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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,315
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,315 |
I'll share an experience I had with Speed a year or so ago. I bought 3 boxes of boatails. When loading them,I noticed a burr around the top of the boat tail. Opened the other boxes and found them to be the same. The points were less than stellar too. Lead was smeared down the side on one side, like these bullets were formed in worn out dies or such. I called Speer. They requested pics before moving forward. I sent them pics of both issues. The conceded to sending a label for their return. The turn around was pretty quick. Along with an apologetic email and tracking number. The problem was, the replacement bullets were of the same lot number,with the same problems. More pics sent. Another label and a refund this time.
I swore them off. My loading bench use to be predominantly yellow boxes. The first bullets I ever bought at age 13, we're Speer. Then like Tom, I filled in some blanks in a bullet order with Speer bullets. New age Grand Slams to be exact. The price was just too good to pass up. Figured they would serve as break in fodder if nothing else. Turns out they are just fine. No worse than any other bullet accuracy wise. A little blunt by today's standards,lol. Maybe they will put some variety of carbon fiber of aluminum tip in them. Wood maybe. Or granite. Granite would be cool. Titanium is where it's at. I think they should stick a titanium tip in the Grand Slam. Yep.
Remember. You saw it here first.
Last edited by Otter6; 04/29/19.
"Political Correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end."
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 151,833 Likes: 20
Campfire Savant
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Campfire Savant
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 151,833 Likes: 20 |
I used the Grand Slams a good bit. I never found one in an animal. Punched right through, big exit wounds.
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,226
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,226 |
My loading bench use to be predominantly yellow boxes. The first bullets I ever bought at age 13, we're Speer. Ditto. I remember the time our local store (drugstore with reloading items) ran out of Speer 38 cal. 148 HBWC and we had to buy Hornady!?!? We were pissed!
Murphy was a grunt.
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 13,469 Likes: 3
Campfire Outfitter
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OP
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 13,469 Likes: 3 |
Winchester brass arrived yesterday so I worked up to 47.0 grains of H414 under the Speer BTSP which is the listed Speer max for this bullet I also used CCI 250 primers. Put six in 1 1/2 inches including a couple clicks of left windage. I'm now set.
Dog I rescued in January
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Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 3,188
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 3,188 |
Finally got around to trying these today, my Tikka liked 45.0 grains of H414. 3 went into a nice 3/4” cluster. Even the charges it didn’t like produced 1.25” groups. This is better than the 140 Ballistic Tips and 139 Interlocks I had been shooting. Next up is the 120 TTSX, though still have 130 and 145 hot cors to try (sucker for a promotional sale) 😁.
Stuck in airports, Terrorized Sent to meetings, Hypnotized Over-exposed, Commercialized Handle me with Care... -Traveling Wilbury's
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 16,512
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 16,512 |
My first deer, in the 80s, 7RM, 30 yds, ran one right into the shoulder knuckle. Yep, vaporized that onside. LOTS of damage!! Deer went about 35 yds maybe.
I would not use that bullet at hi-vel impact, but at moderate speeds probably does fine.
Tom, you might try some Varget, or a touch better, IMR 4064.
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 46,745
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 46,745 |
I used them in my 7x57 and it seemed to pencil through. The buck died of course, but wasn’t excited about expansion. In the leg, through the heart, out the “elbow.”
Tiny entrance, tiny exit. I will say, minimal meat damage.
Camp is where you make it.
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 963
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 963 |
And why wouldn't they work on game? Have shot elk with them , so I guess they would work on your big Texas deer.
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Joined: May 2017
Posts: 4,926
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 4,926 |
I killed lots of critters with a 165 gr Grand Slam in .308 Win before they discontinued factory ammo years ago. Speer bullets are fine for medium velocity outfits.
Life Member NRA, RMEF, American Legion, MAGA. Not necessarily in that order.
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,733
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,733 |
In case anyone is looking for more Speer bullets for hunting, I just posted these for sale in the classifieds today: (All prices + shipping.) 7mm - 2 unopened boxes (50 ea.) Speer Grand Slam 145 gr. - $13/each 1 unopened box (50) Speer Grand Slam 160 gr. - $14 1 unopened box (50) Speer Grand Slam 175 gr. - $14 3 + boxes (100 ea.) 388 bullets total - Speer 145 gr. BT #1628 - $45 5+ boxes (100 ea.) 558 bullets total - Speer 130 gr. Spitzer #1623 - $65 partial box (76 bullets) Speer 160 gr. Mag-Tip #1637 - $14 partial box (93 bullets) Speer 160 gr. Spitzer #1635 - $18 partial box (67 bullets) Speer 145 gr. Spitzer - $12 https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...learing-out-lots-of-bullets#Post13852951
"Kids don't remember their best day of television."
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 13,469 Likes: 3
Campfire Outfitter
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OP
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 13,469 Likes: 3 |
Put the H414 load through a chrony test, 2 shots averaged 2754 FPS, a bit more than I expected but I can't complain. Load being a book max loading of 47.0 grains of H414, Winchester case, CCI 250 primer and the 145 grain Speer BTSP.
Dog I rescued in January
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