Hammer bullet concern

[Varmint Hunter]

I consider myself an omnivore shooter. I have shot Hammers with great accuracy and have had a few quick kills with them. However, I continue to shoot & hunt with a bucketload of Bergers, Sierras, Noslers and Barnes bullets. Terminal performance of all of them has been good when shot placement was proper.

It's interesting how the conversation about bullets brings about such heated dialog. I'm just happy to have another alternative to experiment with.

 

[Northkill]

I consider myself an omnivore shooter. I have shot Hammers with great accuracy and have had a few quick kills with them. However, I continue to shoot & hunt with a bucketload of Bergers, Sierras, Noslers and Barnes bullets. Terminal performance of all of them has been good when shot placement was proper.

It's interesting how the conversation about bullets brings about such heated dialog. I'm just happy to have another alternative to experiment with.

Amen my friend.

 

[Northkill]

I remember a time when Berger's were making holes like that and everyone said that they were "too explosive" and did too much damage...oh how times have changed.

I don't particular care for non-objective reactionary responses like this and don't want to extend an unprofitable dialogue. I think we are all better than we sound in type sometimes. My Berger's still make holes like that. I like how fast they kill and still use them some. I'm not out to argue or be contentious for the sake of argument, but from an objective standpoint this is the main difference I have seen between my Bergers and Hammers. They both make nice holes, but the Hammers, for me at least, don't leave as much bloodshot meat, and I've never had one that didn't completely penetrate. I also don't like eating lead bits that end up in meat from "exploding" cup & cores. Just my thing.

Ok, let's get out and do some shooting rather than chewing each other up with juvenile punches. Aye brothers?

 

[Northkill]

you guys are too much

Wink, wink... Is there another one for when we don't agree with Mr Massi? Nothing against you sir. I'm sure you're a good guy, and we share appreciation for the same good sport. I've enjoyed and appreciated a number of your posts on this forum. I think you got lost on this thread as it didn't seem you were being square with past postings. I appreciate the sentiment of frustration with what seems like blind loyalty to something - as in Hammers. But I can promise you that if they aren't what they seem to be, there will be a huge shift in broad sentiment toward them. We'll hear it right on here, loud and fast if it happens. A lot of good guys are staking and betting a lot on them. For me, they have worked very well. If that's not the case for you, I can accept that, and being curious and objective, I like to see objective data to support successes and failures. Sound fair? Let's go make it a good day everybody! It's a wonderful gift.

 

[flyguy1]

You know, I've killed most of my deer and elk with Partitions or Barnes long before Hammers came on the scene. Remington now owns Barnes, so who knows? Some bad factory Barnes ammo coming out is well documented. But, if you don't like Hammers use whatever.

There are enough folks who I respect way more expert than me who swear by them, though; guys whose whole lives are rifles and hunting.And, all through the shortage we have had a steady supply of Hammers available at normal prices. And you can minimize use of valuable primers and powder because the owners will give load recommendations.

And, for me, Made in Montana (Cooper, Hammer, Ruana) > Made in America > Made anywhere else, I don't care how good S&B scopes are. As far as I am concerned, though, shoot Mauser rifles, Chinese scopes, and Russian ammo.

It is an unusual characteristic of the internet that perfect strangers take offense to the least little thing. Wear boxers or go commando (don't get your panties in a bunch)

 

[FEENIX]

I consider myself an omnivore shooter. I have shot Hammers with great accuracy and have had a few quick kills with them. However, I continue to shoot & hunt with a bucketload of Bergers, Sierras, Noslers and Barnes bullets. Terminal performance of all of them has been good when shot placement was proper.

It's interesting how the conversation about bullets brings about such heated dialog. I'm just happy to have another alternative to experiment with.

I honestly do not pay attention to what others think about the bullet I use for my intended purpose.

 

[Don Titus]

There was a test just completed this morning with a 10 twist 7-08, 101 thru 143 HH's shot in to a 4'x6"" PVC Pipe packed with meat, 101 thru 131 were dead on, the 143's tumbled

Velocity and stability data on the 143's?

 

[ButterBean]

Velocity and stability data on the 143's?

2710, there wasn't enough twist

 

[Don Titus]

The site itself doesn't really promote hammers to any degree, the members do. It's not like Len or Steve is out here bumping threads for the advertising, the people using them are discussing and sharing their information and experiences. You know, the entire purpose of this forum.

Making it a sticky however would be the very promotion you dislike as every new person to enter the reloading section would see the Hammers pinned up top and automatically assume they are great since they were special enough to warrant a sticky without going into the weeds to find out what it is about them that works.

The Absolutes are a new design that show some unique properties and people are putting up their own money to test them then sharing their results here so that everyone can make an informed decision. That is why the thread is so long, Hammer is a two man shop that doesn't have the capacity to test the bullets across such a wide array of cartridges, barrel lengths and powder combinations so we, as the community using his product, are offering our experience to fill in the knowledge gap. I'm not quite sure why you seem to think that is a bad thing?

Well said brother…

 

[Don Titus]

Velocity and stability data on the 143's?

Steve recommended the 174 HH for my new Tikka T3X 1:10" in 300 Win Mag. With 76gr H4831sc MV is 3050. Your thoughts?

 

[Muddyboots]

I honestly do not pay attention to what others think about the bullet I use for my intended purpose.

+2.
Whatever floats your boat and works for you. I don't care if you don't like what I shoot and I really don't care what you shoot either. Its when we both INSIST we have to shoot that same bullet is when my shorts get in a wad to quote a previous posting.

I have Hammers, Nolser, Bergers, Sierras, Hornady and Speer bullets on loading shelf. They are all there for a reason. I have loads for all of them and am confident the load will work if used in the manner that will be efficient for that bullet IMHO which is all that counts. I am the one pulling the trigger and have sole responsibility for the end result so I make choices that I get the best result under the conditions I am hunting.

Do I like Hammers? Yep, but I do like other bullets as well. My .243 loves the 87Vmax for yotes, that will not change. My son's 06 loves the Sierra 165 Gameking HPBT and that won't change. He won't let me LOL!

I am seeing phenomenal accuracy and velocity results with Hammers in my 300WM Sendero, 300WSM build and now my recent .270TH that cannot be duplicated in other brands so they have my attention to see if the end result matches the paper performance. Plenty of postings that say it will but "I am from Missouri" mentality that I need to see it personally as well.

 

[ButterBean]

Steve recommended the 174 HH for my new Tikka T3X 1:10" in 300 Win Mag. With 76gr H4831sc MV is 3050. Your thoughts?

If Steve recommended it, It's solid

 

[ButterBean]

+2.
Whatever floats your boat and works for you. I don't care if you don't like what I shoot and I really don't care what you shoot either. Its when we both INSIST we have to shoot that same bullet is when my shorts get in a wad to quote a previous posting.

I have Hammers, Nolser, Bergers, Sierras, Hornady and Speer bullets on loading shelf. They are all there for a reason. I have loads for all of them and am confident the load will work if used in the manner that will be efficient for that bullet IMHO which is all that counts. I am the one pulling the trigger and have sole responsibility for the end result so I make choices that I get the best result under the conditions I am hunting.

Do I like Hammers? Yep, but I do like other bullets as well. My .243 loves the 87Vmax for yotes, that will not change. My son's 06 loves the Sierra 165 Gameking HPBT and that won't change. He won't let me LOL!

I am seeing phenomenal accuracy and velocity results with Hammers in my 300WM Sendero, 300WSM build and now my recent .270TH that cannot be duplicated in other brands so they have my attention to see if the end result matches the paper performance. Plenty of postings that say it will but "I am from Missouri" mentality that I need to see it personally as well.

X-2

 

[Coldfinger]

Found this on utube. It was made 2 months ago. It shows a hammer bullet failing to expand and tumbling. I just finished load workups, do i need to be worried this hunting season? My thoughts are that it is a heavy long bullet and perhaps it was marginally stable to start. I dont know. Ive emailed Steve Davis about it.

I've never seen an animal that was a perfect uniform density like ballistic gel. To me it's a useless test for bullet performance except to say wow look how pretty my mushroom is and look how deep it went!! Now stick some hair connected to flexible hide with muscle grain bone different muscle density then all the different densities of the thoradic cavity out at your personal shooting distances and see what happens. I used to use a couple 5 gallon buckets lined up packed full of clay and whatever bedrock was shoveled in with an old hide to test bullets on at 300 yards. There's just way too much going on after the muzzle to ask every bullet to perform perfectly every time.