I want to make a direct comparison between three common "conventional" bullets. I am fully aware of the benefits of premium-grade bullets, but this is for lighter boned and smaller animals hunted with a 300 WSM, so please advise:
Hornady 180 gr Interlocks vs Sierra Game Kings 180 gr vs Sierra Pro Hunter 180.
Accepting that all rifles are different, which one do you think will most likely be the most accurate and which will hold together best? Why do you chose one of the Sierras over the other?
These are readily available to me and cheaper than other options. (I do have bigger cartridges when needed.)
Thank you.

180 pro hunter would be my first try.

I've used Sierra 180 grain Game Kings for years in several 30/06's and have never found them to be too soft. I've never recovered one from an Elk all were pass throughs from 25 yards to 425 yards, same with deer, Bighorn Sheep and Mountain Goats, ANtelope too.
I have 2 rifles that shoot these under .5" 3 shot groups at 100 yards.
I've heard from Sierra that the Pro Hunter is a tougher bullet than the Game King.
Hornadys have been a softer bullet from what I've seen in other peoples loads, although I hear they are accurate.

My choice will remain Sierra Game King for optimum accuracy and great performance. If you want tougher get the Pro Hunter.

I have had 140gr .284 SSTs (same jacket/core construction as the "Interlock) @ 3200 fps Mv completely separate when striking water at a distance of 60 yds let alone bone.

IMO, when the Mv exceeds 3000 fps and the bullets are to be used on medium/large game animals, you need to start considering a bonded bullet. At 3100 FPS Mv or more, bonded bullets are a necessity.

I don't remember where I got it, and it is not as clear as I would like, but here is what I go by. Sorry, but it just would not show up useably any smaller.

My guess is ALF that there is also a difference in bullet penetrating live animal tissue vs Roadkill.
However that is an interesting chart you posted.

quote:

Originally posted by Snellstrom:
My guess is ALF that there is also a difference in bullet penetrating live animal tissue vs Roadkill.
However that is an interesting chart you posted.

Hey Snell didn't you recover 3 180 grain bullets from dead elk a few years back? All Nosler IIRC a BT, AB, and PT, shot from .30-06 and .300 Win and all weighted about the same.

That is only about half of the chart. At least it gives us some idea about our bullets.

I am no expert & definitely not on African game.

But game up to large red deer should be like Kudu.

300 WSM 180 gr bullet should do about 3000 fps.

I would use any of those 3 bullets and pick the one that shoots most accurately & consistently in my rifle. First shot off cold barrel is most critical.

quote:

Originally posted by taylorce1:

quote:

Originally posted by Snellstrom:
My guess is ALF that there is also a difference in bullet penetrating live animal tissue vs Roadkill.
However that is an interesting chart you posted.

Hey Snell didn't you recover 3 180 grain bullets from dead elk a few years back? All Nosler IIRC a BT, AB, and PT, shot from .30-06 and .300 Win and all weighted about the same.

Yes my son Aric, Graybird and Ted Thorn all shot Bulls with Nosler products, everyone shooting .308" diameter 180 grain bullets and we recovered one of each a Nosler BT, an Accubond and a Partition at the moment I don't recall exact but I want to say they all weighed around 60% weight retention and within just a couple grains of each other.
Like I said I've never recovered a Sierra, all pass throughs.

I've killed a fair amount of game using Hornady interlocks in 243, 270, 30-06, 300 mag and 338. Never had a failure. This includes pronghorn, mule deer, big horn sheep and elk. They are accurate in every rifle I've shot them in and hard hitting.

Thanks very much for the response so far. The chart certainly is interesting.
A question was answered, and that is what the difference between the two Sierras is:
"The Pro Hunter is slightly tougher but the Gameking slightly more accurate." (All else being equal.)
Yes, I should test them all in my rife (as well as many other options) but I am aiming for an accurate, reasonably reliable load and want to know which to try first. If I get .75" with the first bullet tried I will not bother with a second.
In my 270 I have a "tough" bullet and a "cheaper " bullet shooting to the same point of impact and choose whichever according to the requirements of the moment. (Targets, plinking, wounded animal, first shot on a bigger animal, etc.)
For my 300 WSM I am starting on the "cheaper" bullet.
Any more insights welcome.

The difference between the SP and RN core lokts is really interesting to me. In this test, the RN looks like it performed almost as well as a bonded bullet.

Hornady Interlock bullets have become my go-to starting bullet for all new rifles. This started due to cost and availability, but they shot and killed so well, I've just kept rolling with them. My .270 Win is the closest velocity to your .300, and that's killed several large feral hogs at inside 20 yards. One of those bullets was recovered on the off shoulder in a pretty little mushroom.

quote:

Originally posted by BaxterB:
The difference between the SP and RN core lokts is really interesting to me. In this test, the RN looks like it performed almost as well as a bonded bullet.

+1

The chart was completed by Gary Sichetti of Spokane, WA about 20 years ago. The test was not to predict directly how a bullet would perform when hitting an animal. The test was to show how one bullet performed compared to another in a similar medium. So the bullets could be ranked relative to each other as to expandability or stiffness; then if you have a benchmark about how one type of bullet performs over several shots on game, then you can get a fair guess as to how a different bullet will perform relative to the known performer. Don't try and read too much into it, but it does give an idea as to what could be expected from a particular bullet.

quote:

Originally posted by BaxterB:
The difference between the SP and RN core lokts is really interesting to me. In this test, the RN looks like it performed almost as well as a bonded bullet.

The RN is the old design core lokt. The jacket gets really thick hallway down and then thinner at the base which keeps the core in place. The spitzer lost that design sometime in the 90s.

quote:

Originally posted by scottfromdallas:

quote:

Originally posted by BaxterB:
The difference between the SP and RN core lokts is really interesting to me. In this test, the RN looks like it performed almost as well as a bonded bullet.

The RN is the old design core lokt. The jacket gets really thick hallway down and then thinner at the base which keeps the core in place. The spitzer lost that design sometime in the 90s.

Thanks for the info. That’s what I was kind of guessing just from the pics, that the wall thickness must be the key factor in this.