Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles 70 grain Speer SMP's

Hello all
I have been trying to find an accurate load using the 70 grain Speer semi points. I have shot these bullets out of 4 rifles using AA2460, Win 748 and BLC2 with several loads. 3 of the rifles are semi auto's and one is a bolt action. All are 1/8 twist. Occasionally I will get 1" at 50 yards but usually the best they will do it 1 1/4 at 50 yards. This is shooting a string of 4 then a reload and 4 more. If I get these bullets to get under 3/4 I will try them at 100 but I'm not there yet. I was hoping to make a hog load out of the 70's. Does anyone have a pet load they use with this bullet or am I better off using a different bullet ? My next choice is a 65 grain soft point.

kwg

Both my 223’s are 9 twists and both shoot the 70 Speer 1” or less for 5 shots at 100yds with 23.0grs H4895.

Thank you Bearcat. I do have some H4895. I will give it a try.

kwg

I love that bullet and come hunting season, I'm usually not out in higher temps to worry about it..

but my hands down load for both velocity and accuracy is 28 grains of H 380 in a 223, small rifle primer...2900 fps MV

Every time I have used them on deer, there has been NO runners, just bang/flop DRT results.

All candidates were from 100 to 200 yds out.

My favorite rifle I usually load them with is a Model 70 Featherweight in 223.

That bullet at the 2900 fps, using H 380, performs way above its paygrade.

Thanks Seafire. I do not have any 380 but I will look around for some. Brownells is 52 miles from my door to theirs. I'll check their web site. My last load was 26 grains of BLC2 and it shot the same group as 25.5 grains of BLC2 and 25 grains of Win 748 and 24.5 of AA2460. At least they are consistent.

I wish Sierra was making the 63 grain SMP's now. I have 2 boxes of them stashed away waiting for that "special occasion".

kwg

I shooting some in an 8 twist powdered by 8208

I have a little 8208 left, I will give that a spin as well. Thanks

kwg

KWG,

What type of chambers are your rifles? This bullet will jam into the lands bad if you load it longer than 2.175 in shorter throat rifles. In an honest NATO chamber you can load it to 2.260 and be someplace between .005-.010 off the lands.

This is one of those bullets that measuring tools are your friend. If you have a NATO chamber, and after you have measured and confirmed, try seating to 2.260 and using Speer's online NATO data. Don't load that long in a Wylde or 223 REM chamber though!!!

I was able to get the 70gr bullet to shoot mediocre with several powders. The one i landed on though, and because it shoots around an inch all the time was Reloader 15.

I used the Speer 5.56 data. I found my velocity and pressure to be nowhere even close to what their test barrel showed. I ended up having to go up up up and away above published max. I don't have my data with me but it seems like i was clocking 2750 fps over the Lab Radar with an 18 inch Mark 12. Not even close to maximum pressure or velocity. That was just how the cards laid, and the most accurate load.

I tried working my way up to to the published max with W748 and had to pull all the bullets because of pressure.

Just goes to show you. Keep going up, with a careful eye on velocity, brass condition or groups clearly deteriorating.

This is a good bullet to play around with seating depth.

I have never gotten the chance to shoot anything with this bullet.

Hello aklaunch
2 are Wilde chambers and 2 are .223. I was loading them at 2.240" hoping to fall in to an in between number. I guess I need to rethink that.

kwg

Speer #14 manual COAL tested ...2.140

Duh ! I had the solution the whole time. I have a Hornady full length measuring tool and used it on the .223 rifles. The 2.240 length was shoving the bullets right up into the lands like you said. I will reseat them to the suggested 2.140. I had the tool stuffed away and plain old forgot about it. Now I have to wait for better weather. Thanks for the help.

kwg

How did they shoot after the coal adjustment?

Hello Bama
I have been struggling with ankle synovitis for the last 2 weeks and last week it pretty much crippled me. Now, it's raining. It looks like it's going to be Wednesday before I can get to the range. I have been dying to give them a spin.

I currently have 2 different loads ready to go in 2 different rifles. That's the great thing about the Campfire, someone has an idea or a possible solution. All you have to do is ask. I had the tool to find the lands but it was stuffed away and I never even thought about checking length until aklaunch brought it up. I had the bullet way too far out.

kwg

RL 15 is NEVER a poor choice, with ANY cartridge I've ever put it in.

I have used RL10x in several .223 rifles and I have always had good accuracy as long as I was shooting light weight bullets. Pressure signs showed up quickly when I started going over 23.2 grains with 55 grain bullets. This is the first time I am shooting the 70 grains Speers so I am treading on new territory. I have tried the 748 and BLC2 but since I had the bullets seated out too long I did not get good accuracy. This pretty much means I need to start over. I have never tried RL 15 but I'm always open to any suggestions.

kwg

I made it to the range today. I was only shooting at 50 yards but after pushing the 70 grain SMP's down to 2.180" from the original length of 2.240 I moved my groups down from 1 1/4" to a much more desirable 1/2". What a difference seating those bullets deeper made. I was shooting them out of both a .223 and a .223 Wylde chamber.

I was shooting 2 different rifles. One a Ruger American .223 compact and an AR15. I got 8 rounds into the AR15 and I noticed my POI was moving. I readjusted the scope and the next 4 rounds opened back up to 1 1/2". When I picked up the rifle to check to make sure all of the screws were tight, I heard a rattle inside of the scope. I took the scope off and tipped it up and a sleeve of some type slid to the glass. This is a Vortex Diamond back that I have owned about 3 weeks. It died before I could get 24 rounds through the gun.

I have called Vortex and they are sending a shipping label my way. Needless to say, I was disappointed and it cut my range trip short. None the less, aklaunch was absolutely correct about setting the bullet back away from the lands.

I also had a bit of splash on the primers so I will adjust my load just to make sure I'm not making too much pressure. Other than the scope $hitting the bed, it was a good trip to the range.

kwg

Funny, when I use the 70 SMP Speer, I load a dummy round, with the bullet pushed into the lands...
Then I take it and tighten down the die like 1/8 a turn and call it good...that seems to give me my best accuracy in ALL of my bolt action 223s.

H 380 is my primary powder for that bullet and the 63 gr SMP Sierra. Charge is 28 grains and MV is right around 2950 fps, depending on barrel length. My favorite hunting rifle with that load is a Win Featherweight in 223. 4 x 12 Nikon on top.

Hello Seafire
I moved the bullet back .060". (2.180) 1/8 of a turn on the seating die only moves the bullet a couple of thousands, if that. I'm not sure that will be enough. Seating them to 2.240 put the bullet tight into the lands. Since I'm running 2 different chambers, (a .223 and a Wylde) moving back a couple of thousands might work in the Wylde chamber but the .223 Ruger shot so well at 2.180 I don't know if I want to change anything. I guess time is on my side. I can play with seating depth some more. But, I will give your technique a try.

kwg

I loaded the 70's last night to 2.220 and 2.200. The 2.220 length bullets shot poorly in the Ruger American and good in the AR15. The ammo loaded to 2.200 shot very well in both rifles. The Ruger American is a .223 chamber and the AR is a Wylde chamber. For the sake of simplicity I loaded the rest of the bullets to 2.200 with 25.7 grains of BLC2 .

kwg

Anyone know where I can get some Speer 70 gr.? I can't find them anywhere... No hurry though. Are they that popular or so un popular that Speer stoped making them?

I've been seeing them in Sportsman's Warehouse here in Oregon for the last 6 months. I think I am sitting on 8 to 10 boxes of them. For hunting deer in a 223, the 70 Speer SMP and the Sierra 63 gr SMP are my 2 favorite choices.

H 380 is my usual powder choice, but RL 15 is also a good choice for velocity and accuracy.
Recently traded for a pound of Rl 15.5 Interested in trying that one out also.

Why thanks Seafire!! I will take a look !!