Hornady for blacktail deer

[Savage76]

I'm using 308 150gr
Does anyone use hornady 150gr interlocks or 150gr SST for deer

 

[.308 Norma]

I'm using 308 150gr
Does anyone use hornady 150gr interlocks or 150gr SST for deer

Welcome to THR Savage 76!
A lot of mule deer have fallen to Hornady 165gr Interlocks from my 30-06. I suspect Hornady 150gr Interlocks from a 308 Winchester would work well for blacktail deer.

 

[Mr. Hill]

Lots of people sure seem to like both of those bullets for deer. I’d try them and see how they group through your rifle.

 

[FL-NC]

They will be fine if your rifle likes them and you can deliver them where they need to go.

 

[jmr40]

Either will work.

The SST's are a softer bullet that will expand more rapidly. They are also more aerodynamic and will retain speed better downrange. Trajectory will be somewhat flatter if you're taking long shots.

The interlock is a little tougher and would be a better choice for game bigger than deer since it is likely to penetrate deeper.

For any deer, or similar size animal at typical hunting ranges flip a coin. If you think you'll be taking shots over 300-400 yards, the SST. If you think you might also have a chance for elk or black bear, the Interlock.

 

[courtgreene]

The interlock worked very well for me on deer. I was shooting them from a savage 110 in 308. I switched to Sierra because they were easier to find, but no complaints.

 

[Barbaroja]

The blacktails I encounter seem a bit small compared to whitetail and mule deer. You will have no trouble putting one down with either bullet

 

[Chuck R.]

The blacktails I encounter seem a bit small compared to whitetail and mule deer. You will have no trouble putting one down with either bullet

So were the ones I shot, a forked horn and a 3x3, both slightly smaller in body size than the does we see here in KS. But, that was in WA state just south of St. Helens, they may be larger in other parts of their range.

 

[mavracer]

Hornady interlocks are solid performers and the SST has the same interlock ring.

 

[Patocazador]

I have used a 140 gr. in my 7.65 Arg. with whitetails with no regrets.

 

[Barbaroja]

So were the ones I shot, a forked horn and a 3x3, both slightly smaller in body size than the does we see here in KS. But, that was in WA state just south of St. Helens, they may be larger in other parts of their range.

Hahahah then we are certainly talking about the same deer as I am about 32miles from St. Helens as the crow flies

 

[Chuck R.]

Hahahah then we are certainly talking about the same deer as I am about 32miles from St. Helens as the crow flies

Yup, that's them, definitely smaller. The forked horn I dressed out, hog tied to a pack frame, and carried out on my back. Not happening with a KS whitetail.

I did find them challenging to hunt though, especially in that terrain. I've never seen deer before or after that would let you pass so close without jumping. Almost reminded me of the way squirrels freeze up believing that you can't see them. Plus, they're like a tree-bark shade of grey.

 

[LOLBELL]

If I was planning on eating it I would use the interlock. The SST will destroy too much meat.

 

[wbm]

Does anyone use hornady 150gr interlocks or 150gr SST for deer

Yes.

 

[Barbaroja]

Yup, that's them, definitely smaller. The forked horn I dressed out, hog tied to a pack frame, and carried out on my back. Not happening with a KS whitetail.

I did find them challenging to hunt though, especially in that terrain. I've never seen deer before or after that would let you pass so close without jumping. Almost reminded me of the way squirrels freeze up believing that you can't see them. Plus, they're like a tree-bark shade of grey.

The rainforests of western Washington are certainly challenging to hunt. The vegetation is incredibly thick, it’s very soggy and wet through most of hunting season here. Those small bodied blacktail can bed down in the ferns and vanish.
I’ve heard people reference western Washington as one of the most challenging places to try and hunt elk and deer. I have heard if you can be successful here, you will be ok just about anywhere.
( so people don’t read this as bragging, no I have not yet been able to harvest an elk)

One thing I have seen here is I was walking into an area to hunt when I jumped a small doe , she took 4-5 big bounding leaps as she ran. As soon as she got to some grass that was about 3ft tall, she landed from the last bounding leap and flattened herself to the ground and was belly crawling along the ground. It was a real sight to see and opened my eyes to how tricky these animals can be.

 

[Chuck R.]

The rainforests of western Washington are certainly challenging to hunt. The vegetation is incredibly thick, it’s very soggy and wet through most of hunting season here. Those small bodied blacktail can bed down in the ferns and vanish.
I’ve heard people reference western Washington as one of the most challenging places to try and hunt elk and deer. I have heard if you can be successful here, you will be ok just about anywhere.
( so people don’t read this as bragging, no I have not yet been able to harvest an elk)

One thing I have seen here is I was walking into an area to hunt when I jumped a small doe , she took 4-5 big bounding leaps as she ran. As soon as she got to some grass that was about 3ft tall, she landed from the last bounding leap and flattened herself to the ground and was belly crawling along the ground. It was a real sight to see and opened my eyes to how tricky these animals can be.

I know what you mean about challenging...it's a tough area that requires a different skill set and equipment.

I actually hunted with a guy that chased elk. We were walking down an old logging road and ran into a small herd, they bolted and he broke into a dead run chasing them. Damndest thing I'd ever seen! I was thinking I'd paired up with the wrong guy, I mean what kind of idiot chases elk?? Then about 10 minutes later the shot rings out. Caught up with him about a 1/4 mile down the trail and helped him dress it (cow) and later carry out the 1/4s. He looked at me and said "they always stop to look back" and he'd killed 5 or 6 that way over the years. Chase them for a bit, then still hunt into them. Unique guy, his dad was even "uniquer"..hunted with either a converted 1903 Springfield 30-06 or a Savage 99 in 308, both with receiver sights and 220 RN loads. They and their tactics were perfectly adapted to the area they hunted.

My 1st year there I shot the forked horn blacktail, then a 5x4 bull. This was my 2nd elk hunt on public land, previously I'd hunted CO (Gunnison area) and killed another 5x4, while the guys in both parties I hunted with ate tag soup.

I thought I was some kind of public land elk hunting god...Then the normal public land luck set in. The next season I didn't see a legal bull (3pts or better area), only cows and spikes. The following season I hunted a spike only area and ran into the most magnificent 6x6 I'd ever seen at about 35yds..Had him dead to rights grazing, except for the whole not a spike thing. It was the only elk I had close to a shot at that year. I could get into them, close enough to smell them in the rain, but getting a clean enough shot, at an animal I could ID as legal was a PITA.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

I shot a lot of deer with the .303" version of the 150 grain Interlock. I'm not sure if that was more lightly constructed than the .308" version. It was a dependable bullet unless driven faster than 2800fps, where it started to expand a bit more than I liked. I suspect the .308" version is a little tougher.

I'm really a fan of the 165 grain Hornady BTSP Interlock. At .300 savage velocity it makes the most beautiful (and deadly) mushroom you ever saw. That is a nice bullet. Also shot a mid-size cougar (probably about the same size as a black-tail) with it out of a .30-30 single-shot, and even at that low velocity (but only 30 yards) performance was perfect. (but never found the two bullets, might still be going)

 

[.308 Norma]

I'm really a fan of the 165 grain Hornady BTSP Interlock. At .300 savage velocity it makes the most beautiful (and deadly) mushroom you ever saw.

If I find it, I'll post a picture of another 165 grain Hornady BTSP from a 30-06 that is also a "beautiful (and deadly) mushroom." Of course I found that bullet in a dead mule deer that I'd shot from 460 yards away (the longest shot I've ever made on a deer in my life), so it was probably down to 300 savage velocity (or slower) by the time it got there.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

With that boat-tail and the pointy front end, I bet that bullet retains velocity plenty good. Yeah, probably still going somewhere around 300 savage or a bit slower as you said.

 

[Flight01]

Lots of people sure seem to like both of those bullets for deer. I’d try them and see how they group through your rifle.

Agree. which ever shoots best.

OP: Not sure on price difference but I shot big whitetail and even bull moose with 165 interlocks in 308 before switching to partitions . The 150 grain hornady going a bit faster might be devastating on small deer if your up close.