Maker Bullets?

[magnum44270]

I've asked on a couple other forums nobody has confirmed. I'm willing to bet it's based on drop shots and lower than calculated

Their bc numbers are not high, so I would not guess they are over inflated.

I’m waiting for my barrel to get done to run their subs in my 375 raptor and about to load some for my 280ai.

I ran 155 hammer AH this past season in my 280ai and had mixed results so am trying something else

 

[Potsie]

I ran 155 hammer AH this past season in my 280ai and had mixed results so am trying something else

Care to elaborate?

 

[Forkyfinder]

Interesting. Strong opinions on a bullet you have never used. I hate Bergers. But the hate grew from use. mtmuley

Curious why/how bergers went wrong for you?

Thought about them - but ive had such good luck with nosler accubond, ballistic tips, and eldm/eldx bullets that i havent.

 

[mtmuley]

Curious why/how bergers went wrong for you?

Thought about them - but ive had such good luck with nosler accubond, ballistic tips, and eldm/eldx bullets that i havent.

Don't like the meat damage. Used them in my RUM on deer and antelope and in my .06 on deer. I can't confidently put one in an elk. That's just me. Other guys love them. I like bullets that stay together and penetrate. Everybody is different. mtmuley

 

[Forkyfinder]

Don't like the meat damage. Used them in my RUM on deer and antelope and in my .06 on deer. I can't confidently put one in an elk. That's just me. Other guys love them. I like bullets that stay together and penetrate. Everybody is different. mtmuley

I'll grant that. The fragmenting can be a bit catastrophic - especially at mag velocities.

There was a lot of disappointing meat waste on the deer/antelope that i took this year with 300 prc and 212 eldx.

 

[mtmuley]

I'll grant that. The fragmenting can be a bit catastrophic - especially at mag velocities.

There was a lot of disappointing meat waste on the deer/antelope that i took this year with 300 prc and 212 eldx.

I figured out fairly quickly I didn't care for the fragmenting bullet style. To be fair, maybe stepping up in weight in the RUM would have helped. And, I will admit that the 95 grain VLD is pretty nasty on antelope in a .243. But, so is an 80 grain Hammer. mtmuley

 

[magnum44270]

Care to elaborate?

280ai sending 155ah at 3030fps out of a 22in Xcal cf barrel.

#1. 6x6 mature bull elk, was at 320yds across ravine, slightly quartered to. Bullet entered the crease and exited 4 inches behind offside shoulder. Double lung, lungs destroyed. Shank exited and found 2 petals under offside hide. Elk ran 20yds and piled up.

2. Buck antelope 230yd bedded broadside. Wind pushed bullet slightly back, destroyed diaphragm and liver. Buck never got up from his bed and his head went down after about 2 minutes. Shank exited with all 3 petals within 2 inches of it.

3. 6x6 bull elk, first shot broadside at 380yds. Middle double lung. Bull walked downhill 75ish yds and bedded, laid for 2 minutes. You could see the steam exiting out both sides. On his own doing, the bull stood up and began to walk again, could see a slight line of blood down the side of his hide. He stopped after 20 yards and I told my buddy to send another, now at 230 downhill. Second shot hit him low in the crease, taking out the heart, and exiting under the leg on the offside. Bull walked a 5 yard circle and tipped over dead. First shot was one hole in one hole out, no petals. The lungs had one solid hole as well, no petals. The second shot was similar but with a bigger exit hole, no defined petals.

4. 3x3 whitetail buck at 185yds broadside and downhill in western sage and grass ravines with pockets of buck brush and plum thickets. Semi proned out, shooting off a boulder. At the shot the buck mule kicked and ran into a thicket of buck brush, lost sight about 15yds in, he never came out. A smaller buck went in and left, as did 3 does, my Buck never came out. after 10 minutes of watching I collected my items and did a long round about 30min walk checking another piece of buck brush in an adjacent drainage. Upon my return, I found spot of the shot and followed good blood into where I thought the buck would be dead. I found some pools of blood where he stood for some time, but never truly bedded. Blood continued for 75yds before it began to peter out. Ended up following trickles and specks of blood for 3/4 mile, through 3 different thickets, across a creek and back up hill before it shut off completely. Checked 2 other thickets the direction he was headed then to an open safe flat, never found him.
Not sure if he exited the brush when I was on my walk or when I came back and went in after him

 

[brockel]

280ai sending 155ah at 3030fps out of a 22in Xcal cf barrel.

#1. 6x6 mature bull elk, was at 320yds across ravine, slightly quartered to. Bullet entered the crease and exited 4 inches behind offside shoulder. Double lung, lungs destroyed. Shank exited and found 2 petals under offside hide. Elk ran 20yds and piled up.

2. Buck antelope 230yd bedded broadside. Wind pushed bullet slightly back, destroyed diaphragm and liver. Buck never got up from his bed and his head went down after about 2 minutes. Shank exited with all 3 petals within 2 inches of it.

3. 6x6 bull elk, first shot broadside at 380yds. Middle double lung. Bull walked downhill 75ish yds and bedded, laid for 2 minutes. You could see the steam exiting out both sides. On his own doing, the bull stood up and began to walk again, could see a slight line of blood down the side of his hide. He stopped after 20 yards and I told my buddy to send another, now at 230 downhill. Second shot hit him low in the crease, taking out the heart, and exiting under the leg on the offside. Bull walked a 5 yard circle and tipped over dead. First shot was one hole in one hole out, no petals. The lungs had one solid hole as well, no petals. The second shot was similar but with a bigger exit hole, no defined petals.

4. 3x3 whitetail buck at 185yds broadside and downhill in western sage and grass ravines with pockets of buck brush and plum thickets. Semi proned out, shooting off a boulder. At the shot the buck mule kicked and ran into a thicket of buck brush, lost sight about 15yds in, he never came out. A smaller buck went in and left, as did 3 does, my Buck never came out. after 10 minutes of watching I collected my items and did a long round about 30min walk checking another piece of buck brush in an adjacent drainage. Upon my return, I found spot of the shot and followed good blood into where I thought the buck would be dead. I found some pools of blood where he stood for some time, but never truly bedded. Blood continued for 75yds before it began to peter out. Ended up following trickles and specks of blood for 3/4 mile, through 3 different thickets, across a creek and back up hill before it shut off completely. Checked 2 other thickets the direction he was headed then to an open safe flat, never found him.
Not sure if he exited the brush when I was on my walk or when I came back and went in after him

Had a couple issues myself but I believe their tipped version will fix the issues I had

 

[magnum44270]

Had a couple issues myself but I believe their tipped version will fix the issues I had

I believe it may as well, however, I am no longer willing to pay their over price with an already bad taste of my mouth

 

[thomas89]

So I may have the unique experience to have shot the same elk with both a Hammer and a Maker bullet.

First shot, broadside, about 200 yards. Maker bullet recovered hanging in the hide on the off-side after going through both shoulders. Bullet expanded as it should, one of the three petals did break off and was not recovered.

Second shot, quartering away, about 40 yards. Hammer bullet entrance behind last rib, exited through offside shoulder. Not recovered. In processing I have removed several small pieces of copper that align with the design of the Hammer. I have also chomped on a couple small pieces of copper, I'm assuming still from the Hammer.

I am not a fan of little bits of copper in my food albeit nontoxic.

For me the remaining Hammers will become a target bullet. They shot well enough, with almost identical POI and velocity, I don't think I'll order them again though.

 

[MThuntr]

155 hammer AH this past season in my 280ai

I'm not a fan of the AH line and definitely think the 143HH is the best bullet for 280ai...mine are at 3269 fps and do everything they're supposed to when shooting game. Of all the rifles, I shoot I continue to go back to my 280ai with 143s.

I can't discount your experience as it seems like the shots were where they're supposed to be. Like you, you won't see me trying the HHT line of bullets but for ironically different reasons.

So far with Maker bullets, the 3030 bullets shot well but my rifle kept sending them like 5 inches high with my sights so I need to down load them a bit to get them to shoot dead on. The 95gr Makers in my 6.5 Grendel shoot pretty good (1.2" in an discount priced AR) but haven't had a chance to actually shoot game with them yet. I may give his 6mm a try for my 6mmArc but I already have too many reloading projects that don't get my attention so that's way down the road.

 

[Sheltowee]

Like you, you won't see me trying the HHT line of bullets but for ironically different reasons.

Not trying to start a war with the resident Hammer Pro Staff, but what is your reasoning? I just picked up a box of 50 to try in my .257 Ackley.

 

[MThuntr]

Not trying to start a war with the resident Hammer Pro Staff, but what is your reasoning? I just picked up a box of 50 to try in my .257 Ackley.

If you're not already down the Hammer bullet trail then starting with an HHT is probably a good route to start.

HH work just fine for me. The HHT didn't solve a problem for me especially at 20% increase in price. Not to mention I'm using RL26 in my 280 and 300winmag which is like $100+/lb right now. That prevents me from having to start over and burning valuable powder and primers.

 

[Sheltowee]

If you're not already down the Hammer bullet trail then starting with an HHT is probably a good route to start.

HH work just fine for me. The HHT didn't solve a problem for me especially at 20% increase in price. Not to mention I'm using RL26 in my 280 and 300winmag which is like $100+/lb right now. That prevents me from having to start over and burning valuable powder and primers.

Good to know, thanks. I’m in the same boat as you powder-wise—hoping to load Hybrid 100V but it is unobtainium right now. Looking forward to trying the HHTs when I get my hands on some.

 

[01foreman400]

I’m looking at getting some Maker bullets for my 300 blackout to shoot subsonic. I sent them an email.

BTW I love Hammer Bullets but even Steve recommended Maker for what I was looking for.

 

[nhenry]

Good to know, thanks. I’m in the same boat as you powder-wise—hoping to load Hybrid 100V but it is unobtainium right now. Looking forward to trying the HHTs when I get my hands on some.

Wait, it is? I’ve seen it on the shelf the last few times I went to Scheels and the store formerly known as Cabelas (including last weekend). It was also regularly priced at 35 bucks

 

[Schutzhund]

If you call Hammer bullets, Steve usually answers and will talk to you.

If you call Maker Bullets, Paul will answer or call you back.

Both are top notch. They make different bullets from each other.