Has anyone done any testing or have field experience with the Hornady Interlock Spire (flat-base) bullets verses the Speer Hot-Cor Spitzers (flatbase)? Specifically I am interested in experiences with the .308 and .277 sizes for use in 30-06 and 270 Win. hunting loads. Primary targets will be Whitetail deer, but we do have hogs here in GA.

I want good expansion, but penetration is important too. Most of our shots come close, so I need something that will hold together for a close shot. We do have a couple of spots with 250-300 yd shots though.

My inclination is to use the 180 .308 and 150 .277 versions of these bullets loaded to 2700-2800.

What have ya'll experienced? Can I get these bullets to hold together and give me the complete pass-throughs I prefer?

Thanks,
Mark in GA

Mark, can't speak to the .277 cal varieties but I can testify the .308 Hotcore's holds together better than the Hornady's in all weights (I believe the Hornady to be a fairly "brittle" bullet). However, the Hornady's have generally been more accurate in various 30's I've loaded for. Regardless, either will work well for your use though I'd go with 165's rather than 180's.

I'm coming from the opposite end of the yard compared to Brad. I can't comment of Speer Hot Cores, because the only Speers I've used on game have been Grand Slams. One of my friends has used the 200 gr. 338 Speer HC out of his 338-06 on many deer, etc., and he is sold on that bullet.

I have used 140 gr. Hornady Inter-Locts out of the 270 Win. for many deer, and they killed like a bomb. Some of them may well have come apart, but I've yet to recover a single one. They all went clear through.

My experience with Hornady bullets has been a mixed-bag. I have quite a few recovered specimens of various calibers that are perfect mushrooms, while other's are empty jackets and fragments. If the jacket splits past the cannelure, in my experience the Inter-Loct band won't supply enough support to keep the jacket and core together.

I hope at some point that Hornady applies its jacket-bonding technology across the board on all it's soft-point hunting bullets.

AD

I think they are pretty close to equal, both work most of the time and both fail on ocassion, that is the problem with non premium bullets...however, I have never lost an animal with either bullet, nor have I lost an animal with the .270.

My "go to" bullet for .308s and .30-06s has been the 165 gr Hornady Interlock. This, of course, is for whitetail or mule deer. If I think a little more is needed, then the 180 grainers are used. Yeah, they open up, but like Ray, I and others loaded for haven't lost anything.

I lean toward the Hornady bullet. In both 277" and 308" they seem to be more accurate. I have always considered Speer to be a soft bullet -especially in 270. For the most part tho, I've found them both lacking and have been much happier with Nosler and Sierra.

Funny how we percieve bullet performance differently. I really like Hornady bullets and use alot of them. I took an elk last year with a 150 grain Hornady interlok spire point flat base from my 270. But I have always gotten better penetration with the heavier Speers. The 180 Speer hotcor was my elk bullet for 14 years in Wyoming and the 150 of the same type was what I used for deer and antelope from my 30-06. My bullet for the last four years in my 300 Win mag has been the 200 grain Speer and it has smashed thru some bone for me on elk and a huge Waterbuck. The problem being for me anyway as I generally put my bullets in the right place either bullet will do well for me. Since I drew a cow elk tag I mayjust use the Hornady180 grain interlok in my 30-06 this year.

I´ve used Speer Hot Cors in .375 (235gr) and they have always come apart. Hornadays (270 and 300gr) have always stayed in one piece. This is on elk and whitetail.

Speers are cheap so I use them on the range.

Interesting. Everywhere I buy bullets, I can nearly always get Hornady cheaper than Speer. In pretty much all weights, styles, and calibers.

Is there somewhere that sells Speer cheaper than Hornady?

Thanks,
Mark in GA

I think the Speer 235 grain Hotcor was designed to be a loaded down light recoil bullet for deer and other light game as is the 200 grain 338 bullet. The heavier bullets in 375 will give you better performance.