!

I use them in a 7mm Rem Mag velocity 3200fps, killed 7 or 8 whitetails up to 190lbs. Ranges from 70 to 250yds, all instant kills, never recovered a bullet.

I used it this year on a whitetail.. It was in a 15" Encore chambered for 7mm08 velocity was 2560 and the deer droped in its tracks... He was about 110yds standing slightly quatering away from me.. I hit him about 6 inches behind the right shoulder and it exited directly behind the left shoulder leaveing a good quarter size exit hole.. I will continue to use this bullet in my 7mm08 there is no reason to change...

6.5 Bandit

I've only shot whitetails with the 139 from a Remington 700 Classic in 7x57. I've shot 14 deer with this load with 14 shots. That should say something. Velocity is 2800 fps.

Bob257

Back in 1968, I bought a 7mm Rem Mag. I was 16 when I bought that rifle; it took me 2 years to save up for it by working part time after school.

I loaded it with 139g Hornady Spire Points; velocity was 3050 fps using the chrono that I own now. That old spire point isn't the interlock construction that Hornady has now. I really think it was made for the 7x57mm, rather than the Mag.

Anyway, the first hunt with that rifle, I shot a deer about 75 yards away. Just as I shot, it took a step forward and the bullet hit just behind the shoulder. The deer collasped like it was hit by pallet of bricks from above.

The problem was the entire inside of that deer was bloodshot. As we walked up to the deer, I bragged to Dad that he could have vension liver and onions that night, a favorite dish of his. The problem is, there wasn't any venision liver left. All we had inside that deer was gooey red liquid.

The bullet broke 3 ribs going in, all the ribs on the opposite side. There was absolutely nothing inside that animal that was intact. Intestines, liver, lungs, heart, you name it, it was goo.

I got the impression that day maybe, just maybe, I was a bit overgunned for that one. Now, of course, I realize that the bullet simply exploded. Envision varmint hunting on a really huge scale and you get the idea.

The plus side is that it didn't run like the two deer I shot the previous year with a 300 Savage. The first one I shot, dropped, got up, and then I plugged it again. The second one, which was spooked from the shots at the first one, ran and took five hits before it went down. Hits 1, 2, and 3 were good hits, 4 was back too far, 5 was good and he dropped after that one. Bullet was 150g Corelokt, vintage around early to mid 1960's.

Interestingly, that was the last animal I shot with that 7mm.

RobertD

I've been using the Hornady 139 BTSPI since 1997 in my Browning A-bolt 7mm-08, velocity about 2750 fps. I've taken about 10 Whitetails with it, all one shot kill; expansion is excellent. I've never recovered a bullet from a deer. The largest thing I've taken was a 200# sow hog I got near Hondo, TX. I shot her at about 125 yds quartering away from me. The bullet entered just behind the last rib and took out both lungs and heart. The bullet broke the off side shoulder and I found the base of the jacket and a bit of core just under the skin. It retained about 40% of its weight. Jacket fragments and lead were everywhere. The hog colapsed on the spot took one last squeel and expired. I wouldn't normall choose the 139g for hogs but it was a oppertunity I couldn't pass up while chasing deer.

Several whitetails, a couple of mulies no bullets recovered. 7-08+139gr Horn = a fine balanced rig.

Been using it for about 10 years in my 7 WBYmag. both handloads and factory. I've taken many deer, the biggest was a Minesssota buck that dressed out at 236 lb. I've also taken many, many hogs up to 300 Lb. ALL one hsot kills, complete penetration on deer, recovered many form hogs. A few had shed their cores, but at what instance of the animal's death the bullet shed the core is irrelevant. The darned hogs dropped DEAD right there. Great bullet. jorge

I have taken a few deer with this bullet in my 7mm-08 (with good results) and am wondering how large of an animal I could safely shoot with it and still get adequate penetration and reliable kills. Moose? Elk?

I realize the bullet and round are not optimum for the larger critters, but sometimes that is when opportunities occur-- when carrying a smaller cartridge and bullet.

None! Out of my 7.21 Firebird at 3800 FPS they never reach the target.

I have a Nosler Partition load, so the question is not "can I avoid the use of premiums," but rather "what has been done successfully with this bullet."

I load this bullet for a 7mm rem mag and a 280 rem.

This last season my friend shot a 300lbs mulie at just over 100yrds. He hit him in the low shoulder, broadside, and the bullet blew apart and never penatrated to the vitals. Surprisingly, the deer three legged towards him and he finished him off with a heart shot at 50yrds. The bullet blew the heart apart but never did more than freckle the other side of the inside rib cage. Not even tiny holes. Too fast but accurate. I'm suggesting if he wants to stick with the same bullet weight, go with the Partition if we can get good accuracy out of it.

My ol' man also took a deer with that bullet out of my 280. Nice golf ball size exit wound at 80yrds. I have no chrono but I'm sure we have the right velocity for this bullet in that rifle.

I load the Hornady 154gr. Iloc for my own 7mm rem mag for deer size game. Even at that weight I've had some pretty messy kills. She really likes that bullet though and .5" groups are not too hard to come by.

Hornady makes the 139gr. 28cal. in their Interbond line up BTW.

I was just yanking your chain Thunderstick.
I really like the Hornady bullets in some of my other calibers. I have had wonderful success with the 100gr. Hornady SP interlock on deer in my .25-06. Good Shooting.

No problem Muleskinner,
There is no doubt in my mind that those bullets disintegrate at the velocity you quoted. I just wanted to clarify that I am not afraid spending money for premiums when they are advised, just trying to get feel for the threshold of the Hornady (which I really like).

One more thing Skinner,
I also use the 100 grain Interlock for deer with the 25-06. Do you mind sharing a few experiences/impressions of its capabilities? I smoked (3460 fps) a doe with it at 25 yards one time, putting the bullet deliberately on the point of the shoulder to see what would happen. It broke the shoulder and went back into the guts before it cored out. I thought this showed that the bullet was stout enough for most any shot on deer.

Have used the 139 Hornady since 1972, 9 or 10 years before being called the Hornady Interlock. 7 mag H-4831 2nd load form the top at 69.8 in Hornady #2 manual. Av.fps 3240 In all three of the 7 mags I've had. To that, 14 elk with those bullets and 1 Buff. The deer if shot in the rib bones would leave fist sized exit holes. Hit one elk in the brisket and left a 4in mess of that. The buff, I hit it in the side of the head by the ear. That bullet was the only time that I had one of the 139gr bullets almost totally disintegrate. And if counting the 139 gr Hornady Interbond, One elk last Dec-13 with the abscess between the front legs with the 7 stw Imr 7828-83gr-3530avfps. That elk I hit right behind the shoulders in what I call the sweet spot at 320yards, hitting a rib on the entering side and passed completely through. The Interbond left a little less blood shot area than the 139sp ever did, plus a littler exit hole