375 H&H - 235 gr. Speer

05 October 2018, 04:04

Bear Cat

I'm going to try this load on deer this year .
375 H&H - 235 grain Speer semi spit.
67.2 grains IMR 3031 - CCI200 prim . 2750 MV.

What do you think , does anybody else use this bullet ..and what are your results ..

I just want to use my 375 H&H more often ..

05 October 2018, 04:23

Ray B

I've used the 235 Speer in the 375 H&H but in my testing of it on water-filled jugs it opened much quicker than I prefer, but for broadside shots on deer it should be fine. I much prefer the 250 Sierra.

05 October 2018, 04:25

Hogbreath

A good friend of mine tried them. They coppered his bore pretty badly. Shot well but it was Booger getting his rifle clean. Barnes TSX works well in my rifle, 235 gr.

05 October 2018, 07:07

Bear Cat

Thanks guys , I'm going to try them ..
I agree that copper fouling is a PIA sometimes, I just ordered some KG-12 copper remover from midway ..just in case ..

Some guns seem prone to fouling more Than others , not sure why ..maybe a smooth or rough bore ..? ..

05 October 2018, 07:21

sambarman338

As I recall, Elmer Keith thought the 235-grainers ideal for woodchucks.

05 October 2018, 14:59

Samuel_Hoggson

I punched paper with several boxes of them. This was decades ago - had a M-700 Rem KS mountain. Wish I'd kept it.

No copper fouling issue.

Was using various charges of IMR-3031. Think between 60 and 65 gr. Reduced recoil weenies. Would have to dig up the chrono numbers. But they grouped very well.

Writers, Keith and Taylor included, bashed older 235 gr types. But the author on ballisticstudies.com speaks highly of the Hotcor 235 gr Speer on game.

Will mess with some 235 and 270 gr Speers in the .375R next summer.

05 October 2018, 19:13

MacD37

I've shot everything from whitetail deer to Hippo with a 375 H&H mag bolt rifle, using a 300 gr Nosler partition, and see no need for any other bullet. The rifle's irons and scope are both set 3 inches high @ 100 yds, and it is dead zero at 200 yds and only 4 inches low at 250 yds.

That cartridge is 2550 fps at muzzle and will kill anything it hits in boiler room. With the rifle set this way no matter what you are hunting the hold on target is the same.

..375H&H mag one rifle for the world!

....Mac >>>===(x)===> MacD37, ...and DUGABOY1
DRSS Charter member
"If I die today, I've had a life well spent, for I've been to see the Elephant, and smelled the smoke of Africa!"~ME 1982

Hands of Old Elmer Keith

05 October 2018, 20:31

Pa.Frank

I tried them when I first got my 375... i couldn't get them to group under 2"

I like the Speer 285 SP for accuracy. Best I have found for accuracy out of my Sako AV

06 October 2018, 02:14

Bear Cat

quote:
Originally posted by MacD37:
I've shot everything from whitetail deer to Hippo with a 375 H&H mag bolt rifle, using a 300 gr Nosler partition, and see no need for any other bullet. The rifle's irons and scope are both set 3 inches high @ 100 yds, and it is dead zero at 200 yds and only 4 inches low at 250 yds.

That cartridge is 2550 fps at muzzle and will kill anything it hits in boiler room. With the rifle set this way no matter what you are hunting the hold on target is the same.

..375H&H mag one rifle for the world!

Beware of the man with one gun , they shoot it very well !!

07 October 2018, 02:16

impala#03

Take a look at Cutting Edge Bullets 230 grain bullet for the 375 H&H. I have not shot anything with it yet, but it groups well out of my Ruger #1 and hits 3000 fps.

07 October 2018, 03:01

cal pappas

The Speer 235s were fine for several plains game critters back in my single barrel days. I still have a good supply but no rifle for them. Maybe someday...
Cal

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07 October 2018, 04:20

Atkinson

The Speer will not copper foul a .375 bore but a Barnes X 235 gr. will or any copper monolithic will.

Ive shot plains game with it an it worked great, a friend of mine uses it on elk regularly an loves them..

I suspect any animal you shoot with a 375 will keel right over pretty quick, maybe a short run sometimes, even with a 300 or 350 gr. bullet!!

least that's been my experience.

I only use two bullets in the 375 these days a 300 gr.Nosler and a 350 gr. Woodleigh soft/solid. They work on everything that walks, talks, crawls, swims or flys.

07 October 2018, 16:49

Bear Cat

Thanks guys . I recently came across 10 boxes of handloads in the 375H&H - 235 gr. Speer - 67.2 gr. IMR3031 - 2750MV

If these shoot minute of deer at 100 yards -
I'm going hunting ...

I'm used to killing deer with 25/06 or 257 Roberts , the 375 will make a little bigger hole :-)

12 October 2018, 02:34

lawndart

Not to be a total asshole, but I sense that you had already made up your mind, and didn't pay much attention to some very good feedback from some very experienced hunters and shooters.

12 October 2018, 03:05

Bear Cat

What's your point lawndart ?
I had already acquired these handloads and wanted some opinions pro or con

I very much appreciate and pay attention to this feedback . I value opinions of all responders to my inquirie..

This is a special opportunity to get professional advice

I even value your opinions, sometimes :-)

12 October 2018, 20:32

clayman216

I have shot them and while getting good accuracy I just stayed with my 300 go TSX. Why, because I have killed so many animals with it of all sizes from deer and impala to numerous buffalo and eland and have NEVER had a problem with it. It kills small thin skinned game like deer well with little meat damage if any and kills the big stuff just as well. One load, one trajectory, one scope zero and simplicity and reliability. All good and no bad.

12 October 2018, 20:51

Blacktailer

In 235's I've used the Speer and TSX. Both are very accurate in my M70. You can over drive the light bullets and end up with more meat damage and the BC sucks but that shouldn't effect ballistics unless you are shooting past 350-400 yards.
If they shoot in your rifle, use 'em.

12 October 2018, 20:59

Biebs

That was my go-to round when hunting spot-n-stalk Black Bears in British Columbia for years. It does the trick.

12 October 2018, 23:25

Bear Cat

Thanks guys - really appreciate the feedback.

13 October 2018, 00:08

jeffeosso

fairly soft.. great for lower 48 .. i love them in the 376 steyr

opinions vary band of bubbas and STC hunting Club

Information on Ammoguide about
the416AR, 458AR, 470AR, 500AR
What is an AR round? Case Drawings 416-458-470AR and 500AR.
476AR,
http://www.weaponsmith.com

16 October 2018, 22:59

376 steyr

You can always use the 225 grain hornady inter-lok too for deer.

17 October 2018, 07:46

Fjold

I experimented with a number of light weight .375 bullets. All of them shot three shot groups under an inch at 100 yards.

235 grain CEB Raptor ER with 85 grains of BLC-2 at 3099 fps but it's a varmint bullet not suitable for big game.

200 grain ACP (Australian copper projectiles) with 87 grains of BLC-2 for 3204 fps

235 grain Barnes TSX with 78 grains of R-15 for 2970 fps

235 grain Barnes TSX with 76.5 grains of H4895 for 3023 fps

Frank

"I don't know what there is about buffalo that frightens me so.....He looks like he hates you personally. He looks like you owe him money."
- Robert Ruark, Horn of the Hunter, 1953

NRA Life, SAF Life, CRPA Life, DRSS lite

17 October 2018, 07:51

chuck375

I think they should work, I killed a whole lot of deer and a few elk with a Speer 105g spitzer at 3000 fps out of my 243...

donttroll

17 October 2018, 19:21

50 Calshtr

quote:
Reply

I shoot them at about 2500 fps with MOA accuracy. Know a guy who was involved in testing them who told me they were a true bonded bullet and good from 1700 fps on up. I've never recovered one from deer or hogs, all pass thrus but never noted any bullet fragments.

19 October 2018, 02:24

Bear Cat

Thanks guys , I shot some yesterday, and they seemed to group @ 1.5 inch / 100 yards..plenty adequate for deer ... moderate recoil is a plus ..

Interesting to know that they are a bonded core bullet ..

19 October 2018, 05:41

A.J. Hydell

quote:
Originally posted by Bear Cat:
Thanks guys , I shot some yesterday, and they seemed to group @ 1.5 inch / 100 yards..plenty adequate for deer ... moderate recoil is a plus.

Yep, you got yourself some good little plinker loads right there.

I use the 200gn pills for that, but they'll still put a deer down. Hogs too.

20 October 2018, 07:29

A7Dave

They wouldn't shoot for beans in my 375HH. Miserable groups. I'm guessing they were made for the 375Win.

20 October 2018, 17:07

Bear Cat

quote:
Originally posted by A7Dave:
They wouldn't shoot for beans in my 375HH. Miserable groups. I'm guessing they were made for the 375Win.

Wonder why - same diameter bullet .375
375 win was designed around 235gr. - 35gr./IMR 3031 - 1700 fps

My manual shows my load @ 2700 fps , I don't think I would try to push them any faster. I have not chronograph them yet ...my max load shows 75grains IMR 3031 - 2900 fps

21 October 2018, 20:19

umzingele

I have a rifle made by Holland in 1961. 300 grain Nosler partitions, 286 grain PMP solids, Hornady 300 grain solids, 270 grain Hornady softs all group 1 inch or less....the 235 grain Speers, of which I bought 400 because they were cheap.....group minute of paper plate....nothing better than a five inch group....more like patterning my shotgun...fast or slow my rifle and the 235 grain Speers are not compatible!

21 October 2018, 20:29

A7Dave

quote:
Originally posted by umzingele:
I have a rifle made by Holland in 1961. 300 grain Nosler partitions, 286 grain PMP solids, Hornady 300 grain solids, 270 grain Hornady softs all group 1 inch or less....the 235 grain Speers, of which I bought 400 because they were cheap.....group minute of paper plate....nothing better than a five inch group....more like patterning my shotgun...fast or slow my rifle and the 235 grain Speers are not compatible!

That was my experience. I got a box of them (the 235's) when I bought my rifle. I figured I'd use them to sight in my scope and for practice, but the accuracy was, like you say, minute of paper plate. I tossed them out. If they work for other's guns, wonderful. I was surprised how bad they were in mine.

21 October 2018, 20:33

chuck375

I guess I'm lazy. I shoot 150g Partitions out my 270 Win at 3000 fps, 300g A-Frames at 2550 out of our 375 H&H/Weatherby and 570 TSX's at 2300 fps out of my 500 Jeffery. With the exception of a varmint load using 90g Sierra HPBTs out of our 270, one bullet one load per caliber. Seems to work.

29 October 2018, 01:14

Atkinson

My only advise based on my limited experience with the old 235s is they sure kill game well, but keep your shots in the rib cage and off bone or they will getcha a tub of blood shot goooooo! or shoot them at about 2100 FPS (Im guessing on the velocity but close Id bet) and they will kill deer well and not destroy all that good eating.

29 October 2018, 01:16

Atkinson

Chuck is spot on, Ive shot a lot of small PG with 300 and 350 gr. Woodleighs, also a lot of big PG and CApe buffalo, Hippo and Eland..If it fails to expand game won't go far..

02 November 2018, 04:14

JFE

I've used a 235gr Speer for years on local game. My load only makes just over 2800fps and the bullet holds together well at that speed. You can push them harder but I hardly see the point. It's not a bullet I'd use on large thick skinned game but for medium sized thin skinned game it works just fine.

When the Brits originally developed the 375H&H they had 235, 270 and 300gr factory loads for it. The 235gr loads were designed for lighter game at longer ranges but were subsequently dropped.

16 November 2018, 02:46

Atkinson

A lot of folks expect all game to flop at the shot with big bores when in reality they may as often as not run 50 or 100 yards with a shoulder shot..Ive shot a lot of PG with the 375, 416, 404 and even the 470, and had even the smallest of PG make a run..The plus is you usually don't have a lot of blood shot meat, and you will have a good blood trail and I doubt that you will never lose one, I never have..

If you want knock,em down every time and a bloodshot mess use a 22-250, or 220 swift. and expect an ocassional animal lost..

16 November 2018, 04:04

A.J. Hydell

quote:
Originally posted by A7Dave:
quote:
Originally posted by umzingele:
I have a rifle made by Holland in 1961. 300 grain Nosler partitions, 286 grain PMP solids, Hornady 300 grain solids, 270 grain Hornady softs all group 1 inch or less....the 235 grain Speers, of which I bought 400 because they were cheap.....group minute of paper plate....nothing better than a five inch group....more like patterning my shotgun...fast or slow my rifle and the 235 grain Speers are not compatible!

That was my experience. I got a box of them (the 235's) when I bought my rifle. I figured I'd use them to sight in my scope and for practice, but the accuracy was, like you say, minute of paper plate. I tossed them out. If they work for other's guns, wonderful. I was surprised how bad they were in mine.

Try loading the 235-grainers into the 2700-fps range with Varget.

22 November 2018, 18:50

Splittinghairs

Bear Cat,
Please keep us posted on your results this year.

I use to hunt deer with a 375H&H and had great fun and success with it: Pre-64 mod 70.

08 December 2018, 05:40

Atkinson

Some guns are going to shoot them and some will not and that usually applies to any bullet. We make educated guesses on this stuff but it no more than guess and by gosh..

I have an old Savage 250-3000 mod 99 takedown with a fwt barrel and a 1x14 twist that shoots Hornady 117 gr. RN into one hole for 5 shots, same with a 60 gr. varmint bullet and everything in between, except Nosler 100 gr. Bal tips that keyhole!!..Its and odd duck for sure, and a good'un!.

All one can do is forget advise and head to the range for testing, A world of surprised await you there, good and bad.

08 December 2018, 06:16

TX Nimrod

The 235 Speers were available long before the .375 WCF was even thought of. Yes, Elmer called them “woodchuck bullets” but then he didn’t think that the .30-06 was adequate for deer either.

Before there were many jacket bullets in .375”-378” readily available I used the Speer 235s in my .38-55 Win94 rebored by Ackley. Launched at 1850 fps they didn’t seem to expand much on Kodiak blacktails but killed okay. Once the .375 WCF was introduced and the 200-220 grain jacketed bullets were available I used the Hornady 220FN with better performance.

.

18 December 2018, 06:49

tarbe

I've killed deer and hogs with the 235gr Speer over 65gr IMR 4895.

Runs just under 2,500 fps. Kills well without the awful mess of the high-velocity loads.