Hammer Bullets - what makes them so great?

[Brian in Montana]

I haven't tried them, but they seem to have a growing and dedicated fan base. Everyone that loads them seems to love them. Why are they so good? Accuracy? Performance on game?

 

[BAKPAKR]

Hammer bullets have shot sub-MOA right off with three of the four rifles I have tried them in, and they made a mess of the chest cavities on the two deer I shot with them. I think one thing that made them popular was their availability after COVID.

 

[D4570]

I think one thing that made them popular was their availability after COVID.

That is a factor.
It's that there almost as good as Banres but they are available.

 

[OntarioHunter]

I bought some 307 gr to try in my 404 Jeffery. They didn't group worth beans. I'll order some 325 gr and see if they do better. I think if the velocity is held down, they will probably be less explosive on impact. I'm glad Hammer does offer something besides 400 gr. That is a limitation with most manufacturers. With new copper bullets I don't think 400 gr is necessary, even for dangerous game. I killed two Cape buffalo very thoroughly with mere 250 gr Barnes TSX out of 375 H&H. 404 Jeffery could be a serious competitor with 45-70 on this side of the pond if there is more variety for bullets available. 300 gr bullets whizzing along at 2600 fps should provide enough punch and milage for North American game and African plains game.

 

[D4570]

I have found Barnes and Hammer like to stay off the lands and like to be pushed as fast as you can. They're much more accurate going fast.

 

[BackofBeyond]

From my experience with two different calibers, they shoot straight and are very consistent across the box of bullets. Terminal ballistics on the one animal I’ve used them on was great.

Add in the fact they are always available, and supporting a small business run by good people with great customer service - why not?

 

[Don Fischer]

Something I believe about bullet's. Take the bullet you feel is the absolutely best you can get and place it properly and the target will fall down. So take any other bullet and place it properly for it's construction and the animal still will fall down. I think best is more a state of mind as to what you like. Shoot I've read where there are still those today that still use Rem core loct's! I doubt the animal ever lived that could take a 22 LR to the head from a reasonable distance and walk away!

 

[thomas89]

Have thoroughly enjoyed loading Hammers this summer. Definitely accurate and easy to load. Almost so accurate it’s hard for me to make a decision on which load to go with. That ES I have no doubt was due to my lack of truly accurate powder measuring.

Loved being able to call Hammer, getting an answer on the second ring, and chatting for 10 minutes about some issues I was having. Super friendly team up there.

My dad also ordered me some Maker bullets to try, also a pure copper bullet, little different school of thought with the fragmentation vs holding together.

 

[MThuntr]

I've killed probably a dozen deer, 3 or 4 elk, 4 antelope, and a moose with hammers out to about 450 yards. Most from my 280ai. They've always been very accurate and with the powders I have, I'm able to push them very fast without pressure. I like that they'll go through just about anything and keep going without making too big of a mess of meat. The hollow point breaks into 4 or so pieces and often go tangentially while the solid base keeps tumbling. I had a copper petal go straight up into the spine from a heart shot. I believe they have a lower minimum expansion speed than Barnes and definitely lower than E-tips and GMX.

The major drawback I encounter is they have poor BC and are often lower than reported. Within my abilities, it really doesn't matter too much but they burn up velocity fast. I think the new tipped hammer is better but I think they still lag behind accubonds, ballistic tips, and the ELD lines.

Will they replace an Accubond as the gold standard? No but I hunt a couple properties that require non-lead ammo and these perform flawlessly for me.

124gr Hammer Hunters in 6.5PRC over 59.5gr of RL26 with a Fed210 primer. Shoots about 3/4" out of a Browning X-Bolt. I think I can do better shooting. (yes 3 shots is not a trend but holy cow shooting is expensive these days)

 

[noharleyyet]

Simple...performance reliability, availability, and service.

 

[Hammsolo]

I love them for their precision and consistency from bullet to bullet. An interesting experiment is to simply weigh each bullet you load and see just how close each is to the labeled mass. I’ve killed two bucks since the switch and some yotes. One buck dropped like a rock, and the other ran straight down hill 30 yards and tipped over. Both were shot heart lung, one at ~240 and the other at ~200. Nothing challenging and both hit the mark. The load I have in my 6.5 is ridiculous and shoots clovers every time. I have absolute confidence in it.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Availability has my attention, good accuracy in my 257 Roberts, Ok in a 300 HH and just not very good in a 338, but because of good customer service I’m Going to try them in the 338 again. The target is the 257 roberts at 100 yards with a 92 grain Hammer. Two groups with a little adjustment. Also good in a 275 Rigby, 7mag still needs some developement and a 375

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I doubt the animal ever lived that could take a 22 LR to the head from a reasonable distance and walk away!

Can confirm otherwise.
#farmlife

 

[44hunter45]

Availability has my attention, good accuracy in my 257 Roberts, Ok in a 300 HH and just not very good in a 338, but because of good customer service I’m Going to try them in the 338 again. The target is the 257 roberts at 100 yards with a 92 grain Hammer. Two groups with a little adjustment. Also good in a 275 Rigby, 7mag still needs some developement and a 375

My 7mm RM loves the 131HH in a 9 1/2 twist. 1/2 MOA when I do my part.

 

[BAKPAKR]

Can confirm otherwise.
#farmlife

I can, too. I recall a rodeo at my parents’ place involving a butcher and a hog headshot with a 22.

 

[BackofBeyond]

Can confirm otherwise.
#farmlife

Same.

 

[DFS]

 

[littlebighorn]

I was a die-hard Barnes guy for 25 years. Loved the penetration. Then I found Hammers.
It seems they have solved the occasional pencil effect of Barnes and in my rifles, they are more accurate
Availability crushes every other bullet and the owners seem like family.
Yes, I'm now a "Hammerhead".

 

[mtmuley]

Everyone that loads them seems to love them.

There you go. mtmuley

 

[375H&H]

I was a die-hard Barnes guy for 25 years. Loved the penetration. Then I found Hammers.
It seems they have solved the occasional pencil effect of Barnes and in my rifles, they are more accurate
Availability crushes every other bullet and the owners seem like family.
Yes, I'm now a "Hammerhead".

Can you explain the situation where Barnes had a pencil effect? Animal, distance, caliber, etc?