I'm planning on using the 350 speer on my next deer hunt in my 458 lott. id like to get them between 2400-2600 fps. does anyone know what the the velocity envelope is for reliable expansion is on these bullets?. I know they are designed for the 458 win mag.

Also what velocity seems to give decent accuracy out of the twist for these calibers?

I've shot a bunch of them out of .45/70's at about 1850 fps and also out of .458's at about 2350 fps. They were accurate in both instances. I was getting 1 to 1 1/2 MOA groups.

Only killed one deer with one, using the .45/70. The deer was hit behind the shoulder, there was a nice hole all the way through and the deer ran about 40 yards and piled up.

Tag for the EXACT question, and the info that follows... I'm wondering the same thing, Gohip, and if I happen to find out I'll let you know. I'm going to probably blast some hogs with this bullet in my .458 Lott before I get a chance to hunt deer with them (there's a rifle/shotgun boundary in the state of MN). Hoping to line up a hog hunt in the south this year, and bloody my Lott on some piggies!!!

-John

I used my 416 Rigby to good effect (and my 10mm pistol) at the 24hrcf hog hunt in Tennesee March before last. You might consider going on that one, and meeting a few campfire charachters.

I would love to bust a deer with that bullet, pushed as fast as I could make it go just to try for the famous "Bangflop/DRT" type kill with it.

It is easiest to get that with mega velocity in combo with good penetration, but I would think that getting a 350gr .458 to hit one while still travelling at over 2500fps or so would also accomplish a similar feat. I don't know for sure on that, never tried it. I may load up some 300's for my 416 Rigby sometime. Should be able to get up to around 2900 fps or so.

Please do report back here if you get a chance to bust a buck with the 458 Lott. Sounds like my kind of fun!

I will report if I get a buck with my 458 this year no matter what bullet i end up using.

I know about that pesky boundary in MN. I grew up there and moved here to SD and hunting here is possible without a masters degree. So much more enjoyable.

I tried asking the DNR why it's legal to hunt small game with a 50 bmg, but not deer with a rifle. Couldn't get a definite answer.

Gohip: That's a brilliant point! Don't hold your breath, as the DNR will never give you an answer...

PM in-bound with a question about SD antelope hunting...

Thanks,

John

I tagged a moose with one of those 350 Speers a few years ago. Animal was close - probably 20 yards or so and the bullet slipped in from the front running just through/behind the shoulder. It stopped somewhere in the 100-plus pound stomach leaving a 3/4" hole as it's last evidence. The animal spun and ran off a few yards before tipping over. Bullet impact speed was probably around 2100 fps.

They're the hardest/toughest cup/core bullet for the 458 cal I've used. However they still throw their jackets like any cup/core can under duress.

Never shot game with that bullet, but put a serious crater in a 1" steel plate with one. I don't have my load data handy, but I found RL7 gave great accuracy at 2400-2500 fps in the two 458 lotts I had. Use 458 win mag data. Personally I'd keep the velocity closer to 2400 than 2600 fps.

I couldn't find any load data(out of 5 manuals) for a 350 gn bullet with IMR4064 (the powder I have), so I started with some 400gn data. I loaded up 79, 80, 81, 82, 83 gn and am waiting for my scope to come in so I can test accuracy and chrono them.

Just an update.

I have found a decent load:
Chronoed at 2450 fps and getting just over an inch grouping at 100 yards with a fixed 3 power scope. I think they would be more accurate with a higher powered scope.

I'm taking two rifles with me this weekend for deer:

CZ 550 458 lott hogback stock, polished and tuned for smooth function, Leupold FX-2 3 power big bore scope with German #1 reticle, Speer 350gn at 2450 fps zeroed for 200 yards
The 458 lott will be for more open areas or breaks in the patches of trees, ranging from 100-250 yards.

Puma 92, 357 mag, 16" barrel, tuned and polished like glass, factory iron sites, 158gn Hornady XTP at 1500 fps.
The 357 will be used when we walk a line through the denser brush and trees, typically 50 yards or less.

I ran them out of my 458 lott @ 2800fps using Tac. I woud�nt worry about a deer catching one of them at any velocity!

Used a cast 335gr out of my 458AccRel at 2100 and got my buck a 35yds. Hit the last rib going and just behind the far shoulder. He did about a 35yd death charge and piled up. So go for it. Clint

just grains It thought I would share my load. 86 grains IMR4064 2447 fps chronoed. 79=2284. 80=2315. 81=2355. 82=2367. 83=2389. I went all the way up to 88 grAins and it was so compressed I had to use a drop tube to seat the bullet

While you are playing around with 350 Grain bullets consider giving the 350 Grain TSX a whirl. I loaded those up to 2650 fps in a .458 Win and used them culling water buffalo. Of perhaps more relevance to you, I was able to scratch down 25 pigs at the same time. The bullets opened well on the lighter animals and produced some rather spectacular kills even on hits that were a bit sloppy.

I'll have to develop loads with this bullet for my Lott.

Would you share the powder charge with us for that load?

Thanks,

Ed

Bear in mind this is a .458 Win load not a .458 Lott.

71 grains of H4198, 215M, Norma brass. I could go higher and did, but the accuracy went downhill. In addition by staying at 71 grains it shoot to the same POI as my 450 grain A-Frame and 420 Safari Raptor loads. They all shoot together out to 200 yards.

Gotta love it.

They were quite effective on Asiatic water buffalo as well. I primarily brought them as a low recoil substitute for the .375 that I would have liked to take along for a break from day after day pounding with a .458. As it turned out, they were surprisingly effective and rivaled the heavier bullets. All in all, not a bad deal. .375 kick and .458 killing.

I can't wait to crank another couple hundred fps out of them in the Lott and do it again. My best day as a single shooter was 29 and best combined as part of a team was an 81 buffalo day. Recoil starts taking its toll when you're having that much fun.

I like the TSX, just so expensive for medium game in this caliber. If I lived someplace with bear, I would use it for an everything bullet.

I went out last weekend and didn't get a deer, but am going tomorrow. I got out to the range and checked my longer range actual trajectory. 3 inches high at 100 yards put me on at 200 yards. Hopefully I see a deer this weekend. It's very slim pickens this year.

Got my deer! I think from now on I'm sighting in for 100 or 150 yards and heres why.

took 1 shot off hand at about 120 yards. The deer dropped instantly with a ton of white fur flying up in the air like I had shot a bird. I was more than impressed. Then the deer got up and started dragging its rear end so I knew I had a hit in the rear. I shot a 2nd time through the lungs and he dropped instantly again and stay down.

When I got to the deer I saw a huge grazing wound above the rear most spine and a high double lung shot. The spine shot shocked him and paralized his rear half. the 2nd shot killed him.



after dragging him 3/4 of a mile back to my car, I got him home and hung and started inspecting the damage.




apparently 3" high at 100 yard put the shots on the spine and would have been half way down the deer if I went 3" down from where they hit. The bullets performed great, but my shots where high and that's why I will bring my zero closer than 200 yards next time.

Now for the bullet performance:
The lung shot hit the top of both lungs severing the spine at the same time. both lungs were jello. The entrance and exit holes in the skin where both the size of a penny, but the entrance and exit through the inside ribs where the size of a lemon. Impressive performance if you ask me, but I would keep the bullet away from the meat you want to eat, not because of blood shot, but because of the shear size of the internal holes. I will be using this bullet next year sighted in closer to get proper bullet placement.

Dang! That tore some stuff up!

Can't eat spine or lungs though. Congrats on the dinner fixins.

That's at 150 yards so it was like a 450 marlin at point blank