Ever since I began handloading, I've held the opinion that if you care only about accuracy Sierra bullets outshoot the others.



But I've found that in my 30-06 (a Remington 721), the 150 gr. Speer boattail bullet gives me a very accurate load ahead of 51 gr. of IMR 4064 (Remington brass, any primer). I used those bullets because I happened to have them on hand. But when I emptied the box I bought 150 gr. Sierra boattails instead, thinking that they'd likely be even better. Wrong! The Sierras -- at least that box of them --were considerably less accurate than the Speers from that particular batch, at least in this load in this rifle.



Have other shooters here found a similar result with Speer vs. Sierra bullets?

Rarely, but it happens.......DJ

IMO if there's trump card in the pack of accuracy hunting bullets it's the Nosler Ballistic tip.

Lloyd,
Try changing the seating depth if you haven't already.Or adjust the powder charge some. I've shot a lot of Sierras over the years, .224 to .308 and never found them short on accuracy or performance on game in a lot of different rifles.
I guess there's a first time for everything.
Stepchild

I will not defend any particular manufacturer's work but will offer the message they provide in the various loading manuals. To wit: When changing any component reduce your laod and start over again! The actual diameter and relative hardness of the new bullets (as well as their actual weight) could easily be quite different from the first "accurate" lot. Had you purchased the same type of bullet from the original manufacturer mentioned the same result could have occured for the same reasons! Just my opinions of course, but stuff happens.

I don't think its that rare. And you needn't single Sierra. My 30-06 doesn't like any boat tailed bullet and shoots clunky looking Rem core lokts as well as anything. I will say that if you're looking for accuracy, Sierra is a good place to start. I have a 22-250 that does not like the Sierra 52gr HPBT Match bullets but does very well with their 53gr flat base Match bullet.

Speer has offered superb hunting bullets over the years. While the AccuBond and others have come on the market lately, Speer has offered the same bonded core bullets for years in their Hot Core series. But, Speer has been among the last to modernize their bullet making machinery and has never, in my experience, been the top accuracy bullet. That has changed.

Today's Speer offerings are broader than ever and their tolerances are better than ever. This has brought accuracy to state of the art with many of their bullets. Performance on game and paper are in line with other brands and warrant handloader's consideration.

Although I have had some accurate Sierra bullets, I have found Speer's to be just as good. They also hold together better than Sierra's for deer/bear. Just my $.02.

WN

Ive had very good accuracy from the standard hot cores over the years. Theyre an outstanding deer bullet IMHO.

Speer hot core bullets are NOT a bonded core bullet. The only difference between them and any other cup and core bullet is the lead is poured in in the liquid state, instead of a cut piece of solid lead wire being formed while forming the bullet. The theory is that the liquid hot lead would conform better to the jacket than cold lead would.

In varmint weight bullets I would put up Speers .224" 50 gr. TNT against any competitively priced bullet from Sierra, Hornady or Nosler.

Every gun and barrel is different, the odds that a gun will shoot a less "famous" bullet better are not that high.
I have a 788 Remington in 308 that absolutely loves the Hornady 165 grain BTSP interlocks, they are "scary" accurate. It will not put any of the 168 - 180 grain Match bullets into twice the group size with any load that I've tried. And I've tried a lot of different loads thinking they would outperform any "hunting" bullets.

The Speer Hotcor line may or may not be a bonded bullet but they provide deeper penetration than either Sierra or Hornady standard line of bullets as they have thicker jackets and I believe the hotcor process provides some jacket adhesion.