Hammer bullets in 6.5 PRC

[wboggs]

Tested some hammers today in my PRC, 30" 7.5 tw.
Temp 82 F
Test for velocity/pressure
RL 17, Hornady brass, WLR primers.
85 gr seated 0.05" off 2.76" oal
50 gr 3337 fps
52. 3432
54. 3570
56. 3610
58. 3681
No pressure signs as measured by case head expansion and observation

123 gr absolute hammer
RL26, same cases and primer. Seated 0.08 off with overall length of 2.96
54gr. 3079
56. 3164
58. 3302
60. 3439 slight pressure
62. 3534 case head expansion 0..001 hard lift
No accuracy test but the last three shots went 0.8" at 100.
Some of these were compressed loads and there is very little neck tension with this bullet. I had no idea of how long to load them so I just picked factory spec for a 147.
There is upside on the 85 probably 37-3800. It would be flat if that is what you are looking for for smaller game and no doubt spectacular on deer.
I am going to try some 123 hunters that are the style bullet I'm used to loading.
I suspect the hammer bullets are very accurate if you work up a load for them
I ran these tests as a matter of curosity and information.
Hooe you shooters can gain some ideas.

 

[stillhuntin]

just a couple things Iv'e learned about these hammers is that they do better with about a .003 neck tension for many people. they are slippery for lack of a better term and this neck tension helps accuracy. also alot of hammer shooters use the lee fcd or factory crimp die and crimp into the valley between the top two bands on the bullet. the hammers also do very well for many people having a further jump to the lands. I'm at probably close to .150 jump with the 85's and accuracy is great. I use a wilson fl sizing die for the 6.5 cm with a .289 bushing, and then crimp with the lee fcd die into the first valley. have seen others seat to the second valley but with the 85's thats not gonna leave but I think 2 bands in the neck. those lee fcd dies are only about 12 bucks too and they are great when using hammers.

 

[wboggs]

Great suggestion about the Lee crimper. I did notice very little neck tension. On the 123 absolute hunters there is even less neck tension and with compressed loads of RL26 they would back out of the neck in the magazine.
Anyone hunting with them should probably crimp.

 

[stillhuntin]

I'm sure you saw their suggestion for a totally different powder for the absolutes. I believe they suggest an even faster powder than the hunters. supposedly none of the ogive forward of the bands on that bullet contact the barrel much reducing friction.

 

[wboggs]

I did see that. Powder shortgages make it impossible to try different powders. The absolutes are too hard for me to load and I am not going to spend any more time with them. You can almost finger seat them and they take a lot of powder. It also difficult to determine where the front ogive is in relation to the rifling. I also got a good group of 0.8moa with different powder charges.
They will be accurate for sure

 

[M14AMU]

The only hammer bullets you need in your 6.5 are AccuBond Bullets!

 

[stillhuntin]

the hammers are expensive but they always seem to be available when I want them, and they seem easier to get shooting well than the cup and core bullets. they are a totally different animal and shooting a lighter faster bullet has started to grow on me.

 

[wboggs]

whatwThe only hammer bullets you need in your 6.5 are AccuBond Bullets!

Which caliber and weight are you saying will outperform hammers and
what is the basis for your opinion?

 

[Nealm66]

I loaded some 116 absolutes for a buddy in 270wsm and him and his son and grandkid all used it to shoot some pretty big mule deer and he said he’s never seen anything like it and he’s killed a lot of animals with different cartridges. I’ve loaded for 4 different rifles now and very impressed on how easy to find a fast accurate load. Helps to call them for powder suggestions to save time. I’ll be working up loads for 2 more rifles pretty soon, 7mm rem mag and 30-378. Only thing I don’t like is figuring out bc and click data but just because Im so used to using the apps or kestrel. Hopefully as they become more popular they’ll start showing up in the bullet libraries

 

[wboggs]

I loaded some 116 absolutes for a buddy in 270wsm and him and his son and grandkid all used it to shoot some pretty big mule deer and he said he’s never seen anything like it and he’s killed a lot of animals with different cartridges. I’ve loaded for 4 different rifles now and very impressed on how easy to find a fast accurate load. Helps to call them for powder suggestions to save time. I’ll be working up loads for 2 more rifles pretty soon, 7mm rem mag and 30-378. Only thing I don’t like is figuring out bc and click data but just because Im so used to using the apps or kestrel. Hopefully as they become more popular they’ll start showing up in the bullet libraries

.30-.378 sounds interesting. Are you going with absolutes or the hunter? Let us know the results, I had a custom .338-.378 in the 70s Brevex with 26" Krieger target, 10 #. I used to take it to the Yukon and was young enough to carry up the mountains. Problem was lack of good bullets limited it to.the 250 nosler part. What I would have given for a hunter.

 

[Nealm66]

196 hunter. Thinking n570 but have a # of powders in that burn rate to play with but n570 seems to run around 100-150 faster so far with 205’s and still plenty of case fill if the barrel will burn it. It’s a friends rifle. He just had a custom chassis built for it and wants to throw a 30” faster twist barrel on it but factory barrel sure shoots the 205’s good. I just couldn’t resist ordering some 196’s last time I made an order. Would sure be good to see how they perform on a moose or grizzly but odds are small he’ll draw a tag although another buddy is trying to talk him into going to kodiak for deer he said so who knows. Life is good lol!

 

[wboggs]

They will do just fine on moose and bears. Keep us informed of your loading results

 

[Nealm66]

30-378+22 creed

 

[Nealm66]

Whoops

 

[wboggs]

You must be loading single shot. How long is it?

 

[wboggs]

What velocity you getting out of the Cred? I had a 220 swift in the 50s but used mainly factory 48 gr loads and occasionally a 52 sierra with 4320. No chronos then but it was fun to shoot at crows way out there

 

[Nealm66]

3295 with staball. They’re just sitting loose on top just to show them. Haven’t shot anything but paper at 200 with them but touching with a 3 shot group. Was shooting 90 bergers but they disappeared so trying to decide between these and 88 Hornady’s. Still playing with the 88’s to find an accuracy load

 

[Charlie-NY]

I have been fooling around with Hammer bullets and the Lee FCD for awhile. The results of using the FCD in various placement on the bullet is highly unpredictable and can prove erratic. I have also varied the amount of crimp but just can't seem to get the FCD to produce consistent results.

Today I was shooting a custom 7WSM and the 143 HH bullet. I had two different loads, one with RE23 and the other with RE26. All shooting was done at 417yds. Comparing the crimped loads directly against the no-crimp loads; the no-crimp loads produced several 1.5" groups while the FCD loads all shot over 2.5".

FWIW - the non-crimp loads had single digit SD while the FCD loads did not.

Small survey but interesting results.

 

[Nealm66]

I don’t crimp mine. Just using basic fl dies, Hornady, rcbs and Redding seems to give plenty of neck tension. I seat them to the 2nd or last groove. I’ve had quick success with a .01 ladder to tighten. V3 dispenser. Hope that helps

 

[wboggs]

I have been fooling around with Hammer bullets and the Lee FCD for awhile. The results of using the FCD in various placement on the bullet is highly unpredictable and can prove erratic. I have also varied the amount of crimp but just can't seem to get the FCD to produce consistent results.

Today I was shooting a custom 7WSM and the 143 HH bullet. I had two different loads, one with RE23 and the other with RE26. All shooting was done at 417yds. Comparing the crimped loads directly against the no-crimp loads; the no-crimp loads produced several 1.5" groups while the FCD loads all shot over 2.5".

FWIW - the non-crimp loads had single digit SD while the FCD loads did not.

Small survey but interesting results.

Thank you, very helpful info.
I used to crimp Barnes and got good results but the hammers must be a different animal. You experience will help save testing and a waste of components. Any experience with the absolutes?