Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints Which Is More "EXPLOSIVE" Blitzkings or SPSX's

I'm shooting a .222 and want to know which bullet has more of an explosive results on prairie dogs - blizkings or spsx's? Both shoot equally well , so the the only deciding factor is which one produces a more spectacular result.

As a long time 222 fan with an article in print on same as well as a brace of old Sako's so chambered let me offer up this treatise to answer your question....

1) Varmint Grenade from Barnes 2) Speer TNT 3) everyting else.

I agree about the Speer TNT in a 50grainer, never could get a Barnes to shoot good, in the 40grainer the BlitzKing's are the shizzle, explosive and accurate.

The TNT looks like, and some of us call it, the flying ashtray BC ain't so great, but out to 250 yards it is just fine. Hits called in Coyotes REALLY hard as well. In my rifles the 36gr VG's make little cloverleaf groups but each rifle is a law unto ittself. I even bult a special bench rifle specifically to shoot these, and it DO. Exploding rodents is SO much fun.....

Safariman.

Has Speer changed the 50 Gr. TNT? The ones I have are very similar to the Berger 52 Gr. Flat base. The 52's on the other hand have a cavern for a hollow point. I haven't bought any TNT's for a couple of years. My Cooper 222 Mag, shoots them in to tiny little groups. I hope they haven't changed them!

6MMWASP

I am not Safariman, but Speer's old 52 gr HP had a very large hollow point opening, but their newer TNT's have a smaller hollow point, thinner jacket and more elongated ogive. The 50 gr TNT actually has a better ballistic coefficient than the 52 gr HP. (.228 vs. .225) The Speer bullet I remember being referred to as "the flying ashtray was their .45 cal 200 gr JHP for the .45 ACP. Now that had a major cavity!

I have shot both the TNT and the 52 HP, had feeding issues with the 52's but they shot well in everything I tried them in. Glad to hear that the TNT is still what it used to be. Thanks

No the TNT hasn't changed it is still a flat base sharp point spritzer in the 50 gr 224. Don't overlook the 50 gr Hornady V-Max in the 222 Rem.

My 50gr TNT's are over a decade old, might be an older design or run. Mine have pretty big nose openings and are quite explosive. I will have to compare them to a newer lot. As soon as I shoot them up it will be 36gr Varmint Grnades as the replacement load. The Old TNTS were pretty explosive partly due to thinner jacket I seem to recall. There is a warning on the boxes that says to not try and run them past 3400fps and I can say from personal experience that they will come apart in the air at speeds much above that like from a 22-250 at near max speeds. Kinda interesting to make a 20 yard long streak in the air and have no hole in your target at 25 yards!

I'm kind of an oldtimer and only own 1, 222. I shoot Hornady 50 SX and the pre Blitzking Sierra, 50 gr. Blitz in it. Both are what appear to me to be the best of the old time duce bullets. Classic bullets for a classic caliber, or just old fashoned? I like them.

I also like the old SX bullets from Hornady. They performed well for me in my .223's and are quite a bit cheaper than the plastic tipped bullets. I tried in vain to locate some for a couple of years, so settled on some Nosler SHOTS bullets as a cost effective replacement even though they didn't quite match the accuracy/performance of the SX. Now it seems they are becoming available again. I guess I will have to try and deal the 900 regular 50 gr SP I bought when the SX's were nowhere to be found. Maybe my buddy can use them in his 22-250 AI.

Some of you gents must live in an area with supply problems..

the SPSX bullets have always been readily available on the shelf here locally..

I shoot tons of them, plus the Speer 50 TNT, their 52 grain HP ( just loaded some up for the 22.250 tomorrow)..

doesn't seem you folks are aware that Speer also makes a 55 grain TNT, that is listed for 22.250 and 220 Swift velocities...costs the same as the 50s locally, but the shelve has plenty of 55s tho, as I gather many don't even know of their existence..

from my use, they hold up well at high velocity, but also perform well at lower 223 velocities..

Sadly I am using up the last of my 50 gr TNTs that I bought 3000 of, back when they were being promoted at MidSouth or Natchez at $67/ per thousand...wish I'd have known what the prices were going to do.... I'd have bought about 20,000 or so..

we are so lucky to have so many 22 caliber bullets that perform so well..

If you're doing a PD shoot, I'd stock up on the SPSXs, for the cost savings alone. Either bullet is excellent, and the BKs have a better ballistic coefficient, but the cost savings will be substantial with the SPSXs. They shoot as well as anything does in my Fireball, and that's pretty danged good.


I use them a lot in my .221 Fireball CZ. Outstanding bullets and built for those speeds. (the same can be said for the older Sierra Blitzes, NOT BlitzKings, which are tipped).

BK's are spendy, but blow up GREAT. They are my expensive pet in both my BR and 223. Smiling through tears is how it is. Bang, ploop, grin, sniffle....
If the SPSX's shoot samesame, use those. I made a load for another guy's 223 and he was killing very well with them.
As for the TNT's, I bought some moly 50s some time ago, and never got them to shoot, much to my wallet's regret.

i once shot a nail that was holding up the piece of cardboard that I was shooting at. The bullet hit the nail and blew up taking out a 2 inch piece of carboard. Took me a bit of time looking through the scope to figure out what I did wrong.

Playing at the range yesterday, I found out the SPSX is MUCH MORE EXPLOSIVE than a blitz king...

at least when you launch one out of the barrel of one in 12 twist 22.250 with a load manual MV of 3900 fps or so..

Turned the old Ruger into "Puff the Magic Dragon"

the old SPSXs disintegrated about 24 to 36 inches out of the barrel...

of course I was expecting that, and only loaded up 5 just to see if anyone of them would make it to a 50 yd target...

none did...

oh the things we dream up in our devious little minds...

i WILL BUY THOSE moLY'ED 50'S OF OFF YOU IF YOU WANT TO SELL OR TRADE THEM. lET ME KNOW, MARK

Your deviant mind needs better toys. The other testers for Barnes and I have run the 36gr Varmint Grenade out at 4400fps and kept them in tact to 100 yards or longer. They will then come unglued on a mere thompsons seedless grape! I built a bench gun rifle specifically for these little destructo pills. Latest barrel on my Sako L-461 223 is with a fat tube 3 groove Lilja, super match grade, 1 in 14 twist. Got to give this combo a TRY. Very high fun factor with great air 'neath the unfortunate rodents of the day. Hoping to soon build up a 224tth and run these mean little pills in THAT at speeds exceeding 4500fps Me thinks.

In the 222, the 40 gr. BK's get the nod for the destructo factor.

Only have a half-box left. I gave them a good try, and I keep them around just in case they shoot in something else.