17 April 2001, 06:20
<Peter Walker>Speer bullets
Can anyone tell me difference in construction between Speer Grand Slams and Speer Mag Tips?
....Peter
17 April 2001, 08:35
R FlowersPeter:
According to Speer's loading manual, the Mag Tip represents an intermediate step between the original Hot-Cor Hunting bullets and the premium Grand Slam bullets.
Mag Tip bullets are manufactured using the Hot-Cor process, but the jacket thickness in the critical shank area is roughly 45 percent thicker than the same area in the equivalent Hot-Cor bullet. The Mag Tip also features internal fluting of the jacket.
The Grand Slam is their top of the line bullet. Like the Mag Tip it has a jacket with a heavy shank tapering to a fluted mouth. It has a core of two different alloys. The rear core has 5 percent antimony added. The rear core is held down by a ring of jacket material. The front core has one and a half percent antimony and is poured into the jacket using the Hot-Cor technique.
The Grand Slams are a tougher bullet and have higher Ballistic Coefficients than the Mag Tip bullets.
Hope this helps, R F
18 April 2001, 07:50
R-WESTPeter -
Saw your post about Speer Mag-Tip vs. Grand Slams, and it looks like RFlowers pretty much sums everything up.
I've noted, during the never ending quest for greater accuracy and performance, in at least two calibers and weights (7MM - 160 Grain and .308 - 150 grain) that the Mag-Tips give greater velocity with the same powder charge than an equivalent spitzer, round nose or what have you. In the case of the 7MM - 160 in both a .284 Win. and 7x57AI, the average velocity increase was almost 100 FPS, with no signs of pressure; with the .308, the average increase was a bit less, but it was certainly there. I fired some groups, during the same range session, with all other components the same except for the bullets, and in every instance the Mag-Tip's velocity was higher.
Let us know if a similar thing happens to you if you try them.
Good Luck,
R-WEST
18 April 2001, 08:43
<Peter Walker>Thanks for the info fellas. I will be sure to let you know any noticeable velocity, accuracy diffences. I use Grand Slams for deer and black bear in a 30-06. Wanted some to try in a .416 and could only find Mag Tips in the bigger caliber. Sounds like they should do the trick for everything but buffalo.
....Peter