Speer 125gr TNT

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Speer 125gr TNT

Post by MalleeFarmer » 08 Feb 2016, 12:04 pm

Has anyone used them what loads did you find worked? If any what did you think of them?
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Re: Speer 125gr TNT

Post by No1Mk3 » 12 Feb 2016, 2:54 pm

G'day MalleeFarmer,
Which caliber? I have used them in 30-06 using 51.0g of Win748 for 2950fps in a Parker Hale Safari, and found it to be a very reliable goat and small deer round with moderate recoil and noise. Not impressed with it on Reds though, felt it lacked any real penetration, which I suppose is normal for the TNT which is sold as a varmint projectile. Speer do state a maximum speed of 3100fps for this bullet, Cheers.
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Re: Speer 125gr TNT

Post by happyhunter » 12 Feb 2016, 4:05 pm

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Re: Speer 125gr TNT

Post by MalleeFarmer » 13 Feb 2016, 7:41 pm

Ah cheers I was thinking of using it in my Howa .308 HB varmint as a fox/goat/roo round bit more punch than the .22-250 on the bigger stuff and bit quicker and flatter than my 165gr game load.

What was accuracy like?
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Re: Speer 125gr TNT

Post by Lorgar » 22 Feb 2016, 1:12 pm

Just for what it's worth, I tried them in my Hawkeye but couldn't get acceptable accuracy out of them.

The Hawkeye never liked lighter projectiles though and 150-155 seemed to be the sweet spot in my testing so I think it's more a case of the rifle disliking them then the projectile being no good.
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Re: Speer 125gr TNT

Post by Seik » 22 Feb 2016, 1:14 pm

happyhunter wrote:
Not impressed with it on Reds though, felt it

That's not suprising.


Yeah they're Varmint bullets aren't they?
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Re: Speer 125gr TNT

Post by Seik » 22 Feb 2016, 1:15 pm

Answering my own question here with this from Speers.

EXPLOSIVE AND ACCURATE. TNT® gives you what you want most-superior on-game performance. Starting with TNT's thin precision jacket, we add internal fluting and a dead-soft lead core to ensure complete bullet disruption.
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Re: Speer 125gr TNT

Post by happyhunter » 22 Feb 2016, 2:18 pm

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Re: Speer 125gr TNT

Post by MalleeFarmer » 24 Feb 2016, 7:31 pm

So I have loaded a few up now and so far have got a load to shoot MOA in less than perfect conditions which for what I'm after is near enough which if you're curious is 49.5gr of AR2208 in fed brass with fed primers. will set up a target and try a few more another day when the conditions are better.
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Re: Speer 125gr TNT

Post by Oldbloke » 24 Feb 2016, 8:51 pm

Ah,
Long ago I standardised my 3006 load to 180g soft points. A bit of over kill for goats but kills everything up to sambar Yep, not as flat shooting but does a couple of inches really matter?
A respectable 150g would be a good allrounder for the 308. From foxes to reds, all dead. Just my 2 cents.
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Re: Speer 125gr TNT

Post by MalleeFarmer » 25 Feb 2016, 8:46 am

Oldbloke wrote:Ah,
Long ago I standardised my 3006 load to 180g soft points. A bit of over kill for goats but kills everything up to sambar Yep, not as flat shooting but does a couple of inches really matter?
A respectable 150g would be a good allrounder for the 308. From foxes to reds, all dead. Just my 2 cents.


Agreed with a standard load but I have 2 .308s and I decided that the .308 varminter is too heavy for a hunting rifle and I don't really target shoot so I have my 165gr SST over 44.5gr 2208 as my load for my custom mark X Mauser. (Photos in my new toy show me yours thread) and this is going to be a dedicated out the ute window gun for everything from hares up to goats
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Re: Speer 125gr TNT

Post by happyhunter » 25 Feb 2016, 10:36 am

I like your idea about using the 308 to do it all and have tried it in the past but after a while I came to the conclusion it was never going to replace the 204 or 222. I will admit blasting stuff with the 308 is heaps of fun but the reality was I could do the job with less noise and less recoil ( and half the powder) with cartridges designed for the job.
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Re: Speer 125gr TNT

Post by MalleeFarmer » 25 Feb 2016, 10:55 am

happyhunter wrote:I like your idea about using the 308 to do it all and have tried it in the past but after a while I came to the conclusion it was never going to replace the 204 or 222. I will admit blasting stuff with the 308 is heaps of fun but the reality was I could do the job with less noise and less recoil ( and half the powder) with cartridges designed for the job.


I agree completely and I have a .22-250 and the missus .204 I'm not trying to replace these as I know they are the ultimate in varmint/predator busting but my .308 HOWA is at a bit of a loss for use at the moment so I'm trying to make some use of it since I have it.
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Re: Speer 125gr TNT

Post by happyhunter » 25 Feb 2016, 11:25 am

Yep, that's exactly my thinking. Setting up on a hill taking long shots at bunnies with the 308 is a great way to spend a few hours.
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Re: Speer 125gr TNT

Post by MalleeFarmer » 25 Feb 2016, 12:17 pm

Yep agreed!!
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Re: Speer 125gr TNT

Post by MalleeFarmer » 25 Feb 2016, 12:29 pm

Yep agreed!!
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Re: Speer 125gr TNT

Post by Oldbloke » 25 Feb 2016, 4:50 pm

happyhunter wrote:I like your idea about using the 308 to do it all and have tried it in the past but after a while I came to the conclusion it was never going to replace the 204 or 222. I will admit blasting stuff with the 308 is heaps of fun but the reality was I could do the job with less noise and less recoil ( and half the powder) with cartridges designed for the job.


It would always be a compromise with a single standard load. But it works for some.
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Re: Speer 125gr TNT

Post by MalleeFarmer » 29 Feb 2016, 8:34 am

Ok shot another group with the 125gr TNTs yesterday. Ended up with a .525" group at 100paces dunno exact range could be 100yds could be 110m dunno. So I'm happy with that I was very concerned that MOA was all I'd get while that is sufficient it's not ideal.
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Re: Speer 125gr TNT

Post by ebr love » 16 Mar 2016, 10:35 am

Oldbloke wrote:It would always be a compromise with a single standard load. But it works for some.


Having a do-it-all load depends on what your "all" is.

If you hunt foxes and fallow a .243 with 80gr pills is nearly perfect (with admittedly some overkill for the fox end).

If you hunt everything from bunnies to buffalo one isn't going to work for you :lol:
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Re: Speer 125gr TNT

Post by tom604 » 27 Mar 2016, 10:44 am

hi MalleeFarmer, just noticed this thread, i use the 130's in my 308 and they are goat stoppers!! :thumbsup: i have used 150 soft points and if you dont hit a bone they can pencil through :( ,,not with the 130's,,they just shudder and drop :D thought about going to 125's but whats a couple of grains? i get just under moa at a 100 which is fine by me as where i shoot you can't see that far most of the time. :thumbsup:
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Re: Speer 125gr TNT

Post by MalleeFarmer » 28 Mar 2016, 7:24 am

I found the 125s great on foxes and Roos but too frangible on goats and don't penetrate enough I used a couple on goats and wasn't happy with the performance I have now canned the idea of 125s and I'm sticking with my heavier loads for the .308 and using the .22-250 and .204 for foxes just means I'm taking more firepower when I go out. I've bought 480 rounds of osa .308 135 Sierra HPs they do a good job on goats similar to the 130 speers I was using.
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Re: Speer 125gr TNT

Post by Tiiger » 31 Mar 2016, 11:12 am

They're most definitely a Varmint bullet, not a game bullet.

(Even though they do say "on-game" performance in the marketing blurb which is poor wording from Speers. They're categories on the site under Varmint also.)

125gr out of a .308 with destroy anything from fox down with plenty to spare, but they won't be any good for anything with thick hide, big bones or a lot of meat to penetrate.
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