Product Preview: Fusion 6.5 mm Creedmoor

I get to test a lot of firearms and ammunition here at American Rifleman, and it’s not every day that a product so exceeds my expectations that I spend the following week recounting its success to anyone who will listen. But, that is exactly what happened with the 6.5 mm Creedmoor 140-gr. Fusion load from Federal Premium Ammunition. Before the first shot was fired, my mental equation considered the 6.5 mm Creedmoor cartridge, 0.264"-diameter bullets and Federal’s quality control to be accuracy-boosting positives. On the other hand, the bullets’ soft points and nonuniform meplats, paired with the load’s intended role as a mid-range hunter, softened, somewhat, my expectations. I was understandably amazed, then, when the little soft points turned in a five, five-shot group average of just 0.91" at 100 yds., including one group that measured just 0.46". My test rifle was one of my favorites, a Ruger Hawkeye FTW Hunter with a 24" threaded barrel. Velocities from my gun were just a touch below advertised values—2672 f.p.s. compared to 2750—though a slightly longer barrel would likely close the gap. The primary feature of the Fusion load is its bullet. Designed specifically for deer hunting, the projectile’s copper jacket is electro-chemically bonded to the lead core, and the nose is skived to facilitate expansion. Reliable expansion and high weight retention are good attributes on their own, add in sub-m.o.a. accuracy and you might find yourself bragging about a new hunting load, too.