Accuracy and on game performance of 30 cal. Speer Hot Cors?

[Ben Shepherd]

Mostly I use Core-lockts, but I ran into a deal I couldn't pass up on some of the old .308 165 grain hot-cors.

1. What are your experiences with them as far as terminal performance on game?

2. Accuracy off the bench- Can they do MOA or better in a good rifle?

I saw a few deer taken with them, but not enough to form a solid opinion about their performance.

 

[srsmith]

The Speer 165 gr 308 hot cor (#2035) is a good hunting bullet.

Penetration ? I put one through a large Wisconsin whitetail lengthwise... in through a shoulder and out through the opposite hip.
You will never recover one from a deer. I would not hesitate to use them on larger game.
Exit wounds make for an easy track and quick recovery.
My shots are mostly 20-100 yards. I keep muzzle velocity modest @ about 2500-2550.

Accuracy? With my WWI veteran Springfield 03, I can cover 100 yard groups with a quarter. They are very uniform.

Have fun and be safe !

-steve

 

[interlock]

the hot cor bullets are a great game killer. i have used them in 150gr .30 cal, 145 gr 7mm, 130gr 7mm and 105 gr 6mm. when i get on my desk top i will add a couple of photos to this thread of recovered hot cor bullets. I have found they are accurate, expand to perfect mushrooms and penetrate very deeply. infact i have only ever recovered 2 (out of the same deer, would you believe!) I was culling red stags in a park and a shot one as it quartered away from me at 150 yards. i hit it behind the rib cage on one side quite high up. the bullet went through the ribs through the vitals hitting lots of bone and finally stopped under the skin on the opposite shoulder. the deer was fully adrenalised and went down but it's head stayed up. i shot it in the head at about 80 yards the bullet entered it's mouth, through the back of the skull then changed course and ran down it's neck coming to stop at the point where it's neck joined it's body. in each case the bullet went through a good 36 inches of deer. through bone and flesh. the bullets stayed together well and expanded very well. the picture below is one i dug from a huge rotten log. this is just like how they end up through game.

interlock

 

[JackOfAllTradesMasterAtNone]

Through my rifles they'll certainly do MoA. I have never recovered a Speer bullet fired on/through Deer. Blacktail, Whitetail, or Muley. That said, none were long shots from 30-06 or 30-338. Still, they are the most accurate bullet that I can push for more velocity.

-Steve

 

[GooseGestapo]

I've used them for over 30yrs.

They're typically the most accurate game bullet available. Usually a toss-up between the Sierra's and Speers.......however..

The "on game" performance has been typically flawless. I've taken deer ranging from 90lb whitetail does to 300lb pigs with them with bullets from 100gr .257's to 200gr .338.

The "Most" accurate .30 cal bullets I've used to date are the 165 and 168gr Sierra's, and the 180gr Speer "Hot Cores". I've taken one whitetail doe with a Speer 180gr HotCore from my .300RUM at 3,300fps mv. It held together and performed as expected. (the Nosler BallisticTips have been accurate, but aren't in the same genre as the "Hot Cores" for game performance.)

They won't penetrate quite as well as a Nosler partition, but they're typically more accurate, and half as expensive.

That about sums them up, and explains why they're still around after 30yrs...............

 

[T.R.]

In my opinion, deer are easy to kill. The old timers I hunted with in 1960's thought the 300 Savage was too much gun for 250 lb mule deer. They liked the 250 Savage and .243 best of all.

I've had very good luck with .243, 30-30, 35 Remington, and .308 rifles. A well placed bullet will get the job done nicely irregardless of brand or type.

Yes, deer season in western South Dakota is quite c-c-c-cold. It was -7 when this photo was taken. Praise God for wool.

Good hunting to you.

TR

 

[Ben Shepherd]

Thanks guys. I'll get some loads dialed in and try to poke one through a muley this fall.

 

[BENELLIMONTE]

I believe that the Federal Power-Shok line of rifle ammo uses the Speer Hot Cor bullet. I have used it at the range and it is usually 1moa or better in most of the different calibers I use. On animals it seems to function on a par with the Remington Core-Lokt bullet.