6mm Remington Hammer Load Advice

[ImBillT]

Yeah, the factory barrel on my 6mm only held up to about 5-6K rounds...and I was not easy on that thing pounding away at p-dogs when I was a kid. There were times you could have damn near lit a cigar off the barrel.

Was still shooting 1.5 inches when I replaced it.

Well, I generally consider a barrel trash long before it will only shot 1.5” especially for p-dogs.

If 1.5” is all you’re looking for, why even tune?

 

[brockel]

Nothing at all. HOWEVER, the guy who makes these bullets will tell you flat out, if your charge ladder is not MOA or better you should probably keep looking for a different powder.

Those of us who have actually used these bullets can speak to the validity of this approach.

I found this out when I tried to MAKE my 7mm-08 with 131 grain hammer like varget because what 7mm-08 doesn’t like varget. Guess I’ve got the only one because it took me switching to h4895 for the hammers to come together just as quick as I’m use to

 

[ImBillT]

I found this out when I tried to MAKE my 7mm-08 with 131 grain hammer like varget because what 7mm-08 doesn’t like varget. Guess I’ve got the only one because it took me switching to h4895 for the hammers to come together just as quick as I’m use to

Interesting.

 

[Dr. Vette]

Hammers have a rep for being accurate. I’ve never used them, but my guess is that you either did not have enough twist, were not on a velocity node or that it was a seating depth issue. It’s highly unlikely that a rifle will shoot Nosler Balistic Tips more accurately than a bullet with a good accuracy reputation IF the rifle/load were tuned properly.

The OP’s 200yd ladder suggests that the rifle is going to shoot them fairly well. At least as well as a Nosler BT is capable of shooting. Likely better.

I've used a lot of Hammers.
In my experience, some rifles shoot them really, REALLY well, and others not so much. They're not horrible when they don't shoot well, they're just not great.
In my 6mm I tried different primers, powders, you name it over several sessions. If I hadn't known that 1) the previous owner had it shoot well, and 2) trying someone else's 6mm load with a cup & core bullet shot lights out in this rifle, I would have thought it was the rifle.

It look 1 range session to find a load and then shoot the rifle to 500 yards with the Nosler Ballistic Tip. I was thrilled with the performance and ease of load development.