Hammer bullet concern

The FB site mentioned, I'm a member of. They are not fans of any copper solids. I am though.
I've seen enough Kaibab mule deer killed with .223 to 30-06 and a variety of Barnes offerings.
I wanted to be the first handloader in our group of kids this year with a Hammer Hunter or Absolute in my 280AI. We got skunked on tags, so no chance for the junior hunt.
 
The FB site mentioned, I'm a member of. They are not fans of any copper solids. I am though.
I've seen enough Kaibab mule deer killed with .223 to 30-06 and a variety of Barnes offerings.
I wanted to be the first handloader in our group of kids this year with a Hammer Hunter or Absolute in my 280AI. We got skunked on tags, so no chance for the junior hunt.
I personally would like to thank you for taking juniors on a hunt, no matter if it's squirrels or "hunting" pan fish I'm not an angler, but I would like to extend an offer to Steve to let me purchase a box of bullets for you to allow these youth to hunt with your equipment
 
Bob Wright, I'm gonna double down on this offer and say one box for the youth and for you fine sir!!! To do as you please, stress day at the range ,load development for the next kids gun, killing critters, you name it, I have been doing my part with a brick of .22lr for kids to shoot to lending a rifle to a co-workers daughter for this year so she doesn't get caliber shy on rifles.
 
I personally would like to thank you for taking juniors on a hunt, no matter if it's squirrels or "hunting" pan fish I'm not an angler, but I would like to extend an offer to Steve to let me purchase a box of bullets for you to allow these youth to hunt with your equipment
That's very generous! To clarify, we poor Arizona guys must get drawn for our deer tags. Juniors too. Unfortunately the kids, about 10, were not successful in getting that Kaibab tag. These kids are all friends and their grandpa's, me included, LOVE that junior hunt.
So I am the only reloader in the mix, all else shoot whatever copper loaded ammo they can get there mits on. AZGF pays for 2 boxes per tag in Kaibab. It's a copper only kinda hunt.
I have worked up a 143 Hammer load, but my only choice now is to use this 280AI on my hunt in a desert unit. Can't wait!
Thanks for your generous offer!
I will be buying another 100 from Steve and anxious to finish the final load development.
Thanks for being so thoughtful! We're good here!
 
That's very generous! To clarify, we poor Arizona guys must get drawn for our deer tags. Juniors too. Unfortunately the kids, about 10, were not successful in getting that Kaibab tag. These kids are all friends and their grandpa's, me included, LOVE that junior hunt.
So I am the only reloader in the mix, all else shoot whatever copper loaded ammo they can get there mits on. AZGF pays for 2 boxes per tag in Kaibab. It's a copper only kinda hunt.
I have worked up a 143 Hammer load, but my only choice now is to use this 280AI on my hunt in a desert unit. Can't wait!
Thanks for your generous offer!
I will be buying another 100 from Steve and anxious to finish the final load development.
Thanks for being so thoughtful! We're good here!
Steve please contact me I would like to pay for these 100 he is requesting
 
Sent you a pm. Thanks for your thoughtful response.
I appreciate your pm but there is no need for it, because you deserve the praise and accolades for helping the youth appreciate this sport, when it boils down to bc.s and manners stocks and custom actions I believe a kid with a handful of random "junk" .22 shells and some guidance is the puress form of the sport one could ask for! How I wish for the days in the squirrel woods with no online comments to make you second guess your equipment, where misses were secrets between and the oak trees, and pure joy was you the smell of the woods and the occasional crash of a squirrel in the crisp fall leaves
 
Found this on utube. It was made 2 months ago. It shows a hammer bullet failing to expand and tumbling. I just finished load workups, do i need to be worried this hunting season? My thoughts are that it is a heavy long bullet and perhaps it was marginally stable to start. I dont know. Ive emailed Steve Davis about it.

Hammer bullets do not expand they shed petals, I'll bet money that his twist was way wrong, and he wasn't driving them near hard enough, once, We have done these tests correctly and incorrectly and I assure you this was done incorrectly
 
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You won't see claims of failure on this forum, long range only and Rokslide both have some bit they never show up here for whatever reason.
I've read a bunch of your content and I haven't seen mention of you having a Hammer failure ? Have you had a failure ? With that being said any bullet can fail, All kinds of variables to take into consideration, It wasn't that long ago that the term "Ham Berger" was all over this forum and still today I see "Just don't hit bone" with a Berger, Oh wait I almost forgot, Your not using Hammers anymore correct?
 
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So this was his comment on another video, now I don't have a lot of experience with bears as I've only killed a single 475 lb black bear but they seem wrong to me based on my results. My bear had 2" of fat on him and the Lehighs that I used were already expanding significantly by the time they entered the chest cavity as shown by the copper fragments between the fat and the rib cage along with the 1" holes through the ribs.

I imagine a much more fragile bullet like the Berger's or ELDMs would have an issue on this fat with high velocity impacts.
 
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