I have some 30 caliber Hornady 180gr S.P. bullets (no other markings on the box)in a box marked as purchased in 1969 that shoot very well in a new Remington 700 BDL 30-06, but I don't have many left and need to know if the current Hornady 180gr Interlock spire point is the same bullet? The first loads of the old bullets shot a 1.2" five shot group at 100yds and 2750fps with old H4831 of same vintage. I also loaded up some 180gr Nosler Partitions (using H414, H4831SC, Varget, Reloder 19) and the best group was 1.6" @ 2680fps. If you were hunting antelope, mule deer and elk and were to pick either the Hornady or Partition with the above results, which would you choose? My thoughts are, either bullet is plenty accurate, and both have killed lots of those species, so why pay $41/box of 50 for Partitions when less than $30 will by a box of 100 Hornady's. Give me your thoughts and answers. Thanks

I don't think they're the same.....IIRC the interlock was added later.

Hey Pharmpoke, I'll defer to Vapo on the Interlock.

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Originally posted by pharmpoke:
I have some 30 caliber Hornady 180gr S.P. bullets (no other markings on the box)in a box marked as purchased in 1969 that shoot very well in a new Remington 700 BDL 30-06, but I don't have many left and need to know if the current Hornady 180gr Interlock spire point is the same bullet?

During the past 40 years, they may have re-made that Forming Die Set 5-12 times. Simply a guess which depends on how many Bullets were made, how well the Dies were handled and what "enhancements"(slight Design Improvements) the fine folks at Hornady wanted to make along the way.

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The first loads of the old bullets shot a 1.2" five shot group at 100yds and 2750fps with old H4831 of same vintage. I also loaded up some 180gr Nosler Partitions (using H414, H4831SC, Varget, Reloder 19) and the best group was 1.6" @ 2680fps. If you were hunting antelope, mule deer and elk and were to pick either the Hornady or Partition with the above results, which would you choose?

Depends on the longest distance you have actually practiced. If you have practiced out to 400yds and the groups remain 1/2 the height of an Antelope chest, either would be fine for me.

If however you are Hunting where a LARGE Bear might look at you with anger in it's eye or hunger pains in it's gut, I'd hand you the Partitions.

I like both Bullets because I've been fortunate enough to have Hunted with a good many of each. Both performed well, but I was not faced with a Grizzly possibility.
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By the way, don't be surprised if the Ogives are totally different on the current Lots of Bullets, that normally changes a bit as Dies change. And as a nice bonus, you should find the "newer" Bullets are simply more accurate. There have been accuracy enhancements made over those 40 years by ALL Bullet manufacturers.

Clean the barrel really good with one of the new Copper Removers, lightly lube the Bore, wipe the Bore with a clean dry paper patch and try the ones you pick. The probability that your Load needs to be re-adjusted a bit is high, but you should be very pleased with the new groups once you re-develop the Loads.

I like to buy at least 300 "new" bullets from the same Lot if at all possible. That gives me 100 to verify the Loads with, or a few more if it is being difficult. Then the rest for actual Hunting. If I go through 200 and the groups fought me all the way, or just began to show promise, the rest are just used for Case Forming and do not get to go Hunting because of my lack of confidence in them.

Best of luck to you.

They are different, but you might like the new one better.

Like HotCore says all the newer bullets are better made, to more exacting tolerences than the stuff made 40 years ago.

Also like HC says when I found that my 308 Win loved the 165 grain Hornady Interloct I bought a bunch back in the early 80's and have been shooting the same lot for over 20 years. I'm down to my last box but I don't shoot the old 308 (LH Remington 788) much anymore anyway. I'll save this box for at the range when I pull out my $100 rifle and outshoot all the other guy's expensive guns.

Nothing like one upping people with a $100 economy rifle. However the bullets are still premium from the precision point of view.

I have hundreds of boxes of both non Interlock and Interlock bullets in many calibers and both versions shoot exceptionally well. That includes a lot of old military rifles that you would not expect MOA results from.

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Nothing like one upping people with a $100 economy rifle.

and a lot of folks did exactly that with the Remmy 788.....especially the .22-250!

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... my $100 rifle and outshoot all the other guy's expensive guns.

I love it!