180 grain speer hot core bullet in 300 win

[markp]

Has anyone used the 180 grain 30 caliber speer hot core bullet. Wondering if this bullet expands in deer  size game ?
Does it holds together in Elk ?  General characteristics of this bullet ?  I m not looking or expecting it to be a magic
bullet that performs perfectly in all size big game just wondering how it has performed // what characteristices  has shown for those who have used it in the field ?

[Lloyd Smale]

One thing ill say for alot of the hotcores i shot is there very accurate bullets. They tend to expand a bit to much on deer at closer ranges out of a 300 mag but a bit less then a sierra or a nos bt.  but then most of my experience with them in the 300 mag is with 165s. I wouldnt be a bit shy about using a 180 or even a 165 on elk in a 300 mag.

[markp]

Thanks Lloyd

[Coyote Hunter]

Not much experience wiht the Hot-Cor bullets, but I can tellyou I have a high regard for the Grand Slam bullets - at least the older dual-core versions.  Thecurrent Grand Slams use a single core.  It is harder than typical lead cores but soft enough to expand.  If they work anything like the older ones they are veery good buullets.

Took me 20 years to recover one of the old Grand Slams.  That one was stopped after destroying both shoulder joints of a 5x5 bull elk.  It was recovered from just inside the flesh on the off side, didn't make it through the hide.

[Lloyd Smale]

I totally agree. Ive said many times the only two premium bullets I can really justify stocking are the grand slams and partitions. Neither have ever let me down in anyway on any animal.

Not much experience wiht the Hot-Cor bullets, but I can tellyou I have a high regard for the Grand Slam bullets - at least the older dual-core versions.  Thecurrent Grand Slams use a single core.  It is harder than typical lead cores but soft enough to expand.  If they work anything like the older ones they are veery good buullets.

Took me 20 years to recover one of the old Grand Slams.  That one was stopped after destroying both shoulder joints of a 5x5 bull elk.  It was recovered from just inside the flesh on the off side, didn't make it through the hide.

[nomosendero]

I justify stocking whatever works for me in a particular cartridge. If it's a proven performer, that's all that
matters. Fortunately, we have several choices.

[Drilling Man]

Not much experience wiht the Hot-Cor bullets, but I can tellyou I have a high regard for the Grand Slam bullets - at least the older dual-core versions.  Thecurrent Grand Slams use a single core.  It is harder than typical lead cores but soft enough to expand.  If they work anything like the older ones they are veery good buullets.

Took me 20 years to recover one of the old Grand Slams.  That one was stopped after destroying both shoulder joints of a 5x5 bull elk.  It was recovered from just inside the flesh on the off side, didn't make it through the hide.

  I shot a moose with the old .338/250 gran slams out of my .338-06.  I didn't recover either bullet, both blew up on bone and that's the last time i used them on something that tough.

  I shot a 7mm GS, and had it blow up in a deer, out of my 280 rem., that's the last GS i fired at an game animal.  I may as well had been using their std. 145 hotcores, as they do just as good a job.

  DM

[Dand]

I shoot a lot of 180 and 200 hot cores in my 300 win mag for practice and sometimes for game. In my rifle they are very accurate. This fall I made a 3 shot group of 3/8 in ctc at 100 yds with a moderate load of Reloader 22.  I think I average .8 to 1.2 inch groups at 100.  Have been practicing at 170 yds (max for my range) and commonly get 2- 2.25 inch 5 shot groups from the bench - sometimes a lot better.

I mainly use them for practice as they shoot accurately and to the same point of impact at Nosler Partitions with the same load - in my gun. But I trust them for game too.  I think they open more than a partion but can stay together pretty well.  I think I've shot 2 or 3 caribou with the 180's but never recovered the bullets.  I had a mixture of ammo in my gun when I took a small moose.  I'm pretty sure the second and anchoring shot was a 200 hot core in the boiler at 40 yds - was quite a smack and down he went. No sign of the bullet but plenty of damage (not excessive) so I think it was full penetration. First shot was very high and didn't do much damage - don't know what bullet it was - I was shooting from a bobbing drifting boat.

I've shot a couple Kodiak black tail deer with the 180 with good performance at 20 to 60 yds.  Also one at 30 yds with 180 HC from my 30-06.

My boss took a very big moose with a 35 cal 250 gr Hot core at 60-70 yds - perfect bullet performance.

Yes I'd trust the 180 hot cores for deer.

I've heard they may get phased out for the deep curl bullet so I've stocked up on them.  Especially the 200.

I go for bison in Feb and have been practicing a lot with the 200 hot core tho I may opt for the 200 gr Swift Aframe for the hunt.