I received some Nosler 300 gr. BST bullets for Christmas. When I went to section one lengthwise I grapped up a Hornady 325 gr. FTX as well since I had never sectioned one before. I had always assumed they would be very similar to the Hornady 350 gr. FN.
I was surprised when I compared the Hornady 350 gr. FN to the Hornady 325 gr. FTX. As the photo below shows there were significant differences between the cannelures and the interlock rings for the two bullets.
From left to right, the bullets are:
Hornady 350 gr. FN
Hornady 325 gr. FTX
Speer 300 gr. Uni-Cor HP (bonded jacket)
Nosler 300 gr. BST
I tried to point to the locations of the interlock rings in the Hornady bullets with the pointed ends of toothpicks.
If you click on the photo and zoom in you can see these features better.
The cannelure on the Hornady 350 gr. FN is both deeper and wider than the one on the Hornady 325 gr. FTX. It is also closer to the base.
The interlock ring on the Hornady 350 gr. FN is about half way from the cannelure to base. The interlock ring on the Hornady 325 gr. FTX in just below the cannelure ring, much further from the base than the 350 gr. FN.
In the testing that I have done (with the 450 Marlin at velocities of about 2050 fps) with water jugs, the mushroom on the Hornady 350 gr. FN generally stops near the cannelure. The interlock ring is well below the mushroom head and still firmly holds the core into the base.
However, the mushroom on the Hornady 325 FTX generally rolls down below the cannelure, to near ( or even below) the interlock.
I would speculate that these differences help explain the observations that the Hornady 350 gr. FN "holds together" better than the Hornady 325 gr. FTX.
I haven't shot the Nosler 300 gr. BST yet.
Dan
I was surprised when I compared the Hornady 350 gr. FN to the Hornady 325 gr. FTX. As the photo below shows there were significant differences between the cannelures and the interlock rings for the two bullets.
From left to right, the bullets are:
Hornady 350 gr. FN
Hornady 325 gr. FTX
Speer 300 gr. Uni-Cor HP (bonded jacket)
Nosler 300 gr. BST
I tried to point to the locations of the interlock rings in the Hornady bullets with the pointed ends of toothpicks.
If you click on the photo and zoom in you can see these features better.
The cannelure on the Hornady 350 gr. FN is both deeper and wider than the one on the Hornady 325 gr. FTX. It is also closer to the base.
The interlock ring on the Hornady 350 gr. FN is about half way from the cannelure to base. The interlock ring on the Hornady 325 gr. FTX in just below the cannelure ring, much further from the base than the 350 gr. FN.
In the testing that I have done (with the 450 Marlin at velocities of about 2050 fps) with water jugs, the mushroom on the Hornady 350 gr. FN generally stops near the cannelure. The interlock ring is well below the mushroom head and still firmly holds the core into the base.
However, the mushroom on the Hornady 325 FTX generally rolls down below the cannelure, to near ( or even below) the interlock.
I would speculate that these differences help explain the observations that the Hornady 350 gr. FN "holds together" better than the Hornady 325 gr. FTX.
I haven't shot the Nosler 300 gr. BST yet.
Dan
