Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Hammer Bullets

I know a few here have been using them but thought I'd ask anyone who has used them either at targets or preferably on game what the general consensus is about them. Please post what version(s) you've used, what weight and caliber, distances involved and on what game. To get this started I'll state that I've used the 7mm 169gr HH on two deer this past fall. One about 50-60 yards and the other at 557yds. Both performed great and did a lot of internal damage. Been trying others in several rifles and have found them all to be extremely accurate and easy to work up a good load for.

I haven't killed anything yet except paper, but maybe it's just luck...who knows...load development has been hassle free. I have burned a lot of components in the past getting the other leading brands to equal proven cup and core loads, accuracy wise. I use old school modest velocity cartridges, so I selected Shock Hammers with a pretty big hollow point and somewhat lower BC than is fashionable now. The entire bearing surface is riffled like ruffles tater chips, and they don't seem to create undue pressure. Won't know anything on meat performance until October.

.30-06 150 Power Hammer, 8x57 159 Shock Hammer, 7.65 Mauser 150 Shock Hammer, .303 Brit 150 Shock Hammer.
future orders for 6.5x55, 7x57 and .270 Win.

I've only killed paper with them too thus far, but hopefully I'll change that this fall.

I'm shooting the 86gr Shock Hammers from my 327 Federal, and the 200gr SH from my 375 Win. I'm planning on using those two as the deer stand guns this year.

I actually need to order more for the 375 soon, since I burned up most of the ones I had working up a load and then zeroing in the sights in.

i have killed 100 or more critters with a 22 K-Hornet ,bullet was a 33 gr. shock Hammer work great and shot well on paper,when i hit these critters most are around 30-50 yards and lay dead or DRT. in my 11 yr. old grandson`s 257 Roberts we used 75 gr. Hammer hunter bullets he killed the doe at 90 yards DRT . on paper with this 75 gr. bullet shoots very well under 3/4 inch at 100 yards 3 shot groups. my 257 Weatherby mag . i used the 103 gr. Hammer Hunter shot 193 lb. dressed buck 100 + yards DRT , antelope buck at a measured 460 yards same bullet DRT , my accuracy has got better with these 103 gr. Hammer Hunter bullets , 3 shot at 100 yard groups are also under 3/4 inch sometimes 1/2 ,velocity average is 3680 FPS.

in my 6 BR the 80 gr. Hammer Hunters have shot excellent even out to 500 yards on targets. my 257 Creedmoor also has shot excellent with the 103 gr. hammer hunters on targets. i am very impressed with Hammer bullets i have another order on its way ,including some 160 gr. Hammer Hunters 30 caliber bullets that i plan on using in my my 30-06 Winchester 70 and if the Hammer bullets shoot better than my 165 Nosler Partitions i will take them to Africa this year. the nice thing about Hammer bullets they have plenty in stock always ,they must be a great bullet Weatherby is now loading Hammer bullets too. good luck with your choice and pay attention with what barrel twist you plan on using Hammer bullets in. Pete53

I shoot mostly older rifles so the twist rate isn't fast enough to stabilize these. I recently bought two 6MM rifles a Browning B78 6MM and a Browning Safari Grade made by Sako in 243. The twist rates are 1 in 10 and the 90gr HHT requires a 1 in 7 twist. I doubt these would work for me unfortunately.
I'll have to check the twist rate in my Dakota M10 in 6.5X55 maybe something will work in that rifle but it dates to 2004 according to Parkwest.

They make weights that’ll work for the old slow twist stuff.

Just look at their twist recommendations. You can go pretty light in them. That’s how they’re designed. The faster the better.

Their Shock Hammers seem well suited for slower twists and short mag boxes. My old 300 Win mag has an 11 twist Brux on it and it shoots the 180gr SH very well.

I have a 250 Savage built on a short (Kurz) Mauser action. I need a short bullet as I can't seat them out far due to the limits of the magazine box. It will shoot Nosler 115ge Ballistic tips pretty well but the bullet is seated pretty deep. The Sierra 100 Game King is short and works well but I would like to find another option. IIRC the twist rate is 1 in 10.
I do like the fact that they offer a sample pack.

The only thing I have shot with Hammer bullets is paper. I did a fine job with that.

the 75 gr. Hammer Hunter in my grandson`s older Ruger #1 257 Roberts has a slower twist and shoot`s super under 3/4 inch 3 shot groups at 100 yards , and that 75 gr. copper bullet is by far a better bullet than a 100 gr. Sierra game king i know i used them years ago those Sierra bullets don`t stay together very good but are good for paper targets. sorry but i would never hunt big game with Sierra lead bullets ever again. Pete53

I shot a caribou with the 285 HH. 6" entrance hole. Pretty explosive at close range

Like a bomb.

Kinda like that. Would not use that bullet on brown bear.

Lots of positive feedback over on LongRangeHunting forum. memtb

Only the front end separates from the base. It opens like a Barnes, then the petals break off, radiating outward causing a great deal of fairly shallow damage, then the base continues on. They’ve apparently seen quite a bit of use on big game in America (elk, moose, bear) with positive results, and in Africa & Australia on their bigger stuff.

I haven’t tried them yet, way too pleased with my Barnes! memtb

That's where I am. No need to fix something that doesn't need to be fixed.

I would use Hammer bullets in a heart beat for bears or any other animal

i would rethink that statement those Hammer bullets work great , i will probably never shoot a big brown bear but if a did i would have no problem using Hammer bullets on any game animal.

I have saved this thread and will update when I have actual info. I have a box of 85gr for my 260 Rem to try a load. I have a CZ in 6.5 Grendel I want to try the same bullets for.

I shot a Cape Buffalo with a Shock Hammer. See this post:

shock hammer