Speer 52gr FB HP

A

AWS

Retired PM Staff
Just started using these as one of my rifles had too slow of twist for a BT. It has proven to be very accurate in my 223, 22-250 and 5.6x50R. Took my first coyote with it at 70yrds, big dog went down like a ton of bricks and just a small entrance with no exit I'm a pelt hunter so from this first dog I'm impressed.

What kind of experiences are others having?

AWS
 
The Speer 52 gr. HP is a great bullet, great on groundhogs here in OH and anything else.

Have tried to tell the "A Listers" about these but they have to have Nosler BT and Horn. V Max at 40% increase in cost.

Try the Horn. SX in the 223, and Sierra 40 gr HP in the 22/250 and 223; two more great bullets the rich crowd won't buy.

Note: The Speer folks jumped all their prices last year to pay for the new, black colored boxes as the 30-year old yellow just wasn't tough enough looking...still. the Speer 52 is not as much as others
 
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If you are talking about the Speer 52 HP #1035, I gotta concur. Fine accuracy and good terminals, although I've only used them on ground squirrels.
 
Been shooting this bullet out of my 788 22-250 for 20 yrs. My 788 shoots bug holes. I shoot these at 3760fps and they just put the smack down on what ever they hit. I did shoot a huge pitbull that had just killed one of our newborn goats. I shot him at about 60yds trotting right to left. I shot and this dog did not flinch or give any indication that it had been hit. I'm sitting there like "no way I missed", I was so discombobulated I didn't even put another round in, just stared at him in disbelief. He took about 5 more strides and just fell over dead right in mid-stride. I can honestly say he is the only dog I ever shot that showed no sign of being hit let alone not DRT. Perfect shot, heart/lung. Very few exits also.
 
Like the performance out of my 250 awful well so far, pretty easy 3/4 inch groups and good performance on the handfull of coyotes I've shot with it so far.
 
AWS, my 14 twists will stabalize the 55g Ballistic tips with amazing accuracy out of a 223.

I suspect that your barrel may be copper fouled when you were testing them or perhaps your rifle just did not like that load.

The longest 55g polytip bullet is the 55g Sierra Blitz king.

I had the Speer 52's blowing up on the surface out of an Ruger that I used to carry to Mexico.

There have been so many positive responses from other hunters that use the 52g Speers that I think that speer may have changed the jacket thickness since the late 80's. One thing for sure, the speer 52's are sure accurate!

You will not get much penetration with a bullet that has a super large HP like that bullet has, so a shot up the butt won't work too good!
 
I have used this bullet in 223 with H335, and its my go to bullet for my XP100 in 221FB. I'm not sure why this pill is so underrated. Very consistent in the accruate department and a good DRT on fur.
I also shot these in a 222 with excellent results.
Come to think of it, that was the pill that we used in the old wildcat 222 1/2. Now that was a shooter!
JohnnyPop
 
I use Speer 1035 match hollow point 52 grain, very small entry very few exits. When they do exit zero damage. They (coyotes) have dropped. A very clean killing bullet. Also what does "DRT" stand for?
 
They might have changed the name but you are right they look the same. As for the Sierra, I haven't used them. I was using Blackhills 69gr matchking HP's blue box and the exit hole was massive. IMHO way to much bullet (blackhills) for coyotes unless your not planning on using the pelts.
 
Ackleyman
I believe this 223 has a 1-16 twist, it and old Savage 24V and it shoots well with Win 46gr HP's and the 52gr Speer with a variety of loads.

AWS
 
I have used these in my 22" barreled Sako 85 Gray Wolf in 22-250 @ 3700fps I find them to be extremely accurate @ 100 yards but beyond that the groups open up terribly.

I switched to 55gr Ballistic Tips and V-Max and my groups @ 200 + yards shrunk to -MOA...

I'm planning on giving the Speer 52gr Varmint HP's a try in my 1-9" twist Robinson Arms XCR-L in 223 right away going to try both Varget & Benchmark powders I have tried H322 and was surprised at the accuracy not saying it was all that great just saying I didn't expect them to group as well as they did.
 
I was not aware that a 223 had ever been built with a 16 twist, learn something every day. Most of the 223's that were first built were made to shoot the Military ammo that was surplus, which takes a 14 twist...you never know!
 
Originally Posted By: SShooterZThis one here?

http://www.speer-bullets.com/ballistics/detail.aspx?id=8

Is it any better than the Sierra 52gr MatchKing?

Looks like a very similar bullet.

That's the one. I got equally good results with the Speer in the one gun that I tried them both in. No longer have that gun and have not tried the Sierra in my present .223. Never shot anything but paper with the Sierra MatchKings. Have you used them on game?
 
Most accurate bullet i shot out of an old 700 22-250. One of the best fur bullets (coyotes) i ever used too. I remember reading an old copy of Precision Shooting long time ago, and the author referred to it as the accuracy "sleeper" 22 cal factory bullet. Used to be called the 52 grain Speer bucket HP.
 
I read a simular article years ago on the speer 52 hp saying they rarly exited.I bought a box wich I still have.Guess I will give em a try after all the good press.
 

I shot groundhogs for many years with the Speer 52 gr. out of a 22-250. Most had tiny entrance wounds and no exits. Time after time I had a dead groundhog that looked like it just died of a heart attack or something.

I don't have any experience with that bullet in other calibers, only the 250.


 
They are accurate as all get out and do come apart very easily. I got very few exit woulds when I used them on groundhogs. I could literally pick up a dead groundhog by the tail and shake it. There was a sloshing sound from the inside of the pig. The have a very wide cavity and are not the highest BC, but they are very effective.
 
Same experience here out of the .22-250. Those that did exit left a big hole.They also performed well out of a .223 in a rifle and the contender.
 
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