Hammer Hunter Load Data, (See page 1, Post 8)

[GLTaylor]

Ok

Nothing good to report. Had a last minute change in the line up, a Seekins 6.5CM came my way so I thought I'd give it a try. Data from the sheet for using Varget in 6.5CM with the 85HH has resulted shotgun-patterns for me. It was so bad I shot factory ammo to check the scope. H4350 shrunk the group to 2". Back to the drawing board but with rifle season starting soon I'm going back to 30-06 and 180HH for work again this year, that was my original plan and looks like it's the best option.

Most unusual? I'm sure you've done all the routine things:
Scrub bore to clean metal, checked all action screws, scope mounts, etc.
Did the barrel shoot other Hammers well ( or other bullets?)

 

[Northkill]

Yesterday at my range , new load for my 6.5 Prc . 26" Proof ,1-8 Twist ,124gr Hammer Hunter 3390 fps .Powder Vithivouri N560 -58.9 grs Primer cci200 s Hornady Brass OAL 2.940 seated too second drive band with 1/4 crimp . Max vel reached 3422 fps .

That's a "termination package" right there. You'll be puttin stuff down faster than Musk kicks out Twitter execs

 

[dougduey]

Yesterday at my range , new load for my 6.5 Prc . 26" Proof ,1-8 Twist ,124gr Hammer Hunter 3390 fps .Powder Vithivouri N560 -58.9 grs Primer cci200 s Hornady Brass OAL 2.940 seated too second drive band with 1/4 crimp . Max vel reached 3422 fps .

I know and can't wait to try that combo in my 6.5-284 once the new barrel is installed. I bought some N560 a few weeks ago because of you!!

 

[QuietTexan]

I'm sure you've done all the routine things:
Scrub bore to clean metal, checked all action screws, scope mounts, etc.
Did the barrel shoot other Hammers well ( or other bullets?)

Yes to all the above. JB and Kroil scrubbed, cleaned up and checked the whole rifle over. The scope is new with this gun, so I'm moving it to triple check it on another rifle, but the rifle/scope as it sits shoots at ~1" with factory Hornady Match 140s I had left over from a PRS match. I re-loaded and re-shot the Varget load to make sure there wasn't something I messed up when making them. Tried the second powder and got better results, but still not nearly what I'd hoped for. I went pretty much all the way with the Varget, never found pressure signs but stopped at 45.2gn because I was out of room. I put the charge down a 6" drop tube and got a solid crunch on seating. By the time I shot it the bullet was pushed out From the PDR groove to the PDR band. Tight sized neck with a crimp and still got pushed out like that.

I'll keep cracking away with different powders before I change bullets, but the 124 HHs are on my Christmas List right now. I have pretty much everything in the range that should work from the 85HH though, next up is probably H380, H4895, and H100V. Would be interesting to see if Superperformance works, it's a ball powder and has run well for me in "stuff it entirely full" loads before. If none of those work I'll run through a list of RL 15-15.5-16-17. If those don't work I'll sell the rifle and fine one that can shoot these things well

I'll find the right thing eventually with it (I have about 180 more of these 85 HHs) but this is a rare out-of-the-gate load failure with Hammers. Last time this happened to me was with Shock Hammers in the 30-06. Two different Hammer bullets/load combos shot back to back, one made a shotgun pattern and the other bugholed. I haven't gotten around to working that load out because the 180s shot so well.

 

[QuietTexan]

30-06
180 HH
58.0gn Win 760
Peterson Brass - new
Fed 210 Match
~3.375" COL (last PDR groove)
1/4 Crimp
No velocity, was POURING. Last time I chrono'd this load was 2975 FPS.

One hole at 100 yards, buuuuut...........

I have enough new cases to make it through this year, so this is a problem for future-self to figure out.

 

[Hard rock]

30-06
180 HH
58.0gn Win 760
Peterson Brass - new
Fed 210 Match
~3.375" COL (last PDR groove)
1/4 Crimp
No velocity, was POURING. Last time I chrono'd this load was 2975 FPS.

One hole at 100 yards, buuuuut...........
View attachment 405650

I have enough new cases to make it through this year, so this is a problem for future-self to figure out.

Looks like too much firing pin , protrusion or am I seeing that wrong ? Is that a pierced primer?

 

[codyadams]

30-06
180 HH
58.0gn Win 760
Peterson Brass - new
Fed 210 Match
~3.375" COL (last PDR groove)
1/4 Crimp
No velocity, was POURING. Last time I chrono'd this load was 2975 FPS.

One hole at 100 yards, buuuuut...........
View attachment 405650

I have enough new cases to make it through this year, so this is a problem for future-self to figure out.

Looks like you need to back off a good bit......a bit of heat, some moisture on brass, or one of many other variables could cause some significant problems.

 

[Philward]

Shot some Hammer 143 Hammer hunters today, finally. First target is the hammers and second target is some 140g Sierra I've had for a while but haven't done anything with. Rifle is R700 mtn dbm 280rem. All these were same load of 55g Reloader19. There are some variables here: new nosler brass that I prepped and rem brass that had been fired in the rifle and sized and prepped. First target green spot is the hammers in new nosler brass and 0.056 jump, red spot is fired REM brass and 0.071 jump. The second target green spot is new nosler brass and 140g Sierra bullets @0.030 jump and the red spot is the fired rem brass @0.045 jump.

Definitely like the second hammer group, but I don't have a Chrono so I'm curious about what the velocity might be. Found limited data using reloader 19 in this caliber. I will have to verify the load again and play with a few things like seating depth or powder charge. Rifle came with some handles using 145 speer and it was 55g 4350(unclear if IMR or H at the moment) this is the load dad had loaded up for it and what he was hunting with.

The new nosler brass is about 0.003 shorter than the fired cases to the datum line but they are 20g lighter.

 

[RockyMtnUT]

Looks like too much firing pin , protrusion or am I seeing that wrong ? Is that a pierced primer?

He just over pressure is all, that is what he's showing.

 

[QuietTexan]

Looks like too much firing pin , protrusion or am I seeing that wrong ? Is that a pierced primer?

No, just a good old fashioned high pressure ejector mark. No click and easy extraction, but probably only because the cases are new.

56.0gn - 2772 FPS, no pressure signs
57.0gn - 2824 FPS, occasionaly hint of ejector.
58.0gn - 2975 FPS, solid ejector mark
59.0gn - 3000 FPS, solid ejector mark, no swipe.

Nothing to see here, just a 30-06 pushing 180s at 3k FPS

 

[Hard rock]

No, just a good old fashioned high pressure ejector mark. No click and easy extraction, but probably only because the cases are new.

56.0gn - 2772 FPS, no pressure signs
57.0gn - 2824 FPS, occasionaly hint of ejector.
58.0gn - 2975 FPS, solid ejector mark
59.0gn - 3000 FPS, solid ejector mark, no swipe.

Nothing to see here, just a 30-06 pushing 180s at 3k FPS

I had tunnel vision , looking at the primer .

 

[GLTaylor]

30-06
180 HH
58.0gn Win 760
Peterson Brass - new
Fed 210 Match
~3.375" COL (last PDR groove)
1/4 Crimp
No velocity, was POURING. Last time I chrono'd this load was 2975 FPS.

One hole at 100 yards, buuuuut...........
View attachment 405650

I have enough new cases to make it through this year, so this is a problem for future-self to figure out.

You're showing some very stout ejector mark. Might want to back off some - or trash after 1 firing. Bet your primer pocket is ruined?
(edit - responded before reading further)

 

[ButterBean]

You're showing some very stout ejector mark. Might want to back off some - or trash after 1 firing. Bet your primer pocket is ruined?
(edit - responded before reading further)

I concur

 

[GLTaylor]

QuietTexan,
Please post rifle/load data when you finish for posting.
Thanks!