Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 358 cal, Speer 220 FP on elk?

I am loading some up for my 350 Rem mag. It looks like I can get 2700 fps or so. Has anyone used this bullet on elk sized animals? I know a premium bullet is not always needed but I am concerned. Thank you

Here's a quick "for-what-it's-worth":



These bullets were fired from my 20" 358 Winchester into slightly lumpy drywall compound - still wet. The distance was close so the speeds were still high relative to their firing. The 220 Speer may not be the very best choice, but I would have no concern with using it against our big moose. It seems like a bullet similar in toughness but just slightly lighter than Speer's two 250 grain cup and cores.

Just basically wondering if it is in fact tough enough....

I never used them for elk but they are tough enough for bear.

WN

As I indicated, I have neither used it nor can say for certain how it would do on elk. I have used the 250s from Hornady and Speer on moose as well as some 35 cal 200s on caribou, all in my 358 Winchester. I imagine a failure of the 220 on elk would be more telling about how well it was placed than anything else. If I harbored any doubt, I'd opt for the 225 Partition in sticking with jacketeds. Of course, you could also use the 200 TSX. That bullet -the old XFB anyway- penetrates like crazy; better than the 225 Partition and right along with the 250s, even when pushed at Norma speeds.

I will try the 200 TSX at some point. Just began to play with this one.

Since they are designed for use on deer and black bear in the .35 Remington, which will only push them at 1900 plus fps., I'd opt for a tougher bullet. E

I'll know more in a couple weeks, but I decided to limit my speed to 2400 with this bullet for blackbear in my .358 Winchester because it is soft as E. said.

Klik

Interesting test. The only 35 bullet I've used on game is the hornady 250 gr rn. Launced at 2700 fps from a 350 rigby, it nearly decapitated a small doe with a neck shot.

My 350 rem mag is loaded with 225 sierra's. It shoots them very well, and I figure they're clocking along about 2700 fps. I just need to take some time off work to look for a moose or black bear.

Speer, in the 350 Rem Mag data, shows speeds to almost 2700 fps with the 220 FP. They state in the text relating to the cartridge: "The 220 grain flat point is the bullet we recommend for elk and moose." Seems pretty simple to me. (And it holds its weight better than the 250 Hornadys in the simple test above.)

Well I used to load the gameking at 2500 because the shot the lights out, but have recently moved over to the 225 partition which for me is a little less accurte. For me it is worth it. I doubt you will recover a bullet, a 35cal 225 bullet is a freight train. Of course the speer 220 would work, but depending on where you are hunting, the HC 250 spitzer flies quite well.

Can't speak about using them on elk, but I have used that bullet in a 356 on grizzly bear. At ~140 yards, the first shot broke both shoulders and dropped the bear right smart. I have used that rifle on elk, but I was shooting a 250 grain Kodiak FN. It worked quite well.

I used the speer 220 FP to take one moose, fired at 2300 FPS from my .356 at exactly 250 steps away. Hit twice broadside, both the shot that went through the liver and diaphragm and the shot that went through the top of the lungs and clipped the backbone exited. Expansion looked OK.