Crimping hammer bullets

[Hard rock]

Necessary no, an option yes.

If done properly it does improve accuracy and ES most of the time I never crimped until I joined this forum learned from Beans video on how too crimp and others experience it makes sense so now I crimp if I can get the crimp die and sometimes improvise it works but not a do or die thing

 

[Recon$$]

@ButterBean is the hammer crimping aficionado.

 

[ButterBean]

Not to start a debate. I'm thinking of getting some hammers for a 7-08. Is it necessary to crimp them. I've been reading all hammer posts and seems there's a bunch of crimping I've never crimped. Just trying to get my ducks in a row.
Thanks BRUCE.

Is it necessary no, is it beneficial, yep

 

[ButterBean]

 

[asd9055]

Is it necessary no, is it beneficial, yep

I said it before! I used to crimp only the big magnums. Then one day, went to unload my 30.06. Case came out, bulled stayed in, powder everywhere....Good thing I did not need to shoot that evening.
Now I crimp EVERY hunting cardridge at the very list. I crimped a lot of others...but have not been to the range with them yet.

 

[TimLee]

No crimp. 5 different loads. All shoot great.

 

[Moondoggie]

Not to start a debate. I'm thinking of getting some hammers for a 7-08. Is it necessary to crimp them. I've been reading all hammer posts and seems there's a bunch of crimping I've never crimped. Just trying to get my ducks in a row.
Thanks BRUCE.

Easy…just email hammer directly. Great customer service. They'll give you their recommendation.
I had a question about Bullets and barrel twist in a 25.06 and they answered it promptly.
All that aside, why not load a few of both and see what kind of groups you get

 

[Window]

Not to start a debate. I'm thinking of getting some hammers for a 7-08. Is it necessary to crimp them. I've been reading all hammer posts and seems there's a bunch of crimping I've never crimped. Just trying to get my ducks in a row.
Thanks BRUCE.

I've heard good things from Bean and purchased crimp dies from Lee but haven't tried them yet but I will in January once hunting season is over. I've always turned my necks to 12.5 and run neck tension at .003 and have had great results with Hammers. Bean has peak my interest and I thought I'd give it a try and will post results by the end of January.

 

[Rosebud]

I've crimped three of the seven guns I've loaded for. The four not crimped are as BDF guns spoke about. They were seated past the rings to get the Fifty thousands jump I've noted that hammers like. Some may find they need more jump but they don't do jammed or touching very well.

 

[lotech]

I don't crimp unless necessary (handgun cartridges and rifle cartridges used in a tubular magazine), but there are always exceptions. Try five-shot groups with crimped and uncrimped ammo and vary the degree of crimp in each batch. There is no objective standard for light, moderate, and heavy crimps; those words mean different amounts of crimp to different people.

 

[DoneNOut]

I Lee FCD my 35 Remington rounds for my Remington Model 8. It keeps the bullets in place when they are chambered or unloaded.
I tried a roll crimp in a PDR groove of a hammer and if too much roll crimp is applied the round won't chamber. Then I realized the hammers shot better with shorter COAL, tight neck tension and no crimp. I am curious to try the Lee FCD though on the hammers. It doesn't bulge the crimp, jut puts it straight on.

 

[QuietTexan]

Then I realized the hammers shot better with shorter COAL, tight neck tension and no crimp.

I agree with all that, the tight neck tension part for sure. Hornady FL die, Hornady or RP brass, 180 HH, 0.5" at 100 yards. I have a lot of once-fired factory 30-06 cases that are very useable for Hammer loads, even some that were (**gasp**clutch pearls**faints**) shot in one rifle, FL sized, and shot in a second rifle

My load development for this season was literally:

1. FL Size old brass from a gallon ziplock at the bottom of a junk tub
2. Load powder ladder charges
3. Seat to last PDR
4. I did put on a 2/8 crimp (but I didn't trim the brass so who knows what that really did )
5. Shoot the ladder so I don't accidentally make a bomb
6. Reload a bunch at the max charge
7. Kill animals

 

[Satch6.5]

I don't crimp any of my Hammer loads.
They all shoot extremely well.

Mee too!

 

[Tree Farmer]

I followed Bean's FCD technique with two hammer loads. In both cases there was a significant improvement in group size. I now develop my accuracy load and then take the added step of working through the crimping process just like I do for bullet jump. It might not make a difference in some loads/rifles, but if it does you'll be glad you did.