Official Hammer bullets Terminal Performance (picture heavy)

[ButterBean]

Not really, look at those pics close. A bullet sized entry wound. That's a blood clot next to it making it appear larger than what it is. The same bullet sized entrance hole in the first lung. Exit it is starting to open. Finally opens in second lung and sheds petals when it hits the exiting rib. This is the 2nd elk I've shot with them that it's done the same penciling thing. The bullets didn't open till just before the exit. I am going back to Accubonds. I Want that first lung just as damaged as the second. That way I can recover the quartering to elk I shot that I didn't recover from the hammer.

I'm sorry you lost an Elk but that could happen with any bullet, The Accubond is a great bullet as well so you can't go wrong either way, What caliber are you shooting the 181's out of ?

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Not really, look at those pics close. A bullet sized entry wound. That's a blood clot next to it making it appear larger than what it is. The same bullet sized entrance hole in the first lung. Exit it is starting to open. Finally opens in second lung and sheds petals when it hits the exiting rib. This is the 2nd elk I've shot with them that it's done the same penciling thing. The bullets didn't open till just before the exit. I am going back to Accubonds. I Want that first lung just as damaged as the second. That way I can recover the quartering to elk I shot that I didn't recover from the hammer.

The Sledge Hammer bullets are designed to open quicker. That may be an option if you are still interested in hunting with Hammers. Like you, I've had excellent results with Accubonds in the past

I shot an elk with the 181 HH from a 30Nosler. The bull fell over in 10 seconds (literally) and went still in another 10 seconds. I never examined the internal damage but the outcome was impressive. The shot was just over 300yds.

 

[WWP2012]

I'm sorry you lost an Elk but that could happen with any bullet, The Accubond is a great bullet as well so you can't go wrong either way, What caliber are you shooting the 181's out of ?

300 Sherman, impact velocity was 27-2800. The first one I wouldn't of found had it not broken his off shoulder. He was still alive when we got to him 30min later. Shot him again in the neck at 3 yards. Waited then had to knife him to finally put him down. Steve sent me new ones after that failure. Then I lost one shot thru the shoulder quartering to me as the bullet didn't exit. Very little blood and we tracked it for 3/4 mile on pin drops. Then this one that I got to watch stand there and bleed out.

Never had that happen with Accubonds.

 

[bsnyder]

Didn't realize I had posted this. Antelope doe. 88grain hammer hunter. 6mm creed muzzle velocity is 3340. Yardage was close enough I didn't range, shot straight on through the chest. Never found the shank of the bullets petals exited every which way.

 

[ButterBean]

300 Sherman, impact velocity was 27-2800. The first one I wouldn't of found had it not broken his off shoulder. He was still alive when we got to him 30min later. Shot him again in the neck at 3 yards. Waited then had to knife him to finally put him down. Steve sent me new ones after that failure. Then I lost one shot thru the shoulder quartering to me as the bullet didn't exit. Very little blood and we tracked it for 3/4 mile on pin drops. Then this one that I got to watch stand there and bleed out.

Never had that happen with Accubonds.

That's interesting, Thnk you for the information

 

[tribb]

Not really, look at those pics close. A bullet sized entry wound. That's a blood clot next to it making it appear larger than what it is. The same bullet sized entrance hole in the first lung. Exit it is starting to open. Finally opens in second lung and sheds petals when it hits the exiting rib. This is the 2nd elk I've shot with them that it's done the same penciling thing. The bullets didn't open till just before the exit. I am going back to Accubonds. I Want that first lung just as damaged as the second. That way I can recover the quartering to elk I shot that I didn't recover from the hammer.

Very educational

 

[laker]

300 Sherman, impact velocity was 27-2800. The first one I wouldn't of found had it not broken his off shoulder. He was still alive when we got to him 30min later. Shot him again in the neck at 3 yards. Waited then had to knife him to finally put him down. Steve sent me new ones after that failure. Then I lost one shot thru the shoulder quartering to me as the bullet didn't exit. Very little blood and we tracked it for 3/4 mile on pin drops. Then this one that I got to watch stand there and bleed out.

Never had that happen with Accubonds.

Man you've got me worried. I've got 174 hammers loaded to 3060fps and an elk hunt in less than a month

 

[WWP2012]

Man you've got me worried. I've got 174 hammers loaded to 3060fps and an elk hunt in less than a month

I really wanted to like these, after my experience and then looking back thru the pics in this thread, I decided they were not what I was looking for. A lot of the pics in this thread are small entrance and about the same exit would as mine. Granted they were all dead critters so the bullets worked, just a few inches later than what I think is acceptable. I just tend to think that the metal compound he gets is ever so slightly different. At these speeds it means the difference of inches when the bullet opens. To see first hand the bullets not starting to open until 6-8" in is too much for me.

Now there are other pics where the bullet opened on impact. But none of the ones I shot did that.

So as much as I don't like lead, I've never had a issue with accubonds. The entrance hole was always quarter sized and the first lung was just as messy as the second.

I think Steve has a good thing going and am not here to dissuade anyone. It simply just doesn't work for my expectations when I pull the trigger.

 

[ButterBean]

Man you've got me worried. I've got 174 hammers loaded to 3060fps and an elk hunt in less than a month

I hate that he was disappointed but that's one bad report out of a bunch of good ones, We have shot thousands of Hammers and have 250+ kills with no problems at all on everything from Rabbits to Water Buffalo

 

[Nevrsummr]

300 Sherman, impact velocity was 27-2800. The first one I wouldn't of found had it not broken his off shoulder. He was still alive when we got to him 30min later. Shot him again in the neck at 3 yards. Waited then had to knife him to finally put him down. Steve sent me new ones after that failure. Then I lost one shot thru the shoulder quartering to me as the bullet didn't exit. Very little blood and we tracked it for 3/4 mile on pin drops. Then this one that I got to watch stand there and bleed out.

Never had that happen with Accubonds.

Hmmm...

 

[Nevrsummr]

235 yd pronghorn. 1 shot DRT. Gutless method but i opened the two broken ribs enough to see the lungs were obliterated. As bad as it looks, no lost meat. I find great confidence in the results.

 

[ButterBean]

@GLTaylor @Riceman

 

[dougduey]

235 yd pronghorn. 1 shot DRT. Gutless method but i opened the two broken ribs enough to see the lungs were obliterated. As bad as it looks, no lost meat. I find great confidence in the results.
View attachment 300013

Looks like my 208 yard pronghorn. It caught the spine on the exit, so huge hole and lost a bit of backstrap.

 

[GLTaylor]

I really wanted to like these, after my experience and then looking back thru the pics in this thread, I decided they were not what I was looking for. A lot of the pics in this thread are small entrance and about the same exit would as mine. Granted they were all dead critters so the bullets worked, just a few inches later than what I think is acceptable. I just tend to think that the metal compound he gets is ever so slightly different. At these speeds it means the difference of inches when the bullet opens. To see first hand the bullets not starting to open until 6-8" in is too much for me.

Now there are other pics where the bullet opened on impact. But none of the ones I shot did that.

So as much as I don't like lead, I've never had a issue with accubonds. The entrance hole was always quarter sized and the first lung was just as messy as the second.

I think Steve has a good thing going and am not here to dissuade anyone. It simply just doesn't work for my expectations when I pull the trigger.

WWP,
Sorry you had a less than desirable result. As was stated earlier, this was very unusual. Glad you got your animal. It is possible that your bullets were somehow different from normal?
The overwhelming majority of hunters are experiencing exceptional performance from Hammers.
Regarding bullets opening sooner - Hammer Hunters open slightly slower than Shock Hammers, but still normally devestate both lung nodes. Shocks usually open very quickly, devastate the first lung node, and damage the second node. Higher velocity is your friend with all Hammers.
Hammers are a different breed of bullet and require different thinking. You are used to shooting heavier (180gr) bullets - like most of us. If you go to a lighter bullet (say 150 or Less!) You will increase your impact velocity and the bullet deformation occurs faster, with more dramatic results.
Food for thought. A recent post on 800 yd impacts (on hogs) with Hammers shows normal, expected performance.
Hope you'll try them again