Never really had over the counter access to any Speer bullets localy until recently. For different reasons I have found myself with a few boxes in different calibers.

1. .416, 350 grain Mag Tips for a 416 Taylor just because they would be cheap to shoot.

2. .284, 130 and 145 grain boat tails just to see how they would group in a couple of 7-08's. Both weights are showing very good potential accuracy wise.

3. .308, 170 grain flat point for a 30-30 since they were the only flat point 30 cal. bullet I could find without ordering.

Now, looking at my bullet shelf I realise, "You just never hear that much about Speer bullets good or bad when compared to other brands available to the handloader. As far as accuracy I am pleased with all that I have tried but what about on game performance? There has got to be some reason why these bullets are just not talked about much?

I used to use the Speer 7mm alot in my 7TCU for met. sil. competition. I found them as accurate as any. Recently I have been shhoting 7mm/160gr in my .280. I may try & whack a deer this year w/ the combo. The 250gr GS is also very accurate in my .338-06.

Speer bullets work very well at the reasonable speeds.

Beware of the BT and Hot Cores, they are very soft.
They work good in smaller calibers like 308 or
7-08 etc, but come apart in the 7 Mag and 300 mags.

The Mag Tips and Grand Slams are much tougher.

I started using the 145gr Speers in a 280 in the 60's. My current favorite deer load is a 120 Hot Core is a 257AI. In my experience they are a very good bullet. The 257 120 gr is tougher than the 117 Sierra's. Have taken lots of deer and never recovered a bullet yet (3100fps) They don't have the accuracy reputation of Sierra but I've always been able to get MOA or better. I like using them, guess I just like the underdog! Jim

Hey Cuz!:

HVarmint, the Speer factory is located over here in Idaho, so I think their distribution is probably more orientated to the Western USA.

However excellent bullets, compete with quality of Hornady any day ( not lessening the Hornady quality either)

I don't buy bullets locally. Always mail order mine and usually do an order or $100.00 or so, and shipping doesn't kill you at that point.

Some good places are Cabelas, or Natchez ( www.natchezss.com) or Mid South (www.midsouthshooterssupply.com) or Grafs & sons ( www.grafs.com) or Midway USA.

I have found the best prices ON the doorstep: shipping etc to come from Cabelas, then either Natchez or Grafs. Grafs is in Missouri as in Midway.

Mid South and Natchez are in Tennessee (Clarksville and Chattanooga)

Location info for shipping estimates.

Good luck Cuz!

I have always had good success on game with Speer Hotcores, boatails aren't Hot Core so will probably do great in the 7mm-08 on deer sized game, but wouldn't reccommend them for any of the Earschplizten Loudenboomer magnums. They make a great 30-30 bullet, I have used them for years in my 32 Special. As far as accuracy goes, they have always shot as well as any hunting bullet in a gun that likes them.

whether I use a grand slam or a partition depends on how well the rifle shoots them.

the most accurate bullet I have ever used in my .338 was a speer 275g semi spitzer- .562" at 2604fps

For years one of my favorite loads is a 130 gr Speer SP. and 57.5 gr. of IMR-4831 in the .270 Winchester. The speer bullets are pretty good. I never had to look for any white tail I shot with that load. And I shot a pile of Deer with that load. Same load works well on Mule and Prong Horns too. The 180 gr. Speer Sp has be a favorite with a friend of mine, in a .30-06 he shot. I shot the same bullet in a 300 Weatherby. It was so so or game and switched to a 200 gr. Nosler Partition. I'm sure it would work well in a 308 or 30-06.

The old adage used to be "Sierra for accuracy, Speer for game." I don't know that's so true now. I suspect it is, but with other bullet companies thrown into the equation such as Hornady and Nosler among others. Speer's Grand Slam bullets are some of the best I've ever used.
Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

Not sure why they are not talked about much but I sure like em. When I started handloading many years ago they were the first bullets I tried and I have had good experiences with them. I love the BTSP as they shoot very accurately in everything I've tried them in and perform great on game. I have taken animals with the following:
mule deer- 308 cal 150gr btsp (30-06)
whitetail-243 cal 100gr btsp (243 win)
Elk- 7mm cal 160gr btsp (7mm mauser)
All performed very well. The only bullet I recoverd was the 100gr 243 and it expanded nicely and stayed in the little Coues deer I shot with it. The others were not recovered as they passed through the animals. Good bullets in my opinion.

I custom loaded comercially here for about 10 years, using almost all Speer bullets. Never had a complaint, and much game was taken. I fact the only complaint I had was with a 6mm Rem loaded with 95gr Nosler partitions. Didn't open up well enough for the customer and he had to track the deer for quite a ways. I normally loaded 105 gr Speer spitzers for both 243 Win and 6mm Rem and they performed very well.

my 6mm remington likes 85.0 grain boat tail with 47.5 grns IMR4831,tryed them all starks which the 65.0 does good,but berger nosler and the rest don't.speers shot .25 to .35 all day at P Dogs

[ 06-09-2003, 05:20: Message edited by: wyoming ]

I've settled with 145gr hot cores for my friends 7mmrem mag, under 1".

I load 150gr hot cores for my 308 BLR but can't get sub moa. I'll just have to settle with 1.5".

For deer you can't go wrong. They are cheap and they kill. I am even surprised of the accuracy I'm getting. I'm going to give them a try in my old man's 280 this week. I won't be surprised if his A-bolt likes them.

Ive been using a lot of hornadys the last few years but before that Speer was my go to bullet. I also liked the 145's in a 7mm for deer. At present I have more hornadys in my cabinet than any other bullet but I REALLY like the look of the new Speer deep shok's and hope they expand them. Reports thus far have been outstanding for such a low priced bullet. Hopefully Ill be adding to those reports this fall.

I like Speer bullets on deer and antelope, animals in the 300 lb. catagory...I particularly like the 130 gr. Speer in the 7x57 Mauser, 284 and 7-08, it is a wonder bullet on deer and antelope with exit wounds the size of a half dollar every time...I like the 30-30 170 gr. and the 180 gr. in the 06...All worked well for years....

I don't like the Speers in big bore rifles on the heavy dangerous game animals. I have seen and had them fail too many times including the premium grand slams.

I shot a moose and a mule deer with that Speer 350 gr. Mag-Tip last fall. 416 Rem Mag. Worked real well, and would not hesitate to use it again. That is the only animal I've killed with a Speer bullet, although I've shot quite a few at the range.

I prefer Speer's to all other simple-cup bullets... in my experience the HotCore's have held together better than the Hornady Interlock which has a more "brittle" jacket. The new Deep Shok's are truly an outstanding bullet in all respects and in my limited "tests" have retained more weight (.308", 180 gr.) while maintaining a larger frontal area than the Nosler 180 Partition. For less than half the price of the Partition I know I'll be using them in every rifle that'll shoot them!

In use the 125gr. TNT in my 308 for coyotes and it is devestating at 3150 fps. Accuracy is in the .5's with my favorite load of 748. I also have developed a load with the 90 gr. TNT in my new 260 that is shooting sub .5's most of the time. Can't wait to try that one on coyotes. I like Speer bullets. I am going to try the 120 gr. in my 260 to see how that goes. I think you will like them.

Shoot Safe, Shoot Straight......RiverRat

Nothing wrong with Speer bullets for deer and
smaller game. I have taken several whitetail
with the 160 Speer 7mm BT spitz (b.c.= 0.556),
in 7mm rem mag. Always an exit wound and no
blow-ups but lungs and heart destroyed. In most
cases the animals were knocked down and did not
get up. At around 2900 fps with 70gr. H-1000 I
found consistant accuracy sub MOA groups. I think
Speer's are under-rated although Nosler, Sierra
and Hornady are fine bullets too. Speer just
doesn't spend as much advertising dollars. My only
objection with all of them is their inconsistent
bullet lengths but I guess that is mainly because
of the tips. I'd like to try the Deep-shok 160's
if my order ever comes in. Speer bullets have
always been the "workhorses" among reloaders! BLR7

My buddy swears by the 175 gr Mag tip in his 7mm Rem Mag. He gets good accuracy and has put down a couple of big elk.