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They’d get renamed Laser Hammers if Big G got his mitts on them DF

Oh, really

This is .358 bullets a 225 TSX and a 223 Hammer Hunter, easy to see that the Hammer Hunter has less bearing surface, which allows to add a bit of powder for higher velocity

Is anyone using the Hammers and not crimping?

I haven't crimped any that I've loaded

Good - I don’t want to do it. 😀😀

I’m not crimping them either. Didn’t even know it was recommended. All my initial test loads were under 3/4” also. I didn’t even test seating depth. Just started them .020 off the lands and tested powder.

What cartridge are you loading?

After doing a good bit of actual testing on deer using the 88gr 6mm Hammer Hunters my results are mixed. I've found 3 petals in the onside shoulder that never made it to the vitals with each weighing between 6 - 6.5gr. Exit holes are small almost like shooting FMJ bullets. Hammer Hunters are good bullets if you shoot for the boiler room, the deer don't go far if they run at all. If you want to shoulder shoot the Barnes LRX is proving to be the better choice, IMO. The large mushroom of the Barnes does a lot more damage to the shoulders than the Hammer Hunters.

I haven't crimped either in the 300 RUM nor the 35 Whelen. I'd guess you can change up neck tension with a bushing too if you wanted a little more grip. .003 works fine the RUM for me. Haven't seen any movement from them. Same for the Whelen.

110's in the 6.5 Creedmoor & 124 in a .308.

Just something to help liven winter doldrums - neither will be used at considerable distance (if they perk).

when i shoot my target rifles with a single cartridge in the rifle i do not crimped , but when i have more than one cartridge in a magazine in my deer rifles like my 257 Weatherby mag. i do crimp that cartridge. i never have crimped any of my 22 K-Hornet ammo ,257 Creedmoor,257 Roberts,6.5Creedmoor yet ?

Ditto

My JES bored Pre-64 FWT likes lighter bullets. Don't know why as it's a 12 twist.

Anyway, I shot some great groups with the Cutting Edge 160 gr. But, I went with the 178 gr. Shock Hammer because it's sleeker and can be loaded longer with less powder compression. With that bullet, RL-7 is my fav powder.

Here they are, side by side. Notice additional powder space with the Hammer.

These bullets frag; the core bores on thru, not too unlike a Partition. Except the frag pieces exit around the core, at least with a chest shot WT. Lots of internal damage, quick kills. Unless you're breaking down shoulders, shooting big, nasty critters, I like the Shock Hammer more than Barnes. The Shock Hammer is designed for 80% core retention. other Hammer bullets have less retention. Google "Types of Hammer Bullets" for details. Choice should depend on velocity and critter hunted.

Small company with much attention to detail and to their customers. Got an email from Steve Davis, one of the owners, after sending Hammer Bullets a photo of exit pattern, WT chest. He pointed out the satellite exits around the core exit. He knew what he was looking at. And, they seem to always have stock ready to ship.

Expensive but, IMO, worth it.

DF

They are excellent bullets, no doubt

Forgot to mention, Hammer bullets are about as accurate as CEB's.

Here's my CEB "bragging group" that I was not quite able to reproduce, although got pretty close. Not a bad group from a JES re-bored .243 Pre-64.

X-Term is my second fav .358 Win powder. I get similar performance, no compression, with RL-7.

TAC was JB's fav in his excellent .358 Win article. TAC may be optimal with heavier bullets, but will require compressed loads.

TAC is slightly slower than X-Term which is slightly slower than RL-7. Faster powders take up less room. IME, case capacity can be an issue in the .358 W.

Nothing wrong with compressed loads, I like to not compress if I don't have to. Just me.

DF

They perked alright - the 6.5s anyway. More like boiled over.....

200 Hammer hunter with 57 gr H4895. 2800 fps sub moa. Rem 7600 punp.

Yes. Middle of the road load here. Should be able to get 3600 plus. RL 33 is too slow.






I am working on the 162 Absolutes in my 30-06. Should break 3k fps via staball 6.5

any handloaders out there using Hammer bullets in a 350 Remington cartridge , hope to get drawn`n this year for a bear tag. thanks Pete53

Shooting 175 Hammer Hunters in my 338 Federal over a compressed load of IMR 8208 XBR. The rifle is a rebarreled Kimber Montana with a Lilja 1:10 Mod84M barrel. It will stack 3 Hammers in almost one hole. No crimping. Started at mag box length of 2.8" and never touched the seating.