Hammer Bullets Accuracy Question on Seating Depth.

[SilverbulletMAG]

Have you tried a Hammer? If yes which one?

I take it you don't think a heavier bullet would help? Not sure what you're getting at.

Haven't used a hammer bullet in the 7WSM. Tried several other bullets and weights over the years however. Anything from the 140 AB, 140 E-tip, 142 ABLR, 143 ELDX, 150 Partition, 160 AB and most likely some others I'm forgetting but have settled on 168 VLDs at ~2900 in that particular rifle. It's a laser with that setup it's also a 2 MOA rifle with most lighter bullets. Perhaps a lighter hammer bullet would perform better than the E-tip and others in that regard but I'm leaving well enough alone with that rifle.

 

[shphtr]

My 7mm WSM shoots 5 150gr Hammers to 3350-3390 FPS with RL 26 into a ragged hole from 24" barrel ... consistently, and without ejector swipe and effortless bolt lift. Primers +/- flattish. SD 8 - 12 FPS. Win brass Fed 215 primers

 

[SilverbulletMAG]

My 7mm WSM shoots 5 150gr Hammers to 3350-3390 FPS with RL 26 into a ragged hole from 24" barrel ... consistently, and without ejector swipe and effortless bolt lift. Primers +/- flattish. SD 8 - 12 FPS. Win brass Fed 215 primers

That's all anyone could hope for. OP may want to look at the heavier 150gr hammers then if all else fails. Obviously you're getting great results with them! Hell, I may have to look into these 150s as it would be nice to have a tougher bullet than the VLDs that shot well...

 

[RockyMtnMT]

I take it you don't think a heavier bullet would help? Not sure what you're getting at.

Haven't used a hammer bullet in the 7WSM. Tried several other bullets and weights over the years however. Anything from the 140 AB, 140 E-tip, 142 ABLR, 143 ELDX, 150 Partition, 160 AB and most likely some others I'm forgetting but have settled on 168 VLDs at ~2900 in that particular rifle. It's a laser with that setup it's also a 2 MOA rifle with most lighter bullets. Perhaps a lighter hammer bullet would perform better than the E-tip and others in that regard but I'm leaving well enough alone with that rifle.

Want getting at anything. Didn'tknow if you had tried them our not. Was just trying to narrow down a solution.

Typically we don't see the issues of trying to find a node or rifles not liking the higher vel of lighter bullets. Your rifle could certainly not like the lighter bullet. If it didn't I would be surprised. My only thing is making sure that bullets are not being used with marginal twist. As long as the bullet you choose is being ruin in the min or faster twist that we recommend it should be very accurate.

 

[Rich Coyle]

Deviant, I am using Hammers . I could get four in and one out many times. I tried .010" shorter and .010" longer. The longer one came in.

 

[dougduey]

The only rifle I had to adjust seating depth was my 300 WSM, and I load Hammers in 6 different cartridges.
It only took seating it 0.005" deeper to snug it up.

 

[Blacktail]

Curious when u mean deeper as in into the lands? Or .005 off

 

[Ted Sierocinski]

I had a 7mm WSM built 6 years ago with a 23" 9 twist Kreiger barrel. I could not find brass so I bought 160 rounds of HSM ammo and shot it to get brass and break it in. I am just now after 6 years starting to develop a load for it using 143 Hammer Hunters. I found a good velocity node at 3215 fps using 67.3 - 67.7 grains of 4831sc. I am .020 off the lands but my groups are around 1.5 MOA. Does seating depth have much effect on these? I was planning to do the Berger seating depth test next but maybe I need to switch powders? I know these are great bullets from what I have read here so I am just looking for advice from some of you who have loaded for these as this is my first time. The gun shoots around 1 MOA with HSM factory 168 berger loads.

Try incremental ladder test with.002 depth changes. Go from .020" off the lands to .020" into the lands but limited to the magazine OAL restriction.
Good luck. I usually start working a load up by using a moderate load and find the seating depth that works first then the powder charge.

 

[dougduey]

Curious when u mean deeper as in into the lands? Or .005 off

A shorter COAL or 0.005" off.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

Yes shorter coal. Seating touching the lands is not a good idea in a hunting rifle. A primer failure well stick a bullet in the bore resulting in three biggest mule deer of your life running off. Yep happened to me. He would be on my wall had I been able to run another round.

 

[Deviant]

Deviant, I am using Hammers . I could get four in and one out many times. I tried .010" shorter and .010" longer. The longer one came in.

I will try that thank you.

 

[Michael O'Connor]

That's all anyone could hope for. OP may want to look at the heavier 150gr hammers then if all else fails. Obviously you're getting great results with them! Hell, I may have to look into these 150s as it would be nice to have a tougher bullet than the VLDs that shot well...

My 7mm WSM shoots 5 150gr Hammers to 3350-3390 FPS with RL 26 into a ragged hole from 24" barrel ... consistently, and without ejector swipe and effortless bolt lift. Primers +/- flattish. SD 8 - 12 FPS. Win brass Fed 215 primers

That is 7 mm Weatherby velocity territory. I would rather use something like a 7mm SS with 151gr. Flatlines or 180 gr. Berger Hybrid. It is a true short action cartridge case whereas the 7nm WSM cannot shoot long bullets out of a 2.86" magazine without invading powder space and hybrids can't be seated very deep anyways. It would be a great cartridge for a Tikka or an intermediate Mauser action, though.

 

[Elkeater]

My .300WM shot 181 hammer hunters into .75MOA a seating depth adjustment dropping by increments of .015 got it down to .385MOA. Only took a couple adjustments.

 

[Dr. Vette]

That is 7 mm Weatherby velocity territory.

7mm Wby, 131 Hammer Hunter, 3550 fps.
I'll be trying heavier ones in my 1:8 twist rifle when it's finished.