Hammer Bullets shoulder design

[dougduey]

So far 2 for 2. The 1 st one would not shoot anything well. Customer sold it. Have one here currently and it looks like it will shoot but shows more copper fouling than expected. Not nearly as bad as the previous one. Both rifles came to us unfired.

My Christensen 338 Lapua didn't foul much at all. The only bullet I shoot is the 214 gr Hammer Hunter

 

[dougduey]

So, did you completely change the ALL 6.5 124 gr bullets to the new shape?? That's my go to bullet in my 6.5-284 Norma

 

[DSheetz]

I'm of the opinion that most times copper fouling is caused by micro burs in your barrel that cause copper to adhere to it then copper adhering to copper compounds it . This can be affected by the alloying in the copper as to how hard or soft the copper is as well as how work hardened or annealed the copper is . Just my thoughts .

 

[WYO300RUM]

So, did you completely change the ALL 6.5 124 gr bullets to the new shape?? That's my go to bullet in my 6.5-284 Norma

Have you ever tried the 131 Hunters ? Wondering how they did. I tried a few loads in 6.5 PRC but no great results yet. Was going to try 124 Hunter. Have a 1 in 8. Thanks

 

[dougduey]

Have you ever tried the 131 Hunters ? Wondering how they did. I tried a few loads in 6.5 PRC but no great results yet. Was going to try 124 Hunter. Have a 1 in 8. Thanks

I have a 1:8 twist, too........that's why I haven't tried the 131's. I don't think they would be stable enough. The 124's shoot great. Did some final load development and velocity checks on them today. If I'm shooting well, they are easily 0.25 moa or less. I was surprised by me velocity since early on in development I was getting around 3150 fps. Today it was 3240 fps using 55.0 gr of H4831. This is a new barrel and I believe I hit the break in point about 2-3 weeks ago because all my loads increased in speed about 50-80 fps, and some are now over pressure

 

[WYO300RUM]

I have a 1:8 twist, too........that's why I haven't tried the 131's. I don't think they would be stable enough. The 124's shoot great. Did some final load development and velocity checks on them today. If I'm shooting well, they are easily 0.25 moa or less. I was surprised by me velocity since early on in development I was getting around 3150 fps. Today it was 3240 fps using 55.0 gr of H4831. This is a new barrel and I believe I hit the break in point about 2-3 weeks ago because all my loads increased in speed about 50-80 fps, and some are now over pressure

That's good to hear. I heard 131 would be fine in 1 and 8. 127 Barnes LRX don't shoot good either. 140 VLD and 143 ELDX shoot good. Going to order some 124s. Be Good for my 6.5 Creed also I guess.thanks !

 

[Frog4aday]

If you change something, please keep making what you currently do and then just rename/remarket the changed bullet as something else. If they are better and people migrate to them, then in time, perhaps the older design fades into the sunset. But it is so frustrating when you find something that works and then the manufacturer "improves" it...and what worked before, doesn't.

You're bullets have a well earned reputation for accuracy, weight consistency, and performance on game. I think you were very thoughtful to help the one gentleman with a tight chamber/freebore situation. But leave a good thing alone. Or start a whole 'nother product line, as suggested and see how it goes. (By the way, thanks for soliciting input before jumping in with both feet!)

 

[cohunt]

Send me a box of the new 143 .284, 166 .308, 152 .308 & 110 .264 bullets and I'll gladly test them for free to see if they change my loads at all

Seriously though, I'm sure plenty of guys here would be glad to test the new design against the old design to see if they work as well as the existing ones.

 

[SMK1000plus]

That's good to hear. I heard 131 would be fine in 1 and 8. 127 Barnes LRX don't shoot good either. 140 VLD and 143 ELDX shoot good. Going to order some 124s. Be Good for my 6.5 Creed also I guess.thanks !

I'm pretty sure Steve has mentioned before that the .264/6.5mm Cal. 131gr Hammer Hunter bullets will probably not be stabilized properly in a 1 in 8" twist rate barrel. He has suggested the 124gr Hammer Hunters for 1 in 8" twist in .264/6.5mm Cal.

From the Hammer Bullets Website:
.264/6.5mm Cal. 131gr Hammer Hunter
Recommended minimum twist: 1 in 7.5″
Bullet Length: 1.486″
Bullets Weight: 131g
Recommended Use: Big Game Hunting

 

[WYO300RUM]

I have a 1:8 twist, too........that's why I haven't tried the 131's. I don't think they would be stable enough. The 124's shoot great. Did some final load development and velocity checks on them today. If I'm shooting well, they are easily 0.25 moa or less. I was surprised by me velocity since early on in development I was getting around 3150 fps. Today it was 3240 fps using 55.0 gr of H4831. This is a new barrel and I believe I hit the break in point about 2-3 weeks ago because all my loads increased in speed about 50-80 fps, and some are now over pressure

they are on their way ! thanks for your info. hopefully the PRC and Creed will do well like your loads did with them.

 

[WYO300RUM]

I'm pretty sure Steve has mentioned before that the .264/6.5mm Cal. 131gr Hammer Hunter bullets will probably not be stabilized properly in a 1 in 8" twist rate barrel. He has suggested the 124gr Hammer Hunters for 1 in 8" twist in .264/6.5mm Cal.

From the Hammer Bullets Website:
.264/6.5mm Cal. 131gr Hammer Hunter
Recommended minimum twist: 1 in 7.5″
Bullet Length: 1.486″
Bullets Weight: 131g
Recommended Use: Big Game Hunting

Excuse me for not seeing his post... I saw the recommended 7.5 twist but I wanted to test in my rifle.

 

[SMK1000plus]

Excuse me for not seeing his post... I saw the recommended 7.5 twist but I wanted to test in my rifle.

Never hurts to test. Would love to know if it works for your rifle. The 131gr Hammer Hunters didn't stabilize in my 1 in 8" twist barrels when I tested them last winter but, I'm literally just a few feet above sea level where I shoot. The 124gr are awesome though!

Good luck.

 

[WYO300RUM]

Never hurts to test. Would love to know if it works for your rifle. The 131gr Hammer Hunters didn't stabilize in my 1 in 8" twist barrels when I tested them last winter but, I'm literally just a few feet above sea level where I shoot. The 124gr are awesome though!

Good luck.

So far not so good in an MGM 6.5 PRC barrel. Have some loaded for Tikka 6.5 Creed but haven't shot them yet. I'm sure if I spent some time with the PRC I could find a load that worked ok but I'll try the 124 first. Where I was testing was in the Ca. desert. bout sea level. The places I hunt are much Higher. 3k to 9k.

 

[WYO300RUM]

I ordered 3 boxes of bullets. $188.00. Cha ching. Got some 143 gr. 7mm to try and more 181 30 cal. And 124 6.5.