Favorite hammer bullet 6.5 creedmoor loads

[PLHunter]

I see your line of thinking but think it's lacking.
For the most part u are right. That being said I've never been able to catch a shank from a hammer or cutting edge. So penetration is equal and I've shot a good amount of African game. Now the real problem is with the way bulldozer and Barnes act at long range. You are correct they petal out. Which I believe at slower speed the hammers will do.
But the badlands has a higher bc. But is a useless bc in my book because they take more FPS to open correctly that bc is meaningless.
Run the numbers on both once. See where the lowest FPS for the bullet puts you. 1800 I believe is it for badlands and Barnes 1600fps for hammer. Now you can tend to drive hammers and cutting edge faster than the other two because of the design. That design lowers bc but adds speed. So between the extra starting FPS and the lower opening speed I bet the hammer still wins as a long range. No if the goal is pigs and other eradication animals or targets sure but a mono just won't beat a cup core at that game. So I think the hammer still is the best hunting bullet you can get.

I've caught one hammer shank in the offside hide on a 400 yard mule deer shot. This last year we observed large fragments well into the bands and riflings on our pronghorn. 3 shot with 6.5 hammers. One of which we never found the exit hole. We also never found the shank. Shot was 200 yards right into the center of the shoulder. I believe they recently increased the depth of the hollow point from what I've gathered which increases explosive energy and decreases penetration. Like you said you can only penetrate so far and for caliber appropriate game it's a non issue. The only time the added penetration is needed is light bullets being asked to penetrate a LOT of dense tissue.

The numbers for velocity I had for hammer bullets was 1800 FPS same for the badlands. Though the definitions for opening are different. Like I said terminal performance on anything the shank can fully penetrate edge hammers and cutting edge are obvious winners. I wish the badlands had the bc they do and the terminal design of the hammers. For outright penetration it's mass with speed that determines that and Barnes or badlands have to penetrate further. Though often not the limiting factor on game but for a big bull elk at 400 yards with a smaller cartridge retaining the extra mass may matter.

I love the hammers. I've shot them for the last 4 years and seen them take 10 animals. For me the BC is not about effective range but wind. We have had some wind call misses with hammers. For us the realized BC of hammers have been lower than the estimates and we've had to be pretty spot on with wind calls even on moderately breezy days. Extra wind forgiveness is my reason for giving the badlands a shot plus who on this sight has ever left well enough alone

 

[Wedgy]

I have been shooting the Cutting Edge 6.5 140 Lazer which claims expansion down to 1,300 fps and a .670 BC. I think I found it closer to .620 at 1,000 yards with a ~3,000 fps muzzle velocity from my 6.5x284 but it's still pretty good. Didn't get to try them on game but they shot great. They probably won't fit in a short action though unless you do a Wyatt's bainy box or the 3.235" mid length kit for the 700 action.

 

[snox801]

Wind can for certain be an issue. As for the lasers they are ok on game but leave some to be desired. I still shoot them in a few calibers because I'm to lazy to work new loads.

 

[swisski]

Well, I shot 5 more at 40 gr varget and have no pressure at all. But also only at 2860fps so I'm holding 41-42 will get me to around 3000 and hold accuracy

Snox,

Did you ever test from 41-42 with Varget?

New to reloading, and I just started development for the 124 HH. I haven't really found pressure working up to 41gr. I was getting just over 2900 FPS at 41gr with my Tikka T3x and 24" bbl. I found a couple good flat spots in velocity around 2850 fps at 39.6 gr, but I'd like to get it closer to 3000 fps if my gun allows and shoots well up there.

 

[Gord0]

Snox,

Did you ever test from 41-42 with Varget?

New to reloading, and I just started development for the 124 HH. I haven't really found pressure working up to 41gr. I was getting just over 2900 FPS at 41gr with my Tikka T3x and 24" bbl. I found a couple good flat spots in velocity around 2850 fps at 39.6 gr, but I'd like to get it closer to 3000 fps if my gun allows and shoots well up there.

I'm not sure if you'll get the 124's up to 3k in a 24" with varget. It's a touch on the fast side. Staball 6.5 and R16 will definitely get you there, R16 being a little on the slow side. CFE 223 will too, but it's not temp stable at all.

 

[swisski]

I'm not sure if you'll get the 124's up to 3k in a 24" with varget. It's a touch on the fast side. Staball 6.5 and R16 will definitely get you there, R16 being a little on the slow side. CFE 223 will too, but it's not temp stable at all.

I have H4350 I will try as well, but Steve from hammer, as well as others have stated they've had the best results with Varget and in that weight of bullet.

 

[Gord0]

I have H4350 I will try as well, but Steve from hammer, as well as others have stated they've had the best results with Varget and in that weight of bullet.

Yes, varget does work very well with it. Staball 6.5 is pretty slow, but it's a ball powder so you can get a lot of it in the case, to the tune of about 49gr in lapua brass to the neck shoulder junction. You'll get more velocity from it than varget. R16 will give you more velocity too if you don't mind crunching some powder. Varget is an excellent match for this bullet, but you said you wanted more speed. Those will give it to you.

 

[Capt RB]

leverrevolution will get more speed than CFE223 in the creed. In y stock savage barrel 26" I'm shooting the 130 otm berger at 3045 in 60 degree weather. CFE showed a shiney ejector spot at 2991. LR ran the whole ladder without one. I pulled the glass to play with a 7 mag I picked up so it will be on the back burner now that fishing season has started