123 Hammers in a Creed

[jsthntn247]

Just got some 123 absolutes in today. Measuring with my stony point tool I'm getting 2.318 base to ogive and 2.960 Coal. Where should I start with testing?

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Generally speaking; you should start with loading at magazine length and shorten from there. That is, of course, assuming that at magazine length you're not into the rifling, which is highly unlikely.

I load all my Hammer bullets at a length that provides maximum bearing surface in the neck. Lately, I have also been aligning one of the parabolic troughs with the case mouth so that I can crimp into it.

 

[jsthntn247]

Thanks, I can get 2.980 out of this mag. Thinking about trying 50 off first which would put the shank at the shoulder junction. I will align it with a rib like you mentioned and see if crimping helps also.

 

[PddPdd]

Varmint Hunter,

Can you share the type of crimp you use/recommend?

 

[lancetkenyon]

I usually start Hammers off .020" if they fit in the mag. I have had to adjust seating depth on exactly 0 out of 20+ loads from there.

 

[jsthntn247]

Touching isn't going to leave much bullet in the case. Looks like .070 off will seat them at the 3rd rib on the bullet and shank about 75% of the way down the neck.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Varmint Hunter,

Can you share the type of crimp you use/recommend?

Sure - I don't necessarily "recommend" any crimp because I've seen very unpredictable results from crimping and there are many different types and degrees of crimping. It's difficult to test them all and it adds another variable to complicate things.

With that said, a few posters here have convinced me to try it with Hammer bullets and I bought a few Lee FCDs. As I said, results varied widely. But that doesn't mean that you can't get good results while crimping. Lately, I've been experimenting with aligning the case mouth with the center of a groove in the bullet shaft and crimping with the FCD. Some shooters crimp on the full diameter of the shaft but I don't. If I'm going to crimp, then I want the crimp to be something I can actually see. I can easily see the crimp on my cases when crimped adjacent to (or into) a groove in the bullet.

I don't use the 1/8 or 1/4 turn method suggested on this forum. I adjust for the amount of crimp by feel. It's much easier than it sounds. If you adjust too much you will readily feel it in the press arm when applying the crimp. A few quick adjustments and I get where I want to be. Incidentally, it's the same way you adjust for a roll crimp. Look & feel carefully as you crimp and adjust and it will become 2nd nature quickly.

I hope this explains what & how I've been testing with the FCD and Hammer bullets. I'll just add that I've had very good luck with Hammers long before I bought my first crimp die. Just use good neck tension and set the bullet down to where you maximize contact between the bullet's bearing surface and the case neck.

Good luck !

 

[GLTaylor]

Justhntn,
You realize you can't measure base to ogive with Absolutes? There is no contact with an ogive to the bore. The first contact with Absolutes is at the first PDR band where the bullet becomes cal diameter. If you measure here, you're gonna have a bunch of nose up the bore!
Don't worry about jump. Just seat so they feed smoothly and shoot 'em.

 

[Montucky Roamer]

Seat fairly deep. So there's no or only part of a groove showing. They just don't USUALLY care.

 

[Zen Archery]

Lots of info on Absolute Hammer Load Data.

 

[Kpknifemaker]

I shoot the 124g Hammer Hunters. Not Absolutes, but perhaps this will help. I've got an OGIVE length of 2.155 that shoot 0.5 to 0.75 MOA consistently in my Tikka Creedmore. Bought a Weatherby Camilla for my wife in a 6.5 CM for Christmas. First time out, shot the Hammers with the same MOA results. Didn't have to make an adjustment. Hammers in general have proven easy to find a good length. On the other hand, some 156 Bergers I shoot out of the Tikka shoot with similar MOA shot poorly out of the Weatherby. Jumping to a conclusion (no pun intended), but seems the Bergers are a bit more sensitive to the jump for the Weatherby. If I want to shoot those Bergers from the Weatherby I will have to start playing with the OGIVE/jump.

My point, maybe the Absolutes will be different, but that OGIVE worked for me in my CM. My Hammers in a variety of guns and calibers seemed to be less sensitive to jump than other bullets I've loaded.

Good luck.

 

[sable tireur]

Here is the data collected from members. The .pdf in post #2 is downloadable so you can print it out:

https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/absolute-hammer-load-data.250143/

 

[jsthntn247]

I seated them to 2.800. They didn't like Varget much but H4895 took 12 rounds to get a sub half moa load at 3030 FPS.

 

[Hard rock]

I seated them to 2.800. They didn't like Varget much but H4895 took 12 rounds to get a sub half moa load at 3030 FPS.

I'm seated at 2.955 in my 6.5 prc at the second band .030 off I think you need too seat too at least the second drive band then crimp into it . The Hammers are not sensitive too jump.