Home Forums Lever Action Central Big Bore Levers Speer Unicor test - disappointing results

A bullet test I've done on a bunch of different loads is to take a piece of 2x8 board (OK, we all know it's really 1.75" thick) and sit it upright in a box backed by soaked magazines or phone books. I figure that's about as close as I can come to simulating a shot through an elk's shoulder.

The most penetration I've seen is a 405 Cheycast bullet at about 1400 fps - 13.5" counting the wood, followed by a 180 grn Partition fired from my 30-06 at 12.5".

So today, I make up a test box and take to the range with me, to try a 300 grn Speer Uni-cor with 51 grns of Reloader 7. The box was 14" wide, and considering my previous results I never even considered that is wouldn't be enough, but to my surprise, that bullet zipped right through. When I got home, I took the magazines apart to see if I could find little pieces of copper from the jacket, but not even one little spec.

So, the disappointing part is that I had hoped to be able to post a pic of the bullet. Is anyone else surprised at the penetration I got?

Nope!

That bullet is a "sleeper" in terms of it's worth IMO.

Here's one I "tested." Drilled both scapula on a large bull moose; found it against the hide.




By comparison, on a different bull, at virtually the same distance and shot placement, from my 30-06, a 180 Woodleigh:

Interesting and impressive!

The Speer Unicore is probably the best bang for the buck out there.Buffalo Bore uses it at 2350 fps(22" barrel).One of my 300 Nosler loads is with 53 grains of RL-7 in Winchester brass for 2105 fps out of my Guide Gun so your load would be about 2025 fps in my rifle...

Impressive test..Thank you!

I plan on getting some to use in my 45-70 BFR..

Jayco

I recall one test with Speer 220 grain FP shot at 100 yd from a .356 which passed through ~36" of wet cardboard. The bullet was launched at about 2350 fps. A 160 grain Nosler Partition with a muzzle velocity of ~3000 fps passed through ~20 inches in the same cardboard. The only bullet I have recovered from this rifle was shot through a grizzly, passing through the hump and down the left front leg where it was recovered under the hide on above the wrist. It retained about 76% of its weight. The Speer is a fine bullet.

I load the 270gr FP Gold-dot in the 444 and it is flat out hell on deer and the 1 black I've shot with it. Broke both shoulders and retained 92% of its weight. Great bullets, and inexpensive....

Forgot to add: In the 44mag it is much better/tougher than the XTP. Int the 444, it is much better than the 265 Hornady or 240 Remington load. Buffalo Bore also loads the 270 GD in the 444....

What powder and charge weight are you using with the 270gr GD?

52-52.5gr H-322. CCI 200 primers. Rem cases. 1.25" groups......

Use the 44 270gr. unicor in my 44 mag rifles, and in a sabot in my muzzleloaders. fantastic damage to the deer, but not excessive meat damage, I shoot behind the shoulder. Never recovered one, but no deer shot with it has gone past 15 yds. Some went two feet. down.