Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 145 Speer boattails.

Anyone used them on deer at close to mid ranges? I found a load with my M7 7-08 that is absolutely lights out with R17 and between 2800 and 2900. Just curious if anyone has used them at that speed or faster and how they performed. Thanks in advance.

My W.Va friend shot loads of whitetails with that bullet and a 7mmRM .. He later shifted to NBTBTs..

Biggest problem is finding these bullets. My brother has used them in his 280 for decades with good results.

He tried to find loads with some different bullets this year, but went back to this bullet. It just works.

Thank you my friend... thats exactly where Ill be hunting as well.



I can believe that cause this bullet loved 17 from starting charge to waaaaay over max... I actually ran out of case capacity and never hit pressure signs.

Used them for years no problems both the boat tails and flat base shoot very well

They are great bullets, will work great

I used one up close from 7 RM for a finishing shot on a mule deer shoulder. I'm not saying it failed because the deer died. When we skinned it I was looking for the bullet to keep, but it had penetrated one shoulder and made a hollowed out pocket without penetrating on the opposite side, but it totally had dis integrated.

After that I used the 145 flat base (only the Speer flat base are designated as Hotcore) These have penetrated lengthwise with exit on a whitetail.

Why did you put a finisher in the shoulder?

Because when I walked up on him he stood up and it surprised me, it was a reflex quick shot.

Considering it is a cup & core bullet designed for longer range shooting seems it did give good penetration on a point blank shot from a 7MM RM. I am presently using it in my 7-08 and on deer number one I can't ask for more, big exit dead deer. I have a bunch of 130 gr. Hotcors to use up also. The 160 grain Hotcor was a favorite in my 7x57.

Jack OConner liked the flat base hot core for Eleanor's 7x57, I don't recall if it was a 140 or 145 back then. At the velocities of the x57 and -08 they are a good match. At 7RM velocities the boat tail will lose it's core sometimes but the hot core usually exits on deer. Switched to ballistic tips and Monos but it wasn't from lack of performance just trying different loads.

Eleanor's 7x57 was loaded almost exclusively with the 160gr Speer. Jack himself often used a 140gr and often it was a NPT.