Hammer bullets shoot!!!

CaptnC said:

Would the 124gr be ok in the 264wm with a 9 twist?

I've heard that the magnums can push bullets requiring an 8 twist fast enough to stabilize out of a 9 twist.

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Unfortunately the increased vel doesn't make as much difference in stability as some say it does. I checked on the twist calculator and if you were able to push them at 3600fps they would still only have 1.22sg. Barely stable enough to fly and not good for hunting. The 9" twist in the 6.5 is as bad as 10" twist in .277. Our 121g Heavy Hammer is the heaviest bullet we could make, with vld style nose, that will fully stabilize in a 9" twist.

Steve

JakeM300winnie said:

To make a very long story short, I'm shooting a 300 win mag. Browning a bolt ll action,Christensen24" barrel, 1-10 twist,custom carbon fiber stock bedded.Leopold vx5 3-15x56.weighs in at 8lbs.
I've tried many different bullets geared towards long range capabilities,including 190 gr ablr, 180 ab.200 ab.175 lrx,200lrx, 180 sst, and 200 gr eld-x. I could always get it to shoot decent in the 1 to1 1/2 moa range no matter what ,but that wasn't gonna cut it for a rifle I have quite a lot money invested into. I did get the 200 gr eld-x to shoot very good at times but had major inconsistencies. (See my other posts warning about hornady eld-x)At this point I'm around 600-700 rounds through this barrel.
Steve, from hammer bullets suggested I give their bullets a try.I ordered a box of hammer hunter 181 gr.and as Steve's recommendations, Imr 7828ssc, seated the bullets as long as the mag box would allow,which ended up being .120 jump. I loaded one round at a time watching velocity and looking for pressure signs.77 gr. Put me at 3100 fps. I called that good with no pressure signs. I loaded up 3 at 77gr, went out to 410 yd.and it shot .60 moa first group. Velocities were, 3097,3100,3100. I believe it shoots even better than that but that's the best I can do with only 15x scope. Its consistant now, and I've shot multiple 1/2 moa groups since. I believe its true about these bullets not being sensitive to seating depth,and everything that the website and Steve has said has been true in my case. I recommend you guys give these a try ,especially if you have a finicky rifle. I can't wait to try them out on game!
Thank you Steve for an awesome USA made product.

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It just dawned on me what is so cool about this. You were pushing 700 rounds of unsuccessful load development with 6 diff bullets without acceptable accuracy. Then you grabbed a box of Hammer Bullets and you had a load done and confirmed for accuracy at longer range shooting pretty close to .5 moa, in less than 25 rounds. If you subtract 700 bullets at half the price of Hammers you would have 300 more rounds of Hammers to shoot for fun and still be money and time ahead if you had just started with the Hammers.

Since most people do not post on forums the general population doesn't here about this kind of success, accept from me. The fact is this story happens all the time. If you do the math our bullets are less expensive than conventional bullets when you consider all the wasted powder, bullets, brass, primers, barrel life, and your time.

Thanks again for sharing your story Jake.

Steve

RockyMtnMT said:

They shoot out of your current rifles too!

Steve

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WHATS THE SAYING NOW? "The joy is in creating, not maintaining" lol.

my problem is twist rate on what I shoot, I may be off on what I think they will shoot. 7 wsm 9 twist .168 fb. 338 edge 10 twist .198 fb, 338 rum 10 twist.122 fb( that may be a good one) 7mm ultra ai 8.5 twist .260 fb, my prob is building for a bullet lol give me some advice on hammers. I have a couple I want to build that will love solids , big over bores I think my 223 wssm will shoot the 44 grainer good but that is one I want to build with a 7 twist

I would have saved a lot more than just bullet and reloading costs.Barrel life,new brass ,new dies, concentricity tool, case neck trimmer and reamer,a new powder scale,original muzzle brake eroded,had to buy a new one,re-bedded the stock thinking action was binding,switched scopes. I was so frustrated and figured this gun just wasn't going to shoot. I lost confidence in my abilities,So I went and ordered a 28 nosler!!!!!
So hammer bullets would have actually saved me around $3,000. And a lot less gray hair!
So you can bet your ***,the very first bullet I load for my new 28 nos will be a Hammer!!!!!

JakeM300winnie said:

To make a very long story short, I'm shooting a 300 win mag. Browning a bolt ll action,Christensen24" barrel, 1-10 twist,custom carbon fiber stock bedded.Leopold vx5 3-15x56.weighs in at 8lbs.
I've tried many different bullets geared towards long range capabilities,including 190 gr ablr, 180 ab.200 ab.175 lrx,200lrx, 180 sst, and 200 gr eld-x. I could always get it to shoot decent in the 1 to1 1/2 moa range no matter what ,but that wasn't gonna cut it for a rifle I have quite a lot money invested into. I did get the 200 gr eld-x to shoot very good at times but had major inconsistencies. (See my other posts warning about hornady eld-x)At this point I'm around 600-700 rounds through this barrel.
Steve, from hammer bullets suggested I give their bullets a try.I ordered a box of hammer hunter 181 gr.and as Steve's recommendations, Imr 7828ssc, seated the bullets as long as the mag box would allow,which ended up being .120 jump. I loaded one round at a time watching velocity and looking for pressure signs.77 gr. Put me at 3100 fps. I called that good with no pressure signs. I loaded up 3 at 77gr, went out to 410 yd.and it shot .60 moa first group. Velocities were, 3097,3100,3100. I believe it shoots even better than that but that's the best I can do with only 15x scope. Its consistant now, and I've shot multiple 1/2 moa groups since. I believe its true about these bullets not being sensitive to seating depth,and everything that the website and Steve has said has been true in my case. I recommend you guys give these a try ,especially if you have a finicky rifle. I can't wait to try them out on game!
Thank you Steve for an awesome USA made product.

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Wow that is terrible that it took that many to find a decent load!!! I am truly sorry....My trued Rem action with an 8 twist Krieger barrel in .260 AI has never shot anything much OVER 1" at 100 yds, and that includes 100 grain hornady A-Max used in fireforming, 140 nosler cc bthp used in fireforming, 140 Berger hvld, 140 Berger Hybrid, 143 eld-x, and 147 eld-m, using 3 different powders!! Hell, most the factory rifles I have done load development for didn't shoot that bad....I would have gone back to my gun smith long ago and tried to find out what made it such a PITA!! I'm glad you finally were able to get a good shooting load!! I have only heard good things about hammer bullets.

If Bergers ever disappoint, or I decide to go hunt in Comifornia, I will be using them. Heck, I may try them in the 7.5 twist Krieger I just got to put on a ruger m77, it will be chambered in .264 win mag. Would the 137 Hammer Hunter stabilize in a 7.5 twist, since I am at 6,600 ft+ elevation?

I'm a hunter more than a target shooter.a few of my buddies and I have had some Berger experiences on game,so I wanted to avoid using them.I know they shoot well,but I prefer a bullet that retaines some weight, and makes 2 holes to bleed from.

the nice thing about solids is the terminal performance is better with lighter bullets, with bergers you have to keep the sectional density up to get good pass throughs. I personally would not shoot a 140 grain vld thru an Ultra mag but I would through a 7-08 ,with rifles that shoot up over 3000 fps I like to use a bullet with at least a .280 SD if it isnt bonded. but the hammer line of bullets is really lookin good to me . I have shot a few different solids but the way the Hammers look it looks like some of the problems I had are not going to be issues with them. Engraving surface area is much better the materials look better for hunting and the shapes and design are better for long range killing

+1 on that, a note also ,I'm nearly 50 rnds. In with the hammers without cleaning and still holding accuracy.

JakeM300winnie said:

I'm a hunter more than a target shooter.a few of my buddies and I have had some Berger experiences on game,so I wanted to avoid using them.I know they shoot well,but I prefer a bullet that retaines some weight, and makes 2 holes to bleed from.

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II'm also a hunter more than a target shooter, and in over 25 animals ranging from pronghorn to bull elk, we have never not had an exit using mostly 6.5 140 VLD's and a few 7mm 180 VLD's, and only recovered 1 bullet, a 6.5 140 VLD weighing 78 grains after going through a broadside 6 point bull at 715 yards, initial velocity of 3070, it was hanging on a piece of hide in the exit hole, I assume the exit hole was made by bones and other fragments, as it went through one rib and one upper shoulder blade, exit was about 1.5".

Not to mention Broz on this site and LRO, who has killed or whitnessed more elk killed with a 215 Berger Hybrid in a 300 WM than most people will kill in 3 lifetimes, were talking hundreds. Not taking away from Hammer bullets at all, they are great projectiles, just mentioning my personal experiences and those of someone well known in the long range community. It's unfortunate you didn't have good experience with them, they are another great bullet!!

CaptnC said:

Steve,
Save me the trouble of going to your site and looking....

What bullet weights do you have in 6.5mm?

I have just finished my 5th 6.5mm rifle and it would be great to be able to use one bullet for all if them.

6.5x55
6.5-06
264wm
6.5x284
6.5 CM

Need a hunting bullet that would work well out to at least 600yds...on steel as well as meat. I'm leaning towards 130's even in the 264wm.

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Use the 124 gr Hunter in your 6.5x284 Norma. Mine loves it. I found H4831 worked best. Although I could get over 3200 fps without pressure, I hit a velocity node at 3150 fps that was very consistent (single digit ES), so I made it my load for that bullet

TwoMore said:

my problem is twist rate on what I shoot, I may be off on what I think they will shoot. 7 wsm 9 twist .168 fb. 338 edge 10 twist .198 fb, 338 rum 10 twist.122 fb( that may be a good one) 7mm ultra ai 8.5 twist .260 fb, my prob is building for a bullet lol give me some advice on hammers. I have a couple I want to build that will love solids , big over bores I think my 223 wssm will shoot the 44 grainer good but that is one I want to build with a 7 twist

Click to expand...

What does the .xxx fb stand for after each rifle?

Steve

codyadams said:

Wow that is terrible that it took that many to find a decent load!!! I am truly sorry....My trued Rem action with an 8 twist Krieger barrel in .260 AI has never shot anything much OVER 1" at 100 yds, and that includes 100 grain hornady A-Max used in fireforming, 140 nosler cc bthp used in fireforming, 140 Berger hvld, 140 Berger Hybrid, 143 eld-x, and 147 eld-m, using 3 different powders!! Hell, most the factory rifles I have done load development for didn't shoot that bad....I would have gone back to my gun smith long ago and tried to find out what made it such a PITA!! I'm glad you finally were able to get a good shooting load!! I have only heard good things about hammer bullets.

If Bergers ever disappoint, or I decide to go hunt in Comifornia, I will be using them. Heck, I may try them in the 7.5 twist Krieger I just got to put on a ruger m77, it will be chambered in .264 win mag. Would the 137 Hammer Hunter stabilize in a 7.5 twist, since I am at 6,600 ft+ elevation?

Click to expand...

I think they would be fine in the 7.5" at your elevation. Ballistic stability would be like 1.77sg. I think you have probably seen where I have talked about sg for terminal performance. I prefer to see a minimum 1.5sg at sea level for a hunting bullet at any altitude. I could talk myself into using the 137g Hammer Hunter if I were in your position.

Steve

Seeing as I got some trigger time in today, I'll chime in.

I've been attempting to get a load that satisfies me for my 10 twist, 25" 270 WSM rig.
With 62 grains of N204 and the 126 grain Hammer Hunter, I get 3500 fps easily and darn good accuracy. The problem is that I have only about a half a pound of N204 left and i bought that can in the late '60.

I've heard of great results on game with the 277 - 117 HH and have been successful with it on coyote at close range. With 62 grains of H-100V I get 3480 FPS into bug hole groups at my zero distance of 300 yards.

Yesterday I took it to 545 yards with a great group but a few inches less drop than either Shooter or Strelok called for. The published bc g7 for the 117 pill is 0.167.

I adjusted the bc to get the exact drop @ 545 (the 3 shot group was small enough for high confidence) and came up with 0.193. Elevation" 4480' ASL, baro of 25.66 "HG with 42*F.

This morning being really humid and zero wind I took things to 710 yards. High confidence group again and 0.193 g7 was confirmed.

I've been talking to Steve the last couple of days about something that would shoot along with the 270 Allen Magnum that I've worn out 2 barrels on, which now sports the 25" XCaliber 270 WSM 10 twist. We came up with a 27 Nosler with a 7 twist and 28" of barrel length. Hmmmm, I counted up the $ and time involved.

Did some pondering and calculating and determined if I could get the 117 HH going 3600 FPS MV it would be at least 1 MOA flatter @ 1K than the 270 AM pushing 170 class bullets.

62 grains of H-100V is maxed out at 3480 with a bit too much over pressure every once in awhile. What to do?

RL-17, RL-19 maybe RL-22? Referred to burn rate charts. N204 is next to H-100V but 100V gets to pressure way before N204 does. Went to the powder store and paced back and forth in front of the rows of powders. Hmmmm, what's this Superformance stuff? No load data for 270 WSM. Way slower than H-100V. Scratched the ol' chin and walked out with a can of this Superformance stuff.

Connected the MagnetoSpeed V3 to the suppressor and began shooting out the basement door. (Been raining all day - and wife wasn't home)

Load workup:

No. ChgWt Velocity
1 60gr 3285
2 62gr 3313
3 64 3402
4 66 3506
5 67 3550
6 68 3590
7 69 3653 Max: 3664
8 69 3652 Min: 3649
9 69 3649 Avg: 3654
10 69 3664 ES: 15

Pressure is comfortably less than the 62 grains of H-100V and a ton less than the pressures I was running in this same action with the 270 AM.

Drop @ 1K will be about 1 MOA less than what I was using for the 270 AM though the AM was good for a great many more yards this little sucker will get me the 900 yard range with pretty close to the 1800 FPS needed for expansion. All it needs to be is coyote accurate out to 6-700 yards.

Also coming to find out that the little bullet ain't too bad in the wind. I've been running 100s of rounds through my 22 cal Condor SS airgun at ranges out to beyond 100 yards in all kinds of wind and learning a ton. Downing tons of pigeons, starlings etc...

Tomorrow will reveal how this load shoots. My fingers are crossed as the H-100V load shot big smile good.