I bought a Cooper model 52 Timberline this summer in 280AI and put a Leupold VX5HD 3-15 on it. Pretty awesome setup but I had a hell of a time getting it to shoot anything under an inch. I even tried the load that came with the rifle from Cooper and it wasn't even that great. I was 200 handloads into this rifle plus all the different factory stuff from Nosler and couldn't get anything to consistently shoot under an inch. 168 bergers being the best.
I was about to give up on the rifle and trade it off but I liked it so much I wanted to make it shoot. I had read some good things on here about Hammer Bullets so I called Steve up to talk to him about which one of his bullets to try. I talked to Steve for probably 30 minutes on the phone and discussed this rifle and his bullets. I decided on the 143 Hammer Hunter. With his suggestions I fired 9 rounds and found the load this rifle liked! 60g of 4831sc is giving me 3120 fps with a 215m primer and great accuracy.
I loaded up the rest and bought another box of 50 and started shooting steel to 500 yards to get ready for elk and bear this fall.
I had asked Steve about shot placement with one of his bullets wondering if a hard shoulder shot was necessary or if the meat saver shot behind the shoulder was ok. He assured me behind the shoulder would work fine. No luck finding a bear but I did get an elk. I put the sneak on and took the shot at 70 yards, good thing I did all that practice at 300, 400 and 500 yards! This elk dropped so fast I really thought that I had missed. Right behind the shoulder complete pass through. Exit hole was around the size of a golf ball and there were chunks of elk on the willows behind her. Wicked job that bullet did.
Since the elk I shot 3 coyotes. One was walking away so he got the Texas heart shot at around 200 yards. Bullet came out The front right shoulder. The other 2 I had an opportunity I couldn't pass on. They were chewing on an elk carcass and from 93 yards I waited for them to line up broadside side by side. Well I got em both with one shot lol. First dog hit spun and ran about 50 yards, second one in line dropped like a rock. First time I ever pulled that off!
I had not had good luck in the past with Barnes so the all copper thing was making me a little hesitant to try the Hammers. I'm glad I did though, they shoot great out of my rifle and did a number on that elk. I'm gunna keep shooting them out of this rifle and I'm very confident they will do all I need them to do.
I was about to give up on the rifle and trade it off but I liked it so much I wanted to make it shoot. I had read some good things on here about Hammer Bullets so I called Steve up to talk to him about which one of his bullets to try. I talked to Steve for probably 30 minutes on the phone and discussed this rifle and his bullets. I decided on the 143 Hammer Hunter. With his suggestions I fired 9 rounds and found the load this rifle liked! 60g of 4831sc is giving me 3120 fps with a 215m primer and great accuracy.
I loaded up the rest and bought another box of 50 and started shooting steel to 500 yards to get ready for elk and bear this fall.
I had asked Steve about shot placement with one of his bullets wondering if a hard shoulder shot was necessary or if the meat saver shot behind the shoulder was ok. He assured me behind the shoulder would work fine. No luck finding a bear but I did get an elk. I put the sneak on and took the shot at 70 yards, good thing I did all that practice at 300, 400 and 500 yards! This elk dropped so fast I really thought that I had missed. Right behind the shoulder complete pass through. Exit hole was around the size of a golf ball and there were chunks of elk on the willows behind her. Wicked job that bullet did.
Since the elk I shot 3 coyotes. One was walking away so he got the Texas heart shot at around 200 yards. Bullet came out The front right shoulder. The other 2 I had an opportunity I couldn't pass on. They were chewing on an elk carcass and from 93 yards I waited for them to line up broadside side by side. Well I got em both with one shot lol. First dog hit spun and ran about 50 yards, second one in line dropped like a rock. First time I ever pulled that off!
I had not had good luck in the past with Barnes so the all copper thing was making me a little hesitant to try the Hammers. I'm glad I did though, they shoot great out of my rifle and did a number on that elk. I'm gunna keep shooting them out of this rifle and I'm very confident they will do all I need them to do.
