Gents what do you guys pay in the US for these things?
Also, is the 338 solid no longer being made?

Thanks,
Karl.

Karl,

I pulled this off Grafs.com website. I have checked around, but it is probably representative of costs from other sources as well. Can't help you with info on the 338s.

.375 300gr SP BULLET African GS 25/bx $77.59
.375 300g SOLID BULLET African GS 25/bx $95.99
.416 400gr SP BULLET African GS 25/bx $80.39
.416 400g SOLID BULLET African GS 25/bx 101.99

Last time I checked locally, the .458 Speer AGS tungsten core solid in 500 grain weight was US $112 per box. YIKES!! I buy TCCI solids. They are higher quality than Barnes and cheaper - about $1 each in 50 cal.

Are these AGS tungsten soldis supposed to be the best going around??, How do they compare with woodleigh's?? Is the tungstand rod just a gimmick??

Steel jacketed solids (aka Woodleigh, Hornady), are in my opinion, archaic. They are depending on the jacket to hold the poured lead core together. For ultimate reliability and penetration, either use the monolithic bullets (Barnes) or the Speer AGS. The Tungsten rod will not bend, dent, deform, squirt out, mushroom, or any other thing that lead cores WILL do. It is threaded into the bronze "jacket" which is not really a jacket, just the outer section of bullet. Midway has a special on the 416 AGS solids for about $66/box.

The only real justification for these expensive bullet is in the 458 Win...Because they are tungston, they are shorter and that gives the 458 more powder space, which it really needs...they also have a flat nose and kill better than RN solids....

If elephants had engine blocks the speer TC would be the bullet of choice since it is a purpose built armour piercing projectile marketed as a hunting bullet

PC
A TC penetrator is something you step up to when steel cores from normal armour peircing small arms projectiles start to shatter on hard targets.
The standard copper jacketed lead solid is flattening out well before either.

I can see no great advantage in hunting for them, except yes the weight of the core keeps the length down as Ray said in some calibres.

I thought it might just be us getting ripped off here when we import them but seems they are expensive oveer there too. oW!

Thanks,
Karl.

I guess my reasoning would be- For anything that requires a solid bullet, I want the best solid available. Bullet failure is not to fun to worry about when a wounded Cape Buffalo or Rhino is charging, and a bullet is needed to penetrate solid bone. For practice shooting, a soft point of the same weight and shape will shoot to the same impact point (or close enough).
I would also rather pay a little more on bullets than shoot steel bullets down my barrels. I am amazed that some guys will even let the Woodleigh solids get near $30,000 double rifles. They say there is no damage to the barrels from them, but I'm glad it is their money, not mine.

Karl,
Speer dropped the .338 AGS solids some years ago. I found 3 discounted boxes at Cabela's in Owatonna, Mn 2 years ago and picked them up. You may have some luck if you check the dusty shelves at some gun stores.
The .338 was 275 grs and was a perfect partner for Swift's 275 gr A-frame, shot to same point.
Just using a simple ruler, a .458 AGS tungsten is just over 1/8th of an inch shorter than a 500 gr Trophy Bonded Sledgehammer solid. As Ray said, allows more powder.
The Speer manual says that they are solid gilding metal that has been drilled and the tungsten core pressed into it, then the base is crimped to prevent separation.
The "jacket" is very thick indeed.

jeffeosso,
do a search on the African forum for "Failure with Hornady Solid". The picture is no longer available but you will be able to visualize what happened in this case.