Anybody have any comments on the Speer Grand Slams? I am thinking of loading some for my wife's 270 win. She shoots mainly short distances under 200 yds so I am thinking the BC should not matter too much. I have a buddy who has been loading them for years and he swears by them. Thanks!
Posts: 25 | Location: Texas, USA | Registered: 24 April 2004
My understanding is they are no longer made w/ the dual core as the old ones, now they are made basically like the HotCores. I could be wrong but I read it somewhere & it would also bear up to tests I have done on an old box I had vs. a brand new box of 7mm 160gr in my .280. Good bullets though, just not in the same catagory as the NP.
They are a good bullet but the currently manuf. GS is not like the older ones. I wouldn't call them premiums anymore. They are perf. wise on par w/ the Hornady Interloks.
Posts: 7752 | Location: kalif.,usa | Registered: 08 March 2001
They are great bullets. I live a few miles away from the plant here where they manufacture them, and I occasionally shoot with the technicians who manufacture them. I will have to test Fred's phrase and see if they have changed at all. I strongly disbelieve they have since I have seen mushroomed (new) bullets out of game and they are still phenominal. Still have the soft nose and hard back-end and retain a good deal of weight.
Posts: 395 | Location: Tremonton, UT | Registered: 20 April 2004
Hey Fred, I just contacted the guys at ATK. Yes, you are absolutely right, they do not have the dual core anymore. However, ATK states that extensive studies went into the new design and that they found that penetration and weight retention increased due to the new design. I was told that the jacket is thicker and of a different material than the regular hot-core bullets also, but the lead material is much like the hot-core bullets. I just assumed with the pretty mushrooms I saw pulled from animals that they still had the dual core. I was also told that accuracy has improved since they did away with the dual core.
Posts: 395 | Location: Tremonton, UT | Registered: 20 April 2004
Yes, but I like the bullet "profile" of the new grand slam better than the mag tips. At least for me, I worked up some loads that produced 1 inch groups with the grand slams in my old factory 300WM, but I couldn't get that with the mag tips though. That reminds me, I need to sell a box of magtips (180 grain 30 cal).
Posts: 395 | Location: Tremonton, UT | Registered: 20 April 2004
The first big game animal I ever shot with a Speer GS was an Oregon mule deer that I shot through the lungs with a 150 gr. GS out of a .270 Win. back in 1979 at about 100 yards. At the shot the deer jumped up, ran in a circle, and folded. The jacket was found just under the hide on the ENTRANCE side, but he core went clear through.
In general, I have found the GS to be an extremely accurate bullet in a number of rifles, but it holds together no better than a Hornady Inter-Loct, if it holds together as well.
I had a .300 Mag that I tried Grand Slams for an elk hunt. I loaded up some 180 GS at 3050 fps (26" barrel). I was on one side of a canyon and the bull was walking up the other side. I could see he wouldn't turn so aimed behind the shoulders dead on the spine. At the shot, he fell backward, kicked twice and was dead. HOWEVER, I never used a Speer GS again!!! The bullet completely exploded when it hit the spine, blowing a hole in the top of the spine, but leaving it intact. I was picking microscopic particlles of lead from the meat, and had to throw away a bit of backstrap because of it. I called Speer, and they didn't seem to think that was unusual. I've been using Partitions ever since, never had one disintegrate.
bowhuntr
Posts: 931 | Location: Somewhere....... | Registered: 07 October 2002
The Speer hotcor style bullets have always done fine by me. I have never seen a jacket core seperation using either the Mag Tips or the standard spitzer styles. I consider them to be stronger bullets than Hornady interloks retaining more weight and in general better large game bullets. I never shot a Grand Slam due to the excellent performance I have gotten from the other two and in fact see no advantage from the partition style bullets as generally the Speers retain more weight. It seems there are guys on a lot of forums that must be getting a kickback from Nosler for every mention of the fabled partition, could be why this simple bullet is so expensive.
OK, Who's holding out on me. I want my kickback! I've been shilling for Nosler for twenty years now, and I'm still waiting for a plain white (stuffed) envelope.
Posts: 7158 | Location: Snake River | Registered: 02 February 2004
Exactly. Really, partitions retain about 50 to 60% of their weight while I have seen grand slams retain 80%. Partitions are a great bullet since they perform consistantly, but I think the grand slam is just as good and costs less.
Posts: 395 | Location: Tremonton, UT | Registered: 20 April 2004
They have changed. Talked to Mr. Jones at Speer over a couple of years ago about it. No more locking fins skived from the inside of the jacket into the core. No more two different hardnesses of core(front half soft, back half hard). To me they seem more like an over-priced Mag Tip.
Several things to consider: 1) In some guns they don't group, they pattern. 2) In some gun the flat tip keeps them from feeding correctly, even in one of my pre64 M70s.
From what I have observed the new style bullet while still acceptable, is not as tough and does not penatrate as deep as the old style did. Pedro
"in some guns they won't group" That could be said about any bullet.
"flat nose keeps them from feeding". you must have one cheap assed rifle or it needs some quick attention from a competent gunsmith.
If you don't like 'em, don't use 'em but simply trying to trash them only shows you haven't a clue. I have had too many exits wounds on game to believe they are not one fine bullet. I've shot about a ton of the damn things give or take a couple and never had a failure to feed nor to kill the hell out of what I was shooting at.
Posts: 2037 | Location: frametown west virginia usa | Registered: 14 October 2001
I used GS's for many years and still do but not like I used to, taken quite a bit if game with them, not what I would call a premium bullet, but about as good a bullet for the money as you can get.
I had a few that came out of game, also had some Hornadys out of game, I'd have to say the GS retain more weight, but less than a partition. If a guys on a budget they are hard to beat.
Posts: 1868 | Location: League City, Texas | Registered: 11 April 2003
