Three Tikka's and HAMMER Hunter Bullets

[TraderMike]

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 ...

I have replaced bottom metal on both my T3's with Mountain Tactical. The 7-08 is mated with a Boyds Stock and my 300 WSM is in original synthetic but pillar bedded. I can use the Tikka mags for both rifles although I also have MT mags for both as well. Main reason for bottom metal upgrade is because the plastic bottom piece was binding with a more aggressive torqueing of action screws. The binding was also why I pillar bedded. My COAL for both allows for using Tikka mags, but just barely. I went with a custom Boyds in laminate bc it is my wife's and it is shortened a bit for her. It is heavy but is a pleasure to shoot on the bench. Probably could have kept original bottom plastic but a pretty stock deserves decent bottom metal, right?

 

[Sticshooter50]

Just getting started on my Hammer journey,151 AH in Tikka CTR .308.
Done a pressure work up with Benchmark and was getting 3040fps without pressure at 95° but ran out of Benchmark and get find any so I picked up some TAC.
Hoping to pressure test soon while it's still hot and hopefully find a good, accurate load with good velocity with TAC because it's usually readily available around here,NO telling if we'll ever see Benchmark around here again.

 

[menhaden_man]

Just getting started on my Hammer journey,151 AH in Tikka CTR .308.
Done a pressure work up with Benchmark and was getting 3040fps without pressure at 95° but ran out of Benchmark and get find any so I picked up some TAC.
Hoping to pressure test soon while it's still hot and hopefully find a good, accurate load with good velocity with TAC because it's usually readily available around here,NO telling if we'll ever see Benchmark around here again.

Any updates @Sticshooter50 ? I just found a CTR in 308 that’ll be in my hands this coming week. I have a good number of projectiles for my 30-06 and ordered some 308 brass/dies. I have an 8lb jug of TAC so figured I’d start with that.

And you’re right on Benchmark. I found sweet loads with that for heavy 223 and 6.5G just before running out. Can’t say I’ve seen any in almost 3 years? I have some H335 that’s pretty close burn rate and might try replicating those loads since that powder is easier to find. Thanks

 

[Sticshooter50]

Any updates @Sticshooter50 ? I just found a CTR in 308 that’ll be in my hands this coming week. I have a good number of projectiles for my 30-06 and ordered some 308 brass/dies. I have an 8lb jug of TAC so figured I’d start with that.

And you’re right on Benchmark. I found sweet loads with that for heavy 223 and 6.5G just before running out. Can’t say I’ve seen any in almost 3 years? I have some H335 that’s pretty close burn rate and might try replicating those loads since that powder is easier to find. Thanks

I found a load with 151AH’s with TAC,Winchester brass,and federal match primers.
I settled on 51.3 grains of TAC for 3100fps,worked that load up at 94 degrees so it should be good during hunting season weather.
still have some fine tuning to do with load and see what kind of groups it shoots at distance.
20” barreled Tikka CTR.

 

[amassi]

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

Hammers benefit from the crimp or extra neck tension if running a mandrel/bushing. Not so much other bullets

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[menhaden_man]

I found a load with 151AH’s with TAC,Winchester brass,and federal match primers.
I settled on 51.3 grains of TAC for 3100fps,worked that load up at 94 degrees so it should be good during hunting season weather.
still have some fine tuning to do with load and see what kind of groups it shoots at distance.
20” barreled Tikka CTR.

Sounds like a good load - did you nail down approx. jump (or CBTO for that load)?

I've got the same exact rifle coming my way this week. Have components so will be loading up some test loads myself.

 

[amassi]

Sounds like a good load - did you nail down approx. jump (or CBTO for that load)?

I've got the same exact rifle coming my way this week. Have components so will be loading up some test loads myself.

General rule of thumb the Hammers are jump insensitive And difference is cbto. I shot 20 rounds
5 rounds at 25-50-75-100 off and all 20 were inside of an inch at 100. So long as they're not jammed I'd run them to max mag length as Long as you have enough bullet in neck.

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[Sticshooter50]

Sounds like a good load - did you nail down approx. jump (or CBTO for that load)?

I've got the same exact rifle coming my way this week. Have components so will be loading up some test loads myself.

Like others have said,I read that hammers really aren’t jump sensitive so I took some advice from Butterbean and basically set the center of the first ring(not groove but ring)at case mouth,put a slight crimp on it and called it good.
Gave me an OAL length of about 2.845 with plenty of bullet in neck.

 

[RTSJ]

Like others have said,I read that hammers really aren’t jump sensitive so I took some advice from Butterbean and basically set the center of the first ring(not groove but ring)at case mouth,put a slight crimp on it and called it good.
Gave me an OAL length of about 2.845 with plenty of bullet in neck.

Can u post pic of where exactly crimped the bullet please? I’m getting ready to do this myself.


Roy

 

[Tahr]

I use the Hammer Hunters in 3 rifles. 117gr 270wsm 3340 fps, 124gr 6.5PRC (20" barrel 3140fps) and 60 grn .223 (3100 fps). All used on deer. 51 deer this year out to 475 yards.

All shoot circa .5MOA with minimal load development Full length resize each time and no crimping.
The .270 and 6.5 kill better than any other bullet I have tried in 53 years of hunting. Only the Nosler BT has come close but at the cost of ruined meat and lead splatter, and the Barnes LRX which have disappeared from the shelves. The LRX are good, but aren't as devastating as te Hammers.

The .223 60 grn are not so much of a step up from cup and core bullets Ive used in the past or the old 64 grn Nosler BSB. Maybe they need to be driven faster or perhaps try the 52 grn HH going faster. I will persist 'cos they are "good enough" and Ive only shot a few deer with them out to 250 yards thus far.

All of this is at a cost. The Hammers are expensive and the freight to were I live is eye watering.