dougduey
Well-Known Member
You may want to switch over to the 143 Hammer Hunter. I've got some rifles that don't live the Absolutes but all like the Hunters.
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Which Hammer bullet for 280ai 140 Absolute Hammer or 143 Hammer Hunter
- Thread starter Josh06
- Start date
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Did you try a crimp? I've never crimped before, but I did on my new 280 AI. Shoots the 140 AH good. Not sure if it helped or not but I thought I'd try it. What kind of velocity and barrel length? Also charge weight of H100V if you don't mind. I'm seeing pressure before most other guys so I'm curious. Oh and primer?
nimrod_gn
Well-Known Member
I haven't tried crimping yet. I had hoped to find a suitable load and then use crimping and seating depth changes to really fine-tune a good load into an outstanding load. With H100V I topped out at 62.5 grains and 3421 fps. That's running pretty hot with a light ejector mark. I'm using 24-inch barrel and CCI250 primers. Like I said previously, I had high hopes to run the absolutes but with three different powders so far they just aren't producing the accuracy I'd hoped for. Going to take Doug's advice and try the Hammer Hunters and see how they do.
dougduey
Well-Known Member
The 143's shot well with RL23. If you don't have any of that, the gold standard powder in the 280AI is H4831.
I'm playing with the 120 HH now. Using StaBall. You might want to consider this bullet.
nimrod,
Try crimping to start with. Hammers are very "slippery" and using a light crimp helps them get started consistently. Butterbean has a video posted that many find helpful for set up and guidance. I personally start at 1/8th turn. Once I get a decent load, I fine tune with crimp settings, going up 1/8th turn at a time. I almost never change seating depth.
Most find best crimp performance between 1/8 to 1/2 turns. Me personally, 1/8 to 1/4.
Keep us posted.
Try crimping to start with. Hammers are very "slippery" and using a light crimp helps them get started consistently. Butterbean has a video posted that many find helpful for set up and guidance. I personally start at 1/8th turn. Once I get a decent load, I fine tune with crimp settings, going up 1/8th turn at a time. I almost never change seating depth.
Most find best crimp performance between 1/8 to 1/2 turns. Me personally, 1/8 to 1/4.
Keep us posted.
I've evidently got too much time on my hands as I wait for a 280ai build to be completed. I have been collecting components to load but since I don't have the rifle yet, I have gone about as far as I can. I have an assortment of .284 pills to try including Hammers. 120's, 131's, 143's, 146's, and 155's are sitting there staring at me. Peterson brass, BR2 primers, H4831 SC (and others), Redding dies, bushings, and shell holders are now staring at me as well. I have not heard anyone's experience with the 155's. The barrel will have 8 twist so it should be able to spin them sufficiently. Anyone try the 155's?
