Speer Grand Slams?

[Cholla]

I picked up 100 .284/175 Speer Grand Slams at a local gun show. Back in the 1980s, they were highly touted as being a great bullet. (The plastic boxes look like those I had back then.) I was excited about loading some up for hunting but in measuring them from the case base to the ogive after seating, they are not consistent at all. I assume the bullets were not made consistent in ogive shape so my seater is hitting the bullet at different locations. I was going to research if Speer made a specific seating die for the GS, but now I see Speer stopped making them. Now I think I would be better off pulling them and going to something else.

Anyone had this experience?

 

[birddog 68]

I'm pretty sure they still make the grand slam. I never had a issue with seating the .284/160 GS but I had a issue with getting them to group in two different rifles. I gave up on them but had good results with Speer hot cor.

 

[59FLH]

Measure the bullet base to ogive, that could determine if the problem is the bullet or the loaded cartridge.

 

[jjmp]

Many Manufacturers change their bullets , that's nothing new some for the Better some not ,the Original GS would give any other Premium bullet a run for its money ,how good are your reloads , why pull them ,Speer has always been a Fantastic Bullet manufacturer cheers

 

[Sage70]

The original GrandSlam had a two part lead core. A harder cup & core section was placed at the rear and a softer lead section was inserted by the HotCor process into the front. These bullets shot very accurately and the only complaint I had was they they could be slow to open on deer sized animals. The later version which is being produced now is made with the entire core using the HotCor process. I have used the 145 grain .284 version without any problems. I resize every case, trim each time to the same case length and use the same OAL with every cartridge. I do however, believe the original HotCore bullet is more accurate. The original HotCor is a great bullet equal to a Sierra in accuracy and it performs better on deer size animals.

 

[Chadp82]

I have loaded a few for 280 REM. They were pretty accurate, but I had better luck with lighter bullets with the twist rate in my 280.

 

[Cholla]

Measure the bullet base to ogive, that could determine if the problem is the bullet or the loaded cartridge.

The Speer Grand Slams varied .0075" in a sample of 25. I checked my new box of Hornady and they varied .001". My understanding is that I want the loaded rounds to be within .002" base to ogive. I don't see that being possible using the Grand Slams.

 

[jjmp]

Point taken , pull them and trade them make two people happy cheers!!!.

 

[Cholla]

Just for my own knowledge, I opened my box of Bergers and they too only varied .001". I was so excited when I saw the GSs. Oh well. Thanks all.