Hammer Hunters in 7mm-08

morgaj1

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Did a little load workup in a Tikka 7mm-08 with 120gr Hammer Hunters, IMR 4166 and Fed 215M primers this morning. Really happy with how it turned out. Velocity averaged 3179fps. Probably could have gotten over 3200fps, but with groups like this, I didn't see the need to keep pushing.
 

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  • 7mm-08 Bartlein, HH 120gr, 45gr IMR 4166, 2.254%22 3-19-22.jpg
    7mm-08 Bartlein, HH 120gr, 45gr IMR 4166, 2.254%22 3-19-22.jpg
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Very nice! What are you planning on using this load for and have you messed around with any of their other bullets for that rifle?
 
Very nice! What are you planning on using this load for and have you messed around with any of their other bullets for that rifle?
This will for whitetail and feral hogs. I haven't used any of the other Hammer bullets in this rifle.
 
Did a little load workup in a Tikka 7mm-08 with 120gr Hammer Hunters, IMR 4166 and Fed 215M primers this morning. Really happy with how it turned out. Velocity averaged 3179fps. Probably could have gotten over 3200fps, but with groups like this, I didn't see the need to keep pushing.
From my understanding with hammers or monolith it’s necessary to drop 15% in weight to get max performance?
 
From my understanding with hammers or monolith it’s necessary to drop 15% in weight to get max performance?
Probably around 10%. The biggies are 1) having sufficient velocity for expansion and 2) making sure your twist rate is appropriate for your barrel.

I’d take the OPs load and hunt elk with it, no question.
 
Probably around 10%. The biggies are 1) having sufficient velocity for expansion and 2) making sure your twist rate is appropriate for your barrel.

I’d take the OPs load and hunt elk with it, no question.
JLS - are you putting IMR 4166 behind your 120s or another powder?
 
JLS - are you putting IMR 4166 behind your 120s or another powder?
I don’t have a 7-08, sorry if I confused things. I meant if it were my gun I’d use it on elk without hesitation.

I load 131 Hammers in my .280 over RL16 and 123 Hammers in my 6.5 over H4895.
 
From my understanding with hammers or monolith it’s necessary to drop 15% in weight to get max performance?
I typically drop 1 size in weight for monos. For example, my standard load in 7mm-08 is 140gr, but use 120gr in Hammers.
 
Didn’t want to start a new thread for this - sorry if it’s off key. If you were going to load down for a young kid to be his first big game rifle, will HH 120g bullets still perform well when not loaded to max velocity? I will mess with it some and find out for myself, just thought I would ask those smarter than myself if this would cause any issues while still performing on game.
 
You’d be better off with lighter bullets and push them faster. Been there done that.
 
You’d be better off with lighter bullets and push them faster. Been there done that.
Thanks - can I expect noticeable recoil difference in say a 101g HH vs. a 120g HH both pushed at some fast speeds, or do I need to go down into the 90g range for a decent reduction (I am also thinking of getting a suppressor to help with the recoil and keep a heavier bullet, so that should help some too).
 
Thanks - can I expect noticeable recoil difference in say a 101g HH vs. a 120g HH both pushed at some fast speeds, or do I need to go down into the 90g range for a decent reduction (I am also thinking of getting a suppressor to help with the recoil and keep a heavier bullet, so that should help some too).
I wouldn’t be afraid to drop down to 101. How old of a kid, and what are you hunting? My daughter killed her first elk when she was 13 with a .243 and an 85 grain bullet.
 
I am thinking of having my son start shooting the 7mm-08 around 9-10. (He is 6 now and we are slowly working up). I’ll work some loads up this summer once I track down supplies and see what I can figure out.
 
You can make reduced loads with H4895 and just use the cheapest bullets you can find. I also made plinker loads for my 30-06 with 100 grain bullets and Unique, but proceed at your own risk. You may find recipes online, just be damned careful you don’t double charge a case.
 
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Thanks - can I expect noticeable recoil difference in say a 101g HH vs. a 120g HH both pushed at some fast speeds, or do I need to go down into the 90g range for a decent reduction (I am also thinking of getting a suppressor to help with the recoil and keep a heavier bullet, so that should help some too).
My sons use a .308 for their hunting. I started off having them shoot 150 grain lead bullets at 30-30 like velocities, which kept recoil pretty manageable. Recently, I switched them to 130 grain monos at 2740fps and the reduction in recoil was noticable. I would think you'd notice a difference going down to lighter bullets, though of course, the velocity will help determine that.
 
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