I Hate Hammer Bullets!

[KyCarl]

If you don't like them don't use them! Why knock them?

 

[CoSniper66]

There seems to be need for those who hate Hammer Bullets to have a place to vent. So, I decided it would be a good idea to make a place for that to happen. There is no need to hold back here. Let it out. Nobody has to be sly in starting threads that are anti Hammers by saying it is about more choices. Just let it out here. This is a safe place to do it. It is pretty evident that most who hate Hammer Bullets have not used them but have formed a hatred just the same. Let us know how you got this hatred. We don't learn anything about our bullets this way, but we might learn something about marketing. If there are those that hate Hammer Bullets that have used them, please post here. We do learn from these instances and will use that information to get better.

I have one rule for this thread. I do not want any satisfied Hammer users to post on this thread. I don't want anyone to stick up for Hammer Bullets. I am willing to take what comes here and I will monitor the thread and I will handle any defense needed. I don't want this to turn into one side vs the other and have the thread shut down due to infighting.

Let's go.

Hornady works for me.

 

[richhymas]

Ok. I'll bite. I have bought about 20 boxes in 6.5 and 30 cal of different weights. My experience is that these bullets are great short (0-300 yards) and intermediate (300-600 yards) range bullets, but not long range (600-1000+) bullets. Given this is a long range forum, that is one complaint. There are at least 2 reasons this bullet is not great for long range. First is that the BC is not high enough to achieve appropriate terminal velocity at long range. The second is related. That is that these bullets perform best with high impact velocity. I see it posted all the time that "speed kills" when referring to the HH.

Now for my personal experience. I consistently get 1 inch groups at 100 yards no matter what gun or load I use. Never better than 3/4" and seldom worse than 1.5". I try to tune with seating depth but as others am have stated, they are not sensitive to seating depth. Keep in mind that this can be good and bad. In my case bad because there is nowhere to go to tune the load. I tried different powder charges too. Minimal change in group size over a large range. It's like these bullets are built to shoot 1 inch groups no matter what.

I really wanted to use them in my 300 WSM but I live in Idaho and need to be able to shoot long range, and the bullets that are high enough BC are so long thst they sit way too deep in the case and consume all the powder capacity. The lighter shorter bullets have terrible BC.

I also shot in my 300 PRC. Less issue with longer bullets but still only getting about 1 MOA. Is that good enough? Out to 600 yards, yes. Beyond that, no.

I killed several game animals with the 6.5 bullet. Did it kill well, yes. But it makes more of a mess than I think a monolithic bullet should. Those petals shoot off and can go lateral 2 feet. That means we have had a broadside double lung shot that still punctures the stomach and intestines.

So in conclusion, my honest review is that these are excellent bullets for inside 600 yards as long as 1 MOA is good enough for you and you don't mind making a bit of a mess even on broadside lung shots.

Ther is your honest criticism. I really want to like them, and terminal performance is acceptable inside 600, but I am still looking for a long range bullet that I am not afraid to shoot an elk in the shoulder inside 100 yards should a quick close quartering towards shot in the timber present itself.

In the meantime I will continue to shoot my 180 grain scirocco out of my 300 WSM and the 245 Berger out of my 300 PRC.

I will probably let my kids keep shooting the HH out of the 6.5 creedmoor because they limit their shots to 300 yards and I worry they will hit the humerus or shoulder and I need max penetration out of that marginal caliber of my kid has a less than perfect hit.

 

[MW204]

Steve, I bought a box of 50 163 gr I think last summer and the 3 rifles I tried them in did not shoot them very well, which surprised me quite a bit because they look excellent to me. Anyway, I think part of my problem, or most of it, is that I reload to hunt with and by doing so I have to push the bullet deep enough so it'll load out of the magazine box.
I ran out of bullets before I found something that worked but I was swapping out powders & primers because I could not experiment much with setting the depth. One gun was a Rem Model 7 in 300 WSM, yea really short, the other was a Mauser 98 in 300 WSM, and the last was a Rem Model 700 in 06. Two of the three I had a little more room for experimenting with the seating depth, but I was running low on bullets by this time, and hunting season was coming up fast. I was able to find some known bullets I used in the past for the 2 WSM and I loaded them for our hunt.
I had a Rem Model 700 in 458 Win Mag in the safe and I pulled the barrel and installed a factory 24" 1-10 300 WM barrel a few days ago so now I have a set-up that I can experiment a lot more on the seating depth and will give that a try. I'm hoping for < than 1" group at 400 yds. I'll let you know when I get more bullets and try them out.

 

[jbo829]

Steve I can say I hate them because I haven't been able to try them it's been 3 years since I was able to shoot any firearm I was going to order some for a 280 rem 270 wsm and a 243 but I hate them evil thins due to me not being able to shoot

 

[memtb]

It completely eliminates the need to waste money on the newest, inferior, flash bang hunting bullets bullets. How can I impress others by using something tied and proven for several years!

The next thing you know....body piercings and tattoos will no longer be a way to express myself! memtb

 

[chav0_12]

Also that is why I asked that no one should come and defend Hammer Bullets in this thread. I don't want a ****ing match to start.

Due to the censoring on the site I read that as "f***ing match" I really hope that doesn't happen.

I think they cost too much

This is my only issue. I know they're expensive to make and I don't think Steve is trying to break anyone with the price but, man if they were less expensive I could afford to buy more. I have a few hundred Berger 195s for my 28N and only 50 of the 177HHs to test for it. I want to shoot the hammers but every time I stuff one in a case and then pull the trigger it's going to be $1.30 just for the bullet, the Bergers are 1/2 the price. Maybe the Bergers are an inferior product, idk, I haven't tested the differences enough.

 

[chav0_12]

My biggest issue with hammer bullets would probably be the price as well. Do I think they are over priced? No way, seems to be the going rate for a copper bullet. I can't argue with what they are capable of but I don't think for what I do they would make much of a difference. I'm not going to bash them as I haven't put them to the test. I recently purchased a box of them from a member on here at a discounted price to give them a try. I'm excited to see what they can do. I don't believe I will continue to shoot them as they are more than double the bullets I shoot now. I'm willing to give them a try, who knows they might change my mind after load development. I appreciate what you guys bring to the table with you research and new developments. I have emailed Steve with questions and was answered very quickly. Can't say that to much about other businesses, customer service is also important and I was satisfied.

I agree with the customer service as well. Luckily for me, I'm just down the road about an hour, I've stopped in to talk to Steve about stuff a couple of times, and it sure is nice to have a buisness like that close by.

 

[TxPhred]

I think this thread will likely degrade into a ****ing contest the same way if I posted "tell me why you hate Ruger ", or "tell me why you hate ford trucks". It's just going to stir up folks. I think Steve makes a great product, and he's poured his heart and soul into his company. I respect the heck out of that. I am just satisfied using other bullets, so I don't see a need to change. Several other posters have replied with similar thoughts, I don't think I'm way out of bounds. I hope Steve gets the responses he's looking for, but I think there's better way to find out why folks don't use one product over another.

I see see your point, however, I believe there is infinitely more value in a discussion which begins with, "tell me what's wrong with MY product" vs "ANY product". I know I am going to try the "speed kills" concept in my just acquired 30-378 WBY Accumark MK IV.

 

[Rich Coyle]

This is the bickering, nitpicking, and poking I spoke of. I respect you Rich, and have learned from you in the past, but there is nothing to prove. Please man. Lets not do this.

Then don't!

 

[bob812]

I haven't tried Hammers but that is because I'm in Canada. Are you ever going to be able to get a Canadian distributor set up?

Try is a gentleman in Ontario that was bringing the into Canada, Ill see if I can find his info for you

 

[coop2564]

I have tried them in my 300wsm and they shot well but not great. For most hunters at 500yds they should be a great bullet. For long range guys as others have said they don't have the BC for us to consider using them. Its that simple really for me.

 

[Rflshootr]

I shoot way too much to justify the price of Hammers.
I shoot Bergers for accuracy and they work.

 

[stringman]

I thought I would add my 2cents worth to the Hammer discussion. I follow this forum often and was beginning to believe that the Hammer bullet company was sponsoring the Hammer love affair judging from the many accolades praising Hammer bullets. Maybe they are wonderful maybe not, I admit I haven't used them but have used Mono bullets quite a bit namely Barnes TTSX in Wisconsin and Africa on plains game if Hammers are like Barnes in my opinion, they work great if your rifle can push them fast, for me muzzle velocity under 2800fps is insufficient at long range push them at 3K or better plan on packing out meat. if the Hammers are as accurate in my rifles as Barnes I will be glad to shoot them but if the cost is not competitive, I see no need to switch with the cost of components today one must be frugal money wise.