Anybody used these?
They are not the 'Game Ranger' bullets but essentially an SA copy of the TSX.

Comments sound good...

http://www.frontierbullets.co.za/spartan.htm

quote:

Reply

I have used two weights: The 200 grains in my .300 Weatherby Mag. Accurate and deadly.The 150 grains in my .308 win. Also accurate and deadly. Have yet to get a recovered bullet. Exit holes clearly show good expansion, even on longish shots with the .308! My only reason for stopping the use is that this locally manufactured Barnes 'copy' is now significazntly more expensive that the imported Barnes! Local is lekker, but less expensive imports is even better!

In good hunting.

Andrew McLaren

I don't know how they compare in price, but you might also like to consider the GS Custom HV which looks to be a similar design. If you want ot know more about how they perform you could contact 375Fanatic who has been playing around with them for a while.

The GS Custom HVs are "monometal" but the concept and method of loading are radically different from Barnes types.

Where Barnes type bullets (such as the Spartan) are grooved to "reduce" friction which is typically high in such bullets, the GS's have 4 driving bands that actually "fill" the grooves while the bullet's shank rides the lands and as such, operate at MUCH lower pressure than the Barnes type, so:

While it is normal to back off a bit on your load with a Barnes type as compared to conventional bullets, but:

With GS HV's you actually LOAD UP! In fact what is normally the maximum load for a conventional is often just the starting load for a GS HV.

Nett result is much higher velocity at much lower pressure. I'm pushing their 200gr bullet at 3200FPS in my .375 H&H. Talk about a flat shooting big bore! Still working up the final load for accuracy by playing with seating depth etc, but they shoot into an inch & a quarter at this stage.

A buddy of mine is trying GS HV's in his .308 Win and they are grouping well and at nearly 3000fps his 200m point of impact is just a half inch lower than the 100m p.o.i.

They are NOT cheap by any means, but I heard Gerrie Schultz describe their quality control procedures and tolerance specs recently and I know that that class of control never can come cheap.

quote:

Originally posted by Stephen Palos:
I heard Gerrie Schultz describe their quality control procedures and tolerance specs recently.

Stephen,

Was that at one of his roadshow presentations? - I went to one a few weeks ago on Nelspruit and it was a really great evening.

I find it really hard to get my head round this fast bullet business as I've always believed in slow and heavy...... but if Gerard says it works, then I have absolutely no doubt it'll work.

I do use his FNMS, and love 'em to bits!

Shakari,

yes, I hosted him at a recent hunters meeting here in Randfontein just after I started to look into his products. Very interesting, but a totally different approach to our "conventional" wisdom.

I am trying them out in my .375 to add a long range aspect, perhaps for Kalahari/Namib gemsbuck.

I'm also trying them in my .222 for my 8 year old to try for his first buck this season. Just wanting the extra insurance of a "premium" bullet for him.

I also have a preference for heavy and slow, especially in the bushveld, but I see a place for Gerrie's bullets in specific instances and will certainly give them a try on game this season to ascertain for myself what their terminal performance is like.

He does a great presentation huh? - I'll look forward to reading about your results of the coming year........

I also see we're both members of the Bigbore Assoc.

I'll certainly try post any performance info on them here when I can.

Yep, BASA is my "home". Greatest learning curve I've ever been through; turned my .375 from a "cannon" to a "plinker" in just 2 shoots

I'm missing the next shoot (24 May) but luckily it's because I'll be a'huntin!
I will be manning their stand at the AIM show at the Joburg War Museum all next weekend though.

I might try to make it down there for the show, if I do, I'll look in on you.......

That would be great. Come spend some time at the BASA stand and have a beer!

I've sent a PM with my cell no.