Hammer bullets

[Tikka300wsm]

Anyone used the 126gr hammer hunters in a 1-10 twist 270 win? I know their website says 1-9 minimum but curious if anyone has had good luck with a slower twist.

 

[Scottyboy]

Your best bet would be to call/email Steve, he did a load development for me and was always extremely responsive to any and all questions I had. You won’t be disappointed in their bulllets, assuming your rifle likes them

 

[tdot]

I've not shot any of the 270 Hammers, but typically they dont like to be borderline on the stability recommendation. They perform so much better when they are kept super stable. I've loaded one cartridge that was at their minimum recommendation, it looked fine on paper, but didnt open up on game and appears to have exited sideways. It was still crazy effective, but I'll be more careful with the stability from now on.

The one caveat is elevation, that can improve .marginal stability, though I dont know if it can improve on a full revolution slower then they recommend.

 

[Tikka300wsm]

Thanks guys..I’d like to run something a little heavier than the 117s but looks like that might be my only option in the hammers.

 

[.270]

I also haven't played with the hammers in my 270 because of the twist rate. The 129 barnes lrx shoot well with the 1-10 if you are interesting in the mono metal bullets. I have had great success with the 181 and 143 hammers in .308 and .284 calibers with factory twist rates.

 

[Tikka300wsm]

I also haven't played with the hammers in my 270 because of the twist rate. The 129 barnes lrx shoot well with the 1-10 if you are interesting in the mono metal bullets. I have had great success with the 181 and 143 hammers in .308 and .284 calibers with factory twist rates.

The LRX is probably the route I’ll be going. I’ve hunted with Barnes for a long time but I’m always wanting to try out the next best thing.

 

[tdot]

The LRX is probably the route I’ll be going. I’ve hunted with Barnes for a long time but I’m always wanting to try out the next best thing.

Dont be afraid of the lighter hammers. The more I shoot them, the happier I am with the lighter bullets. The only thing that draws me back to the heavy bullets is the higher BC numbers. The terminal performance is exceptional with the lighter bullets. Every time I order I keep dropping a weight class.

 

[Tikka300wsm]

Dont be afraid of the lighter hammers. The more I shoot them, the happier I am with the lighter bullets. The only thing that draws me back to the heavy bullets is the higher BC numbers. The terminal performance is exceptional with the lighter bullets. Every time I order I keep dropping a weight class.

I’m not exactly worried about how they’ll perform. Just trying to find the best of both worlds. If I had the right twist the 126 would be about perfect. I might have to pick up a box of the 117s and see how they shoot.

 

[Bsnyder]

I’m running the 117 out of my wsm at a warm 3600 ish with rl 26 it’s a laser to 550 that’s as far as shot it

 

[Tikka300wsm]

I’m running the 117 out of my wsm at a warm 3600 ish with rl 26 it’s a laser to 550 that’s as far as shot it

I’m hoping I can get the 117 out of mine to 3300ish. Hoping I can find some rl16 otherwise it’ll be h4350.

 

[Bsnyder]

I just found a load for my 6.5-300 weatherby waiting to crono it then go hunt with it and see the on game results hopefully at a moderate distance

 

[AK_Skeeter]

I was surprised that Hammer bullets cost twice the price of Barnes...guess its economy of scale?
(I shoot 130 gr TTSX in my .270 Remington 700 with IMR4350)
Barnes TTSX 180gr .308 cal $30 per 50,
Hammer Hunter 181 gr .308 cal $60 per 50

 

[Rob5589]

I was surprised that Hammer bullets cost twice the price of Barnes...guess its economy of scale?
(I shoot 130 gr TTSX in my .270 Remington 700 with IMR4350)
Barnes TTSX 180gr .308 cal $30 per 50,
Hammer Hunter 181 gr .308 cal $60 per 50

Much smaller operation, lathe turned vs swaged.

 

[AK_Skeeter]

Are Hammer bullets the most expensive mononith on the market?

Hammer bullets also are supposed to have minimum copper fouling...I'd like to see that tested.

I'd like to see comparison range test results of Hammer, Barnes TTSX, Nozler E-tip, Hornady GMX...

Is there a substantial difference in terms of terminal performance when compared under identical conditions at the range? For example, there is a youtube video showing Hammer hunter performance thru a gel block, but I could find none with a sid-by -side comparison of other monoliths such as TTSX, Nozler E-tip, Hornady GMX...

For example would the other monoliths penetrate more than Hammers in a test such as:
600-yard penetration test

Would the other monoliths penetrate substantially deeper through bone in a side-by-side comparison?

A side-by-side comparison at the range would have identical conditions and an adequate sample size.

 

[cmahoney]

Are Hammer bullets the most expensive mononith on the market?

Hammer bullets also are supposed to have minimum copper fouling...I'd like to see that tested.

I'd like to see comparison range test results of Hammer, Barnes TTSX, Nozler E-tip, Hornady GMX...

Is there a substantial difference in terms of terminal performance when compared under identical conditions at the range? For example, there is a youtube video showing Hammer hunter performance thru a gel block, but I could find none with a sid-by -side comparison of other monoliths such as TTSX, Nozler E-tip, Hornady GMX...

Have you seen this guys videos?

I started using hammers this year, the 124 HH in a 6.5 Creedmoor. I had bad luck with LRX’s in the same rifle, couldn’t get them to group. I loaded the Hammers just under mag length, which was recommended by Hammer and shot this group out of my factory Tikka once I found a velocity node. I haven’t killed anything with them yet but I have 3 tags this year so hopefully I’ll have something to report back on.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cubdriver84d]

Are Hammer bullets the most expensive mononith on the market?

Hammer bullets also are supposed to have minimum copper fouling...I'd like to see that tested.

I'd like to see comparison range test results of Hammer, Barnes TTSX, Nozler E-tip, Hornady GMX...

Is there a substantial difference in terms of terminal performance when compared under identical conditions at the range? For example, there is a youtube video showing Hammer hunter performance thru a gel block, but I could find none with a sid-by -side comparison of other monoliths such as TTSX, Nozler E-tip, Hornady GMX...

For example would the other monoliths penetrate more than Hammers in a test such as:
600-yard penetration test

Would the other monoliths penetrate substantially deeper through bone in a side-by-side comparison?

A side-by-side comparison at the range would have identical conditions and an adequate sample size.

Not sure if you've read much of the design info on the hammer website, but hammers are designed differently than those other monos you listed. They expand immediately and shed their petals just under the skin. The bullet is left with 60-70% of its mass with a flat face and sharp edges for cutting a wound channel. Same idea as wide, flat meplats on hard cast bullets as well as the Lehigh WFN lead free bullets, except with hammers you get additional damage done by the petals. So, hammers typically don't mushroom like those other monos. Because of that, they'll penetrate much better especially with lower velocity cartridges and at longer ranges because it takes less energy to push that approximately caliber-diameter object that cuts well through tissue compared to a big mushroomed bullet.

A number of threads on LRH about the performance of hammers, e.g., https://www.longrangehunting.com/th...ts-terminal-performance-picture-heavy.218288/

Nonetheless, side by side tests would be cool to see, no doubt.

edit: 60-70% weight retention is for the hunters, the shock hammers are higher and dead blow hammers lower.

 

[AK_Skeeter]

For a moose at 100 yards, which is likely to penetrate bone more, a 181 gr hammer .308 or a 180gr TTSX .308 ?

The Hammer would have less weight retention?
The TTSX would cut a bigger post-bone wound channel due to the larger mushroom?
Would the Hammer "small petals" penetrate a moose scapula?

Or is this all moot and the TTSX versus Hammer terminal performance would be nearly identical at 100 yards in a moose shoulder?

Thanks.

 

[cubdriver84d]

For a moose at 100 yards, which is likely to penetrate bone more, a 181 gr hammer .308 or a 180gr TTSX .308 ?

The Hammer would have less weight retention?
The TTSX would cut a bigger post-bone wound channel due to the larger mushroom?
Would the Hammer "small petals" penetrate a moose scapula?

Or is this all moot and the TTSX versus Hammer terminal performance would be nearly identical at 100 yards in a moose shoulder?

Thanks.

I have not shot a moose with either, so I won't try to answer those. Steve at hammer would be a guy to ask and would probably give you reasonably straight answers. I know he gets tons of feedback from his customers about how the bullets perform. That said, if I were chasing moose with a 30-06 or larger 30 cal cartridge, expecting shots at 100 yards, I'd pick the 199 shock hammer.

For a given weight, there's probably an optimal bullet design for every scenario. The way I see it, you want the bullet to dump nearly all of its energy into the animal, retain just enough to exit, and do a lot of damage in the process. That will depend on the bullet's velocity when it enters the animal and the tissue it's traveling through.

 

[AK_Skeeter]

Which would penetrate bone more the TTSX or the Hammer?
Which would be more likely to completely exit a bear for a better blood trail?

Would this be a valid test?
Make a 6 foot thick sandwich using plywood.
Alternate shooting 180gr TTSX and 181 gr Hammer bullets using the same load (seating depth, powder,etc.)
Shoot a minimum of ten shots each. Measure the "wound channel depth" using a .270 brass rod.
Is there a significant difference in bullet penetration?

Is there a better test that can be done at the range?
Ballistic gel would be expensive due to the sample size of 20 total shots.

 

[bradb]

I shot a dall, moose, and wounded a grizz with them last year. They shot good, but I am kind of mixed. Can't blame the bullet for shot placement and will never know where I hit the grizz, rolled him 3 times, sucks. Is really the exit on the dall that makes me think. yes a hair high, but just questioning if more frontal would have helped. He dropped like a ton of bricks. Got back up about 10 minutes later. Another ram was in the way preventing a second shot tell we finally moved close. This pic is close to 30 minutes later. I get it i somehow missed the vitals, again thinking wider channel through might have helped. 199 sledge hammers cooking out of 300 norma mag at 415 yards