Looks like a Facebook profile picture to me

Did some more barrel break-in and shot some groups today. The 135g HB rounds are shooting well. It seems to get more accurate with every group I shoot.

First time posting here... registered for this site after reading through all 36 pages. I have an 18" Tactical Hunter and have found that it really likes the 125 Sierra ProHunter bullets the best, both factory WC loads as well as my handloads over CFE Blk.

Bill, I know that you preferred the 130 HAM'R HC and now are shooting more of the 150's, but what can you tell me about your experience with using the 125 ProHunter on Texas hogs and deer. Since this one is shooting WAY sub-MOA for me, should I just roll with it vs trying the 135 bonded or 150's? My trials with the 150 HC, 150 BTSP, 150 SST (the ones loaded by WC that were the original SST, not the 308 Savage ones), and 150 Bonded were not that impressive.

For what it is worth, while we wait for Mr. Wilson's comments on the 125 ProHunter I'll toss in my two cents worth. For nine years I have used the Sierra 125 PH in my 7.62x40WT with very good results. For that reason, it was the first bullet I turned to when I started playing with the 300 HAM'R. I've always have had decent results (never lost an animal) and it is very accurate in my rifles. In fact, for accuracy, it slightly performs better than the 130 HC and gives me groups about 1/4" smaller on average.

With that said, with the way the 130 HC performs on game I chose to go with it as my main hunting bullet. That 1/4" doesn't mean a thing in the field. I wish I could give you a lot of scientific reasons and quote a bunch of ballistic data, but it is hard enough just trying to explain what my eyes have seen. The first deer I shot with it was during the 2018 season and both of the boys I hunt with helped butcher it. When the 2019 season came around they were hunting with the 300 HAM'R loaded with the 130 HC.

However, I plan to try several more bullets in the coming year just because I can. After all, Bill just may have something with the 135 and 150 grain bullets.

But until I SEE something better I'll plan to sit in a deer stand on opening day with a HAM'R loaded with the 130 gr. HotCore.

BMiracle welcome to the forum

As Greycard has stated the 125PH is consistently one of the most accurate bullets and will do a decent job on whitetail, but it expands pretty dramatically and doesn't give a lot of penetration. Sig just had Sierra make a tougher version of this bullet with a properly located cannelure that they will eventually have out in loaded ammo. We piggybacked their order and have some coming in too. My testing of this bullet shooting through hog cadavers into water has shown it to hold together better and penetrate pretty deep. Overall an improvement and the accuracy seems to have maintained. That said I still like heavier bullets, because I hunt hogs almost every night and occasionally I come across a big boar, so I want a bullet that will take down a tough old 300# boar if necessary. It's truly amazing how many very good bullet choices we have and I agree 100% with Greycard a 1/4" tighter group doesn't mean much in the hunting field and I'm perfectly fine with any load that will consistently shoot 1 1/4" as a hunting load. To get to the point and answer your question, I think the 135gr may be the sweet spot for an all around bullet and both the 135gr HAM'R BONDED and the 135gr HORNADY FTX at 2400fps have proven to kill very well and both will shoot 1" in my guns. Keep in mind when loading these two bullets, the FTX builds pressure very quickly and the Bonded doesn't so you can safely get 2450fps with the Bonded, but 2400fps is very close to max with the FTX. But like the 1/4 of group size, I don't think the animal will notice any difference in 50fps..

Thank you both for the very informative posts. I will keep loading the 125 PH until I can get my hands on the 130 HC or the newer 125 PH. I will also order some of the 135 bonded and do some load development. I agree with your assertions that the little bit smaller groups does not make up for better performing bullets. Thanks again!

Quick question for the whole group. What are you using for a bore guide? I was using one designed for 300 blackout but I dropped it the other day and mangled the part that fits into the chamber. I have no desire to ever stick that thing back in my chamber even if I could make it look right. Since I will be purchasing a new one I thought I would find out what everyone is using and their experience.

Will the tougher 125 pro hunters be available as components for reloaders? And if so will data be published or should a load be worked up based on the original 125 pro hunter?

Thanks Bill for the info! And I did clip 3 coils from the 40 coil spring and it is running great.

On another note...
The fun way to destroy old hard drives , Ham'r style! 130 grain Ham'r Hot Core 25 yards, blasted through 3 drives.

I just saw that Sierra has a 125 Tipped Game King. It's a flat based and plastic tipped bullet. I couldn't find any information on how long it is but it might be worth a look.

With 35 useable bullets so far and 24 of them being excellent choices another bullet is just what we need

If some is good, more is better! I'll email Sierra and see if they can tell me the OAL. I'll let you guys know what they say.

Nice!
Should we expect 16" variants with 1:13 twist rate to arrive along side the 11.3 and 14.7" variants during May/June?

What about the .625/.625 variant? I'd be more than happy to get that one

Right now the barrel shop (as well as the rest of the company) are running flat out trying to meet demand, so don't expect much new until this buying panic slows down. We're currently shopping for a high production machine to add to the barrel shop that will substantially increase our production capabilities. Currently we can drill, ream, hone and rifle a lot more barrels than we can chamber, profile and thread. So for now the Ranger profile bbl is the lightest we'll have available. We're simply focusing on the best sellers in every caliber so we can do larger runs and complete more barrels.

I received an email from Duane over at Sierra. He said, "The nominal length is approx.. 1.118”." So roughly the same length as the #30303 150 gr. Savage variant SST. Sierra touts that it has a tough jacket. If I get a chance I'll order some and let you know what I find.

Thank you for your prompt response.
So the twist rate changes for existing models are also on hold for now?

BTW,
I wonder if you can suggest a solution for checking the headspace.
Usually I use Clymer's Go/No-Go gauges but I don't see any for 300Ham'r.

Pacific Tool & Gauge has HS gauges, this is where we get all of our chamber reamers and gauging. Trust me if you measure the length of your bolt lugs and then the depth of the breechface from the front of the lugs and subtract that # from the lug length if it's .154" or more your HS is GTG. A measurement of .1575" would give you a SAAMI minimum chamber length on a WC mfg barrel. We hold that tolerance to less than .001" and set our headspace +.002" over minimum based on a nominal .1555" bolt. I've never measured a bolt that is less than .155". ER Shaw and Wilson Arms also chamber with the +.002" over min chamber spec. which is necessary for the guns to run reliably with a dirty chamber.

I wish specifications and call outs like what you just stated were more available across the industry. A four place nominal dimension which would also need a .xxxx tolerance to mean anything is a very tight tolerance and difficult to achieve. Your inspection criteria, tool cost and experience level in your shop has got to be high, which is reflected in your quality. Info like this would be the first thing I would look at when sizing up a purchase decision, if it were available. Hat's off.

I'm not sure why I didn't notice this before??? But, I'm getting approx 25fps more velocity with the same exact load when loading nickel cases compared to brass, thus more pressure. I asked my guys up at the WC ammo co and they told me they usually have to reduce the powder charge .3-.4gr when loading nickel cases. Always learning.....

Hey Bill I have a question regarding load data I see that the previous load data for 150 gr sst max 24.8 and the new load data is at 25 .8 with CFE BLK is this correct.

Yes, the 25.8gr is correct based on powder lot #4 and a Sig mfg case, however powder lots vary, so the velocity is what's important, don't exceed 2300fps from a 16" bbl, I load 2290fps from a 16", or 2310fps from a 18" using a LabRadar. Reduce these velocity #s by 20fps if using a standard chrono.

Sooo many variables with velocity/pressure. Powder lot, case mfg, brass or nickel case, bullet lot, bore dimension, chamber dimension, etc.... Bottom line approach max loads cautiously!

Back to the 8" pistol discussion.

I did some range time with mine today and for a defensive weapon I've about decided the Hornady 110gr SP is the way to go due to the higher velocity you can get from the short barrel compared to the heavier weight bullets, also recoil is substantially less than with 150gr loads.

Load was 110gr Hornady SP over 25.5gr of Shooters World SOCOM, CCI450, Sig nickel cases. 3 shot 100yd group shown on a 10"x12" plate in relation to a can of spray paint, not easy to shoot groups with a illuminated donut reticle!

For comparison I chrono'd my 8" Blackout, as you can see the HAM'R has a 141fps velocity advantage which is nothing to sneeze at.

Bill,

Please forgive if I missed it. Have you tested the 8" muzzle velocity with the 125 Speer TNT's? Also, using educated guess on the 8" velocity based on previous numbers for the 135 HB, including 1900 expansion velocity, seems like the 135 would be viable in the 8-inch to 100 yards, which in my opinion makes it a compact, suitable defensive truck gun. I've found with your extra power flat-wire spring, recoil is on par with 77gr 556.

Of course the 110 is pretty dang impressive as well from the 8-inch. And to be honest, for LE use, I actually prefer a lighter, higher velocity round with the capability of punching through IIIA soft body armor.

This thread seems to be the major place where 300HAM'R is discussed.
While I have nothing against this forum, I don't think it's a good idea to continue jamming it with partially off-topic (to that forum) and unsorted information.
Maybe it's time for a dedicated 300HAM'R forum? 300hamrtalk.com?

In meantime, I wonder if anyone had experience with plated bullets?
Those probably are not hunting grade bullets, but with with a low twist rate of 300HAM'R they might serve as an affordable general purpose bullets.
I am looking at plated SprirePoints from Accura and Berry's (120Gr and 150Gr accordingly).