235 grain Speer for .375 H$H

[6thtexas]

Anyone using this bullet for deer-sized game? I got a Ruger #1 in .375 H&H last month and have been shooting a lot of cast bullets through it, but thought I might try the Speer for deer and hogs on the lease. I figure I wouldn't need to to push it hard (maybe about 2800fps) and it would shoot flat enough as we get some 200-300yd shot opportunities especially at the hogs.

 

[Norwegianwoods]

Never tried the 235 grain Speer bullet myself, but I suspect it might behave to much like a varmint bullet if you give it some speed.
Any special reason for why you want to use such a light bullet in your 375H&H?

 

[6thtexas]

As to using that bullet it's cheaper than most for the .375 and it or the 225 grain Hornady should be plenty for anything on the lease. The rifle will cut cloverleafs with cast bullets @ 100 yds. but I was looking for a comparatively inexpensive jacketed bullet that would shoot flatter.

 

[Norwegianwoods]

Personally I would not use such a light cup and core bullet in 375 for hunting, specially not for hogs.
I think you will need to load it at rather low speed to be sure it will not blow up on shoulder shots at shorter ranges and the trajectory will not be good out to 200-300 yards then.
How much will the Sierra 300 grain GameKing or the heavier Speer bullets cost you compared with the 235 grain Speer bullet?

 

[6thtexas]

The Sierra may be a good option. I've been shooting the rifle a lot to get used to it. I have thought about heat treating the cast bullets so I could push them as fast as the jacketed and maybe work up a CB load that would shoot to the same point of impact @ 100yds as a heavier jacketed bullet, so I could practice cheaply. My original thought about the 235 gr. Speer was to duplicate the ballistics of the original 235 gr. stuff

 

[saeng101]

As far as I know you can't heat treat lead. The only way to harden them is to add antimony to the melt. I shoot light bullets in my 375 to get speed. They are set 2" high at 100, dead on at 200, 4" low at 300. Very similar to a 270.

The Sierra may be a good option. I've been shooting the rifle a lot to get used to it. I have thought about heat treating the cast bullets so I could push them as fast as the jacketed and maybe work up a CB load that would shoot to the same point of impact @ 100yds as a heavier jacketed bullet, so I could practice cheaply. My original thought about the 235 gr. Speer was to duplicate the ballistics of the original 235 gr. stuff

 

[6thtexas]

Wheelweights have antimony in them and I use them to make bullets. I have been pleasantly surprised with the velocity and accuracy I've gotten with heattreated CBs and a rifle with a good barrel. The only thing is that the hard bullets aren't great for game shooting.

 

[DOC-404]

The Sierra may be a good option.

I use only one bullet in my .375 for all my hunting, and that is the Sierra 250gr Gameking. From Eland to big cats, it's all I've ever needed. Great accuracy as well.

 

[Thunder head]

I use the speer for practice because its cheap, accurate and always in stock. I have yet to shoot anything with it though. I have been warned that its a very soft bullet. I am sure it would work on deer and smaller hogs.

 

[F. Vaccaro]

I have shot the 235gr Speer, it grouped into the same group as the 270gr Hornaday & the 300gr Hornaday at 100yds. Have’t shot anything but squirrels with it, but think it’d work well on deer.

 

[rdog]

In my younger days i had a Win 70 push feed 375 H&H my favorite load was the 235 g Speer there is not a pig on earth that bullet will not flatten,may be not the pig in the movie" Razor Back" but most went down like they were hit by lightning, i am working on re shaping & re finishing a Zastava M70 375 & plan on using the same bullet & the 270 grain speer they are cheap & mostly available . In Australia speer bullets are about 50% less than Sierra. the Sierra importer is a burglar. for those that do not know "Razor Back" is an Australian movie about a monster mutated pig that wrecked houses, cars,& people in the Aust out back.

 

[F. Vaccaro]

In my younger days i had a Win 70 push feed 375 H&H my favorite load was the 235 g Speer there is not a pig on earth that bullet will not flatten,may be not the pig in the movie" Razor Back" but most went down like they were hit by lightning, i am working on re shaping & re finishing a Zastava M70 375 & plan on using the same bullet & the 270 grain speer they are cheap & mostly available . In Australia speer bullets are about 50% less than Sierra. the Sierra importer is a burglar. for those that do not know "Razor Back" is an Australian movie about a monster mutated pig that wrecked houses, cars,& people in the Aust out back.

For Razor Back switch to the 300gr Hornaday RN!
grin….

 

[Forrest Halley]

Shooting squirrels with a .375...wild! I hope you're taking well backed shots.

 

[CoElkHunter]

In my younger days i had a Win 70 push feed 375 H&H my favorite load was the 235 g Speer there is not a pig on earth that bullet will not flatten,may be not the pig in the movie" Razor Back" but most went down like they were hit by lightning, i am working on re shaping & re finishing a Zastava M70 375 & plan on using the same bullet & the 270 grain speer they are cheap & mostly available . In Australia speer bullets are about 50% less than Sierra. the Sierra importer is a burglar. for those that do not know "Razor Back" is an Australian movie about a monster mutated pig that wrecked houses, cars,& people in the Aust out back.

"Razor Back" wasn't real? I thought it was a documentary and not fiction?

 

[Sika98k]

I have shot several (3) oryx with 235gr. Speer. The bullets performed well. All were shot within 100yds.

 

[rdog]

"Razor Back" wasn't real? I thought it was a documentary and not fiction?

People that believe in electric cars , climate change, sex changes, & the tooth fairy & honest government, could be convinced that Razor Back was real! Or am i being too cynical ? .

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Anyone using this bullet for deer-sized game? I got a Ruger #1 in .375 H&H last month and have been shooting a lot of cast bullets through it, but thought I might try the Speer for deer and hogs on the lease. I figure I wouldn't need to to push it hard (maybe about 2800fps) and it would shoot flat enough as we get some 200-300yd shot opportunities especially at the hogs.

@6thtexas
A person we used to hunt with used to use a Weatherby MkV laser mark in 378 Weatherby loaded to full throttle with the 232gn speers.
They laid some pretty big and a lot of smaller pigs very very flat very quickly. It was impressive to see what happened when they hit pigs.
Over gunned yes. A bucketful of fun youbetcha.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

In my younger days i had a Win 70 push feed 375 H&H my favorite load was the 235 g Speer there is not a pig on earth that bullet will not flatten,may be not the pig in the movie" Razor Back" but most went down like they were hit by lightning, i am working on re shaping & re finishing a Zastava M70 375 & plan on using the same bullet & the 270 grain speer they are cheap & mostly available . In Australia speer bullets are about 50% less than Sierra. the Sierra importer is a burglar. for those that do not know "Razor Back" is an Australian movie about a monster mutated pig that wrecked houses, cars,& people in the Aust out back.

@rdog
If I remember correctly that pig was finally killed with a No1 Mk111 SMLE in 303. Bloody good movie. Had me on the edge of my seat.
Bob

 

[Firebird]

I used the 235 gr Barnes tsx out of a .375 wby for duiker, multiple springbok, blk wildebeest, warthog and eland. All shots passed through and all animals down and dead within 50 yards.
I understand these aren’t the exact specifics requested by the op but the op was also in 2012. “Light” bullets from the .375 are fast and efficient-just because you shoot a big caliber doesn’t require it to be a 300 gr A frame. Barnes tsx are on sale at midway for about $43 for 50, I wait for free shipping. Can’t speak for the “soft” speers but I have some if anyone needs them. . .

 

[KiwiHunter]

Due to availability and cost I used 375 Speer 235gr on blesbuck in 80's was accurate and worked well with no issues.