Hornady 180gr. Interbonds

[Buckfever]

I have had great performance out of this bullet for large Canadian and MN deer.  I like it alot.  However, I am having a devil of a time trying get it up to my T3's 30-06 sub-moa with
H4350.  I have used other powders and other bullets, TSX, Partition, ect and RL-19.  I was wondering if anybody has had any accurate loads with the 180gr. Interbond in a 30-06.  Maybe the bullet is OK but it doesn't like H4350.  Just looking for a few bread crumbs to give me some direction before I spend $100.00 for components at the reloading store.  When I know a gun is accurate it is hard for me to accept a less than accurate load.  These Interbonds really hit the deer hard and they show more shock and don't run hardly at all.  The Barnes TSX gets um but they usually run from 50 to 100 yards.  Interbonds leave great blood trails for the few that have gone 15 yards. 

Thanks  Buckfever

[beemanbeme]

Have you been shooting sub MOA with your rifle and this bullet and want to switch powders?  I don't quite understand.
What load have you been using to get your MOA? 
As a rule, I would suspect the bullet before I would suspect the powder.
IMO, a bonded bullet isn't needed to kill a deer. Even a big one.  Core Lokt bullets or, if you want to step up, Nosler Partitions will take you where you want to go.  Lotsa good bullets out there.

[Buckfever]

I have shot these bullets in other firearms not in this 30-06.  I have shot Barnes TSX and Nosler Partition in this firearm and they were .75 for 100yds.  Just want to try a few different powders to see if I can make them improve.   Thanks  Buckfever

[Daniel]

I haven't tried the 180 Interbond, but I've had good luck with the 165 version. In my pre-'64 Model 70 .30-06 the 165 has been outstanding with H4350. Have you tried playing with the seating depth? I've had good luck seating the 165 no more than .010" off the lands.

Sorry I can't be of more help to you.

[beemanbeme]

I don't know. I have no experience with interbond bullets.  I have to believe if a 30-06 was gonna shoot at all , I could make it shoot with 4350.  Why don't you start @ 53.5grs of H4350 and work up to no more than 56grs, half grain at a time, and see what you can come up with. Slightly off the lands.  You may be restricted by the magazine length. No point in working up a super load and then having to change it because it won't fit in the magazine.  If you can't come up with a good load somewhere in there, I'd try a different bullet. What kind of groups are you getting anyway?
And too, your other rifle may just be one very accurate rifle.  Regardless of what you read in cyberspace, a .75 hunting rifle is a lot more common in here than it is in the real world. 

You understand, of course, that if you try my suggested loads and end up with smoking shards of steel sticking out of your head and other grievous injuries, and your rifle messed up, it's not my fault.

[Buckfever]

Mr. Beemanbeme, that was the most creative disclaimer I have read for a longtime maybe ever.  Yea, agree with your post.  I have been spoiled by Barnes TSX, they have given me real .75 " off the bench.  The Hornady's are 1 1/2" for the same distance.  I think I can get them a little better.  My shooting buddy tells me " most guys wish they had 1 1/2" set up.  Those TSX bullets are funny though.  I have had on an occasion where I saw the deer run about 100yds and fall.  Thought I would use the bloodtrail for my practice.  There was next to no blood trail, 20 yards at a time with nothing but 1 small drop.  The deer was dead and the internal damage was great.  The shot was in the lower part of the engine room and the exit hole was about the size of a nickel.  No blood hardly at all.  Scarried me about chasing something all over the country with no blood trail.  The deer I saw drop ran to the right and then straight away.  Would have taken a lot of time to find him.  Interbonds bigger hole and nice blood trails.  Thanks for the creative post.  Buckfever

[EsoxLucius]

Try playing with seating depth.  Try seating the bullet 0.01", 0.02", 0.03", 0.04" and 0.05" off the lands in that progression with your current best load.  If one of those seating dimensions listed tightens up your groups, then you can try .1 grain increments of powder around that load to see if they will tighten further. 

[beemanbeme]

I haven't any experience with bonded bullets nor Barnes bullets.  To me a NP is a premium bullet. (which I would recommend you try)  But from from reading various posts and talking to folks, I have a vague impression that many of the "boutique" bullets have gotten just too hard for general whitetail hunting. Especially when they're shot from a 30-06 or .308 and the like.  It seems that the bullet people have catered to the folks that want to take a light for calibre bullet and drive it at warp speed and so they have made a hard, bonded bullet that won't come apart in flight or explode on impact but in the process, their bullet won't open up on lighter game at, shall we say, normal velocities.  Your varied results on the two deer is an example. 

FWIW, I've killed a lot of deer, WT and mulies, with a 30-06 and my go to load was, ta-da, rem case, cci primer, 57grs IMR4350, 165gr Rem CoreLokt bullet.  That's about as blue collar a load as you can get. I killed a lot of deer with it before I ran it acrost a Chrony. And when I did, It was crippling along at barely 2800fps. I was amazed that it would even kill a deer.  But it never failed to fetch what I sent it after.

Same disclaimer.

[huntswithdogs]

Buck,
I've rifles that just would not shoot a certain bullet, no matter what. Deciding that this ONE powder is what you're gonna use ,don't always work either.

The Barnes bullets are a lot longer then the Hornadys, if my memory is correct. They may have more bearing surface contacting the barrel than the Hornadys. Been there, seen that too. I had one rifle that would shoot a ragged hole with 180gr RN Speers but wouldn't come under 2'' with anything else. Tried all kinds of powders too. Finally sold that one!

Anyhoo, I'd try another kind of powder first. Get something a little faster burning and another that's a little slower and experiment. Changing from standard to Mag primers may be another option. Whatever ya do, try one thing at a time. It'll come around, hopefully.



HWD