Could you…

I'm not arguing either Bud and I meant no offense, I just simply stated if it could be done it would have been done already I would think , There is a give and take with everything, I disregarded Hammers for years and was a die hard cup and core guy, But for me personally I find them to be the better mousetrap
None taken at all!
If you want to get a 150gn Partition going 20-25% faster than from a .308...... shoot a Win Mag. If a caliber (308, 7-08, 30-06) doesn't do what you want it to, the easiest answer is get the correct chamber. Pounding a square solution into a round hole... I don't get it.

300 BLK
30-06
300 RUM

I can use any 30 cal bullet, and can hit any velocity between 900 and 4000 FPS. Function drives form, not the other way around.
Ok… "the sky is blue". Ok go!!!!!


Of course you can increase speed the traditional way. It just requires more powder and more powder requires more recoil.
 
Monos work they way they do because of the nature of being made of one metal. No, you cannot make a bonded lead core bullet work the same way. Density and hardness are discrete elemental characteristics that can't be changed. If you drilled out a Hammer and put lead it in (because you can't draw that alloy in the manner of a traditional jacket cup) you end up with a poorly shaped rock.
 
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This is the MSDS of Corbin Core Bond, the chemical that is commonly used to bond lead cores to copper jackets. The primary active chemicals are Zinc Chloride and Ammonium Chloride, which are used (for want of more technical terms) to clean the copper cup and lead core really well, then once heated cause them to form a chemical bond. That's the part that can't be done in a mono alloy. A J4 Berger jacket is a cup in which a lead core is inserted, heated, and then the cup and core are swaged together to form the bullet. Hammers are cut on CNC lathes from bar stock, and aren't made from a cup.

This is Corbin's description of bonded bullet manufacturing

Making cups:




Point forming after the core is swaged:

Homemade Mono on CNC:
 
This is the MSDS of Corbin Core Bond, the chemical that is commonly used to bond lead cores to copper jackets. The primary active chemicals are Zinc Chloride and Ammonium Chloride, which are used (for want of more technical terms) to clean the copper cup and lead core really well, then once heated cause them to form a chemical bond. That's the part that can't be done in a mono alloy. A J4 Berger jacket is a cup in which a lead core is inserted, heated, and then the cup and core are swaged together to form the bullet. Hammers are cut on CNC lathes from bar stock, and aren't made from a cup.

This is Corbin's description of bonded bullet manufacturing

Making cups:




Point forming after the core is swaged:

Homemade Mono on CNC:

Thanks for ruining my dream! ;). Appreciate the explanation!!
 
I bet you could make a hybrid--- copper in the rear ( using hammers design to gain speed) with a lead core nose---- oh wait, that has already been done with the sost bullets ( just that hammers external design wasn't used in those)
 
However, the Hammer results from Africa speak volumes, and my former gunsmith, who makes his living making LR rifles, swears by them.
Others have similar success too: GSC (based in Africa, and has been around for a while now) Cutting Edge, Peregrine, etc. Perhaps soon, the high BC options from Badlands, Cayuga, Apex, and others. Choices, choices, choices... it's a beauty and I am thankful for it.
 
Just for a reference on expansion and impact velocity, this bullet had an impact velocity of right at 1480-1490. I shot "giant gummy bears" which seems to be very similar to ballistic gel. Maybe a bit softer. These were 196 .308 hammers
AD141BEC-D4F5-4149-AFE6-62E4BE3E1423.jpeg
A8B92EE9-0845-4E50-9B49-64BD4FDAF09D.jpeg
 
If you want to get a 150gn Partition going 20-25% faster than from a .308...... shoot a Win Mag. If a caliber (308, 7-08, 30-06) doesn't do what you want it to, the easiest answer is get the correct chamber. Pounding a square solution into a round hole... I don't get it.

300 BLK
30-06
300 RUM

I can use any 30 cal bullet, and can hit any velocity between 900 and 4000 FPS. Function drives form, not the other way around.
Or just get an Allen Magnum and be done with it ;)
 
My two cents, I read everything about hammers and after having bad experience with new boxes of barnes. That being the bullets were out of spec. I talked the person I was loading for to give the hammers a try. I followed the book of hammer written by butter Bean. Stoked up a 6.5 CM with about as much STaBall as it would take, seated to the top crimp ring and put a one quarter turn crimp using a FCD. The little kimber with a 18 inch barrel shot 3248 average and made just under half inch group. If anyone has ever shot a kimber Adirondack you know how twitchy they are. I've now loaded
For five others and changed two of my tried and true hunting rifles to hammers. if I'd had more time I'd switch another. But I've deer behind my house that are becoming pest and need killing.
 
Why would you want a lead, bonded or cup and core bullet to act like a mono. Makes no sense to me. What makes mono's good is also what makes mono's bad and the same is true for lead bullets. You always hear (or read) about monos's do less meat damage penetrate through, and high retention. Well less meat damage simply means less trauma, smaller wound channels, less fragmentation. Mono's can withstand high velocities because they will hold together where a bonded or cup and core bullets will not. Hammers are probably the best mono's on the market today so if a guy likes mono's they are the way to go. I prefer massive wound channels and fragmentation therefore i don't use mono's. Both styles work it just what you want out of bullet, just my 2 pennies
 
I bet you could make a hybrid--- copper in the rear ( using hammers design to gain speed) with a lead core nose---- oh wait, that has already been done with the sost bullets ( just that hammers external design wasn't used in those)

North Fork Bullets is back in production - I got an email from them recently to that effect. They have a bullet with a solid copper base, relieved bearing surface, and bonded lead core up front. Some of their smaller diameters look like they might have a reasonably high BC, but anything 30-caliber & up are semi-spitzers. ALL are flat-based bullets. You could look them up to scratch your itch for a hybrid-type bullet, but they only have a few of the features you mentioned. I'm working with the Hammer Hunter in a 280 Remington now, and so far results are great. I would echo everything I've read here about the load development process, except that I maxed out before getting really high velocity ( I got around 2900 with the 143-grain bullet.) I'll be trying other powers after hunting season has passed, but I have a load now that will work well and accuracy is phenomenal. The North Forks I have on the shelf will probably remain on the shelf.
 
Like it or not. something that I have not seen mentioned here is that as in California and I believe Washington, lead bullets for hunting are going to be banned in your state.
 

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