New Hammer range test

[RockyMtnMT]

Is this the case with all tipped bullets (Ballistic Tips, SST, Accubond, TTSX, and such)? I understanding (probably due to sales pitches) is the tip promotes rapid expansion and increases BC.
And I'm not being facetious, I'm sincerely asking you as more an SME than I.

Yes that is my opinion. The tip increases bc on bullets that would otherwise have very large meplats. In a lead core bullet the lead will act somewhat like a fluid in the nose of the bullet on impact but to really work as needed the fluids of the target need to get into the bullet to cause good expansion. For this to happen the tip must get pushed straight back and cause the hole to get larger than the tip to allow fluids into the bullet. Or snap off allowing the shank of the tip to push into the hole with the fluids behind that causing the expansion. The tips also allow swaged bullets to have a more uniform point than without the tip. I think they work well for the flight ballistics but are a compromise at best for terminal ballistics. If you removed the tip from a tipped bullet the flight characteristics would suffer greatly but terminal performance would be enhanced.

Our goal of high bc non tipped bullets will move forward. We will always error on the side of terminal performance rather than bc on a hunting bullet. We are close.

Steve

 

[RockyMtnMT]

Headed out Fri to a game damage hunt in Eastern MT. Have two tags to fill so intending to shoot one with the 375 BigDog using the 329g Hammer Hunter and one with the 338 Lap imp using the 260g Hammer Hunter. Both rifle/bullet combos are good to 1000y or so for elk. Not real high bc bullets but good enough with the vel that the rifles can run them. Hoping to duplicate the shots we had last Sunday to see a much better terminal performance with the proven Hammer Hunter bullets. It is still elk hunting so I will take what ever shot shows up under 1100y as long as wind is good. Pretty flat farm land under irrigation pivots is where they are living, so no good way to sneak on them. They are tired from a hard winter so they are not acting like elk in the fall. So it is really more of a game shooting trip than a hunting trip. As long as they are on the private land that I am allowed to hunt, should be able to take care of business. The meat will be welcome since we did not get any elk last fall. Hopefully things will work out well this trip and I will get some pics and details for you all.

Steve

Read more: Late Season Elk | Hammer Time

 

[RockyMtnMT]

The elk did not cooperate on Fri. They were in an area that we could not hunt so we spent the day watching them. We did see three wolves that were hanging around the herd. When we spotted them is was getting late and we did not have time to make a play on them. Would have loved to get another wolf. As the sun was going down the herd moved back onto the property that we were hunting. Was quite a site to see, about 400 elk trailing out across the hills.

I wound up getting my two elk yesterday. The 1st one was a calf that we had seen the day before that looked to be injured. Was pretty much a mercy killing. She had been shot quite a while ago in her left hind leg. The leg below the injury was dead. Amazing that she was still alive. Hopefully the rest of her will be ok to eat. Shot her at 500y with the .375 BigDog and the 329g Hammer Hunter. Bullet performed perfectly, caliber size entry with quarter size exit with three smaller exits around the main exit. These are from the petals of the nose coming off. Shot the cow at 650y with the .338 Lap imp and the Hammer Hunter 260g. The whole set up was pretty quick as the elk were on the move and looking pretty itchy to get out of Dodge. Hind site on the shot I was looking at a different cow than what Brian gave me dial up dope for. Dialed for 630y and hit a few inches lower than I would have liked. Hit the bottom of the heart with a little collateral damage to the bottom of both lungs. She died within seconds of the shot and traveled between 50 and 100 yards. Turns out I could have taken another easily if I had not taken the calf. The herd moved towards us after the shot since they could not tell where it had come from. I still feel good about putting the calf out of her misery. The cow that I took was a beautiful coming 3 year old cow in perfect health. Nice young cow that should be as good as it gets for eating.

This appeared to be a different bunch of elk compared to the ones we hunted a week ago in the same spot. These elk seemed much less tired and in better shape coming through a tough winter. My cow has a lot more fat on her and the herd seemed to be able to cover ground much more easily than the elk we hunted last week.

All in all glad to have the chance to fill the freezer with elk meat. Brian has some pics from the cow showing terminal performance that I will get up after he emails them to me.

Steve

Read more: Late Season Elk | Hammer Time

 

[RockyMtnMT]

Interesting note that I want to add to this. After I took the cow the herd seemed to settle down. As if they knew that I was done. They settled down about 500y away from where we drove the truck out into the field to dress and load the cow. They just watched us. Some of them feeding and some bedded.

Steve

 

[Timber338]

Interesting note that I want to add to this. After I took the cow the herd seemed to settle down. As if they knew that I was done. They settled down about 500y away from where we drove the truck out into the field to dress and load the cow. They just watched us. Some of them feeding and some bedded.

Steve

Thanks for the report on the hunt and bullets.

I have seen this same behavior with a herd of elk that I get to archery hunt on private land. I think they are used to vehicles not being a threat. We can drive right by them bedded, getting within 50 yards and thy just sit and watch you. When we are out hunting they will let us walk up to within about 100 yards and then they'll stand up. Once you reach about 75 yards and they're gone.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

This one was interesting as the herd had moved about two miles and was still on the move until I shot the cow. Once I shot the cow they back tracked about 500 yards and just settled down. We bumped this herd two sections to the south and were able to drive to get ahead of them as they moved north. Got hidden in a pile of old fencing that had been torn out. Took the shot as the herd was working past us. When I shot the cow most of the herd back tracked half a mile. A small bunch split off and continued north. Can't really put a finger on it but it seemed like they could sense that we were done. Maybe they were just tired of moving.

Steve