Anyone have any experience with the Speer AGS
solid on game? Thanks

Used one in the Selous as an insurance shot on a buff from a .375. I think it landed in Zambia.

Fired one at a 1 1/2" piece of tempered steel from a hundred yards. Shed the jacket and the core went through it like a knife through hot butter.

Very accurate out of my Model 70 late model Safari Express. I'm taking them on a buff hunt in July.

Larry at Superior loaded them for me because I couldn't get a solid crimp on that deep cannelure with my die.

I think they're great.

From the estate of George Hoffman I bought a bunch of them in .375 caliber. Apparently they had been sent to him to test since each one was individually wrapped???

That August I shot a buffalo with my first shot using a Barnes X. Even though it was a good shot, the buffalo didn't want to die and after falling, got up and began to "leave". I had five AGS in the magazine and hit the buffalo every time, reloaded and shot it a couple more. Damn tough old fellow, he was... Anyway, based on the fact that we found no expended bullets in the animal and the far side looked like a sieve, I think the AGS was 7 for 7 in complete penetration, including a couple of Texas heart shots.

I thought they quit making the tungsten core AGS. They were worth a mint to 458 Win mag people. Due to the density of the tungsten they were very short for their weight. Helped the 458 Win Mag meet its potential.
I have not seen any in years and the last ones I saw were $$$$.
Great projectiles!

quote:

Anyone have any experience with the Speer AGS
solid on game? Thanks

Yes, used Speer AGS in 458 Win and 375 H&H in the old NITREX factory loads. Maybe the best "solid" ever made. Definately the best "solid" ever made of two metals.
The only "falure" of any type was in a Hippo Charge, where my first shot was into the open mouth. That close!
The 458 Win. 500 AGS bullet went through the Hippo's lower left jaw, trough the line of teeth, on into the his left front sholder and then into his chest.
When he was that close, there was not time to ask him to turn straight on.
The Hippo's front wheel fell off, and he hit the dirt.
Second shot into the top of the head hit the brain.
But the first bullet shed some of the front, and thus left the tunston core rod's front exposed.
It is believed that the trip throgh the teeth of the lower jaw stripped off the front cap or "jacket" around the front of the tungston core.
Retained weight of the reovered first round is over 350 grains.
Nice failure.
It did the job.
And I doubt that any mon-metal bronze bullet would have done the job performed by the failed Speer AGS.
The last Speeer AGS bullets that I purchased were end production and sold by Midway USA in plain blue boxes.
Mine are not of sale at any price, and will be used in Africa.
Sincerely,

...I just purchased a few boxes of Speer 500gr AGS .458bullets from www.lolo.sports@gmail.com

Cost: $135/25 plus shipping.

I've killed four jumbo with the AGS, and they work GREAT in a my M-70. With 24"bbl, I load them to 2185fps. This velocity allows no change between softs/solids at 50yds.

I'll be in Zim later this month, and I'll be using the same receipe for elephant. Works for me.

No flys on that load.

Of course, according to the 458wm nay sayers, you really can't top 2000fps without all kinds of problems!

Good luck on your jumbo hunt.

JPK

quote:

Originally posted by tsibindi:
...I just purchased a few boxes of Speer 500gr AGS .458bullets from www.lolo.sports@gmail.com

Cost: $135/25 plus shipping.

I've killed four jumbo with the AGS, and they work GREAT in a my M-70. With 24"bbl, I load them to 2185fps. This velocity allows no change between softs/solids at 50yds.

I'll be in Zim later this month, and I'll be using the same receipe for elephant. Works for me.

A year back or so Midway was blowing out the .458's for $45 a box. They either had a boat load of them or nobody wanted them cause they were in stock for a looooooong time.

I've shot them threw my conagraph with my 458 Lott. They did 2320 FPS.

Larry at Superior told me the other day that they are being manufactured again,but not by Speer. When I called Speer on them a few years ago, they said they discontinued them because of the high cost of manufacture. I think the reals story is that Federal bought Speer and wanted to promote the sledgehammer over the AGS, so they cut them off. That's just my humble opinion, of course.