300 WSM, hammer hunter 181, build questions

[Boisedoc]

Got the brass and dies today. I am building a kill everything that moves in NA rifle. The idea is a 20-22" barrel (suppressor), shorter is better. I am trying to get a reasonable (read not exploding brass) load that will get me minimum 2850fps. That should make for a max distance under no wind conditions of around 750yds. The 181 hammer hunter is the bullet I'd like to shoot. Am thinking a defiant antix XM action or a BAT Vampire. I emailed Hells Canyon about a barrel and am thinking a 1:9 or 1:9.5 twist. (1) What length barrel should I get? I don't want so short that I can't reach my velocity. Ideally would use a temp stable powder like H4350, 4831sc, or H1000. Got some Norma Brass. I think the medium length action will get me the COAL I need. (2) Is the SAAMI spec freebore long enough for that bullet (hammer 181)? (3) any other thoughts on actions or bullets? The gun will be used for thick woods whitetail. Timber and semi open country elk. Mulies. Black bear and hopefully one day moose. Probably never grizzlies. Maybe invading communists.

Thanks

 

[Bucklowery]

My factory Remington 26" 1:10 barrel likes the 166 and 174g hammer hunters. I was easily at 2950 with H4350. Don't be afraid to go with a lighter bullet for more speed with the same results as heavier Bullets

Thanks

Buck

 

[adk hunter]

I have tried three or four of the hammers in my .300wsm. 181,166,152 and 165PH. I really felt the 181 was too long and was impeding power space. I shoot a 180 grand slam and Nosler partition and are not wrong answers either. The 152 was next and would probably do it all but I use it here on WT and BB.
Noticeable recoil difference!

I have found the 165 power hammer to fit perfectly. Have great velocity and the larger tip gives me the reassurance it would perform at distance if I ever gave it that test.

Search Bean's shooting a water buffalo with a 120ish hammer at warp speed. Crazy!
Hammer Hunter or Absolute Hammer data is a great read!

 

[Boisedoc]

Thank you fellas. I am building it on a medium or long action so shouldn't have to worry about stuffing the bullet in the case I hope. I'll run some numbers with the lighter weights.

 

[Rick Richard]

My load recipe that gave me the best accuracy. Start low and work up
HH 166 65 gr H4350
HH 181 62.5 gr H4350
All .030 OTL

 

[Tractor flyer]

I have 20" proof barrel 1:9 twist long action loading rl26 181 hammer bout 3000fps… shooting very well but still fine tuning

 

[huntinfool18]

180s goin 3000fps out of a 20" barrel??? That is smokin fast.
I just started workin with the 200.20x out of a 25" 10twist barrel with imr7828. 68grs is going about 3050ish with sub half mo groups.
The 300 wsm is an awesome chambering.

 

[Tractor flyer]

Correction my proof barrel is 22"… sorry! Looked at my notes and last labradar avg was 3050fps.

 

[richhymas]

Got the brass and dies today. I am building a kill everything that moves in NA rifle. The idea is a 20-22" barrel (suppressor), shorter is better. I am trying to get a reasonable (read not exploding brass) load that will get me minimum 2850fps. That should make for a max distance under no wind conditions of around 750yds. The 181 hammer hunter is the bullet I'd like to shoot. Am thinking a defiant antix XM action or a BAT Vampire. I emailed Hells Canyon about a barrel and am thinking a 1:9 or 1:9.5 twist. (1) What length barrel should I get? I don't want so short that I can't reach my velocity. Ideally would use a temp stable powder like H4350, 4831sc, or H1000. Got some Norma Brass. I think the medium length action will get me the COAL I need. (2) Is the SAAMI spec freebore long enough for that bullet (hammer 181)? (3) any other thoughts on actions or bullets? The gun will be used for thick woods whitetail. Timber and semi open country elk. Mulies. Black bear and hopefully one day moose. Probably never grizzlies. Maybe invading communists.

Thanks

I tried and tried to like the hammer hunters. Couldn't get them to shoot better than about .75-1 MOA. They performed well on game at close range but they were too long for my WSM. You would need a custom reamer to be able to seat those bullets long enough to not take up too much powder capacity. Even the 169s were just too long for my WSM.

 

[sable tireur]

This was one of those projects I just plain stumbled into. I was offered a .30 cal., 20" finish barrel with a 1:8" twist. Ostensibly this was projected to be a .300 BLK for fun but I started looking at other bullets and cartridge combinations and found the WSM really intriguing, especially with a couple of the heavier, longer range hunting bullets. The best aspect was that I had an extra suppressor which would make for a handy walking/stalking rifle.

XM action (3.200" box)
300 WSM
195 gr. Badlands Precision
20" Bartlein Lt Varmint 1:8" twist
Re-16
2,800 fps (zero at 100 yards since most shots would be shorter)
Painless to carry, fun to shoot!

 

[Boisedoc]

I tried and tried to like the hammer hunters. Couldn't get them to shoot better than about .75-1 MOA. They performed well on game at close range but they were too long for my WSM. You would need a custom reamer to be able to seat those bullets long enough to not take up too much powder capacity. Even the 169s were just too long for my WSM.

That's the first I've heard this. I'll post over in Hammers forum and see if anyone had this problem and solved it. Looks like the 215 Berger and 181 Hammer are close to the same length. I don't know about the bearing surface.

 

[Boisedoc]

This was one of those projects I just plain stumbled into. I was offered a .30 cal., 20" finish barrel with a 1:8" twist. Ostensibly this was projected to be a .300 BLK for fun but I started looking at other bullets and cartridge combinations and found the WSM really intriguing, especially with a couple of the heavier, longer range hunting bullets. The best aspect was that I had an extra suppressor which would make for a handy walking/stalking rifle.

XM action (3.200" box)
300 WSM
195 gr. Badlands Precision
20" Bartlein Lt Varmint 1:8" twist
Re-16
2,800 fps (zero at 100 yards since most shots would be shorter)
Painless to carry, fun to shoot!

That badlands bullet really long. Once again can't tell the bearing surface but did you use a SAAMI spec reamer?

 

[richhymas]

That's the first I've heard this. I'll post over in Hammers forum and see if anyone had this problem and solved it. Looks like the 215 Berger and 181 Hammer are close to the same length. I don't know about the bearing surface.

Thanks. Please let me know.

 

[bigngreen]

Saami spec reamers for the WSMs suck, they were specs with little to no freebore so you'll want it throated or a custom reamer. The 181 and 215 Berger work well together but you might need a long action, I typically do them on a Tikka so have a little more than the XM to work with.