Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting .338 Speer Deep Curl

I asked the question about whether the speer deep curl was up to the task of elk. Speer's answer. Anyone used this bullet?

The new .338 DeepCurl bullet is a plated (bonded) rifle bullet, so has eliminated jacket core separation. It also has good weight retention and superior accuracy results.

Linda OlinCCI/Speer Technical Services2299 Snake River Ave.Lewiston, ID 83501

I'm not liking the change..My example is not in .338 but it is a comparison of the old Speer Unicore and the new Deep Curl in 44 caliber.Take it for what is is worth...

Penetration test with the Deep Curl and Unicore in 300 grain weight out of a 444 Marlin at close to the same exact velocity..They both penetrated the same.

Deep Curl/Retained weight-203.7 grains/expansion-.681

Speer Unicore/Retained weight-252.8/expansion-.812

Speer forgot that If it ain't broke..Don't fix it.

Jayco

Alot of these bullet companies do that, Hornady seems to have done the same thing. Why change a good thing?

So far, from what I've seen, I can agree with that... I witnessed a 270/130 Deep Curl (Factory Fusion) break up on an antelope after a 125 yard shot. Factory 270 ammo isn't exactly gassed-up!

The Hotcore was a GREAT bullet... I always thought the 165-30 cal acted like a "premium"... obviously Speer was looking for a more accurate bullet build, but somehow lost the point it's gotta stay together too.

One reason I stick solely to Nosler Partitions.I haven't been disappointed yet and there not as expensive as the super premiums..Alot of people use cast in there leverguns and pistols because of the lack of a good quality jacketed bullets..I thought the Speer Unicore was a winner in my .454 Casull.I won't buy the Deep Curl.

I wouldn't expect Speer Customer Service to say anything but good about there new product.

Jayco

The toughest thing to handle (IMO) about the Noz parts is that they work so darn well that people have a tendency to get bored with them and go looking elsewhere.

Just the way I see it

Dober

I'm pretty certain I saw a Speer ad a few years ago where they mentioned thickening the walls of the shank section of the jacket of that exact bullet.

Your right Dober and in the past I was guilty of that and paid the price trying the new Fail Safe.I think I still have 15 rounds out of a 20 round box of Winchester factory Fail Safes..I tried the Trophy Bonded and loved them but stuck with the Partition..

Easy to find/not all that expensive and the soft front tip/core lets it open at any sane velocity making them okay for deer when you hunt both Deer and Elk at the same time.

Heck...My son has some friends at the Speer plant in Lewiston and I have a few boxes of $5 30-30 Fusion pills.For $5 who cares and the fusion isn't all that bad at 30-30 velocities..

Jayco

That's exactly what happens MarkD!........



Casey

It seems to me that speer is not at the top of its game with public relations lately. I guess I never talked to them before the deepcurl. I think they are more than good enough for most uses. I have had good luck thus far.

Funny but true...........

I think what alot of people forget sometimes,myself included,the literal thousands of hunters out there that pickup there rifle one time in a years time, to go hunting.Not Reloaders/Not Varmint hunters or range rats..Just your basic hunter and outdoors man that does other things the rest of the year and uses factory ammunition.

That's one reason makers like Federal load up Noslers/TB/TSX and other popular reloading bullets.Hunters finally get to use the better bullets,even if they are boring to some.When a guy only shoots 10-15 rounds a year just sighting in and hunting,it isn't as boring.

I think we are the minority/not the majority!

Jayco

Jayco: True.

I think the nose design and bonding process makes it a little suspect for elk. Because it plated, you don't really lose jacket around the tip. The skiving is supposed to make it peel back on expansion but I've seen too many pics of them expanding out to crazy looking mushrooms. You have pedals sticking straight out instead of curling back. All this will limit penetration. It believe it's the reason it's boat tail twin (Fusion) is marketed as a deer bullet.

I've heard the reason they changed from the hot cor is they created a bonded bullet that is cheaper to make than the hot cor. They also can give match level consistency on the jacket by plating it.

I would just be a little concerned about using it on anything bigger than deer. I liked the hot cor so I'm a little bummed they are phasing it out.

That is hard news to take. I was a big fan of Speer bullets and always liked the Hot Cor bullets especially the Mag Tip line. They were the poor man's premium. I have been shooting 200 gr Nosler Partitions the past few years out of my '06 for all the reasons stated above. Big enough for the biggest critters one would shoot with an '06 but will still expand enough on deer. Guess that's what I'll continue to buy. I just wish the still made the 300 partition for the 45-70.

Brinky

Nosler has said fairly recently that they would make limited runs of the 300 grain Partition for the 45-70..Yet to see it happen but that is what they said.

Once again even Nosler blew it replacing the 300 Partition with a 300 grain ballistic tip, for the 45-70.Why don't they leave things alone and quit trying to fix what already works with less than optimal replacements.

Jayco

Thanks fellas , guess it'll be the tsx's or partitions when I start loading for the 338.

Ive always had great results with the 210 tsx's in several .338's (wins and rums)of course the 210 partition never let me down either