While down in Texas on an Axis hunt, I talked quite a bit with blkpowder hunter, aka Dan, about his antelope hunt. He was using Hammer Hunters and his description of the lungs of an antelope he shot convinced me I should try them. NBK has been on my case as well and I finally pulled the trigger. I have a Ruger American 308 and have a very good load using 168 grain Barnes TTSX bullets that once put three bullets in the same ragged hole at 200 yards. That said, I needed a light 308 load. Dan convinced me to try the 124-grain Hammer Hunters.
I worked up a ladder using 46 to 50 grains of Varget. At first, I shot three rounds each at one-grain increments. That ladder gave me a 46.0-grain load that measured 3/8". Since the 46.0-grain load was at the bottom of the food chain, I made up two more loads of three rounds each at 45.8 and 46.2, just to confirm the 46.0 group I got earlier and also just to see what would happen on either side of that group. The 45.8 load had two bullets touching and a flyer about an inch away, The 46.2 load was a perfect cloverleaf that measured 1/4" and chronographed at an even 3,000 f/s.
John and Dan, you were right all along. I am now a true believer!
I worked up a ladder using 46 to 50 grains of Varget. At first, I shot three rounds each at one-grain increments. That ladder gave me a 46.0-grain load that measured 3/8". Since the 46.0-grain load was at the bottom of the food chain, I made up two more loads of three rounds each at 45.8 and 46.2, just to confirm the 46.0 group I got earlier and also just to see what would happen on either side of that group. The 45.8 load had two bullets touching and a flyer about an inch away, The 46.2 load was a perfect cloverleaf that measured 1/4" and chronographed at an even 3,000 f/s.
John and Dan, you were right all along. I am now a true believer!
