Hammer Hunters

[Husky user]

Just wondering,whats the deal with Hammer Bullets.
Notice some people commenting they were not going to use Hammer bullets over 500 yards.
I have been working loads for my 6.5 RPM Weatherby.(Hammer Hunter 124gr)
66 gr 7828 giving 3325fps,67 gr showing signs of high pressure!
I thought the 124gr at 3325 would be a fine LR load!

 

[Huntnful]

They have a minimum expansion velocity of 1800 FPS. It nears that minimum velocity near 500 yards sometimes. Mine reach 850 yards before they drop below that threshold. Some people also like to put limitations on things they haven't yet proven for themselves also. Nothing to do with the bullet or performance. They also lose ft lbs of energy fast because of their lower BC. But that isn't the holy grail of data anyways. I would just run your ballistics through a calculator and see where they drop to 1800 FPS, and never plan to shoot game further than that.

 

[WahooYahoo]

I'm building a short .338 Sherman Max for an Alaska Black Bear hunt. I have looked at the Hammer Hunter 260. BC is better (.325) but its long. 1.8". I've read enough about the hammer bullets that I'm getting it all mixed up. Admittedly, most of what I have read is with small caliber - and it seems light for caliber bullets. I remember seeing several statements that they like jump. I don't know if that's true in this scenario...
So if they wanna be back .060-.100 and they are 1.8" long (Berger 250 is 1.627") should the chamber have .225-.235" more freebore?

 

[dogz]

They have a minimum expansion velocity of 1800 FPS. It nears that minimum velocity near 500 yards sometimes. Mine reach 850 yards before they drop below that threshold. Some people also like to put limitations on things they haven't yet proven for themselves also. Nothing to do with the bullet or performance. They also lose ft lbs of energy fast because of their lower BC. But that isn't the holy grail of data anyways. I would just run your ballistics through a calculator and see where they drop to 1800 FPS, and never plan to shoot game further than that.

The 1800 fps number is that on their web site by chance?

 

[Coldfinger]

Just wondering,whats the deal with Hammer Bullets.
Notice some people commenting they were not going to use Hammer bullets over 500 yards.
I have been working loads for my 6.5 RPM Weatherby.(Hammer Hunter 124gr)
66 gr 7828 giving 3325fps,67 gr showing signs of high pressure!
I thought the 124gr at 3325 would be a fine LR load!

Off the subject but I have always looked down on solid copper bullets. Now in 2 days I have tried a 35 grain HH in 22-250 and a 101 grain HH in 7STW and all I can say is WOW every powder combination in both cartridges at or under 1/2" and within 1 inch of prior cup and core zero!!!! I may actually hunt with a 7 mm again!!

 

[Wedgy]

Hammer gives a very conservative velocity of 1,800 fps for expansion but they have not tested them below that so nobody really knows. Your load 3,000 fps MV stays above 1,800 fps to about ~830 yards at zero feet altitude and at 7,000 feet you are good to about 1,150 yards which should be plenty.
Just plug in the values to any ballistics calculator and you can get a good idea of speed, drops, drift, etc. at whatever yardage. It will get you in the ball park but you have to validate before you go hunting.

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[QuietTexan]

Notice some people commenting they were not going to use Hammer bullets over 500 yards.

If you mean my post in a recent thread (since I said "500 yards" exactly in said post), it was specifically a reference to BC differences in the AH and HH designs where the AH benefits fall off past a certain velocity. Nothing against either design or the manufacturer, who was very up front with their results, just a nuance in bullet selection.

I'm planning to fill a tag with a 178 AH in 30-06 this winter. Pumped about finally getting a suppressed 30-06!

 

[ButterBean]

I'm building a short .338 Sherman Max for an Alaska Black Bear hunt. I have looked at the Hammer Hunter 260. BC is better (.325) but its long. 1.8". I've read enough about the hammer bullets that I'm getting it all mixed up. Admittedly, most of what I have read is with small caliber - and it seems light for caliber bullets. I remember seeing several statements that they like jump. I don't know if that's true in this scenario...
So if they wanna be back .060-.100 and they are 1.8" long (Berger 250 is 1.627") should the chamber have .225-.235" more freebore?

Don't worry about the BC and don't look at energy numbers, Concentrate on impact velocity and FWIW bullet jump is almost irrelevant with Hammers, Load light and drive them hard

 

[ButterBean]

The 1800 fps number is that on their web site by chance?

It is and it's a solid number

 

[ButterBean]

Just wondering,whats the deal with Hammer Bullets.
Notice some people commenting they were not going to use Hammer bullets over 500 yards.
I have been working loads for my 6.5 RPM Weatherby.(Hammer Hunter 124gr)
66 gr 7828 giving 3325fps,67 gr showing signs of high pressure!
I thought the 124gr at 3325 would be a fine LR load!

Concentrate on Impact velocity and the rest will work itself out

 

[WahooYahoo]

I don't see an advantage in ignoring BC unless I limit myself to short
enough ranges that wind doesn't matter.
if my impact velocity will let the hammer reliably expand at 900yds, why would I limit myself to 400-500 yds so the wind won't wreck me? BC matters to me

 

[dogz]

Thx Bean, and I totally concur about impact speed! Energy smenergy.....I haven't looked at those numbers since Jr High...

 

[ButterBean]

I don't see an advantage in ignoring BC unless I limit myself to short
enough ranges that wind doesn't matter.
if my impact velocity will let the hammer reliably expand at 900yds, why would I limit myself to 400-500 yds so the wind won't wreck me? BC matters to me

Once again I mean no offense but your not listening, I didn't say it doesn't matter, Everything matters but Hammers are a unconventional bullet and conventional loading practices and theory's do not apply, I'm not telling you this because I think so or I'm guessing, I'm telling you this because it's how Hammers work, If you keep thinking like you are now you won't get very far

 

[ButterBean]

Thx Bean, and I totally concur about impact speed! Energy smenergy.....I haven't looked at those numbers since Jr High...

Speed Kills Brother and the Hammers are a force multiplier in this game