The Hornady A-Tip Match bullet now occupies the three top spots for longest impacts recorded in competition. The projectile claimed the top-two positions at previous events, but when Jaclyn Bryan connected at 4,227 yards at Spearpoint Ranch ELR Match—which took place March 25 to 26 in Barnard, Kan.—the trifecta was in the books.
The A-Tip Match bullet was only introduced in 2019 and, unlike the polymer tipped bullets designed to improve ballistic coefficient, uses aluminum up front that are precision machined and longer. The difference moves the center of gravity and enhances inflight stability, benefits that reduce drag variability during flight and, ultimately, shrink groups.
American Rifleman’s David Herman tested them with a 6.5 mm Creedmoor-chambered rifle the same year they became available. Using Hornady’s 4DOF app, he explained, “500 yards registered a hit first shot, as did every other range attempted out to around 1,550, with my first spate of trouble not coming until around 1,650 (I did achieve hits at this distance and further, simply with less consistency).” He concluded, “This is an impressive bullet—even more so when you see the results in person,” noting the Ruger Precision Rifle and Leupold optic were equally up to the formidable task.
Robert Brantley holds the top spot for longest shot recorded with an A-Tip with his 4,229-yard impact in May of 2021 using the .416-cal. 500-grain version. Bryan’s recent hit secures the projectile’s second-longest shot recorded and bumps Ryan Cheney and his April 2021 hit at 4,134 yards using the .338-cal. 300-grain A-Tip to third place.
“We had just impacted at the 2-mile target, so we knew our wind calls were good and we had ultimate confidence in the bullet,” said Bryan. “After a 10-second time of flight, we were ecstatic to see the scoring lights illuminated at 2.4 miles. Hitting targets at these ranges just wouldn’t be possible without the best shooting equipment and A-Tip bullets” she added.
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