What happened to the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw?

[jawjatek]

They have disappeared from the usual reloading purveyors, as well as the Speer catalog. I see something called the Trophy Bonded Tip advertised with some type of Federal ammo, but otherwise they fell off the planet. I realize these may not be considered in high regard for extreme ranges where a Berger might do, but I love 'em for tough hogs in thick cover.

I did just get a box of 180 GN Speer DeepCurl bullets and they look suspiciously like the TBBC - at less than half the price. Sounds too good to be true, huh? Have to cut one to see if it has the solid shank. I like the TBBC a lot because it kills hard but always has an exit hole, and does not seem to damage the meat as much as a Partition or a Game King.

Just up late wonderin' while some acraglass sets up and the ice melts in my Knob Creek. Opening day is Sat...

 

[FAL Shot]

The Marines recently adopted the TBBC bullet for use in Afghanistan, and I suppose all TBBC production is going to them at this time. Speer probably hopes the Army will pick up on the Marine Corps initiative as well. The Army has a much higher logistics demand than the Marine Corps, and will not adopt the bullet unless the production capacity is there and a huge performance gain warrants a change.

 

[newmexkid]

While I lived in Wyoming, (16 years) I used the TB bullet. The elk HATED it.

 

[winmag]

Don't know where the TBBC went. The Trophy Bonded Tip bullet is a TBBC with a yellow balistic tip.
Those Deep Curl's are basically a Fusion bullet. Hit like Thors hammer too! Killed a few critters with Fed Fusions outa my .270WSM a few yrs ago, including a Oregon Record Book Black Bear.
Now-a-days I roll my own, & have an obsession with Accubonds...

 

[meatyrem]

Yup, what iv'e seen is they through a tip on it and boatailed the base. other than I can't say where to get them.

 

[jawjatek]

Good info guys, thanks for the replies. Guess I'll be hoarding the few I have left until they are available. I had heard some scuttlebutt about military/LE use and the fact they penetrate windshields very well...

 

[Warbird2006]

They have disappeared from the usual reloading purveyors, as well as the Speer catalog. I see something called the Trophy Bonded Tip advertised with some type of Federal ammo, but otherwise they fell off the planet. I realize these may not be considered in high regard for extreme ranges where a Berger might do, but I love 'em for tough hogs in thick cover.

I did just get a box of 180 GN Speer DeepCurl bullets and they look suspiciously like the TBBC - at less than half the price. Sounds too good to be true, huh? Have to cut one to see if it has the solid shank. I like the TBBC a lot because it kills hard but always has an exit hole, and does not seem to damage the meat as much as a Partition or a Game King.

Just up late wonderin' while some acraglass sets up and the ice melts in my Knob Creek. Opening day is Sat...

I phoned Speer. They said Federal (who owns them) ordered them to stop selling the bullets as reloading component. So they only make it for Federal loaded ammo.