Hammer hunter bullet close range performance?

I went to a max load of 76 grains and hit 3280 FPS with no signs of pressure. Groups opened up a bit but were still sub moa with very good SD and ES. This is 300 Weatherby or 300 RUM performance out of a 300 win mag, I'm very happy with the results in both performance on game, and accuracy.
 
Maybe I ought to grump more often. Got a nice 8 pt this morning with the 7 RUM and 131 gr Hammer at ~3500 fps. Sharp quartering facing me at 347 yds. Bullet entered just inside his rt front shoulder. One fragment exited past his last rt rib, one exited through his backbone about 2/3 back (and took out 2" of backstraps & backbone), 3rd exited past rear of left ribs and bullet travelled all the way through the full length of his body. Found my first Hammer in 24 deer killed. It went through his left ham and lodged beneath the hide at his rump.
Now that's performance and penetration! No meat destroyed and he never took a step😁
 

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Maybe I ought to grump more often. Got a nice 8 pt this morning with the 7 RUM and 131 gr Hammer at ~3500 fps. Sharp quartering facing me at 347 yds. Bullet entered just inside his rt front shoulder. One fragment exited past his last rt rib, one exited through his backbone about 2/3 back (and took out 2" of backstraps & backbone), 3rd exited past rear of left ribs and bullet travelled all the way through the full length of his body. Found my first Hammer in 24 deer killed. It went through his left ham and lodged beneath the hide at his rump.
Now that's performance and penetration! No meat destroyed and he never took a step😁
That's Freaking Awesome, Congrats
 
Maybe I ought to grump more often. Got a nice 8 pt this morning with the 7 RUM and 131 gr Hammer at ~3500 fps. Sharp quartering facing me at 347 yds. Bullet entered just inside his rt front shoulder. One fragment exited past his last rt rib, one exited through his backbone about 2/3 back (and took out 2" of backstraps & backbone), 3rd exited past rear of left ribs and bullet travelled all the way through the full length of his body. Found my first Hammer in 24 deer killed. It went through his left ham and lodged beneath the hide at his rump.
Now that's performance and penetration! No meat destroyed and he never took a step😁
@7stw
 
I have been using the hammers for several years now in several different calibers and all have the same results. At least two holes and mush in between. Even shooting behind shoulder and missing all bone they don't go very far.
I've shot audad, sika, whitetail, hogs, Corsican, oryx, elk, oh and did I mention pigs. Lots of them at all different ranges and same results. Never had a better hunting bullet.
 
Ok so me and my wife have had a not so great experience with accubonds which is odd because they are our go to bullets. We both shoot fast loads and both shot twice each at the deer (two separate days). All the shots failed (we like exits) but keep in mind we were at extreme close range (inside 75 yards). The bullets did work and killed the deer but both needed 2 shots to put them down fast. In both instances the deer ran about 20 yards and stood there giving us enough time for a second shot. Yes I understand the deer likely were dead before they knew it but none of the 4 shots on the two deer exited. The insides of the deer were a mess. What I don't like is there was zero blood outside of the deer due to lack of exit. I understand some will say this is what they want, all energy dumped inside the deer, but it isn't what I want which is why I'm looking at hammer bullets. I'm curious what the short range performance of the hammer hunter and not the shock hammers would be as we still do hunt out to 600 yards with these guns so would prefer to use the regular hammer hunters. Anyone shoot deer at closer ranges with these? What were your results?


My .280 Rem shooting 140gr Absolutes has 5 consecutive 1 shot kills on deer this season. I'll share my observations, but this is a pretty small sample size so too early for me to draw any conclusions just yet.


While we did get exits every time, there seemed to be more hair than blood where the deer got hit. Not much blood at all. This was concerning to me at first, but it became quickly obvious these bullets kill so rapidly that for me the lack of blood trail became a non-issue.

Shot placement is the biggest variable. I am generally patient and typically wait for a double lung presentation to maximize the meat yield. This is not always practical or possible, but it means I'm used to animals traveling a little ways after they are shot. So far it's been a remarkably consistent thirty-something yards with the Hammers.

In a situation where I'm concerned about an animal crossing a property line, or running into a nasty gully or water hazard or something, I place my shot differently. Sometimes it's worth ruining a little meat to drop an animal on the spot. I don't think any bullet can guarantee DRT's, but certain shot placement can.

I'm not sure what cartridges you guys are using, but it may be worthwhile giving hammer bullets a call and getting their input.

In my limited experience the .284 Hammers have caused massive trauma to the lungs. When hit, they are totally deflated, and at closer ranges (higher velocities) liquified! Seems like it takes a few seconds for the chest cavity to fill up with blood, and by that time the animal is already on the ground, so to speak.

Based on what I have seen with the Hammers, if you need a blood trail, you might be disappointed. But just remember, deer generally travel in a straight line. If you can establish an accurate heading - which way the deer went after hit, you'll generally find it on that line. Probably within 100ft.
 
Your experience is similar to mine. They always go only about 30 yards of places behind shoulder. I've had some not bleed but I've also had it with larger caliber and lead bullets. The last few I've got with hammers for that 30 yards it looked like someone dragged a hose turned on high that pumped blood. Even with my little Grendel and 99gr hammers. Some just don't bleed.
 
Last doe i shot was at 60 yards. .257 absolute impacted at 3700 and exited. Caused major tissue damage and exited.
 
Update on recovered Hammer Hunter:
First Hammer bullet I ever recovered (24 deer killed to date in last 3 years) retained 67% of it's weight. Bullet is 7mm 131 Hammer. Bullet traveled full length of deer from throat through left ham. Imbedded under hide at rump. Shot was 347 yds. Details posted earlier in this thread.
Excellent performance, no meat damage/bloodshot, deer fell at shot and wiggled once. Hammers are all I shoot now in 6 rifles.
Edited to correct: 7 rifles
 

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