Introducing the Absolute Hammer

[northhunter]

I hope this helps someone. I have some RL26 coming tomorrow. I will post results from that also.

 

[GLTaylor]

The groups are probably going to be good! (most important) But there is more velocity to be had, if that's important to you.

 

[northhunter]

The groups are probably going to be good! (most important) But there is more velocity to be had, if that's important to you.

I was hoping for between 3200 and 3300 fps. I am really hoping the RL 26 does the trick. We hit 3382fps with Staball but had ejector marks and the primer was flattening. The most accurate load still had ejector marks at 3161fps.

 

[Zen Archery]

A friend of mine has been doing my load development for me with some minor input from myself. He have found a really nice node with 4831sc. He did a ten shot ladder. Here are the results:
Christensen Arms Mesa 6.5 prc 1:8 twist
Nosler brass (he annealed it) CCI 200 primers
123 Absolute Hammers. COAL 2.969, 0.080 jump
4831sc
53.5. 3005fps
53.8. 3013fps
54.1. 3031fps
54.4. 3042fps
54.7. 3086fps
55. 3080fps
55.3. 3030fps
55.6. 3050fps
55.9. 3089fps
56.2. 3117fps heavy bolt lift

H4831 pretty slow burning for this bullet I'm pushing 3175 FPS out of a 20" 6.5CM using the same bullet. Using BLC-2 powder. If he has faster burning powder and knows how to experiment properly have him try some faster burning powder.

 

[Jakeweb09]

H4831 pretty slow burning for this bullet I'm pushing 3175 FPS out of a 20" 6.5CM using the same bullet. Using BLC-2 powder. If he has faster burning powder and knows how to experiment properly have him try some faster burning powder.

That's impressive. I was only able to get them up to 2900 with Varget out of a 18.5" creedmoor

 

[northhunter]

We did tried a load posted by CMP70306 where he used Staball 6.5. We managed 3382fps with 57.5 gr. of powder but the group was 2.8" and the brass had ejector marks, flattened primers, and heavy bolt lift. There were even ejector marks at 56gr. The load CMP settled on was 58.6gr at 3300fps and a max of 59.5gr. My friend notice the load data for my gun is pretty spot on with the Barnes 127lrx load data for 4831sc.

 

[dougduey]

I was hoping for between 3200 and 3300 fps. I am really hoping the RL 26 does the trick. We hit 3382fps with Staball but had ejector marks and the primer was flattening. The most accurate load still had ejector marks at 3161fps.

H4831 would be better for the 124gr Hunter. I'm getting around 3230 fps with the 124 and RL23 in my 6.5-284 Norma which is very similar to your PRC ballistically. I never did get around to load development with the 123 in my 6.5-284, but I was looking at using a powder in the Varget burn rate

 

[northhunter]

Wouldn't my pressures get worse with faster burning powders though?

 

[GLTaylor]

Absolutes (123s mentioned above) operate at much lower resistance/pressure..

 

[jeremy.b]

Look over the data in the load spreadsheet. People are having luck with the 123's and burn rates around h4350 (so h100v, rl16 etc)

Edit: heres a link to the post with the spreadsheet: https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/absolute-hammer-load-data.250143/post-1992588

Edit 2: I just re-read your comment about your friend doing your load development, so send them the link I reference.

 

[northhunter]

I will talk with him about it again. It looks like there have been some additions since I last looked at the speard sheet.

Also, my barrel length is 24". It's the factory Christensen barrel. Sorry, I forgot to add that.

 

[CMP70306]

We did tried a load posted by CMP70306 where he used Staball 6.5. We managed 3382fps with 57.5 gr. of powder but the group was 2.8" and the brass had ejector marks, flattened primers, and heavy bolt lift. There were even ejector marks at 56gr. The load CMP settled on was 58.6gr at 3300fps and a max of 59.5gr. My friend notice the load data for my gun is pretty spot on with the Barnes 127lrx load data for 4831sc.

In my Dad and Brother's rifles (Defiance with Carbon six barrel and a Browning X-Bolt) they both hit ejector marks at the 58.9gr but my proof barrel doesn't hit ejector marks until 59.5gr.In my rifle 59.5 got me up around 3400 but I backed it down as I am trying to use the same load across all three rifles.
I did try IMR4955 which gave me one hole groups at 3400 fps but heavy ejector marks and loose primer pockets in only one or two firings.

I'm using ADG Brass which could make the difference in charge weights as Nosler brass is typically softer than ADG.

 

[Hard rock]

In my Dad and Brother's rifles (Defiance with Carbon six barrel and a Browning X-Bolt) they both hit ejector marks at the 58.9gr but my proof barrel doesn't hit ejector marks until 59.5gr.In my rifle 59.5 got me up around 3400 but I backed it down as I am trying to use the same load across all three rifles.
I did try IMR4955 which gave me one hole groups at 3400 fps but heavy ejector marks and loose primer pockets in only one or two firings.

I'm using ADG Brass which could make the difference in charge weights as Nosler brass is typically softer than ADG.

With the 123 absolutes the burn rate between N165 and H4831 with the prc will work best you will run out of space or compress with N165 . I've had good luck with that powder seems too be about the same as R 23 but any thing in between should work

 

[CMP70306]

With the 123 absolutes the burn rate between N165 and H4831 with the prc will work best you will run out of space or compress with N165 . I've had good luck with that powder seems too be about the same as R 23 but any thing in between should work

In my testing I found the StaBall 6.5/Hybrid 100V range to be a better fit, H4350 was too fast and H4831 seemed to be too slow. Superformance put up some good numbers but I had major temp swings so I shelved it. It seems like the 3300 to 3400 range is about all I can get out of my rifles with this bullet.