Speer Quality Control or am I to fussy?
- Thread starter ackertjosh
- Start date
Agreed. The weight difference on a larger bullet like that is not going to be critical. If 3 grains of bullet weight on a 166 gr bullet pushes you over max load you were over anyways. 166gr to 163gr is like 1.8% diff. while it may alter ballistics in theory, there are many other variables that will make it much worse and you cant do anything about them.
The cannelure placement on the other hand will alter ballistics greatly as the same COAL will place the cannelure at different positions compared to the brass and crimp totally altering the bullet to brass tension
The cannelure placement on the other hand will alter ballistics greatly as the same COAL will place the cannelure at different positions compared to the brass and crimp totally altering the bullet to brass tension
My biggest concern is that placement of those cannelures. Ugly
Totally unacceptable given what one pays for bullets these days...........whether or not they shoot well is not the point, you're not paying reject or "seconds" pricing, you should not be getting seconds. I used to buy a lot of Nosler Part seconds and they weighed within +/- 1 gn of nominal and the only thing was very different lead extension at the nose tip. Some showed almost no lead to the tip and some showed 30-40 thou more lead than normal. These bullets all still kept less than MOA in my old 7 mag and 300 WM and as far as terminal performance went they killed everything I shot. Of course being Parts I recovered very few, but the ones I did looked just as though they should. Also bear in mind I was getting them for about 10 bucks/100, when the top of the line ones were about 25 bucks/50. I considered this good performance for the prices involved and I don't recall scapping any of the seconds I bought.
R_L740......I doubt the varying cannelures will actually affect the accuracy of these bullets, he's not trying to shoot bench matches with them, and unless he is wishing to crimp the case (not sure why one would with a 30-06) onto the bullet I doubt there would be any noticeable differences. It is truly amazing what some rifles will shoot into 1-2 moa. I was fire forming 9.3X62 cases made up from '06 brass, didn't have a bunch of cheap excess 9.3 bullets but I did have a bunch of 200 gn 35 cal pistol bullets left over from my handgun silhouette days. Scrunched 1/2 the neck down to take the 358 bullets and went fireforming with the rifle. The 357-8 bullets were obviously slugging up because the rifle shot them more or less to point of aim.......couldn't believe it so I actually started to aim at a pop can at about 150 mtrs and low and behold I could actually hit it about 3 for 5 shots and the misses were quite likely more me than the rifle or load. I have also shot some quite nastily scarred bullets from being pulled with side cutters and was amazed at how well they shot. It seems to me just from my experiences that as long as the bullet base is clean and concentric, bullets seem to shoot well regardless of body or even ogive scars and deformities. I think 60,000 psi has a tendancy to push everything back into concentricity and the force of engaging the rifling finishes the job..............
R_L740......I doubt the varying cannelures will actually affect the accuracy of these bullets, he's not trying to shoot bench matches with them, and unless he is wishing to crimp the case (not sure why one would with a 30-06) onto the bullet I doubt there would be any noticeable differences. It is truly amazing what some rifles will shoot into 1-2 moa. I was fire forming 9.3X62 cases made up from '06 brass, didn't have a bunch of cheap excess 9.3 bullets but I did have a bunch of 200 gn 35 cal pistol bullets left over from my handgun silhouette days. Scrunched 1/2 the neck down to take the 358 bullets and went fireforming with the rifle. The 357-8 bullets were obviously slugging up because the rifle shot them more or less to point of aim.......couldn't believe it so I actually started to aim at a pop can at about 150 mtrs and low and behold I could actually hit it about 3 for 5 shots and the misses were quite likely more me than the rifle or load. I have also shot some quite nastily scarred bullets from being pulled with side cutters and was amazed at how well they shot. It seems to me just from my experiences that as long as the bullet base is clean and concentric, bullets seem to shoot well regardless of body or even ogive scars and deformities. I think 60,000 psi has a tendancy to push everything back into concentricity and the force of engaging the rifling finishes the job..............
Forget the cannelure. The length of the bullet nor one grain difference in weight will make no difference. I'd still check 'em for concentricity though. Roll 'em across a glass table top and look for any wobbling of the point. You could test that with a micrometer or vernier too. If the diameters aren't equal all the way around they're not round. That matters.
ackertjosh
Regular
- Location
- Bruce County Ontario
so i got an e_mail back from Speer and IM VERY HAPPY WITH THERE CUSTOMER SERVICE. They have a brand new box of bullets for me but due to im in Canada they cannot ship them to me unless i have a box in the states.. if not they will write me a cheque for how much they costs.
Here is a copy of the e mail to show how much they actually standby there product. I deffanitly ill be using Speer again just because of this.
Josh: nice photos, thanks for sending. Due to manufacturing methods, the Grand Slam has an acceptable weight range within the weights you show on your scale. The bullet is made for terminal performance in a hunting bullet with reliable expansion. Of most concern to me is the difference in cannelure location and shows me that due to the excess material in the nose when compared to the other 2 bullets, the cannelure was misplaced. Should you require a crimped round, the COAL will be wrong/different from the others.
I have a replacement box of Grand Slam bullets on my desk, at issue is the "Moat" between the US and Canada and it is near impossible to get them to you. If you have a location where I can ship to in the US, I'll send them right out. If not, I can send a check for the cost of the bullets, please provide the receipt. In either instance, I would suggest you take a sampling of the heavy bullets and the light one to the range and check for accuracy.
Advise your choice.
Coy
Here is a copy of the e mail to show how much they actually standby there product. I deffanitly ill be using Speer again just because of this.
Josh: nice photos, thanks for sending. Due to manufacturing methods, the Grand Slam has an acceptable weight range within the weights you show on your scale. The bullet is made for terminal performance in a hunting bullet with reliable expansion. Of most concern to me is the difference in cannelure location and shows me that due to the excess material in the nose when compared to the other 2 bullets, the cannelure was misplaced. Should you require a crimped round, the COAL will be wrong/different from the others.
I have a replacement box of Grand Slam bullets on my desk, at issue is the "Moat" between the US and Canada and it is near impossible to get them to you. If you have a location where I can ship to in the US, I'll send them right out. If not, I can send a check for the cost of the bullets, please provide the receipt. In either instance, I would suggest you take a sampling of the heavy bullets and the light one to the range and check for accuracy.
Advise your choice.
Coy
If you're hunting an animal the size of a barn door it probably doesn't matter much but I expect better quality control than that from a top brand name bullet manufacturer.
My cast boolits were more consistent than that and I'm no expert caster by any stretch of the imagination.
I'd be sending those pics and a letter off to the manufacturer.
It's great that Speer stepped up, but I've never really viewed the Grand Slam as a "premium" bullet. Given the choice I'd opt for the Partition every time, or newer designs like the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw or Barnes TSX.
meh - I think it is exactly the point - I'm less concerned with what they look like and much more with how they perform but your point is also well made, at the price we pay we should get what we expect.
Great on Speer to cover the cost and now you've got a box of bullets to work up loads with/practice/test/etc. Please do shoot some and let us know how they perform.
- Location
- Saskatchewan
A much better response than the one I got when Hornady put a .311" 150 grain bullet designed for the .303 British in with a box of 150 grain .308" bullets. I found out when it stuck in my seating die. i wrote them, supplied pictures and lot number, and their reply was pretty much that "#### happens" . No offer to make it right, no promise to do better. Just lame excuse that they made a lot of bullets each day and that some mistakes were inevitable. I'd rather use Speer than Hornady any day after that experience.
ackertjosh
Regular
- Location
- Bruce County Ontario
So today i got a Parcel from Lewiston Idaho. Home of Speer Bullets.. Due to the fact they could not send me bullets to replace the ones they bought the gentalman sent me a cheque for 35$ and a ball cap and mouse pad that say speer Deep Curl Bullets.. Nice looking hats ... Im very happy with the customer service i got from speer and will be buying again.
Josh
... Im very happy with the customer service i got from speer and will be buying again.Josh
yeah ...sure lifetime supply if you pay for them.
Bad batch, I use speer and never seen this.
