One more thought on above. Check your twist. To perform well, hammers need 1.5 stability AT LEAST to perform well. Higher stability is better. Another reaso tl go lighter. Your bullet (180) may only be marginally stabilized?
Official Hammer bullets Terminal Performance (picture heavy)
- Thread starter TXAoudadKlr
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
WWP2012
Well-Known Member
It's a 9 twist and the bullet requires a 9.5.
I ConcurWWP,
Sorry you had a less than desirable result. As was stated earlier, this was very unusual. Glad you got your animal. It is possible that your bullets were somehow different from normal?
The overwhelming majority of hunters are experiencing exceptional performance from Hammers.
Regarding bullets opening sooner - Hammer Hunters open slightly slower than Shock Hammers, but still normally devestate both lung nodes. Shocks usually open very quickly, devastate the first lung node, and damage the second node. Higher velocity is your friend with all Hammers.
Hammers are a different breed of bullet and require different thinking. You are used to shooting heavier (180gr) bullets - like most of us. If you go to a lighter bullet (say 150 or Less!) You will increase your impact velocity and the bullet deformation occurs faster, with more dramatic results.
Food for thought. A recent post on 800 yd impacts (on hogs) with Hammers shows normal, expected performance.
Hope you'll try them again
WWP2012
Well-Known Member
Go back and look thru the pics in this thread. There is a lot more entrance and exit pics like mine than most of you remember. A lot of guys are just happy with a dead critter. Most of these guys are not really looking at the timing of the expansion via the bullet path as I did with my pics.
By looking at all the pics I could and doing a comparison with my results I personally feel it's way more prevalent that what you think. And unless Steve is testing each rod he gets in from his supplier molecularly. There will be slight differences in opening speed in each box you buy. In a game where inches matter it was enough for me to go back to lead where the there is a more consistency in performance.
sierracharlie338
Well-Known Member
Every hand loader has most likely had a bad experience with at least one bullet. I happen to be in the camp of "not impressed" with accubonds. Now granted my sample size is two, I shot two mature whitetail bucks last year and both entrance and exit were caliber sized on both deer. Luckily the bullet did what it was supposed to, to some degree, because both deer were found with minimal effort. I say that because the areas I shot the two deer were not densely covered with vegetation where, if it was south texas, I may not have found them due to lack of blood trails.
OP please excuse my sidebar as it has no real relation to this thread. Moving on.....
Hard rock
Well-Known Member
There is no magic bullet but the hammer is as close as you can get I had a experience with a 124 gr out of my 6.5 prc last year a doe ran about 50 yds after what I thought was a perfect shot after examining the shot it was a high lung shot nearly in what I call no man's land at 225 yds not a lot of blood until the end of the trail absolutely no fault of the bullet it existed the size of a golf ball with minimal blood shot meat if the shot would have been one in lower it would have been drt the bullet did it's job so I always verify before I draw a conclusion on a bullets terminal performance
Run your load through a stability calculator. You need AT LEAST 1.5 stability for good terminal performance (not just flight through air). We are learning that Hammers do better in the 2.0+ range. Curious what your numbers come out?
That's all else I can think of
???Look at the thread Longrangish hammers just posted. This is more like comments that usually show up?
floyd kittrell
Well-Known Member
Thanks for this info Mr. George , just ran mine and the 30 cal . 151 gr . SG=2.37 , 162 gr. =1.98SG , 178gr. =1.67 SG . These are at 250' alt and 90 degrees at home.
floyd kittrell
Well-Known Member
Maybe I should run these like I did the other mono's , light and hyper fast ? Forget the 178 and stick with the 162 or 151 for Elk size critters ?
Run the 151
Nevrsummr
Well-Known Member
Since when is quartering to an ok shot? Im an opportunist, but really? Elk are one of the toughest critters in north america and we're taking quartering to shots and then complaining about the results? Sorry, been thinking bout this for days but now ive been drinking so its coming out.
Nevrsummr
Well-Known Member
Yowza. Antelope are definitely thin skinned. How have your results been on other game?
Floyd,
Based upon your numbers I'd run the 151s. The higher your stability factor and the higher your velocity the better the results. Just for giggles, run the 124s through your program. It may be very enlightening!
WWP2012
Well-Known Member
Drinking and posting is never good, nobody asked your opinion. Your not the hunting police.
