Question on Speer Grand Slams???

26 November 2001, 13:32

What the heck is that little ring for ahead of the cannelure on heavy-for-caliber Grand Slams? It looks too small to serve as an alternate cannelure and too shallow to lock the jacket to the core.

Thanks. Just gotta know,
RSY

27 November 2001, 08:15

<Dave>

I don't think that they have that ring any more. At least the 180 gr. .308 doesn't. I suppose that was an aid to expansion on the earlier design.

28 November 2001, 02:21

RSY

Well, according to the catalog I have, the 180- and 200-grain .308's both have them still. Are you sure you weren't looking at their Hot-Cor's?

RSY

29 November 2001, 15:55

KuduKing

The ring is there to distinguish the bullets in a loaded case, the heavier weights having the ring. Hornady does the same thing on their 180 grain .308 bullets.

30 November 2001, 02:54

<Dave>

I have just finished shooting two boxes that don't have that ring. I have ten shells left if you would like to come see them. I still have one deer tag left, but shouldn't need ten shells.

30 November 2001, 03:21

RSY

quote:
Originally posted by Dave:
I have just finished shooting two boxes that don't have that ring. I have ten shells left if you would like to come see them.

Appreciate the offer, but not necessary.

Can you find Nitrex ammo locally in SA? Maybe at Nagel's? Nowhere in Austin seems to carry the stuff.

RSY

02 December 2001, 10:06

Hot Core

Hey RSY, Absolutely an excellent question.

But, I think that particular groove on the Heavy-for-Caliber bullets causes the jacket to fold back "closer" to the core(right at the groove) instead of flaring out in a wider frontal diameter. (Take a 6" piece of wire and "nick it" in the middle with a knife to form a shallow groove about 1/4-1/2 way through. Then hold the wire at each end and fold the two ends together to see what I'm talking about if it is not clear.)

Since the resulting expanded frontal diameter is now normally "smaller", the bullet tends to penetrate deeper.

It also tends to result in the bullet retaining more weight than if it just continued opening at the same original "rate of expansion" because less of the core is exposed.

You may see some other differences in Grand Slams made since 2000, because the internal design was changed. They no longer have two cores. The hard rear core is gone. In fact, the typical Grand Slam is now the old "Mag-Tip", but an internal "Heel Lock" for the hot poured core has been added.

I'm pretty sure the 0.243" and 0.257" Grand Slams have always had a single core which is also poured hot.

If you can find any Mag-Tips sitting on a shelf anywhere and you like deep penetration, you can get Grand Slam performance at a real bargain rate. Great bullets!

Does that make any sense?

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Good hunting and clean 1-shot kills, Hot Core

[This message has been edited by Hot Core (edited 12-02-2001).]

02 December 2001, 15:06

<Dave>

RSY,

Nagel's has everything. I load mine myself.

Hot Core,

Ditto on the Mag-Tip except for the loss in BC. In many ways they are the very best all around compromise.

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Davis Chase

04 December 2001, 15:25

<GAHUNTER>

I think Hot Core got it right.

I'm a big fan of Grand Slams. They are the best shooting pemium bullets in several of my rifles. I took a mule deer and an elk two weeks ago in Colorado with 180-grain Grand Slams in a 300 Win Mag. Even though their ballistic coefficient is comparativly low, I get good long-range (300 yards) accruacy out of the 180s.

Recently, however, I bought a box of bullets that had the same ring in front of the cannalure that you are talking about. I contacted Speer and they told me it was because I had bought the "old style" bullets and the ring was part of the controlled expansion function. All I know is that these bullets might as well have been from a different planet since in reloading qualities they didn't come close to duplicating the current bullets. The taper's different and the ogive nowhere near matches the new style bullet.