Wet Newspaper: 117 Interlock vs 115 Rem Ultra vs 85g NBT

I had three different bullets to test in the wet newspaper this time, and the results might surprise some.

Two big game bullets, the 117g Hornady Interlock BTSP and the 115g Remington Core Lokt Ultra Bonded.

I tested two of each to simulate impact with big game at about 50y and 200y with speeds of 2850 and 2500fps respectively.

Also tested for comparison's sake the 85g Nosler BT, with impact speeds of 3250 and 2750fps.

The test medium was wet papers and magazines, with the odd dry paper stuck in here and there. Some of the magazines still had the plastic wrapper on them, and some were real thick cardboard-style catalogues. So it was a fairly hardy test medium.


A few preliminary results. Unsurprisingly the 85 BT penetrated the least. The 117g Interlocks penetrated the furthest. The 115g CL-UB retained the most weight and had the widest expanded width when recovered.

A couple of photos of the wound channels... The Interlock is at left, the CL-UB centre, and 85g NBT at right. Faster velocity projectiles are at the top for all three bullets...





Typical varmint bullet expansion for the NBT and wider than expected (for my part) expansion of the Core Lokt Bonded, bigger wound channel than the Interlock.

Here is the performance data...

117g Hornady Interlock BTSP
1. 2850fps impact speed
Penetrated 9.75"
Retained wt 62.5g
Expanded width 0.495"

2. 2500fps
Penetrated 10.25"
Retained wt 80.5g
Expanded width 0.48"


115g Remington Core Lokt Ultra Bonded
1. 2850fps
Penetrated 9.0"
Retained wt 82g
Expanded 0.55"

2. 2500fps
Penetrated 9.25"
Retained 112g (!)
Expanded 0.72


85g Nosler Ballistic Tip (Varmint)
1. 3250fps
Penetrated 7.5"
Retained wt 22g (bullet blew apart, largest piece recovered was 22g)
Expanded width 0.425"

2. 2750fps impact speed
Penetrated 8.5"
Retained wt 58g (not bad I thought)
Expanded 0.505"

Heres a photo of the recovered bullets...




So there you go. The Hornady gave a good account of itself against it's bonded counterpart. The CL-UB made a nice wide wound channel and at the lower impact speed particularly held together very very well. The 85 NBT performed as designed, a perfect light skinned medium game bullet that I'd say would be fantastic for our feral mountain goats.

I'd intended to test the 110g Accubonds as part of this test but my supplier fell through. I'll get some though and test them in due course.

Thanks for reading. I hope some find the info useful.

- Bob

Always interesting to observe that lower velocities penetrated less. The more violent expansion inhibits penetration. The wound channel proper must be interesting, causing significant disruption of vital body systems.

Mike, I know we all worship at the altar of penetration and retained weight. But consider the damage occasioned to a thin skinned animal by the likes of that Varmint bullet - NBT - and even some bigger animals.

Its funny, I am 43 and been hunting from age 9; and never ever have I heard a hunter say that they considered an exit wound to even be a factor let alone an operational imperative.

Personally,I DO WANT penetration, a decent level of weight retention etc. But I also place a huge value on a wide wound channel. In that respect those CL-UB bullets look nearly ideal.


Really interested in the counter points though.



PS. I apologise for the blasphemy.

A quick death is always my desire for a successful conclusion to pulling the trigger on a hunt. I do consider the quarry and the potential wound channel before pulling the trigger. I agree that there are multiple factors in bringing any hunt to a successful conclusion. The more information, the better equipped the hunter is.

Looks great Bob. That 85 BT looked real good as it slowed down.

The Rem and Hornady seem very well suited to what you wanna shoot with them.

I think the bullet that holds onto a LARGE frontal area and retains a good amount of weight kills well for most. Deer don't test a bullet very well, but an exit isn't required, nice but that large wound channel is the killer.

Great test.

I think the 85g NBT loaded down might make a good load for my kids when they start moving up from rabbits to larger game.

I'm gonna do some experimenting with it. Might make a good fire forming load when I need some more AI cases too.