The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word NURDLE
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More clues leading to the result NURDLE
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "hard hitters won’t" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case hard hitters won’t = nurdle.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does NURDLE mean?
NURDLE noun- Such a shot.
- A cylindrical shaped pre-production plastic pellet used in manufacturing and packaging.
- A blob of toothpaste shaped like a wave, often depicted on toothpaste packaging.
- To score runs by gently nudging the ball into vacant areas of the field.
- (conversation) To gently waffle or muse on a subject which one clearly knows little about.