Speer .375 cal. 285 grain Grand Slam

[Nevada Mike]

I got a load of .375 H&H loading components from a friend. Among this lot is a box of 50 Speer 285 grain Grand Slams. I know nothing about these bullets and have little to no data.

Are these cup and core bullets or are they a hot core/bonded bullet?
Any experience/recommendations for use?

Thanks.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

In my experience they are soft. I would not use them for large game. I have load data if you need it.

 

[Nevada Mike]

Suspected as much. Maybe I'll section one lengthwise and have a look at the jacket and perimeter crimp.

 

[Firebird]

Have never used them in .375 but it is my go to bullet for deer and elk 165 gr from a .30-06. I like the 145 gr in my 7mm-08 as well. Google the Speer information on them to learn more, but for a flat base bullet, I really like them. There are several generations of them, check the date on the box might help figure which gen you have-I’ve never noticed a difference but some guys think it matters.

 

[Longwalker]

I think they are a very good “standard” bullet. I’d use them with confidence on everything but buffalo.

 

[F. Vaccaro]

Speer has data in their manual.

 

[Nevada Mike]

Thanks. I located an old Speer manual and it has data on this bullet.

 

[Mikar]

I used these 285 ‘s in a 375 Canadian case on our local buffalo. Punched thru both shoulders and left. Buff never moved but sucks when they die in thick forest.

 

[wswolf]

I got a load of .375 H&H loading components from a friend. Among this lot is a box of 50 Speer 285 grain Grand Slams. I know nothing about these bullets and have little to no data.

Are these cup and core bullets or are they a hot core/bonded bullet?
Any experience/recommendations for use?

Thanks.

As Firebird said there are at least two generations of Grand Slams. They are not bonded but use Speer's Hot Core process. The early generation had a core of hardened lead in the rear and softer lead in the front of the core. The latest version seem to be much like their now discontinued Mag-Tip which has a heavier jacket than their standard bullets.

I killed three mule deer with the early version from a .375 H&H. One, shot broadside through the lungs, stumbled for a few yards and tipped over. The second was moving through timber and the bullet, again, went broadside through both lungs after penetrating a 6" lodgepole pine. That deer was a little down hill from me and when I recovered from the recoil I could see deer feet in the air, then horns, then feet again. The recovered bullet had expanded to .78" and weighed 212 grains. The third was shot at about 70 yards through both shoulder blades and the spine. The deer flipped over and landed with four feet in the air. There was a hole about the size of a silver dollar all the way through but no blood-shot meat.

I would happily use this bullet for all but the grouchiest of megafauna.

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

I recently shot a zebra, giraffe, and smaller animals in South Africa with second generation "factory seconds" Speer Grand Slam 285 gr .375" bullets. The only core-jacket separation we found was a bullet that hit the backbone of the zebra. The zebra wasn't moving after that...

I would choose Barnes 300 gr TSX for buffalo but for somewhat "softer" animals, the Grand Slams did a great job!

 

[EVR]

I bought a pile of 285 Grand Slam "2nds". They are accurate from my old SAKO AV .375 H&H. I think I have only shot one deer and one elk w/ them. Bullet shown here was placed on a running buck. Quartering toward me. Point of left shoulder, recovered in the right hind. alos, the elk but didn't recover it.

 

[EVR]

I bought a pile of 285 Grand Slam "2nds". They are accurate from my old SAKO AV .375 H&H. I think I have only shot one deer and one elk w/ them. Bullet shown here was placed on a running buck. Quartering toward me. Point of left shoulder, recovered in the right hind. alos, the elk but didn't recover it.View attachment 529631

View attachment 529630

I thought I posted a pic of the buck. Here it is. You can see the entry on the point of the left shoulder (covered by the fir branch).

 

[Forrest Halley]

Are they still making this bullet?

 

[EVR]

Are they still making this bullet?

doesn't look like it.

Shop products in Bullets today | Speer Ammunition

Speer Ammo

www.speer.com

 

[Forrest Halley]

doesn't look like it.

Shop products in Bullets today | Speer Ammunition

Speer Ammo

www.speer.com

Yeah that's the information I had too. Nothing good to say about this streamlining that's going on. God forbid we not run at endlessly improving profits.

If only we hunters and shooters could band together and convince the ammunition manufacturers that if they didn't produce a cheap practice projectile that we would be disinclined to purchase their premium ammunition at all.

 

[EVR]

Yeah that's the information I had too. Nothing good to say about this streamlining that's going on. God forbid we not run at endlessly improving profits.

If only we hunters and shooters could band together and convince the ammunition manufacturers that if they didn't produce a cheap practice projectile that we would be disinclined to purchase their premium ammunition at all.

yup. cheap practice stuff (e.g. privi 285 RN in 9.3, the old hornady lead-core SP's and RN's in .375 ) is excellent for my hunting needs. elk, deer and black bear do not demand DGX stuff. the old interlok/bond RN was a great bullet and generally i prefer RN's for game shooting since the ranges i hunt involve ~200 meters or less. there are reasons for the superior DG bullets but sadly, it looks like we are looking at ever decreasing traditional bullets and being limited to very expensive value-added products.