Three Tikka's and HAMMER Hunter Bullets

[TraderMike]

I am a happy customer of Hammer Bullets. May as well put that comment up front before going any further. I just finalized load development for my buddies T3x 30-06 today and recently completed development on my T3 300 WSM and T3 7mm-08 as well. All three are shooting three shot groups of .6 inch or less, at 100 yards. If you are familiar with these bullets, (and T3's) likely this "news flash" isn't going to surprise you. But I am new to Hammer's and with bullet availability being so hit-and-miss with other flavors these days I am feeling pretty fortunate my initial experience has been so positive and relatively easy to come by. I have been reloading since I was 17 and I am 52 now; though I took quite a few years off when I drank the Tikka cool-aid back in '05 I believe. They shot factory loads so well I couldn't justify the effort to roll my own. But with the current ammo situation I dusted off my press and jumped in again with one of the only bullets I could get my hands on...

Load development followed the suggestion of the owners of Hammer. I started at minimum load and ran up to max, for equivalent weight bullet/powder combo looking for pressure signs which never appeared. Loaded up more (at max) and began to experiment with a Lee Factory Crimp die as suggested by a gentleman who has been very helpful and has posted his experiences over on the "Hammer time forum". (This gent goes by Butterbean.) I was somewhat surprised at which the degree, or amount of crimp would tighten or open my groups while testing these loads. I believe the crimp die is essential for obtaining the utmost accuracy. I should note, I did my pressure tests with a more aggressive crimp using Butterbean's method on the hunch that my best accuracy would eventually be found with a less aggressive crimp. I got lucky, as this hunch proved correct.

Some other details worth note...
Cartridge Base To Ogive length set for .040 off the lands for each rifle
Shooters World Precision used for 7mm-08 (said to have burn rate similar to Varget)
Shooters World Long Rifle used for 300 WSM and 30-06 (burn rate similar to H414)
My ES for velocity has been in the teens to mid 20's shooting in the mornings before the heat of the day in Northern Colorado, 4500' elevation.

I am not the first to recommend Hammer bullets on this forum and certainly won't be the last. My intent with this post is to encourage any Rocksliders who are looking at upcoming hunts and dealing with the component shortage to consider Hammer. They are available and they have proven to be pretty easy to develop loads for.

152g Hammer Hunter in the .308 cal and 120g for the 7mm

 

[nimrod_gn]

100% agree. I started handloading when I was 14 (54 now) and I've shot every brand of bullet. First started with Hammers a couple of years ago and now I won't hunt with anything else. I'll shoot other stuff at targets, but for hunting Hammers are incredible.

 

[TraderMike]

100% agree. I started handloading when I was 14 (54 now) and I've shot every brand of bullet. First started with Hammers a couple of years ago and now I won't hunt with anything else. I'll shoot other stuff at targets, but for hunting Hammers are incredible.

I have an either sex elk tag and the first legal animal I get to settle my sights on is going to get introduced to a Hammer bullet. I so love eating elk.... almost as much as spending time where they live.

 

[huntnful]

They really are an amazing bullet and company. They get flack over the low BC's, but I've crunched the number a lot. Their added velocity makes up for it out to about 800 yards.

 

[Miflatlander91]

Going to load some for a creedmoor and hopefully if I get the rifle bedded a 300 win this weekend

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

 

[KYhunter50]

Thanks for comment on them. I'll have to check them out!

 

[RobbWink]

I am a happy customer of Hammer Bullets. May as well put that comment up front before going any further. I just finalized load development for my buddies T3x 30-06 today and recently completed development on my T3 300 WSM and T3 7mm-08 as well. All three are shooting three shot groups of .6 inch or less, at 100 yards. If you are familiar with these bullets, (and T3's) likely this "news flash" isn't going to surprise you. But I am new to Hammer's and with bullet availability being so hit-and-miss with other flavors these days I am feeling pretty fortunate my initial experience has been so positive and relatively easy to come by. I have been reloading since I was 17 and I am 52 now; though I took quite a few years off when I drank the Tikka cool-aid back in '05 I believe. They shot factory loads so well I couldn't justify the effort to roll my own. But with the current ammo situation I dusted off my press and jumped in again with one of the only bullets I could get my hands on...

Load development followed the suggestion of the owners of Hammer. I started at minimum load and ran up to max, for equivalent weight bullet/powder combo looking for pressure signs which never appeared. Loaded up more (at max) and began to experiment with a Lee Factory Crimp die as suggested by a gentleman who has been very helpful and has posted his experiences over on the "Hammer time forum". (This gent goes by Butterbean.) I was somewhat surprised at which the degree, or amount of crimp would tighten or open my groups while testing these loads. I believe the crimp die is essential for obtaining the utmost accuracy. I should note, I did my pressure tests with a more aggressive crimp using Butterbean's method on the hunch that my best accuracy would eventually be found with a less aggressive crimp. I got lucky, as this hunch proved correct.

Some other details worth note...
Cartridge Base To Ogive length set for .040 off the lands for each rifle
Shooters World Precision used for 7mm-08 (said to have burn rate similar to Varget)
Shooters World Long Rifle used for 300 WSM and 30-06 (burn rate similar to H414)
My ES for velocity has been in the teens to mid 20's shooting in the mornings before the heat of the day in Northern Colorado, 4500' elevation.

I am not the first to recommend Hammer bullets on this forum and certainly won't be the last. My intent with this post is to encourage any Rocksliders who are looking at upcoming hunts and dealing with the component shortage to consider Hammer. They are available and they have proven to be pretty easy to develop loads for.

152g Hammer Hunter in the .308 cal and 120g for the 7mm

TraderMike, I'm curious what you were seeing for FPS with the 120gr hammers out of the 7mm? I'm looking at putting together a T3 or a Kimber mountain ascent in 7mm-08 for an ultralight backcounty medium game rifle and could use some real world info so I can compare some downrange data before I make any more decisions. I've tried calling steve, but he must be busy chasing game somewhere, appreciate it!

 

[TraderMike]

TraderMike, I'm curious what you were seeing for FPS with the 120gr hammers out of the 7mm? I'm looking at putting together a T3 or a Kimber mountain ascent in 7mm-08 for an ultralight backcounty medium game rifle and could use some real world info so I can compare some downrange data before I make any more decisions. I've tried calling steve, but he must be busy chasing game somewhere, appreciate it!

I am using Shooters World Precision powder as I was unable to locate any Varget without assanine prices.

starting at 42.5g 2814 fps
ending at 45.0 3010 fps

No signs of pressure at 45.0; normal bolt lift and primers looking ok with Nosler brass.

Shooting over a Pro-Chrono so velocity readings taken from approximately 15 feet from muzzle.

I didn't have a great deal of time to really play with development so I settled on 44.5g and experimented with crimping using a Lee factory crimp die. Using Butter Bean's technique, which can be found discussed on the Hammer Time Forum, I found a 3/8 crimp yielding best groups.

Last three development shots fired;

2979 fps
2981 fps
2978 fps

.4 inch group

Steve is a pleasure to talk with. He helped me narrow down my shopping list for powder and his advice was spot-on.

For reference my 30-06 load using 152 HH is at 2940 fps and my 300 WSM is at 3250 with 152 HH....

all rifles used are Tikka T3's and T3x
I am a conservative reloader; my emphasis is accuracy first.
Hope this helps.

 

[TraderMike]

I may as well mention all loads cited have been developed for Tikka's....

 

[RobbWink]

Awesome, I appreciate the info.

And yes I agree with you about Steve, great guy and a great product. I have the 162gr absolute hammers loaded up in my Tikka Veil 300wm, got em cruising 3400fps and plenty accurate. Took a nice buck and bull with it this fall in Idaho, buck made it 5ft, bull made it 80 yards, my buddy also took a nice bull with his 300rum and 181gr hammers. 3 shots, three stone dead, no complaints here.

Now I just need to decide which rifle to go with on this build. Thanks for the info!

 

[TraderMike]

We have had similar results at the bench and on game, it seems. My bull and buck were both one-and-done too...
Good luck and Merry Christmas (and welcome to RS!)

 

[bmart2622]

We have had similar results at the bench and on game, it seems. My bull and buck were both one-and-done too...
Good luck and Merry Christmas (and welcome to RS!)

How much of an increase did you see in accuracy when going from no crimp to crimp?

 

[TraderMike]

No crimp was giving a 1.1 inch group and ES of 43 for three shots at 100 yards.
1/8 crimp .7 inch group ES 14
2/8 crimp .6 inch group ES 20
3/8 crimp .4 inch group ES 3

I should also mention .004 neck tension...

 

[TraderMike]

This was specific to 7mm-08. I had similar results with 30-06 and 300 WSM. The '06 liked a 1/8 crimp and the WSM preferred 2/8.

 

[ScienceNerd]

I'm pretty new to the Hammers, I am trying the 214gr in my 300 PRC with RL26 and 215M primers, lapua brass, 1-8 twist, 26in barrel. Do you guys find that you need a more aggressive chamfer and shallower chamfer with the Hammers? I was using a LE Wilson seating die and a K+M press, it seemed like on some rounds the "bands" on the bullets actually caught on the case mouth a bit, even though I had done some chamfering.

What is the thinking behind the crimp and accuracy in terms of the reason?

 

[35WhelenAI]

Years ago, I needed to I put a deliberate inside chamfer on the cases when loading the original Barnes X, case mouth would scrape the bullet the whole way up when seating otherwise. Still do that today with the TTSX, however they seem to be less sensitive to chamfer with respect to scraping.

My thought with the Hammers since they seem ride the bore with slightly less diameter on most of the shank from what I understand, is they would be less sensitive. However, and this is just thinking out loud, when the case mouth gets to the widest diameter of the bullet shank during seating due to the unique design of the Hammers, it could be catching on grooves at that point.

My experience with crimping is it provides more bullet tension than just uniform neck tension alone. Which can lead to more consistent ignition, better accuracy and lower ES. $.02.

 

[FCCDerek]

I haven't tried crimping at all with the 155AH's in my 280AI and it shoots superbly. I'm kinda curious now whether or not I could improve on it. I mean it shoots consistent 1/2 moa groups as it is right now. I think I should leave it be, but it is intriguing. I just ordered some 110 Hammer Hunters for my 6.5 I'm excited to give those a try. Should be a great deer round, and absolute hell on coyotes. Steve says StaBall should get it comfortably to 3200fps.

 

[philcox]

I am a happy customer of Hammer Bullets. May as well put that comment up front before going any further. I just finalized load development for my buddies T3x 30-06 today and recently completed development on my T3 300 WSM and T3 7mm-08 as well. All three are shooting three shot groups of .6 inch or less, at 100 yards. If you are familiar with these bullets, (and T3's) likely this "news flash" isn't going to surprise you. But I am new to Hammer's and with bullet availability being so hit-and-miss with other flavors these days I am feeling pretty fortunate my initial experience has been so positive and relatively easy to come by. I have been reloading since I was 17 and I am 52 now; though I took quite a few years off when I drank the Tikka cool-aid back in '05 I believe. They shot factory loads so well I couldn't justify the effort to roll my own. But with the current ammo situation I dusted off my press and jumped in again with one of the only bullets I could get my hands on...

Load development followed the suggestion of the owners of Hammer. I started at minimum load and ran up to max, for equivalent weight bullet/powder combo looking for pressure signs which never appeared. Loaded up more (at max) and began to experiment with a Lee Factory Crimp die as suggested by a gentleman who has been very helpful and has posted his experiences over on the "Hammer time forum". (This gent goes by Butterbean.) I was somewhat surprised at which the degree, or amount of crimp would tighten or open my groups while testing these loads. I believe the crimp die is essential for obtaining the utmost accuracy. I should note, I did my pressure tests with a more aggressive crimp using Butterbean's method on the hunch that my best accuracy would eventually be found with a less aggressive crimp. I got lucky, as this hunch proved correct.

Some other details worth note...
Cartridge Base To Ogive length set for .040 off the lands for each rifle
Shooters World Precision used for 7mm-08 (said to have burn rate similar to Varget)
Shooters World Long Rifle used for 300 WSM and 30-06 (burn rate similar to H414)
My ES for velocity has been in the teens to mid 20's shooting in the mornings before the heat of the day in Northern Colorado, 4500' elevation.

I am not the first to recommend Hammer bullets on this forum and certainly won't be the last. My intent with this post is to encourage any Rocksliders who are looking at upcoming hunts and dealing with the component shortage to consider Hammer. They are available and they have proven to be pretty easy to develop loads for.

152g Hammer Hunter in the .308 cal and 120g for the 7mm

Did you replace your bottom metal, or were the COAL adequate to fit the Tilka OEM Magazines? I have been having quite a time getting a hammer load to get where it can fit in the 3.337 Mag length ... single feeding at this point. I am trying to see if I can get the 166 short enough ...

 

[christian1]

Does anyone feel that crimping would help "most" bullets or is this specific to Hammers?

 

[MattB]

TraderMike, I'm curious what you were seeing for FPS with the 120gr hammers out of the 7mm? I'm looking at putting together a T3 or a Kimber mountain ascent in 7mm-08 for an ultralight backcounty medium game rifle and could use some real world info so I can compare some downrange data before I make any more decisions. I've tried calling steve, but he must be busy chasing game somewhere, appreciate it!

I've been using 48.0 grs. Big Game with that bullet and it gives me ~2,962 fps. I loaded up to 51.0 grs. and got 3,023 but accuracy suffered.

They have a quite a bit of load data on the Hammer Time forum which you can find through their website.