my 1st animal with a Hammer bullet was a medium buck Antelope this year Year 2022 Sept.16 TH. in Wyoming with my long range 257 Weatherby mag. 7 1/2 twist Brux barrel at a measured distance after the shot 450 yards . i used a 103 gr. Hammer hunter bullet went right thru the animal so no bullet recovery but a nice type small hole going in and looked like a mushroom type exit hole kinda. my rifle shoots on the average 3680 FPS with this 25 caliber bullet and with a zero of 200 yards and at 450 yards its about 13 -14 inches low i had to use Kentucky windage a little , my range finder did not work. my next use hopefully will be in Minnesota`s whitetail deer season son and myself will both be using our Ruger #1`s 257 Weatherby mags with this same great bullet 103 gr. Hammer bullet at the same speed too. good luck this fall with a safe season,Pete53
RL. 25 max load from Berger book that i don`t remember ? 103 gr. Hammer bullet used brass resized shoots great. if i get to my reloading building room i will try to remember and tell you. Pete53
I'm a Hammer Bullet fan. I sent photos of what a 178 Hammer out of my Pre-64 .358 Win FWT did to a WT doe. I got a nice reply from one of the owner/founders, Steve Davis. So, they have great customer awareness and response. Good bullets, good guys.
Both my Coopers in 6.5 Creedmoor, and 6.5 PRC will put the 124 Hammer Hunter into .2's. I've not shot anything with them yet, but they are the most accurate bullet I have ever used. I'm trying to wrap my head around the fact that they are hunting bullets.
Good stuff Pete, the 404gr Hammer bullet in my 3.6" mag length action 458 Win Mag leaves at 2500+ fps, it's a very accurate bullet, no load development to speak of, just worked up with a chrono and AA-2460 powder till i got to 2500 fps then went to the bench, GTG, great bullets i look forward to using in other rifles.
Good stuff Pete, the 404gr Hammer bullet in my 3.6" mag length action 458 Win Mag leaves at 2500+ fps, it's a very accurate bullet, no load development to speak of, just worked up with a chrono and AA-2460 powder till i got to 2500 fps then went to the bench, GTG, great bullets i look forward to using in other rifles.
basically that is all`s i did too ,bullets went where i wanted them to go, went fast enough for my hunting rifle, my hunting rifles are not my target rifles .
I can't get the Barnes 80gr ttsx or the 95gr lrx to group in my 7.5 twist .243ai, I have gave up tired of wasting powder. Any ideas on what Hammer bullets I should try?
I can't get the Barnes 80gr ttsx or the 95gr lrx to group in my 7.5 twist .243ai, I have gave up tired of wasting powder. Any ideas on what Hammer bullets I should try?
TG, go to Hammers website, they give b.c.'s and twist rate rec's for their bullets, very informative.
I can't get the Barnes 80gr ttsx or the 95gr lrx to group in my 7.5 twist .243ai, I have gave up tired of wasting powder. Any ideas on what Hammer bullets I should try?
i don`t feel its the bullet gr. weight you are using either go to a heavier bullet ,try the 101 gr Hammer bullet you have the barrel twist for heavier bullets. i wish you lived close to me i would help you as would some other loonies would do.good luck .Pete53 >P.S. since i started using Hammer bullets now i do like copper bullets ,i never cared much for other brand copper bullets.
I can't get the Barnes 80gr ttsx or the 95gr lrx to group in my 7.5 twist .243ai, I have gave up tired of wasting powder. Any ideas on what Hammer bullets I should try?
my Hammer bullets were $115.00 for 100 bullets , these bullets in many of my rifles shot better groups than other brand copper bullets . i shoot a Ruger #1 once the rifle is sighted in i have mostly 1 shot kills so not a big deal on bullet price to use the best brand bullets.
I'm not worried about the price of bullets, just if I can get them to shoot like I want. For some reason I just can't find the sweet spot in my rifle for the Barnes ttsx or lrx. A typical 6 shot group at a 100yds using Hornady 103 eld-x or 108 eld-match bullets. I have 3 different Hammer bullets on the way to try. Steve Davis deserves a shout out for great customer service.
my Hammer bullets were $115.00 for 100 bullets , these bullets in many of my rifles shot better groups than other brand copper bullets . i shoot a Ruger #1 once the rifle is sighted in i have mostly 1 shot kills so not a big deal on bullet price to use the best brand bullets.
Same here. Good bullets are so inexpensive to what I pay for diesel these days I don’t hardly give it a thought if they’re accurate and killers on animals. I can shoot Hornady the rest of the year to save money.
I’ve killed 2 whitetails and 2 caribou with the 124 hammer hunter in my 6.5 PRC. Accuracy has been outstanding and every kill has been swift with excellent terminal results. I’ve been so impressed with the hammer bullets that I rebarreled my nula 24 to a fast twist 25/06 with the plan of shooting the 125gr hammer hunter.
Do they work great on game and are they accurate in your guns? If the answer is YES, and you get them quickly, then paying a premium price is really not a big deal. I have several friends that absolutely love how they perform on game. I have not hunted with Hammer's yet, but they are going to be one of my go to bullets for mule deer and on up game. Barnes LRX and the AB's are two other bullets I will use as well for mule deer and above.
Hammer certainly has some interesting bullets. I've shot many of the Hammer Hunters but haven't bothered with the "Absolutes".
I shot a doe that was facing me with a 124 Hammer from a Creed. The bullet entered the brisket and exited the rear hind quarter. Just started fooling around with their 85gr bullet in the 26" Creed. I had no problem getting velocities to 3,700 ft/sec. I'm guessing this is my first "fast" barrel because that is more velocity than I was expecting. I did load work-up in .2gr increments. The downside to this load is that velocity sheds FAST! IIRC it loses over 300 ft/sec in the first 100yds.
I wasn't happy with the accuracy of the 88 HH or 87 AH using Hunter powder in my rifle. The 101 HH is accurate in my rifle and I'll do some live penetration and knockdown testing in a couple of weeks.
Weatherby picked them up for their loaded ammunition. In fact Adam Weatherby got his first kill last week with the prototype. Bang and done at long range.
Another interesting point regarding the use of Hammer bullets:
Most of the Hammer fans recommend using a Lee FCD to crimp in the bullets. They also recommend using magnum primers where you normally wouldn't need them. Both recommendations are to compensate for the rather low neck tension/interface.
I have tested quite a few loads with, and without, crimping. The outcome from using a FCD and Hammer bullets is far from predictable. I've seen some loads get better and some get notably worse. Erratic velocities were one of the things that I noticed on some loads. I have shot some very tight groups before the crimping idea got popular. Apparently, it works for some reloaders because it is almost universally recommended by Hammer shooters.
With regard to the magnum primers - the suggestion to use mag primers in all Hammer applications has been changing. Smaller cases are proving to work very well with standard primers. And recently, it has been determined that when loading for the 6.5PRC that you can load to much higher velocities if you avoid using mag primers. Mag primers apparently cause the loads to pressure up too quickly.
I like the Hammer bullets, but you really need to test the idiosyncrasies of loading this bullet for yourself. The blanket statements that are all over the web about Hammers haven't proven to be gospel in my tests.
the Hammer bullets i have used have shot very well the right recommended barrel twist from Hammer bullets is very important. my experience with the lee crimp die has helped with all hunting ammo brass and different brand bullets too . when i use Hammer bullets in my target rifles i don`t ever crimp then , i don`t always use magnum primers either but i have only a limited experience on the primer part ? i have only shot 1 antelope with a Hammer bullet so far but once deer season opens in Minnesota i will no more . my drawing luck this year was very poor for out west !
Funny how this thread is in the Longe range hunting section. While they seem to be decent bullets, they are not in the running for true long range stuff; the less dense copper and BC robbing grooves are to blame. Best thing about them is availability. I will try more but won't shoot them at 1000+ yards
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Those who live by the sword get shot by those who don't.
I can't get the Barnes 80gr ttsx or the 95gr lrx to group in my 7.5 twist .243ai, I have gave up tired of wasting powder. Any ideas on what Hammer bullets I should try?
101 hammer
I've experienced excellent accuracy, low ES/SD using Ramshot Magnum in my 1:8.5 twist 243AI w/105gn projectiles. That powder would probably work with the 88's and almost assuredly would work w/the 101's.
Just throwing out another option of a powder that recently has had reasonably good availability.
I can walk on water.......................but I do stagger a bit on alcohol.
Funny how this thread is in the Longe range hunting section. While they seem to be decent bullets, they are not in the running for true long range stuff; the less dense copper and BC robbing grooves are to blame. Best thing about them is availability. I will try more but won't shoot them at 1000+ yards
You may have a point, though for most of us common folks anything over 250 yards is a long range shot. Then there really is something to be said to closing the distance & getting it done with minimalist approach.
The draw towards Hammer and Barnes copper bullets for me is the lack of potential failures. From my experience bad angles, high velocity and bone will cause 6mm bullets to fail.
Pete, did you have any indication that the petals broke off and radiated outward like shrapnel? On one of the two cow elk for which I used Hammers, I found a petal under the far hide. The bases of the bullets on both elk exited. I usually field dress with the gutless method, so have no internal damage to report.
this is my 1st year with using Hammer bullets and i only shot 1 antelope buck at 460 yards with one shot hit the bottom of the heart at an angle went out the other side and basically cut the buck`s leg off was just hanging on by skin the leg. so no bullet no petals to be found that bullet was gone and i never looked for it either in the dirt at all i was 300 feet higher about than the buck when i shot. but come the middle of November i will know much more then about Hammer bullets . the one thing i have done was shoot these 103 gr. 25 caliber bullets out of my 257 Weatherby mag. in my 1-10 twist Brux barrel Ruger #1 and i drop down to 74 grs. Reloader 25 instead of 75 grs. and this Ruger #1 went from 3/4 of inch at 100 yds. down too under a 1/2 inch at 100 yds. 3 shot groups .i still don`t like to shoot this rifle too much because i wanna save the rifling and its my hunting rifle not a target rifle but i am amazed how it shoots now too and i never cleaned the barrel either. ask me the middle of November i should know more then ! Pete53
i wonder maybe the tolerances and /or uniformibility is easy to get with these copper Hammer bullets ? because when i have the right twist barrel on the rifle with these Hammer bullets even my hunting rifles shoot tighter groups easier and more consistent ? there has to be something to it if Weatherby is starting to load these Hammer bullets ?
Google them. They have a patented driving band set up that reportedly results in less friction and higher velocities. Evidently they’re pretty uniform and well made to be as consistently accurate as they are.
They have several types of bullets for different applications.
i loaded 103 gr. Hammer hunter bullets with my load of 74 grs. Reloader 25 at 3600-3700 fps BC`S don`t mean that much with my 257 Weatherby mag out to 600 yards with a little Kentucky windy . my 100 yard 3 shot groups are under 1/2 inch with a hunting rifle in my Ruger #1 with these bullets . i did shoot a buck antelope on the 1st shot at a measured 460 yards ,i was laying down with a bi-pod and bullet went thru the antelope. no tempting for me i have these 103 gr. Hammer hunter bullets loaded for son and myself for our whitetail buck season this fall 2022 in our home state of Minnesota up by the border ,we have big deer up there too.
i loaded 103 gr. Hammer hunter bullets with my load of 74 grs. Reloader 25 at 3600-3700 fps BC`S don`t mean that much with my 257 Weatherby mag out to 600 yards with a little Kentucky windy . my 100 yard 3 shot groups are under 1/2 inch with a hunting rifle in my Ruger #1 with these bullets . i did shoot a buck antelope on the 1st shot at a measured 460 yards ,i was laying down with a bi-pod and bullet went thru the antelope. no tempting for me i have these 103 gr. Hammer hunter bullets loaded for son and myself for our whitetail buck season this fall 2022 in our home state of Minnesota up by the border ,we have big deer up there too.
So Pete why not the 110's or isn't your twist right?
my Ruger #1`s are 1-10 twist probably won`t shoot the 110 grain bullet well ? my MARK 5 is a 7 1/2 twist that would i think. but i do like speed and 103 grain bullet is fast and should hit a bigger whitetail buck hard.
Steve no longer says to use magnum primers unless your gun shoots them better, standard primers work well, I used the new Power Hammers in my 20.06 in 150 gr on their African trip. I was very impressed with them so next April when I go back to Africa they will be in my 06 and in my 458 for cape buff in the 404 grain
Hammer Bullets sparked an epiphany and paradigm shift in my hunting bullet selection. Took a bit for me to break out of the "Energy is everything, heavy as possible bullet for cartridge!" Steve Davis' repeated phrase is, "Speed Kills!" He is right with Hammer bullet construction. Steve will also answer the phone or call you back in a reasonable amount of time. Here is what I have discovered about Hammer Bullets:
1. Always in stock. Ship fast 2. The design makes so much sense. The front of the bullet peels and petals out on impact, causing multiple veering channels of wounding, and the base stays intact and drives deep. Hence the ability to shoot light for cartridge. 3. Distance to lands doesn't matter. Load them to the first groove under the ogive. 4. I have not used magnum primers and I guess I came to the party after the magnum primers were emphasized. 5. I have not crimped the bullets. I swab the necks with alcohol on a q-tip and my RCBS dies give tight neck tension. 6. I do use faster ish burning powders for the lighter bullets 7. Lethality is unreal. DRT/dead bug with legs in the air upon impact. Gallons of blood out the mouth and organs jellified. 8. So easy to achieve sub minute loads. 9. I am not a super duper long dong range hunter. 500yds and in. BC matters not.
10. This is a real kick. They smoke through the air with what's known as the "Hammer Trail!" Someone sitting beside the shooter, or a video camera will witness a vapor/smoke trail like daytime tracers. It's thought the machine oil left in the tips cause the Hammer Trail.
11. I would buy a 6.5 manbun knowing I would shoot 124gr Hammers and be good to go!
with the 103 gr. Hammer bullets during the 2022 November rifle season in Minnesota this year i shot a nice buck that field dressed 193 lbs. , was a one shot bang flop kill on the shoulder with my 257 Weatherby mag. i did not have time to examine the bullet hole because we had a nasty blizzard come in 15 minutes after i shot this buck,never did find bullet in this animal? yes i think these Hammer bullets seem to work well but i need to shoot more game animals yet to be positive. Pete53
All this Hammer talk and with the price of modern projectiles I’m thinking about trying them in my 35 Whelen. I like heavier bullets for the close work rifles.
What real world experience does anyone have with Hammer bullets in 35 Whelen or .338WM?
Good thread with a lot of info. 👍
�Politicians are the lowest form of life on earth. Liberal Democrats are the lowest form of politician.� �General George S. Patton, Jr.
All this Hammer talk and with the price of modern projectiles I’m thinking about trying them in my 35 Whelen. I like heavier bullets for the close work rifles.
What real world experience does anyone have with Hammer bullets in 35 Whelen or .338WM?
Good thread with a lot of info. 👍
Nothing on animals, but the 220's shoot real well in my Ruger 35 Whelen at around 2800. Hoping I can get them out and get some animals down with them soon.
Thanks Beretzs…. I might have to give them a shot (pun intended). I was looking at their 254gr 358 Hammer and was thinking about trying that one but maybe I’ll look at the 220 too. My .338’s are shooting the 210 TTSX or 225 TBBC so my Whelen was going to be used for the 250-280. I have a box of 280 A-Frames for close work but I wouldn’t be upset if the 254 Hammers were accurate and became my primary load for those rifles. I tend to find 1 or 2 loads that work for a particular rifle and that’s all I’ll use. In my .308’s it’s a 150 TTSX or 168 TSX. In the .338’s it’s the 210 TTSX or 225 TBBC. For the Whelen I have 300+ of factory loaded Remington 250gr PSP and 250 Roundnose as well as a couple hundred 200 core-lokts that I’ve been shooting for the once fired brass. It’s not a good time to be looking for uncommon loadings like the Whelen since brass and bullets are hard to find. I’d found a stash of factory Remington in the Whelen and have been buying it all since I’m getting it for $27 a box. 🫢….. I can’t buy the brass for that even it was available.
�Politicians are the lowest form of life on earth. Liberal Democrats are the lowest form of politician.� �General George S. Patton, Jr.
All this Hammer talk and with the price of modern projectiles I’m thinking about trying them in my 35 Whelen. I like heavier bullets for the close work rifles.
What real world experience does anyone have with Hammer bullets in 35 Whelen or .338WM?
Good thread with a lot of info. 👍
Hammer bullets are excellent killers of game. I shoot the 222 grain Hammer Hunter @ 2911 FPS out of my 28" barreled 1885 Highwall 10 twist. They are very accurate and kill deer 🦌 like a lightning bolt
Shot from 185 yards
I got banned on another web site for a debate that happened on this site. That's a first
Loaded up some 143 Hammer Hunters this year to try out of my 28 N. 3500 fps with H1000. 400 yard shot on this Bull, he made it 30 yards. Shot was slightly quartering, found the bullet under the hide, mid body on the other side.
How is it that Hammer can fill orders and the big guys can’t put a damn thing on the shelves? It makes zero sense to me. David beating Goliath. Hammer deserves the praise and should be proud. The big guys should be embarrassed! They are getting out worked. Hammer gets a lot right, especially with regard to customer service and manufacturing capacity. Bravo Steve.
How is it that Hammer can fill orders and the big guys can’t put a damn thing on the shelves? It makes zero sense to me. David beating Goliath. Hammer deserves the praise and should be proud. The big guys should be embarrassed! They are getting out worked. Hammer gets a lot right, especially with regard to customer service and manufacturing capacity. Bravo Steve.
^^ THIS ^^ this is part of the reason i now use Hammer bullets
Finally have a one hole max load figured out for my .243ai using the 88 Hammer Hunter. Looking forward to smashing some deer with a 88HH traveling over 3400fps.
That's a sweet video and great shot! I'm always awed by watching elk videos because so many don't even look like they react to the hit. Elk hunting is on my bucket list. Until then, I'll enjoy videos like this one.
Selmer
"Daddy, can you sometime maybe please go shoot a water buffalo so we can have that for supper? Please? And can I come along? Does it taste like deer?" - my 3-year old daughter
I shot a 330 pound pig from about 25 yards with a 130 grain Shock Hammer from a 6.5mm wildcat. The muzzle velocity averages 3,190 feet per second. The bullet entered just to the left of the left shoulder and traveled diagonally, exiting 30" from entrance on the right side behind the diaphragm. Three of the petals exited about 3" from the shank exit. Their exit holes made sort of an equilateral triangle.
Hammer bullets is the only brand I use now. I guess I killed a truck load of game with them in the last six or seven years. Most are deer so there are no captured bullet shanks to photo. earlier this year I did recover a petal from the doe I shot about 300 yards away. The other petals and shank exited. To my surprise the deer ran at the shot. I am used to seeing them drop at the shot. But then I normally shoot for the lungs. The 131 grain Hammer Hunter took out the heart. Many hunters told me a heart shot animal almost always runs. By the way the rifle is another wildcat. It is like a 7RUM with the shoulder pushed back about .100" to produce a longer neck. The muzzle velocity runs about 3,680 feet per second.
"Only Christ is the fullness of God's revelation." Everyday Hunter
That was actually a serious question. How can Hammer keep stuff in stock and Berger can’t?
Hammer Bullets look like great monos and I think I might try some but I suspect Berger makes and sells more bullets in a week than Hammer does in a year.
That's no slam on Hammer Bullets and they look like a great small bullet maker but scale is a thing.
Those Hammers look interesting for barrier blind loads in the 5.56.
Even TTSXs don't expand enough without hitting bone in the 5.56 for my tastes.
John Burns
I have all the sources. They can't stop the signal.
The 88gr Hammer Hunters just might be the best 6mm bullet that I've ever used. Best I can tell is the HH are half hollow point (shock) and half mono (penetration). Haven't found a deer yet that can handle a 88gr bullet at 3400fps.
I guess those of us who may have been accused of being Hammer fanatics, we have our groups and terminal performance to comfort us.
And yeah, they're a bit on the expensive side, but IMO, worth the cost.
And, you can actually get them from the makers who seem to stay pretty well stocked.
And, for those who have to use non-lead projectiles, these are hard to beat, lead or non-lead.
DF
Couldn't agree more with you DF.
'm shooting 55 HH in .243 (Win 760) and 70 HH in 240 Wby, (I4350). Both very accurate and fast. Only coyotes with them so far. No crimp, no mag primer, but might work up a 240 load with 70 HH and Hunter with a mag primer since I'm out of I4350.
i have been loading and shooting the 80 gr. Hammer hunter bullets in my 6 BR out to 500 yards i have been very impressed with how well these bullets group and seem accurate too. my only problem i have is i am using Varget powder and i am down too 1/2 lb. left.
i have been loading and shooting the 80 gr. Hammer hunter bullets in my 6 BR out to 500 yards i have been very impressed with how well these bullets group and seem accurate too. my only problem i have is i am using Varget powder and i am down too 1/2 lb. left.
i got the 80 gr. just touching , so 1 groove of the bullet is showing some when seated using Lapua used brass that has been full length resized a few times.i have done nothing special with this Lapua brass . i am just using a old single shot 6 BR Savage bench rifle not even my good rifle for these winter shoots, but this old rifle still shoots good enough 1/2 inch 5 shot at 100 yards off a bench sometimes better , i do have a Nightforce bench scope on 15-55 x56 i believe , i use 15 x at 100 -200 yards .
i just got some little 33 gr. big hole Hammer bullets for my K-Hornet ,loaded up 6 cartridges for the K-Hornet was getting dark and i knew that possum would be back, i had put out some more dry cat food about 40 yards away , possum showed up and it was a bang flop. neat little bullet for critters ! Pete53
Ackley, my 240 a has very long lead and I'm seated nowhere near the lands, (the reamer made the jump longer than stock Weatherbys for some reason), so a long jump didn't affect accuracy with this set up. This is with a 70gr HH.
In my 243 I loaded .057 off the lands and it shoots lights out. I didn't mess with adjusting OAL because I could see no reason to mess with it. Even with a monometal bullet the 55 grainer is pretty short. It gets 4000+ fps.
So in my very limited testing finding an optimal OAL hasn't been an issue. Did I just get lucky? Maybe, but this doesn't happen often with copper bullets in my experience. These are fun bullets.
I run most of my Hammer bullets in the area of .100" off the rifling. I seat the bullets to maximize the amount of bearing surface in the neck and most loads just end up around .100", but there are exceptions. Recently, I started fooling around with the 85H bullet in my Creedmoor. That bullet is so short that I'm at .213" off the rifling. With a good load of Varget and in a 26" barrel, I was able to get 3,700 fps without much difficulty.
I didn't noticed much difference between seating depth and accuracy with the 88 or 101gr 6mm HH. Changing powders made a difference through. The harder I pushed, the better the HH grouped.
I have yet to use Hammer bullets yet but plan to remedy that in the near future with the Grendel that I am expecting any day. Have any of you guys tried the Hammer in the Grendel? Any data you’d be willing to share? Thanks for any experience with this new-to-me caliber. It sure looks good on paper and guys I respect that have BTDT also say it’s a cool round. I could NEVER warm up to the 5.56/.223 which is why only 1 of my AR’s are chambered in it. The Grendel and the 6ARC both look like a considerable improvement over the .223 so I’ll be getting an ARC upper eventually.
�Politicians are the lowest form of life on earth. Liberal Democrats are the lowest form of politician.� �General George S. Patton, Jr.
Good stuff Pete, the 404gr Hammer bullet in my 3.6" mag length action 458 Win Mag leaves at 2500+ fps, it's a very accurate bullet, no load development to speak of, just worked up with a chrono and AA-2460 powder till i got to 2500 fps then went to the bench, GTG, great bullets i look forward to using in other rifles.
I know a guy pushing this bullets at more than 3000 fps from a 460 Bee via RL17
Hammer makes a bullet called the Absolute Hammer, the ogive not engraved by rifling, just the patented drive bands. The say they should be loaded by expert reloaders capable of working up a load without supporting data.
So these bullets have such low friction, they can be pushed to velocities even Hammer won’t release.
I bet gunner could squeeze some obscene speeds from those.
This is .358 bullets a 225 TSX and a 223 Hammer Hunter, easy to see that the Hammer Hunter has less bearing surface, which allows to add a bit of powder for higher velocity
I got banned on another web site for a debate that happened on this site. That's a first
I’m not crimping them either. Didn’t even know it was recommended. All my initial test loads were under 3/4” also. I didn’t even test seating depth. Just started them .020 off the lands and tested powder.
After doing a good bit of actual testing on deer using the 88gr 6mm Hammer Hunters my results are mixed. I've found 3 petals in the onside shoulder that never made it to the vitals with each weighing between 6 - 6.5gr. Exit holes are small almost like shooting FMJ bullets. Hammer Hunters are good bullets if you shoot for the boiler room, the deer don't go far if they run at all. If you want to shoulder shoot the Barnes LRX is proving to be the better choice, IMO. The large mushroom of the Barnes does a lot more damage to the shoulders than the Hammer Hunters.
I haven't crimped either in the 300 RUM nor the 35 Whelen. I'd guess you can change up neck tension with a bushing too if you wanted a little more grip. .003 works fine the RUM for me. Haven't seen any movement from them. Same for the Whelen.
I’m not crimping them either. Didn’t even know it was recommended. All my initial test loads were under 3/4” also. I didn’t even test seating depth. Just started them .020 off the lands and tested powder.
What cartridge are you loading?
110's in the 6.5 Creedmoor & 124 in a .308.
Just something to help liven winter doldrums - neither will be used at considerable distance (if they perk).
when i shoot my target rifles with a single cartridge in the rifle i do not crimped , but when i have more than one cartridge in a magazine in my deer rifles like my 257 Weatherby mag. i do crimp that cartridge. i never have crimped any of my 22 K-Hornet ammo ,257 Creedmoor,257 Roberts,6.5Creedmoor yet ?
This is .358 bullets a 225 TSX and a 223 Hammer Hunter, easy to see that the Hammer Hunter has less bearing surface, which allows to add a bit of powder for higher velocity
My JES bored Pre-64 FWT likes lighter bullets. Don't know why as it's a 12 twist.
Anyway, I shot some great groups with the Cutting Edge 160 gr. But, I went with the 178 gr. Shock Hammer because it's sleeker and can be loaded longer with less powder compression. With that bullet, RL-7 is my fav powder.
Here they are, side by side. Notice additional powder space with the Hammer.
These bullets frag; the core bores on thru, not too unlike a Partition. Except the frag pieces exit around the core, at least with a chest shot WT. Lots of internal damage, quick kills. Unless you're breaking down shoulders, shooting big, nasty critters, I like the Shock Hammer more than Barnes. The Shock Hammer is designed for 80% core retention. other Hammer bullets have less retention. Google "Types of Hammer Bullets" for details. Choice should depend on velocity and critter hunted.
Small company with much attention to detail and to their customers. Got an email from Steve Davis, one of the owners, after sending Hammer Bullets a photo of exit pattern, WT chest. He pointed out the satellite exits around the core exit. He knew what he was looking at. And, they seem to always have stock ready to ship.
Forgot to mention, Hammer bullets are about as accurate as CEB's.
Here's my CEB "bragging group" that I was not quite able to reproduce, although got pretty close. Not a bad group from a JES re-bored .243 Pre-64.
X-Term is my second fav .358 Win powder. I get similar performance, no compression, with RL-7.
TAC was JB's fav in his excellent .358 Win article. TAC may be optimal with heavier bullets, but will require compressed loads.
TAC is slightly slower than X-Term which is slightly slower than RL-7. Faster powders take up less room. IME, case capacity can be an issue in the .358 W.
Nothing wrong with compressed loads, I like to not compress if I don't have to. Just me.
I’m not crimping them either. Didn’t even know it was recommended. All my initial test loads were under 3/4” also. I didn’t even test seating depth. Just started them .020 off the lands and tested powder.
What cartridge are you loading?
110's in the 6.5 Creedmoor & 124 in a .308.
Just something to help liven winter doldrums - neither will be used at considerable distance (if they perk).
They perked alright - the 6.5s anyway. More like boiled over.....
I never thought I'd grow up to be a grumpy old man, but I did, and I'm killin' it.
All this Hammer talk and with the price of modern projectiles I’m thinking about trying them in my 35 Whelen. I like heavier bullets for the close work rifles.
What real world experience does anyone have with Hammer bullets in 35 Whelen or .338WM?
Good thread with a lot of info. 👍
200 Hammer hunter with 57 gr H4895. 2800 fps sub moa. Rem 7600 punp.
Hammer makes a bullet called the Absolute Hammer, the ogive not engraved by rifling, just the patented drive bands. The say they should be loaded by expert reloaders capable of working up a load without supporting data.
So these bullets have such low friction, they can be pushed to velocities even Hammer won’t release.
I bet gunner could squeeze some obscene speeds from those.
Hmm…
DF
Yes. Middle of the road load here. Should be able to get 3600 plus. RL 33 is too slow.
I am working on the 162 Absolutes in my 30-06. Should break 3k fps via staball 6.5
Shooting 175 Hammer Hunters in my 338 Federal over a compressed load of IMR 8208 XBR. The rifle is a rebarreled Kimber Montana with a Lilja 1:10 Mod84M barrel. It will stack 3 Hammers in almost one hole. No crimping. Started at mag box length of 2.8" and never touched the seating.
Last edited by GuideGun; 01/10/23.
-Matt
"The proof of the whisky is in the drinking, the proof of the rifle is in the shooting."
Spoke with Steve from Hammer 2 days ago to get some load data for my 28 Nosler. He was very helpful and knowledgeable. I had been shooting Berger 195 EOL and am not happy with terminal performance of the Berger so had planned on ordering some 177HH. Steve asked how far I planned to shoot and I told him it's a hunting rifle and 500 yds would be long for me . He suggested the 143HH for that range and hooked me up with data for N570 and I should get 3500-3600fps with that bullet. He also told me if I wasn't happy with them send them back and he'd refund or swap them out. I spoke with him Tuesday afternoon and they were in my mailbox this morning!
I'll call it good to go load development over. Loaded up a few rounds to give the 143 HH a runner out of my 28 Nosler. 91 grs N570 Fed 215M primer rolling at 3540 fps That'll work! I am taking it to West Texas for Aoudad end of Feb
I'll call it good to go load development over. Loaded up a few rounds to give the 143 HH a runner out of my 28 Nosler. 91 grs N570 Fed 215M primer rolling at 3540 fps That'll work! I am taking it to West Texas for Aoudad end of Feb
Who are you going with Dan?
- Greg
Success is found at the intersection of planning, hard work, and stubbornness.
I'll call it good to go load development over. Loaded up a few rounds to give the 143 HH a runner out of my 28 Nosler. 91 grs N570 Fed 215M primer rolling at 3540 fps That'll work! I am taking it to West Texas for Aoudad end of Feb
Who are you going with Dan?
Josh Johnson Premier Hunts LLC. have hunted Axis and Nilgi with him in the past
Deer shot somewhere between 185 and 200 yards with the 222 grain Hammer Hunter from my 35 Whelen, 1885 Highwall 28" barrel doing 2911 FPS at 15 feet form chronograph
Those petals certainly add to the damage
I got banned on another web site for a debate that happened on this site. That's a first
Seems it may be somewhat of an art, fine tuning loads with bullet type and velocity. Some Hammers can be pretty expansive. Googling “Types of Hammer bullets” will give details.
Your load combo was evidently pretty expansive and seems bone was affected. Even Barnes can be pretty expansive at high velocity.
Some years ago, I shot a WT with an 80 gr TTSX at 3,600 fps out of my .240 Wby. Huge blast effect on the chest wall, a not so impressive pass thru the chest cavity.
Speed kills, but matching bullet type with speed seems more important to me now than earlier.
This is the exit side. The 404 grain SH in 458 at 2500ish FPS is a devastating bullet on every Gunner500 used it on in Africa including Cape Buffalo. One shot and done the petal did a lot of internal damage on the Buffalo plus exited through the shoulders
I got banned on another web site for a debate that happened on this site. That's a first
Deer shot somewhere between 185 and 200 yards with the 222 grain Hammer Hunter from my 35 Whelen, 1885 Highwall 28" barrel doing 2911 FPS at 15 feet form chronograph
Those petals certainly add to the damage
Looks like sh*t.......some people like to actually eat deer meat. Shoulder roast is one of the best in a slow cooker. $1.00 a pop or more for a Hammer...........cool........not
Thanx dirtfarmer! Pretty wild that the petals exited like that.
I was on the fence about the idea of petals sheering off...seems like they got them pretty dialed in though.
I'll probably start with TAC as I have 2 kegs of it.
Yeah, people criticize Barnes bullets losing a petal, whereas Hammer and CEB monos are designed to shed petals.
DF
I have maybe a half dozen recovered Barnes bullets without petals from cape buffalo (350's via 416 Rem), two kudu (250's via 9.3x62 with one shot), bushbuck (250's via 9.3x62 azz shot), elk (185's via 338-06), moose (225 via 35 Whelen). Short of the buffalo that took two steps the rest dropped at the shot. No criticism here.
No criticism here on shed pedals, in fact I like the concept.
Seems to work for Hammer and CEB’s.
DF
I don't see shedding petals as one would design for when others that aren't so designed have proven successful for decades. Marketing? Particularly when a basic Speer, Hornady or Sierra will kill a whitetail or hog.
i have had no problem with Hammer bullets with accuracy or shooting some animals so far. the buck i shot this year was bigger than most bucks / deer at 193 lbs. weighed dressed weight and at velocity of 3680 FPS out of a 103 gr. Hammer Hunter bullet went thru this bucks shoulder and was a bang flop at 125 yards . i will use this 103 gr. Hammer Hunter bullet again next in my same rifle a 257 Weatherby mag. , son and myself will continue to use this great bullet we see no reason to change brand of bullets . i will admit Nosler Partitions and Swift A-Frames have also worked well in the past out of my 257 Weatherby mags. too in the past .the other great thing about Hammer bullets is this company always have bullets in stock . good luck with your choice. Pete53
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