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Joined: Jun 2004
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With an Arizona cow elk tag for October, and hopefully a Coues whitetail permit after the June draw, I figured it would be enjoyable to try the Hammer Hunters in my 6.5 WSM. I have read good reports about the Hammer Hunters on another forum. Last week brought a box of 124gr hammer Hunter bullets and some new Norma brass in 270 WSM. The brass was easily necked down with the 6.5 WSM dies. A dummy round with the Hammer bullet seated 0.025" off the lands fits in the magazine fine. Loaded some rounds with increasing charges of Ramshot Magnum and Fed 215M primers to check for velocity and pressure. I hope to end up with a velocity around 3300 fps. Time to social distance myself this week some place in the forest and find a good load.

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Update on progress:

I used my previous data from the 125 Bulldozer as a basis for the 124 Hammer velocity test loads. The 4 test loads got 3174, 3252, 3367, 3392 fps. No hard bolt lift and no flattened primers for any of the 4 loads. I did notice a faint ejector mark with the heaviest charge.

Next was some 5-shot groups of increasing charges at 100 yards. Charges were 66.0, 66.5, 67.0 and 67.5 gr Ramshot Magnum. Velocities of the groups averaged from 3251 to 3294 fps. SD varied from 18 to 90. Group sizes ranged from 0.57 to 0.93". I don't know about the set that had a extreme spread of 195 and SD of 90, although the group size was 0.82". The brass that averaged 3294 showed some ejector marks. Next will be to vary the seating depth of the load that gave the SD of 18, from 0.02 to 0.10 off the lands.

After shooting the 5-shots groups with increasing charges, I chose the charge of 67.5 gr Ramshot Magnum to try different seating depths even though Hammer Bullets says it does not make much difference.  I chose 67.5 gr as it had the best combination of ES and group size from the previous set.  I loaded up 5 rounds each with the bullet seated 0.018, 0.045, 0.070 and 0.095" off the lands.  This morning I went out and shot the groups at 100 yards and allowed 6-7 minutes between rounds for the barrel to cool.  I started with the 0.095" off (labeled 3.275 COAL on the target) figuring the pressure would increase as the bullet was seated closer to the lands.

For the target images, 3.275 COAL corresponds to 0.095" off, 3.300=0.070, 3.325=0.045 and 3.352=0.018   The AVE VEL on the target table includes numbers for average velocity, extreme spread and standard deviation in that order.  Chronograph was a ProChrono at 10'.  Rifle is a Winchester 70 with 26" 1:8 Shilen barrel threaded with Omega Suppressor.

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You are making me want a 6.5 WSM

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#1: Looks like a nice rigorous approach to load development.
#2: I think the cow elk and whitetail are in trouble.

I have a cow tag over on Camp Navajo myself but I think I'm going to use a medium bore, either 338-06, 358 Win, or 9.3x62.
That 6.5 WSM looks mighty nice - care to tell us more about it?

Cheers,
Rex

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In my 270 WSM I am getting 3200 fps with 140s Inter & Accubonds with 69 grains of either R26 or R25 both powders shot well, might be worth a look in the 6.5 WSM. But you are already on track with Magnum, probably wouldn't gain much velocity with R26.


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Good to see some love for Hammers! I use them in my 260 rem, the 117 sledgehammers. 4 deer later, and I am impressed. It certainly is worth the price point(to me at least!) I found with my 260 that they are pretty easy to get to shoot under moa. Hopefully before long will see how they do in a 30-06.


......the occasional hunter wielding a hopelessly inaccurate rifle, living by the fantastical rule that this cartridge can deliver the goods, regardless of shot placement or rifle accuracy. The correct term for this is minute of ego.
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Originally Posted by TRexF16

I have a cow tag over on Camp Navajo myself but I think I'm going to use a medium bore, either 338-06, 358 Win, or 9.3x62.
That 6.5 WSM looks mighty nice - care to tell us more about it?

Cheers,
Rex


Rex, you should have a good hunt on the depot. A friend had one last year and saw plenty of elk.
Back in 2006, I was looking for a rifle to dedicate to Coues deer and antelope as I was using a 300 WSM. I saw a nicely wooded Winchester Supergrade in 300 WSM and thought immediately of rechambering to a 6.5 WSM for the use with .264 bullets. This was before the hoopla of the Creedmoor, PRC, 26 Nosler. Since then, I have rebarreled it with the 1:8 Shilen as I was not enthralled with the accuracy I was getting with a Pac-Nor 1:8.5 polygonal barrel. I have not had any feeding problem that were noted in early WSM rifles. It received an Omega suppressor a couple years ago. I was getting sub 1/2" groups with the Badlands Bulldozer bullets, but wanted to try the Hammer Hunters after reading nothing but good reports. Dies are Redding 6.5/300WSM full length. The rifle has been my primary Coues and antelope rifle since.
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@Jevyod - I have a Featherweight in 30-06 that does not like wide variety of factory ammo. The thought has been to pick up some dies and try the Hammers.


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