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OP
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Any one have experience with this bullet on WT? Thinking I may try in the AR next season. Thanks
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,713
Campfire Tracker
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This is what I took last Fall but unfortunately I didn't see a buck and get to try it out. It shoots well in my Browning with an 8 twist.
Jim
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 32,044
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 32,044 |
75 gr A-MAX is the bullet you need to try.
A Doe walks out of the woods today and says, that is the last time I'm going to do that for Two Bucks.
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 810
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Campfire Regular
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The semi-pointed Speer works very well. Complete side-through-side penetration when I used it. If your rifle likes them use them.
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,225
Campfire Tracker
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For many years the 70 grain Speer was the only commonly available bullet for .22 caliber rifles for deer.
Other lighter bullets were used with mixed results by some, but were not really designed for heavier game. In the .223 class rifles the 55 grain bullets sometimes worked pretty well on broadside lung shots, but if velocity was stepped up (as in the .22-250) these bullets became very erratic. They sometimes came apart on even broadside shots and if they encountered bone were almost guaranteed to break up.
The 70 grain Speer, on the other hand, was intended from the start for use on deer size animals. It tended to hold together very well (as well as any cup-and core bullet does) even when striking shoulder bones and almost always penetrated far enough to reach the vital organs. An even better choice (in my experience) was the 60 grain Nosler Partition bullet.
A big part of this success was due to the fact that these heavy-for-caliber bullets could commonly be driven to 2800-3000 fps....which just happens to be the "perfect" velocity for cup-and-core bullets. The bigger case .22 caliber rifles "can" drive bullets a bit faster, but then you run into the limitations of the cup-and core design.....and they become somewhat erratic.
The "normal" twist of .22 caliber rifles (particularly in earlier days) was 1:14 or perhaps 1:12 and stabilizing longer, heavier bullets was a problem. The 70 grain Speer (and the 60 grain Nosler) were designed to work with a 1:14 twist rate and thus were very accurate from most rifles.
Back to the original question (yes I tend to wander a bit)....I have used the 70 grain Speer to take 15-20 deer and hogs. I've also used the 60 grain Nosler to take 12-15 animals. Both are about as good as you are going to get for taking big game animals with a .22 caliber rifle. I'd give an edge to the Nosler, but the Speer was very good.....as long as you didn't try to drive them too fast or take shots that involve heavy bone or deep penetrations.
You have to remember that you are using a .22 caliber rifle....a very marginal weapon for deer size game. In fact I, personally , consider the .243 to be pretty marginal for use on deer size game. It (and the .22 caliber rifles) CAN work, but you have to be very careful how you place the bullets and accept the limitations of the small caliber rifles.
As far as the 70 grain Speer bullet.....it is probably one of the best if you insist on using a .22 caliber rifle to take deer size game (the 60 grain Nosler is a bit better in my experience)....but it is still a marginal deer killing bullet and must be used with care.
I hate change, it's never for the better.... Grumpy Old Men The more I learn, the more I realize how little I know
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 432
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Campfire Member
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Posts: 432 |
It is an excellent bullet for whitetail. I had a pass through on a frontal shot.
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,067
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2008
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shoots okay out of my .222 rem. Also seems to be tougher than the 63 grain sierra which also works yet doesn't seem heavy enough for me to chance throwing it into the shoulder of a really big buck.
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From a few months ago...
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/10560390/Re:_.224_caliber_70_gr._Speer_#Post10560390
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,238 Likes: 11
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,238 Likes: 11 |
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 18,977 Likes: 6
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Oct 2013
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For many years the 70 grain Speer was the only commonly available bullet for .22 caliber rifles for deer.
Other lighter bullets were used with mixed results by some, but were not really designed for heavier game. In the .223 class rifles the 55 grain bullets sometimes worked pretty well on broadside lung shots, but if velocity was stepped up (as in the .22-250) these bullets became very erratic. They sometimes came apart on even broadside shots and if they encountered bone were almost guaranteed to break up.
The 70 grain Speer, on the other hand, was intended from the start for use on deer size animals. It tended to hold together very well (as well as any cup-and core bullet does) even when striking shoulder bones and almost always penetrated far enough to reach the vital organs. An even better choice (in my experience) was the 60 grain Nosler Partition bullet.
A big part of this success was due to the fact that these heavy-for-caliber bullets could commonly be driven to 2800-3000 fps....which just happens to be the "perfect" velocity for cup-and-core bullets. The bigger case .22 caliber rifles "can" drive bullets a bit faster, but then you run into the limitations of the cup-and core design.....and they become somewhat erratic.
The "normal" twist of .22 caliber rifles (particularly in earlier days) was 1:14 or perhaps 1:12 and stabilizing longer, heavier bullets was a problem. The 70 grain Speer (and the 60 grain Nosler) were designed to work with a 1:14 twist rate and thus were very accurate from most rifles.
Back to the original question (yes I tend to wander a bit)....I have used the 70 grain Speer to take 15-20 deer and hogs. I've also used the 60 grain Nosler to take 12-15 animals. Both are about as good as you are going to get for taking big game animals with a .22 caliber rifle. I'd give an edge to the Nosler, but the Speer was very good.....as long as you didn't try to drive them too fast or take shots that involve heavy bone or deep penetrations.
You have to remember that you are using a .22 caliber rifle....a very marginal weapon for deer size game. In fact I, personally , consider the .243 to be pretty marginal for use on deer size game. It (and the .22 caliber rifles) CAN work, but you have to be very careful how you place the bullets and accept the limitations of the small caliber rifles.
As far as the 70 grain Speer bullet.....it is probably one of the best if you insist on using a .22 caliber rifle to take deer size game (the 60 grain Nosler is a bit better in my experience)....but it is still a marginal deer killing bullet and must be used with care. This. Also cartridge plays a role in the equation as well. Run it from a Swift or 22-250 and it is as instant of death as you will find. 60 Partition may handle bone a bit better though.
The last time that bear ate a lawyer he had the runs for 33 days!
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 42,939 Likes: 16
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 42,939 Likes: 16 |
proper placement a 70 grain Speer SMP, or a 63 Sierra SMP out of any 22 cal from 222 and above will drop any deer at any reasonable distance ( 200 to 250 yds or less)...
very effective deer bullets...
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 57,494
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 57,494 |
Any one have experience with this bullet on WT? Thinking I may try in the AR next season. Thanks If you have not bought any, Barnes still makes .224 in TTSX.... thats all you need to know. But if you have, and they stabilize, no flies on them either but the TTSX is what I'd sure be going to for an on purpose bullet. That said deer are not hard to kill generally and I"ve shot quite a few with matchkings, bthps Hornady and amax also...
We can keep Larry Root and all his idiotic blabber and user names on here, but we can't get Ralph back..... Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over....
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Campfire Tracker
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OP
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Thanks again Guys...shot them yesterday in both the Ar, 1/7 twist, and the Savage bolt gun, 1/9 twist. Bullet shot well at 100 in both. Didn`t cronie. I don`t have the Barnes yet, do have Sierra`s 65 grn SPTBT, very accurate bullet in both rifles too. Put a Sight Mark on the AR,really like it, and good to 200 yrds, furthes I`ve shot it, and was thinking I would use for next years deer drives here in Northern Wi. Wondering if the sight would work in snow and rain, suppose I could wipe it clean tho, Eh? Little different vane, killed a buck this year with an 80 grn .25 cal TTSX at 3400 fps, behind the front shoulder. Deer ran about 40 yrds. Surprised at how little damaged meat I had. Could and did eat up to the hole.
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Joined: Jan 2005
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 57,494 |
Just don't expect much from the sierras in performing the same.
After years of using them, and I still do at times, I just go with the understanding today may be fine, tommorrow may be nothing but dust after impact and the next day may be FMJ.. though the FMJ and dust are not really common, they sure do happen.
We can keep Larry Root and all his idiotic blabber and user names on here, but we can't get Ralph back..... Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over....
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