Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 35cal speer 220FN

Im headed to NW Ontario again this fall and im planning on taking my M7 .350RM. One bullet that ive been itching to try is the 220 speer. Ive had a pile of them on the shelf for years but they alway got neglected. Prob use TAC and start them around 2700fps. Any thoughts? I typically use 225 woodliegh RN, and still can otherwise.
Thanks

When I first got my .35 Whelen back from rebore nearly 30 yrs. ago I tried Speer 220gr. FN bullets, they would not shoot as accurately as 225 gr. Sierra Game King and Nosler Ballistic Tip. Thus the 225 gr. Sierra GK became my go to bullet in whtetail loads for many years with IMR 4064. The last season I have gone to Hornady Inter-lok 200 gr. RN with IMR 3031 a load which often produces 3 shot cloverleaf groups @ 100 yds.. This bullet produces enormous amounts of hydrostatic shock and works very well on whitetails. Last seasons buck was taken at 100 yds. with a quartering shot, the bullet was perfectly mushroomed and retained 66% of its original weight. I have some Remington Core-lokt 200 gr. RN that show similar accuracy potential and shoot to the same POI as the Hornadys.

Save the Speer 220 FP for a .356 Winchester. Works well at those speeds.
Since the .350RM is similar to the Whelen, I'd go with a Nosler Partition.

This may be a good place to look at.

https://www.speer-ammo.com/download...357-358_dia/350_Remington_Magnum_220.pdf

I have shot quite a few deer with the 225PT from both my whelens and my .350RM. They shoot real well. About 1/2 prob ran 50 yds or better. Blood trails were just OKAY.
I switched to the 225 woodleighs about five years back and it puts them down much harder. O dont think at most a buck has made it 10ft and that was because he was trotting down hill when i fired.
I have a thing for RN and fat blunt bullets.

I can understand the desire to drop 'em fast. Thick paper company woods up above Moosehead made me reconsider my choices.
Two holes is mandatory.
Don't think you will like the results of the 220FN pushed at 2700.

Your deer are bigger than those where I hunt (south MS) but I used the 350 RM loaded with the Speer 220 gr FN with success. Though I no longer have this caliber, my most memorable shot was a buck (just over 150 #s, if I remember correctly). This was during the rut and he passed me headed to where I had put doe pee. I shot him broadside behind the shoulder at about 40 yards. He ran 30 yards or so. The blood trail was massive. When I walked to where he had fallen, I had to step over a fallen tree and grabbed a branch to steady myself. There was so much blood that my hand slid down the branch. Huge exit hole. I do remember using H322 for my reloads and I believe (though I am working off of memory) they were doing 2600 fps or so. I also got several does with this load and none went far after the shot, though none were DRTs. I can vouch for the 220FN in my neck of the woods. There are times I wish I had kept the rifle but it was overkill for where I hunt.

You’d didn’t mention game. I’m a big fan of 35’s and I have two 350RM’s.
My favorite two bullets are 250 grain Hornady SP and 250 grain Speer SP. both shoot hard and are under 1MOA accuracy wise. With either of these bullets, I’d be satisfied for deer through moose. (Admittedly, the largest game I’ve hunted with the 350 RM is elk, but in my opinion they would be good to go on moose too.)

You’d never go wrong with Partitions either.

For the 220 grain Speer, I’d save that for 356 Win, 35 Rem and maybe the 358.

I’ve never tried the 220 Speer in the 358 or 356 though.

Bugger, your right sir! I seemingly forgot to mention im hunting big whitetails!
I have about everything 35 cal in stock on my bench. I have loaded and shot a lot of paper with the speerHC 250 but never used it on game. How did it perform on 200lb deer? Reaction/blood trail? Muzzle velocity?
Im also really surprised more guys have not tried the woodlieghs. I really really enjoy that bullet, which my primary rifle here (.35 whelen pump carbine) will be loaded with when i return from canada.