6.5 creedmoor / 280ai and Absolute Hammers

[cooperjd]

Anyone tried the 123gr Absolute hammers in the 6.5 creed?

6.5 is a Tikka T3x, 1:8"

I have a really accurate load for that rifle with Lapua small rifle brass, CCI-450s, and 43.5gr of RL-16 and 130gr berger vld-hunting bullets seated off 20 thou; at 2,880fps.

I do not have a lot of RL-16 left, so I'd like to keep that for the bergers if possible.

I do have 8 lb jugs of IMR-4166 and IMR-4451 coming soon. So I have plenty to play with and hope those work well.

For the 123gr AH's... the faster burning IMR-4166 would seem the best place to start to my pea brain. Hodgdon shows a max of 38/38.5 for the 120gr a-max and 123gr sierra hpbt. Since the Absolute Hammers run at lower pressures maybe start at 36 and work up to see where i get pressure signs?

For the 280ai, it is a Kimber Hunter with a 24" 1:9" barrel.

What powder would you start with for a 280ai with the 140gr absolute hammers?

Hodgdon lists 47.4gr of Varget as a max load for 140gr nosler partition, or 56.6gr of IMR-4451.

Since the AH's generally seem to need a faster burning powder, would the IMR-4166 apply here as well since its closer to Vargets burn rate? Not sure where id' start with that one though.

I also have H4831 and IMR-4955 I can try, though those may be a bit slow for the absolutes.

Would those be good starting points?
Thank you!

 

[eoperator]

we must think alot alike, i have a 6.5 & 280ai with absolute's just needing some time to play with them

 

[280Ackley]

H4831sc has been a tack driver in my .280ai.

 

[cooperjd]

I have some 4831 but wasn’t sure if it was going to be fast enough for the absolutes. Was planning to use it for my Barnes ttsx but then I ordered some hammers...

 

[unclericco]

I tried quite a few powder/bullet combos with my new 280AI and man, RL-26 with 168 Bergers is getting some good results. I built the rifle with the 162 ELD in mind but they didn't shoot worth a shit for me.

 

[OXN939]

Anyone tried the 123gr Absolute hammers in the 6.5 creed?

6.5 is a Tikka T3x, 1:8"

I have a really accurate load for that rifle with Lapua small rifle brass, CCI-450s, and 43.5gr of RL-16 and 130gr berger vld-hunting bullets seated off 20 thou; at 2,880fps.

I do not have a lot of RL-16 left, so I'd like to keep that for the bergers if possible.

I do have 8 lb jugs of IMR-4166 and IMR-4451 coming soon. So I have plenty to play with and hope those work well.

For the 123gr AH's... the faster burning IMR-4166 would seem the best place to start to my pea brain. Hodgdon shows a max of 38/38.5 for the 120gr a-max and 123gr sierra hpbt. Since the Absolute Hammers run at lower pressures maybe start at 36 and work up to see where i get pressure signs?

For the 280ai, it is a Kimber Hunter with a 24" 1:9" barrel.

What powder would you start with for a 280ai with the 140gr absolute hammers?

Hodgdon lists 47.4gr of Varget as a max load for 140gr nosler partition, or 56.6gr of IMR-4451.

Since the AH's generally seem to need a faster burning powder, would the IMR-4166 apply here as well since its closer to Vargets burn rate? Not sure where id' start with that one though.

I also have H4831 and IMR-4955 I can try, though those may be a bit slow for the absolutes.

Would those be good starting points?
Thank you!

I shoot 124 Hammer Hunters in my 6.5 CM. Didn't like H4350, seems to love Varget just as Steve said. Low SD, consistent 1/2 MOA groups.

 

[cooperjd]

I shoot 124 Hammer Hunters in my 6.5 CM. Didn't like H4350, seems to love Varget just as Steve said. Low SD, consistent 1/2 MOA groups.

did you have to play with seating depth or did you have a pretty easy time with that? They seem to be accurate at a lot of depths based on what i'm reading

 

[OXN939]

did you have to play with seating depth or did you have a pretty easy time with that? They seem to be accurate at a lot of depths based on what i'm reading

First seating depth I tried with Varget, although I had done some tweaking with prior loads to establish that. From what I've seen, .050" off the lands seems to be a good starting point.

 

[Brendan]

Been looking at the Absolute Hammers a little myself recently - both for my .308 and 6.5 creed. Have a bunch of H4350, CFE223 on the way, and only 1# of varget, but looks like I have some starting points anyways.

Not sure anyone's used them yet, but any thoughts about the potential "on game" performance of the 124 gr Absolute Hammer in the 6.5? Have a potential hog hunt coming up later this winter I'm toying with where my 6.5 would be the gun I'd like to bring...

 

[cooperjd]

i have done some testing with the AH's, but for velocity only, not really for accuracy. results here:

Absolute Hammer, 6.5creed and 280ai velocity data

Finally got to do some shooting over the weekend with some AH's. I started pretty low and have room to continue working up, which I will do in the next couple of months. These were measured through a magnetospeed at 700' above sea level and ~45 degrees. 6.5 creedmoor tikka t3x, 1:8", 24"...

www.rokslide.com

I shot a small doe with the 123gr AH in my 6.5c at ~200 yards. hit pretty forward in the shoulder and exited center shoulder mass. was quarter to a bit. dropped instantly. massive exit. That's my only on game experience with hammers so far.

 

[aron]

Those absolute hammers have been on my radar. Not a ton of reload data out for them yet but sounds like with this bullet design you might as well not even consider your "go to" powders for the caliber and it requires something with a faster burn rate.

 

[VirginiaBeach]

I’ve had good luck with this combo with the Patriot Valley Arms Cayuga 122 gr which looks to be very similar to the AH bullets:
Lapua SRP 6.5 Creedmoor
41.6 gr IMR 4166 ( work up from lower please)
Cci 450
122 Cayuga seated to mag length on MDT mags
2965 FPS out of a 21” hawk hill