First day with 155 Absolute Hammers 280ai

I get 3200 with 140 accubonds and h4831sc
H4831 and others in that burn rate are too slow for the Absolute Hammer. Steve used RL16 with their 280 AI test rifles. Like others have stated, you need a powder in the RL16 burn rate. Steve managed to find pressure with RL16 in his testing.
I spoke with Steve and he said you won't get into trouble going with a powder that is typically used in the same bullet weight class, but the Absolutes need a faster powder than what is listed (ie; powders for the 150 gr bullets in the Nosler load manual will be too slow).
 
I am running 2925 fps with 160 gr Accubonds out of two standard .280s with zero pressure signs and excellent accuracy. 7828sc. Might try it in the ai.
 
I have loaded a string starting at 55 grains of h4350 working up 1/2 grain at a time. Hopefully will have time this week to shoot them.
Call the hammer guys. They have stated repeatedly that you will need a faster powder than what the load manuals state and that these new bullets are only for experienced hand loaders who can read pressure signs because of the lack of load data with faster powders.

You mentioned they were hard to seat and inconsistent. what did you mean by inconsistent? Have you tried regular hammers? Reason I ask is I found the regular hammers to feel somewhat inconsistent due to the multiple canalures of the bullets but they all shot wonderfully out to 600 yards (Which is the furthest I can test them to). I did not find them hard to load though. Felt about same pressure if not a bit lighter on my press than accubonds.
 
A low engraving pressure bullet does not go faster with standard powders. In fact it will go slower because no pressure will be present with too slow of a powder. You have to find a powder that will get up to the same pressure that is created with conventional bullet loads. Then you will see the vel increase. The loading process for Absolute Hammers is no different than the load process for a wildcat cartridge that has never been loaded before. As the op has done, the best place to start is with known components for the bullet weight and collect data with that load work up. Then use that data to determine where to go from there with another powder.
 
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