Speer Grand Slams from Speer bullets

[Wyatt Smith]

Speer has the 285 grain .375 Grand Slams for $14.99 per box of 50 with free shipping on $99 purchase.

Thanks!

 

[M McDindi]

Here is an extra discount on top of free shipping. This one just expired but keep checking the site. They will likely renew it in a few days.

https://media.mwstatic.com/cms/rebate/2020_1/federal-speer-bullets-rebate-2.1.20.pdf

 

[Excessexpress]

It seems to be like the Woodleigh in that it’s a fantastic bullet for thin barrels in double, drilling and combination weapons that gives better performance than a traditional cup and core bullet without potential or perceived barrel damage such as distressed rifling from use over time.

For conventional bolt actions, there are other options.

 

[Mr. Zorg]

I've worked on acquiring NOS second generation Speer Grand Slam bullets in 7mm as the primary focus to try in 7mm-08 & 7X64mm Brenneke. I purchased current production Speer Grand Slam bullets for load development taking advantage of the current rebate program. Since Blount offered the second generation in Nitrex factory ammunition prior to being purchased by ATK I've set those cartridge MV's as rough targets for load development. I plan on 145grain for the 7mm-08 and others for 7X64mm, to start with anyway. It should make for an interesting summer if pandemic restrictions continue to be eased. John Barsness among others have written they were quite pleased with the second generation performance, including on deer, for the 7mm 145 grain from a 7X57mm.

 

[M McDindi]

I knew I had a photo burred on my phone of the .308 180gr Grand Slams I mentioned in my earlier post. To recap. These were the only 3 that were recovered from two culling trips to Botswana and Namibia/Botswana. Just me on the first trip was impala, and blue w/b. Second trip was two of us and culling hartmann's mountain zebra in Namibia and impala and blue w/b again in Botswana. 40+ total head taken and only these three recovered from Texas heart shots on impala that missed the spines and just followed along the spines ruining the back strap and stopping in the shoulders. We used 30/06's. I don't remember the velocity off the top of my head, but I remember the powder charge was 47gr of IMR 4895.

 

[Mr. Zorg]

Thanks for the pics! Might post those in the "Bullet Performance Database" ongoing thread here.

 

[Forrest Halley]

Does anyone have quickload data on this bullet? I just got a bunch of them and I am working on a Staball 6.5 load for .375 H&H. I'm basically interpolating between the 270 and 300 grain Hodgdon data. Have loaded up 75.0, 77.5, and 80.0 grain charges to test. Sadly, I have LFCD'd all of them.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

From the Speer manual @Forrest Halley. Might I suggest 77 grains of IMR 4350. The bullet sits right on top of the powder, and gives me good accuracy and 2500fps

 

[Firebird]

Mr. Zorg-145 grand slam one of my favorite bullets in my Rem. 700 7mm-08. Won't give you my load but I had best success with H-4350 at about 2750 fps. Using slightly less of the same powder I got an equal sized group with the 140 A-Frame and just 60fps slower. Could maybe speed it up some and still call it a "hunting load" but I like those little groups I can cover with a quarter.

 

[Mr. Zorg]

Thank you @Firebird! I plan on using a custom load service as I'm not yet a reloader. I've found this outfit great to work with and they proof verify the load velocities via chronograph. I figured I'd target 2800 fps mv for the 145 grain and my 7mm-08 rifle's 22" barrel will likely be right around 2750 fps.

http://www.reedsammo.com

They use powders not available at retail. I'm interested in their everyday 7mm-08 offering with the 160 grain Nosler Accubond at 2700 fps mv, and duplication of that with some 7mm 160 grain Mag Tips or Grand Slams.

 

[Forrest Halley]

View attachment 346287
From the Speer manual @Forrest Halley. Might I suggest 77 grains of IMR 4350. The bullet sits right on top of the powder, and gives me good accuracy and 2500fps

I fired 75 grains of StaBall today. It worked out alright at 50 yards. POI was higher than the 300 grain Sierras. Kept knocking the gong off the chain. I am going to try 77.5 grains next and then 80 grains. Rain delays today.

Thank you @Wyatt Smith

 

[Forrest Halley]

77.5 grains of StaBall worked better. I went with that as my practice and NA hunting load.

 

[Von S.]

Anything I’ve shot with them dropped no complaints on performance.

Probably cause you aim....

 

[ve7poi]

True I do do that and pass on poor presentations

 

[Red Devil]

I knew I had a photo burred on my phone of the .308 180gr Grand Slams I mentioned in my earlier post. To recap. These were the only 3 that were recovered from two culling trips to Botswana and Namibia/Botswana. Just me on the first trip was impala, and blue w/b. Second trip was two of us and culling hartmann's mountain zebra in Namibia and impala and blue w/b again in Botswana. 40+ total head taken and only these three recovered from Texas heart shots on impala that missed the spines and just followed along the spines ruining the back strap and stopping in the shoulders. We used 30/06's. I don't remember the velocity off the top of my head, but I remember the powder charge was 47gr of IMR 4895.

Thank you for the report, McDindi.

This is a very difficult bullet to get any corroboration on.


My initial experience with the GS goes back to the Speer Nitrex ammunition days, when I was looking for a factory .270 WCF spitzer load similar to the 150 gr. Remington Core-Lokt RN.

Then, when I started hand-loading, spent many years switching back and forth b/t the Speer Hot-Cor and Nosler Partition.

Now I am loading the current .277/150 gr. GS as an omni-load for North American game.

When I acquired a 6.5x55 Swede last Spring, I did the same, using the .264/140 gr. GS.


Both loads use IMR 4831 powder, with velocities in the 27-2800 fps range respectively.

Both bullets have similar SDs to the 180 gr. .308, and both produce similar results.

Good accuracy, positive tests with good expansion and weight retention, and pass-throughs on game with good wound channels.


As it is not a Partition/Bonded/Monometal, consider avoiding initial heavy shoulder joints and humerus if the range is really close.

But other than that, for a $0.30/pop meat-getter bullet?

I like'em.




Red

 

[shark_za]

Digging in the back of my reloading boxes I have found these 140gr Grand Slams.
I will be loading them for my mate with the 6.5x57 and we will take them hunting and see.

What "generation" would these be?
I must have bought these more than 15 years ago.

 

[Mr. Zorg]

Digging in the back of my reloading boxes I have found these 140gr Grand Slams.
I will be loading them for my mate with the 6.5x57 and we will take them hunting and see.

What "generation" would these be?
I must have bought these more than 15 years ago.

View attachment 354124

That packaging is typical of the second generation Speer Grand Slam bullets, with two different composition lead cores and a partial internal ring of jacket material at the front of the rear core, with the front core installed by the Hot-Cor process.

Left to right in this picture is typical packaging for original Speer Grand Slam bullets, second generation Speer Grand Slam bullets, and current production Speer Grand Slam bullets.

 

[Mr. Zorg]

My Speer Reloading Manual #13 says the .243 & .257 diameter Speer Grand Slam bullets never were manufactured with two lead cores, and I've seen some other information that was also the case with the 6.5mm Speer Grand Slam bullets. It would be interesting if you could section one of those 6.5mm examples @shark.za and post photos.

Here's a top view photo I recently took of the three different generation Speer Grand Slam typical packaging.

 

[Mr. Zorg]

Bottom view - note the lack of a UPC barcode on the typical original Speer Grand Slam

design packaging.

 

[Mr. Zorg]

Three generations of 7mm 160 grain Speer Grand Slam bullets.