Using Speer Grand Slams in the 375 H&H, PG and Cape Buffalo??

[Novice Huntress]

Hi All how you doing?

I have a question for those of you who may have been lucky enough to hunt in Africa with the 375H&H and obviously for the PH's who look after us lucky guests.

I appreciate when it comes to dangerous game Swift A Frame, Barnes, Rhino, Peregrine have a very good reputation, has anyone used the 285g Grand Slam on cape buffalo and what was their real world experience? Also if you used the same on larger Plains Game what are your views?

Sourcing A Frames or suitable Barnes can be very difficult, so its just to get an opinion on older style bullets, I appreciate many will say don't skimp on bullet quality.

Look forward to your comments.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

Speer has, to my knowledge, discontinued the 285 grain grand slam. However I bought 3 boxes and they shot very well in my Winchester.
Good luck.

 

[Albert GRANT]

Peregrine plainsmaster bullets aren't hard to get, are reasonably priced and would be excellent on just about anything, except possibly elephant and rhino. They are all I load for my .375's. The largest thing I shot with a speer G.S. was a 300lb black bear out of a .280rem and it worked well enough at high speed and close range to drop it within 50yds. I would think at traditional .375 H&H speeds they would be good on plainsgame, but not sure how they would hold up on buff

 

[CAustin]

Hi All how you doing?

I have a question for those of you who may have been lucky enough to hunt in Africa with the 375H&H and obviously for the PH's who look after us lucky guests.

I appreciate when it comes to dangerous game Swift A Frame, Barnes, Rhino, Peregrine have a very good reputation, has anyone used the 285g Grand Slam on cape buffalo and what was their real world experience? Also if you used the same on larger Plains Game what are your views?

Sourcing A Frames or suitable Barnes can be very difficult, so its just to get an opinion on older style bullets, I appreciate many will say don't skimp on bullet quality.

Look forward to your comments.

would work to get the AFrames if possible

 

[Ridgewalker]

Novice Huntress, personally (but no experience with them) I wouldn’t trust them to hold up and penetrate on thick skinned Cape buffalo. Speer only makes one bullet designed for thick skinned DG and that is the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw 300 grain. Federal loads these and owns Speer. You might email Speer and see what they say, but I wouldn’t trust that bullet.
Don’t risk your life on an inadequate bullet. JMO

 

[chashardy]

Agree with the post above about Federal Trophy Bonded Bear Claw 300 grain. I used it in my 375 H&H double rifle with great results. I also am a big fan of Swift A-Frame 300 gr. from Federal.

 

[sestoppelman]

I see that Grafs still has some.

 

[Newby]

I wouldn't trust them on cape buffalo either. My only experience with the 375 285gn version was to see one come apart on a big bodied bull elk.

By "come apart" I do not mean lose some weight, which would be fine on that animal.

I mean jacket split almost to base. Front core gone. Remains of rear core barely hanging on to remains of jacket.

Maybe OK on PG (I don't know), but nothing tougher. Lots f better choices.

300 Swifts are loaded by both Norma and Sako, and should be available in the UK, even it involves ordering and waiting.

 

[Dr Ray]

Try Woodleigh Bullets.

 

[BeeMaa]

I have a question for those of you who may have been lucky enough to hunt in Africa with the 375H&H and obviously for the PH's who look after us lucky guests.

Don’t risk your life on an inadequate bullet. JMO

The PH that looked after my lucky butt was loaded with Hornaday DGX and DGS in 458WM.
It was based on availability even though the DGX has faced some harsh criticism, they do the job.

I'm not 100% sold on Hornaday because I personally prefer the Swift A-Frame.
But after seeing some test results posted here...it has me thinking about it.

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/ammunition-test-hornady-dgx-bonded-vs-swift-a-frame.55263/

 

[Alistair]

Hi All how you doing?

I have a question for those of you who may have been lucky enough to hunt in Africa with the 375H&H and obviously for the PH's who look after us lucky guests.

I appreciate when it comes to dangerous game Swift A Frame, Barnes, Rhino, Peregrine have a very good reputation, has anyone used the 285g Grand Slam on cape buffalo and what was their real world experience? Also if you used the same on larger Plains Game what are your views?

Sourcing A Frames or suitable Barnes can be very difficult, so its just to get an opinion on older style bullets, I appreciate many will say don't skimp on bullet quality.

Look forward to your comments.

Hello OP,

I see you're based in the UK as well!

I also assume you don't reload, because otherwise the Barnes TSX at least is extremely easy to find as a component via Brownells, Dauntsey guns, Bushwear or CDSG reloading ltd. GMK are the UK importer, so if you talk nicely to your local gunshop, they will also be able to get them in for you (roughly 10 days lead time). Not so sure on the others, but the Swift A frame in 'safari' calibres is also on Brownell's.

For factory loadings, things are more difficult. Dauntsey guns do have TSX loadins in stock, but are a trek from your stated location, so unless you've the ammo allowance and confidence in the accuracy to buy a load in bulk and pay for a courier to your local RFD, it's a tricky one.

Personally, I see the 375, and pretty much all the bigger bore rifles as a reloading only proposition in the UK. There simply isnt much demand here to support stocks of factory, so what is available isn't there consistently and is fantastically expensive.

I can load 100 rounds of 375 with a 300gr TSX for the cost of a box of 20 factory rounds, and I can reliably source the same components for my load all the time.

Something to think on and I hope this helps!

Al.

 

[IvW]

Not recommended for Cape Buffalo.....

 

[Novice Huntress]

Hi All, thank you all for your swift responses, no pun intended!

I think its very fair to say the consensus is there are better choices available re dangerous game.

I have used 180g A Frame in 308w very good, also used peregrine 165Gg VR4 308w and 180g VR4 in the 8mm again very good. I have used the speer 270g btsp in the 375 on PG which worked very well.

So I will look to see if I can source something that does have a well proven track record re DG.

Please keep your experiences coming in!

ATVB

 

[Red Leg]

You have had solid advice. However much trouble it may be to source 300 gr TSX, A Frame, or Woodleighs, it is nothing compared to a long dangerous follow-up on a wounded Cape buffalo.

 

[Ray B]

According to Speer, there are two variations of the Grand Slam. The original model had a thick jacket at the shank with a groove around the interior of the base (called a heel fold to grip the base of the core). The rear half of the core was a harder alloy of lead. About where the jacket started to taper to the point a different lead alloy was used as the core. This lead was softer, the theory being that it would expand more readily. The cannelure was inscribed around the shank and put a crease in the softer lead, the idea being that it would hold the core in place. Recently I read that Speer had problems getting the two types of cores to fit properly so changed the core to one alloy- not sure if it's the hard or soft one. Also I understand that they skipped the heel fold idea and went to an inner belt, along the idea of a larger Hornady Interlock ring.

I obtained some of these newer Grand Slams and plan of grinding one down to see what the insides show and shooting a bunch of milk jugs to see how their integrity compares to other bullet that have know results on tough animals. That will be after the snow melts and I get back from my cousins wedding/open bar in April.

 

[Eric Anderson]

A lot of people love .375 Barnes TSX 300 grain bullets, myself included.
I also love Cutting edge .375 brass solids.

 

[Sika98k]

@Novice Huntress . I picked up a box (25) of Trophy Bonded Bear Claws 300gr. in 375 from the Sportsman Gun Centre last week . That’s not too far away from you.

 

[Novice Huntress]

Hi Sika98k, good morning,

Thank you for that update, unfortunately you must have had the last lot as they don't have anymore. No worries I will look if I can source something suitable. I'm sure someone will have some Barnes/Swift or Woodliegh?

ATVB

 

[Novice Huntress]

Hi Ray B, good morning,


I like that plan you have regarding testing out the Speer GS, it will be good to see what results you get?

ATVB