Lead free .222

[Gun Barrel Ecologist]

Anyone had any success without going to a custom twist rate?
Is there a 50g TSX that stabilises in a .222 Blaser barrel?

[MM]

I am using Barnes 45 grain TSX with a max load of H335 out of their manual. I am using it in both my K95 and BD14.
Clean your barrel down to bare metal before working up your loads with all copper and you will see accuracy improve.

[dchamp]

Well if you look at the Barnes website they state that the 50gr TSX bullet stabilizes in a 1:14 twist barrel. But when I put Barnes’ bullet data in the Bergers Twist Rate Calculator and give it a 3,200fps MV it says it is unstable in a 1:14 barrel. Go Figure.

[MM]

The 50 grain TTSX requires a faster twist the TSX does not according to Barnes. When I was working up the load I could only find the 45 grain bullet so I went with that. It works really well in my rifles.
Matt

[stokesrj]

I’ve killed a lot of animals with the 45 grain Barnes. But I think the Hammer Bullets just perform better all the way around. Look at their web site and you will find useful load data. I get many of their bullets to shoot under an inch at 300 meters in our test tunnel and the terminal performance is just awsome.
However if you are looking for a pretty mushroom they are not for you. Instead they shear the front petals off and the rear shank penetrates in a straight path similar to what a wadcutter would do. This creates a much wider wound channel and deeper penetration than a mushrooming solid copper bullet does.
Always start low and work up. Hammer Bullets is not responsible
for your load process, equipment, and choices.
222 Remington Barrel Length 24" Case 1.700"
44 Hammer Hunter Twist Rate or Faster 1-14" √ Minimal C.O.A.L. *2.055"
Powder Start Charge Fill % Start F.P.S. Velocity at Max
Accu LT-30 19 78 3150 3410
Accu 2015 22 91 3310 3660
Alli RL 10x 21 94 3180 3550 c
Hodg H322 22 93 3270 3610
Hodg H335 24 94 3280 3650 c•
IMR 4198 19 91 3220 3640
IMR 8208 XBR 22 95 3220 3450
Ramshot X-Term. 22 88 3190 3510
Viht N120 19 87 3340 3680

* Shorter than SAAMI COAL, ** Longer than SAAMI COAL, • Long drop tube, c = Compressed
√ Optimal COAL is the longest length that functions in the rifle but no closer than .020 off the lands.
Always start low and work up. Hammer Bullets is not responsible
for your load process, equipment, and choices.

[Gun Barrel Ecologist]

Thanks Robert
Been seeing Hammer pop up regularly in recent podcasts round the traps
H322 is 2207 from memory (or 2219 so don’t quote me )
Now who is the Australia/NZ agent?

[stokesrj]

I know the owners and they were just in Australia hunting buffalo and such. Drop them an email and I’m sure they can tell you how to get some of their bullets.

[dchamp]

I switched over to Hammer Bullets 2-3 years ago. I like their bullets. They have the largest selection of 8mm bullets I’ve come across. There is a guy that goes by Farleg that may be a distributor down your way. I’m not sure but I think he is from Tasmania. I know he does a lot of field testing and some of the forum members go down there and hunt with him.

If Farleg isn’t a distributor, which I think he is, then the website has a link on the top banner that explains shipping overseas.
Steve and Brian, the owners, are very helpful and will answer your questions.
Website is hammerbullets.com
To get to the forum, once on the website click hammertime. There you will find a lot of information.

[Vaughan]

I switched over to Hammer Bullets 2-3 years ago. I like their bullets. They have the largest selection of 8mm bullets I’ve come across. There is a guy that goes by Farleg that may be a distributor down your way. I’m not sure but I think he is from Tasmania. I know he does a lot of field testing and some of the forum members go down there and hunt with him.

If Farleg isn’t a distributor, which I think he is, then the website has a link on the top banner that explains shipping overseas.
Steve and Brian, the owners, are very helpful and will answer your questions.
Website is hammerbullets.com
To get to the forum, once on the website click hammertime. There you will find a lot of information.

Had any luck with these in your 8x68? I'm still running 160gr ttsx, which out shoot everything else I've tried, and perform ok at the high velocities I get out of this round. But.... always curious to test something new.

[dchamp]

I haven’t done much with Hammer bullets with the 8x68s. I shot the 181gr, they shoot about the same as the Barnes 180gr bullets. I have also tried the 247gr Shock Hammer. It shoots well but they recommend a 10.5” twist to fully stabalize. I may set up a water jug and newspaper to see if it tumbles or not, I haven’t done that before. Hammer makes a 159gr bullet but I haven’t tried it yet.

I did take a nice bull elk with their 198gr Hammer Hunter with my 8mm Rem Mag a couple of years back. It was a bang flop at 585yds.

IMG_1905.jpg

[Vaughan]

Nice elk! Must be cool to hunt them. It was the 159s I thought could be worth a go. I have a few hundred ttsx so will likely stick with those for now but it seems they will ship smallish orders internationally so might be worth a try.

Funny thing, I tried to exactly replicate your 180gr tsx load - OAL, charge of N550..... shot 4moa out of my bbl. I've given up on 180s, the 160s are reliably about 0.6-0.8moa and motoring along at 1020m/s so they will do the job.

[Dinger]

I know the owners and they were just in Australia hunting buffalo and such. Drop them an email and I’m sure they can tell you how to get some of their bullets

I just checked their website and they have a list of countries they can ship to. Unfortunately Australia is not on the list. NZ is but the logistical issues of getting them over the ditch from Australia's 6th state are just a bit too steep for me.

[stokesrj]

Sorry to hear that. We are shipping a growing volume of bullets to Australia so I expected that they were as well.

[Dinger]

It's a real pity. I am extremely keen to use them.

[dchamp]

I know the owners and they were just in Australia hunting buffalo and such. Drop them an email and I’m sure they can tell you how to get some of their bullets

I just checked their website and they have a list of countries they can ship to. Unfortunately Australia is not on the list. NZ is but the logistical issues of getting them over the ditch from Australia's 6th state are just a bit too steep for me.

You may want to email or give them a call. I just now checked their website and they list Australia as a country they ship to.

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