Hammer Bullets

I was just reading the August/September issue of handloader magazine. In that issue I spotted an ad for Hammer bullets. This looks like an interesting design. Does anybody have experience with this brand of bullet?

I’m hoping to have a post Mortem report on caribou here in another month. I’m loading the 124gr hammer hunter in my 6.5 PRC havak. Accuracy has been excellent. I’m betting it works as good as it shoots.




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I have an excellent load for my 9 twist 243 Win with 80g Hammer Hunters over StaBall. Average velocity at 3302 with a standard deviation of 1 and 1" group at 200 yards. Just started load development with my 280 Rem and 140g Absolute Hammers and RL 17, went up to 3200 fps with no pressure signs.

Bear are you crimping your 6.5 PRC bullets? That should be an excellent caribou bullet. When I started crimping my 243 with the Lee FCD, as recommended by the Hammer bullet owner, my group size and SD both shrank.

I can attest that the hammer lives up to its name. Put two of them to the test. One a finishing shot at 50 yards. Thru the ribs about a 1.25-1.5” exit and scrambled lungs. The second a 300 +/- downhill shot at a large cow. About 200lb live weight, high shoulder, 2+ inch exit. Broke spine and destroyed lungs and even had a few holes in the heart I’m assuming we’re from bone fragments. Both DRT at the shot.


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Yes. They rock. I use them in my 6.5-300 bee. 131 gr at 3450 fps

Impressive.

Looks like they have an impressive BC.

JD338

Loaded a bunch of 178 and 203 hammers for my 356 Winchester

JD338":2g6ddj3d said:

Looks like they have an impressive BC.

JD338

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Some of the more established hammers are pretty close, the ones that were calculated using shot drops tend to be quite generous

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Which hammer bullets would you suggest for a 300 wm with a 1-8 twist. The rifle is a Browning Hell's canyon LR. My rifle will cycle 3.58" as max COAL.

Wis65x55":284jkl1c said:

Which hammer bullets would you suggest for a 300 wm with a 1-8 twist. The rifle is a Browning Hell's canyon LR. My rifle will cycle 3.58" as max COAL.

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Their 181 HH is a popular bullet in the .308" line. I shot a bull elk @ 315yds with one from a 30Nosler. The shot impacted high lung but the bull dropped in 10 seconds anyway.

The Hammer bullet shanks are rarely captured in an animal.

Wis65x55":5nybg4f5 said:

Which hammer bullets would you suggest for a 300 wm with a 1-8 twist. The rifle is a Browning Hell's canyon LR. My rifle will cycle 3.58" as max COAL.

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I have some 181's that really shot well in my 10 twist 300 RUM at 100. They really sorta fell apart at 400 and 500 though. You're 8 twist should work excellent.

SJB358":2k0jcj91 said:

Wis65x55":2k0jcj91 said:

Which hammer bullets would you suggest for a 300 wm with a 1-8 twist. The rifle is a Browning Hell's canyon LR. My rifle will cycle 3.58" as max COAL.

Click to expand...

I have some 181's that really shot well in my 10 twist 300 RUM at 100. They really sorta fell apart at 400 and 500 though. You're 8 twist should work excellent.

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They (now) have a 180gr HH bullet that is specifically redesigned for the slower twist barrels. I used the 181 which shot well for me but Steve said that the 181 may be just marginally stabilized in a conventional twist rifle. A better stabilized bullet provides better (straighter) terminal performance. Or so I'm told.

Charlie-NY":3tond244 said:

SJB358":3tond244 said:

Wis65x55":3tond244 said:

Which hammer bullets would you suggest for a 300 wm with a 1-8 twist. The rifle is a Browning Hell's canyon LR. My rifle will cycle 3.58" as max COAL.

Click to expand...

I have some 181's that really shot well in my 10 twist 300 RUM at 100. They really sorta fell apart at 400 and 500 though. You're 8 twist should work excellent.

Click to expand...

They (now) have a 180gr HH bullet that is specifically redesigned for the slower twist barrels. I used the 181 which shot well for me but Steve said that the 181 may be just marginally stabilized in a conventional twist rifle. A better stabilized bullet provides better (straighter) terminal performance. Or so I'm told.

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Makes sense to me. Thanks for the heads up. I like how easy they’re to get shooting.

I have picked up a box of the 199gr Hammer hunter bullets to test. The recommended twiston those bullets is 1:9.25". Those should stabilize nicely in my 1:8 barrel.

Wis65x55":1c27hgna said:

I have picked up a box of the 199gr Hammer hunter bullets to test. The recommended twiston those bullets is 1:9.25". Those should stabilize nicely in my 1:8 barrel.

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Those look quite good. I know when my RUM gets a new barrel, those will be near the top of my want to try bullets.

Hammers are like other monometal bullets in that they seem to thrive on speed. Essentially all the manufacturers of monometal bullets recommend that you drop down in bullet weight and increase velocity for best performance.

Hammer makes some extremely light bullets in every diameter. The velocities that some reloaders are getting is quite impressive, especially if you're a velocity junkie.

I got some of the shock hammers. No LR opportunities for me. I’ve found accuracy to be excellent. No experience on game yet.