Hammer bullets barrel life

[NorthRiverGuide]

So I posted a little while back about looking at different bullets with small companies. I ended up going with a small company out of Montana cavity back bullets. Now I got a lot of recommendations for hammer bullets. Since then I have been reading quite a bit on this forum about them. Something I noticed is more than a couple guy's have been taking these to more the extreme velocities. Guys running 124's at over 4000 fps etc. So with a all copper bullet with a magnum cartridge and super high muzzle velocities what are you guys seeing for barrel life? I've used most bullets out there but there seems to be new ones always popping up and I like to try everything at least once. We run match lead core bullets in competition around 3000 fps with 6mm and 6.5mm and swap barrels every 1500-2000 rounds. This makes me wonder what you guys who run hammers are getting for barrel life? Any input is greatly appreciated.

 

[antelopedundee]

I think large powder charges are a bigger factor for shorter barrel life than bullet velocities are. Copper has some lubricating properties instead of being abrasive. IIRC barrelmakers used to coat their bores with copper in order to make the rifling button pass through easier.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

The amount of (Hammer) ammo expended in a true hunting rifle would be so limited that I doubt that high pressure, high velocity loads would make any difference.

I like Hammers but I sure don't use them for extended use on paper targets.

 

[NorthRiverGuide]

I think large powder charges are a bigger factor for shorter barrel life than bullet velocities are. Copper has some lubricating properties instead of being abrasive. IIRC barrelmakers used to coat their bores with copper in order to make the rifling button pass through easier.

Copper fouling in the barrel fills in imperfections. You get that with copper jacketed bullets. Monolithics tend to have higher pressures and barrel wear. A lead core bullet being softer compresses as it enters the rifling. Copper monolithics being solid and a harder metal don't have the same give. So it increases pressure and wear which is why they use drive bands on monolithics. Most of what people think is barrel wear is actually throat erosion. So with magnum cartridges with lots of powder and a monolithic at very high velocity. You should see both a increase in both barrel wear and throat erosion. Which is fine if you know that's what you're getting. It's about weighing everything and decided it's worth it.

 

[NorthRiverGuide]

The amount of (Hammer) ammo expended in a true hunting rifle would be so limited that I doubt that high pressure, high velocity loads would make any difference.

I like Hammers but I sure don't use them for extended use on paper targets.

With any long range hunting setup you should be training with it. Not only for training but also for truing and verifying your ballistics. Everyone has to choose what works for them and how they shoot and at what distances. If you're only shooting short range you can minimize rounds. For long range however I shoot my dedicated hunting rigs every couple weeks. Generally minimum in the off season I'll shoot at least 500 rounds per hunting rifle. This ensures that everything is working perfect and I know my equipment. When the time comes to squeeze the trigger on a animal I'm 100 precent confident in the shot.

 

[yorke-1]

I think the specific bullet used will have a pretty minimal impact on barrel life in most circumstances. I don't think shooting a Hammer bullet at 4000 fps will be significantly harder on a barrel than a similar weight lead core bullet at 4000 fps if the same powder is used. That's a hard theory to test though since Hammers are often shot with a slightly faster powder than the same weight lead core bullet.

Of course, if I could afford to burn up a barrel shooting only monometal bullets, regardless of the brand, I don't think I'd worry about barrel life.

 

[Petey308]

I think the specific bullet used will have a pretty minimal impact on barrel life in most circumstances. I don't think shooting a Hammer bullet at 4000 fps will be significantly harder on a barrel than a similar weight lead core bullet at 4000 fps if the same powder is used. That's a hard theory to test though since Hammers are often shot with a slightly faster powder than the same weight lead core bullet.

Of course, if I could afford to burn up a barrel shooting only monometal bullets, regardless of the brand, I don't think I'd worry about barrel life.

Well, @fordy has mentioned how he culls 600 or more animals at a time on occasions and uses TONS of Hammers specifically. Surely he's had to have burned out a few barrels by now at that rate and could enlighten us. He's also mentioned how many other types of bullets he's shot over the years too, so hopefully he could tell us how they compare.

Hopefully he'll chime in, since he ought to be a good source to poll. I know he keeps pretty busy on his farm.

 

[WildRose]

So I posted a little while back about looking at different bullets with small companies. I ended up going with a small company out of Montana cavity back bullets. Now I got a lot of recommendations for hammer bullets. Since then I have been reading quite a bit on this forum about them. Something I noticed is more than a couple guy's have been taking these to more the extreme velocities. Guys running 124's at over 4000 fps etc. So with a all copper bullet with a magnum cartridge and super high muzzle velocities what are you guys seeing for barrel life? I've used most bullets out there but there seems to be new ones always popping up and I like to try everything at least once. We run match lead core bullets in competition around 3000 fps with 6mm and 6.5mm and swap barrels every 1500-2000 rounds. This makes me wonder what you guys who run hammers are getting for barrel life? Any input is greatly appreciated.

Barrel life is really limited by pressure more than velocity.

No matter what bullet you run, mono or cup and core you're going to have shorter barrel life running at excessive pressures exclusive of any other factors.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

With any long range hunting setup you should be training with it. Not only for training but also for truing and verifying your ballistics. Everyone has to choose what works for them and how they shoot and at what distances. If you're only shooting short range you can minimize rounds. For long range however I shoot my dedicated hunting rigs every couple weeks. Generally minimum in the off season I'll shoot at least 500 rounds per hunting rifle. This ensures that everything is working perfect and I know my equipment. When the time comes to squeeze the trigger on a animal I'm 100 precent confident in the shot.

I commend you for shooting your dedicated hunting rigs 500+ rounds per year. I do a fair amount of longrange hunting myself but never found it necessary to shoot quite that much in my heavy rifles in order to put bullets into the vitals. And ... if I intended to shoot at really extended range, I wouldn't be shooting mono-metal bullets. But that's just me.

Good luck in your hunting pursuits.

 

[Hard rock]

Barrel live is really limited by pressure more than velocity.

No matter what bullet you run, mono or cup and core you're going to have shorter barrel life running at excessive pressures exclusive of any other factors.

I'm more interested in outlasting my barrels than my barrels out lasting me . My goal is too wear em out , shoot 'em till there toast and go too my next rifle until the new barrel is in , and start the wearing process again.

 

[NorthRiverGuide]

I commend you for shooting your dedicated hunting rigs 500+ rounds per year. I do a fair amount of longrange hunting myself but never found it necessary to shoot quite that much in my heavy rifles in order to put bullets into the vitals. And ... if I intended to shoot at really extended range, I wouldn't be shooting mono-metal bullets. But that's just me.

Good luck in your hunting pursuits.

I don't use monolithics for long range hunting. I'll run them for medium to short range. I run Berger, Hornady eld m, a tips, amax, TMK's, etc for my long range. I do like to try everything and in looking found guy's running hammers for long range hunting rigs at very high velocities. I'm probably extreme in both shooting and dry firing but that's just me. I spend a lot of time and money on hunting so I make it count and do everything to make sure I'm prepared and successful. Good luck this hunting season.

 

[NorthRiverGuide]

Well, @fordy has mentioned how he culls 600 or more animals at a time on occasions and uses TONS of Hammers specifically. Surely he's had to have burned out a few barrels by now at that rate and could enlighten us. He's also mentioned how many other types of bullets he's shot over the years too, so hopefully he could tell us how they compare.

Hopefully he'll chime in, since he ought to be a good source to poll. I know he keeps pretty busy on his farm.

You're joking right? 600 animals at a time hunting? To kill that many animals in a day you would have to have them in a pen even then that's a ridiculous amount. The logistics of actually doing that, carrying ammunition, shooting, moving, carrying other gear, etc. I've been out with teams of guys to wipe out hogs and we would kill well over a hundred in a day with 16-18 shooters going after big groups. They were destroying farmers crops and would pile in the field in groups of 30-80 and we would unload with a fire team doing a mad minute. Either you're joking or he's telling a big fish story.

 

[Calvin45]

The amount of (Hammer) ammo expended in a true hunting rifle would be so limited that I doubt that high pressure, high velocity loads would make any difference.

I like Hammers but I sure don't use them for extended use on paper targets.

Ding ding ding ^^^^^^^^ we have a winner!

I remember I was so excited about having broke 4000 fps in my .300 win mag with 120 Barnes bullets.

Right away people start talking barrel life! Raining on my parade haha but not really, I brought my umbrella which is exactly what you've stayed here.

There was a thread earlier about where the .308 win excels. This is it. If you need long life from a barrel discover the .308, use it for everything, and be happy.

 

[Bob Wright]

You're joking right? 600 animals at a time hunting? To kill that many animals in a day you would have to have them in a pen even then that's a ridiculous amount. The logistics of actually doing that, carrying ammunition, shooting, moving, carrying other gear, etc. I've been out with teams of guys to wipe out hogs and we would kill well over a hundred in a day with 16-18 shooters going after big groups. They were destroying farmers crops and would pile in the field in groups of 30-80 and we would unload with a fire team doing a mad minute. Either you're joking or he's telling a big fish story.

You misunderstood the comment. The span of his kills is over time, not one day.