Speer Hotcore 350 gn for 45-70

[longwinters]

When i picked up my can of H322 the shop had a couple boxes of Speer HotCore 350gn. I thought "great I'll grab a box ". Well I get home and look in my Speer reloading book. Hmm, they say their 400 gn bullet will work in anything but the 350 gn was made for the Win 458 and may not work in any other rifle.

What the heck! Why would this be? Bullet too long?

Long

 

[FOTIS]

It is a fact. The 350 is a super robust made bullet made for higher velocities. It might not expand at all at 45-70 velocities.

 

[longwinters]

Guess I see about returning those. Bummer....

Long

 

[JD338]

It has a much thicker jacket. The Speer 300 gr or 400 gr is what you want.

JD338

 

[SJB358]

I am going to disagree with Jim (sorry Jim, drinks on me next time around...HA!), it actually isn't a super hard bullet, I haven't seen it act too much harder than the Hornady 350 FP or RN. What it does pose is the crimp groove is in the wrong spot, but if you use a Lee FCD, you can crimp it anywhere and it'll work fine when loaded to the 45-70 spec'ed OAL. It was made for the 458, but I think most of it marketing as it expanded just fine. It is one of the bullets I shot into water but haven't put it up in our bullet tests. It is a great bullet though, was real accurate in my rifle. H322 is really a good one as case fill supports the bullet real well to, so bullet set back with a good crimp and the powder supporting it should be real good.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I have some older Hot Core Speer 350 grain bullets. Unlike the Hornady 350, the Speer bullets only have one crimp groove way back on the shank. The Hornady 350 grs have two crimping grooves. In my .45-70, the 350 Speer bullets worked great. I just seated them deeper and crimped over the ogive like a revolver bullet. Just adjust the powder charge for the deeper seating and these Speer bullets work great.

 

[gerry]

I thought I had read that somewhere Charlie, looks like it will work. The 350 Speer is supposed to be tough and deep penetrating bullet.

 

[JD338]

I am going to disagree with Jim (sorry Jim, drinks on me next time around...HA!), it actually isn't a super hard bullet, I haven't seen it act too much harder than the Hornady 350 FP or RN. What it does pose is the crimp groove is in the wrong spot, but if you use a Lee FCD, you can crimp it anywhere and it'll work fine when loaded to the 45-70 spec'ed OAL. It was made for the 458, but I think most of it marketing as it expanded just fine. It is one of the bullets I shot into water but haven't put it up in our bullet tests. It is a great bullet though, was real accurate in my rifle. H322 is really a good one as case fill supports the bullet real well to, so bullet set back with a good crimp and the powder supporting it should be real good.

Good to know Scotty. I was under the impression that it was designed for the 458 Win Mag.
The Hornady 350 gr is a good bullet but you need to use the FP in a tube magazine rifle instead of the RN.

As for the beer, there are several micro breweries around here so come on up. :mrgreen:

JD338

 

[HeathSexton]

If you are looking for something to plink and play with a 405gr cast and Unique from 10-14grs is much fun.


http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm

 

[longwinters]

So then, If I had some Hornady LeverEvolution brass (which I do) and it is shorter brass, I wonder if I could crimp the Hotcore bullets at the crimp groove and be ok. Guess is the snow ever melts I'll have to load up a few and shoot em through water jugs.

Long

 

[SJB358]

That sounds like it would be a fun plinker Heath. I've been wanting to try 25 grains of Alliant 2400 with the 405. Just haven't gotten to it.

 

[SJB358]

So then, If I had some Hornady LeverEvolution brass (which I do) and it is shorter brass, I wonder if I could crimp the Hotcore bullets at the crimp groove and be ok. Guess is the snow ever melts I'll have to load up a few and shoot em through water jugs.

Long

Long you may be able to do that. I haven't tried but I can't see why it wouldn't work. I truly like what I get when I use the lee FCD because I can crimp anywhere but the short Hornady cases might be just the ticket. If you end up liking them let me know. I think I've got 20-30 of the shortys. Also be very mindful you'll be working with reduced powder space so I'd be careful and start low just to be safe. That would be one of those loads you could do just about anything with.

 

[HeathSexton]

You'd better be really careful loading 25grs Alliant 2400 with 405 cast, you might not shoot anything else, ever.

 

[HeathSexton]

Here is a good link to 45/70 brass and the different capacity of each:


http://www.marlinowners.com/forum/45-70 ... -read.html

 

[SJB358]

Wow, yeah I could see why those would be hard to not like! Might have to grab a lb of it and give it a whirl. Any idea what they run for speeds Heath. I imagine recoil is very light as well.

 

[HeathSexton]

I have never check speed from my rifle with the 2400 load. I see most saying around 1300-1400fps, which isn't much but ask the Indians and the buffalo how much they liked a 405gr cast @ 1400fps. Recoil is light, not as light as the Unique loads but light enough to shoot all day and really enjoy it.


When I feel like my right shoulder needs abuse its a 350 Hornady FP + 59grs H4895 - 1922fps from my 18.5" 1895G.


I shoot a bunch more reduced loads though, 4198, sr4759 *awesome powder*, 2400, Unquie all see more play time than the heavy stuff.

 

[SJB358]

Gotcha. Yeah I wouldn't worry too much about a 405 at 1300. Pretty sure it would work fine for the scrawny little deer I hunt.

I'll have to make up some stuff soon for the 45-70. Those sound like a lot of fun. Plus it'll let se others have some fun shooting it as well.

Oh yeah I've got plenty of loads that bite too. I've tried to save those for hunting.

 

[bobnob]

I am going to disagree with Jim (sorry Jim, drinks on me next time around...HA!), it actually isn't a super hard bullet, I haven't seen it act too much harder than the Hornady 350 FP or RN. What it does pose is the crimp groove is in the wrong spot, but if you use a Lee FCD, you can crimp it anywhere and it'll work fine when loaded to the 45-70 spec'ed OAL. It was made for the 458, but I think most of it marketing as it expanded just fine. It is one of the bullets I shot into water but haven't put it up in our bullet tests. It is a great bullet though, was real accurate in my rifle. H322 is really a good one as case fill supports the bullet real well to, so bullet set back with a good crimp and the powder supporting it should be real good.

Yep, spot on mate!

I have shot these a lot in my 45-70 GBL. Initially I was using 53g of H4198 for about 2060fps. They were accurate but eventually I backed off to 50g for about 1950fps. Much more pleasant to shoot and I got better accuracy - probably because it was more pleasant! I am talking under an inch at 75y for five shots.

I have used them on pigs. They expand fine, not as dramatically as Sierra or Hdy 300g hollow points, but there was plenty of mushrooming and penetration was great. Perfect for deer of ANY size I would say, and more than enough bullet for any pig. I would use them for a sambar deer too, which can be around 350kg.

As above, use the Lee FCD if you have one and crimp to normal oal.

I also think H322 is an excellent choice for this bullet as SJB says.

 

[Alaska]

Speer 350gr my go to bullet for my 45/70 Marlin for years
48.0 of IMR 4198
COAL 2.600”
Crimp with Lee factory crimp die
Excellent weight retention bullet very tough bullet I use for bear and moose hunting in Alaska

 

[Thebear_78]

It is a tough bullet. Really good Alaskan bullet do the bigger 458s. I think it would be fine in the 45/70 ran hard. I run that bullet at 2760fps in my 458 Lott.