La hornady has an excellent reputation as both a bullet manufacturer and a manufacturer of original cartridges and in both cases enthusiasts find solutions suitable for their purposes. In Italy the US signature is distributed by Bignami di Ora (BZ) with particular regard to ammunition for rifled long guns and, precisely among these, we have identified a loading where the traditional and widespread caliber is combined with the purely hunting purpose. Let's start with the caliber: the omnipresent and prezzemoliano .308Win. it can almost be boring such is its diffusion but, just like the fragrant green grass that adjusts almost every dish, even the cousin in civilian dress of the US and NATO ordinance sees and appreciates herself continuously, wherever she appears and on any scene is preparing to act. The script is yellowed, but even so the cartridge recites it by heart and hardly misses a passage: the key word is intrinsic precision, a theme dear to this .30 "case with only 51 mm casing to which many combinations of powders and bullets and many rifled barrels of various kinds.
Let's start by examining the packaging: a sturdy semi-opaque cardboard box, with a rightly rustic appearance where the beautiful cherry red writing stands out and the cordially captivating figure of a hunter with whom we would accompany us immediately and willingly. Then when you sharpen your gaze you can read how the beautiful figure is none other than one of the founders of the company, JW Hornady lived between 1907 and 1981: if a subliminal came to mind captatio benevolentiae perhaps he would not be on the wrong path, but as we will see the matter is limited to the first impact, then the practical results will do without any induced support. Again we read the three adjectives qualifying the ammunition that we would translate with Accurate, Lethal, Reliable without pretense of any kind. On the sides of the container these writings reappear and in one there is the appropriate addition of the sector to which it belongs in the company's production landscape. Custom™, the catalog number (# 8098), the caliber wording, the bullet weight equal to 165 gr, the BTSP abbreviation as Boat Tail Soft Point and the specification InterLock; then there is still a stamp with the wording FREE Guns & Ammo Trial Subscription which we interpret as free registration to the Trials organized by the prestigious US Publishing House if these cartridges are used. In short, in short, there are some induced advantages, even if for us, on this side of the Atlantic, it is not easily accessible. Let's proceed with the reading on the back of the box where the usual prescriptions stand out which in succinct terms say not to do nonsense when you have a weapon in your hand, then we move on to the performance mirror and there, albeit in yards, inches and fps, we find what actually realizes what we will get on the ground.
The performances
Let's read the specifications starting from the muzzle velocity equal to 2700 fps (822 m / sec) which seems adequate to the weight of the bullet in this caliber, we would also say sufficiently lively in relation to the average; we then move on to the parabola with the intermediate falls which we summarize in the box below by inserting the data in metric terms in brackets:
100 yds (91,4 m) 200 yds (182,8 m) 300 yds (274,2 m) 400 yds (365,6 m) 500 yds (457 m)
+ 2 "(+5,08 cm) 0,0" (0,0 m) - 8,6 "(-21,85 cm) -25,1" (-63,75 cm) -50,8 "( -129 cm)
Not bad really considering the .308 Win. it does not shine for trajectory voltage but allows, today as today, to arrive at the mark thanks to its intrinsic precision, to the electronically interwoven calculations between detection of the binotelemeter and clicks to be imposed on an optic where the turrets guarantee the timely execution of the commands . The bullet is one of those that can be defined as all hunting: of classic structure with shapes that combine a good ballistic coefficient, thanks to the pointed pointed ogive with uncovered lead and the tapered tail, and strong energy transfer resulting from the system. InterLock thanks to which the external copper jacket and the internal lead core are welded together. This system ensures a mushroom-shaped expansion with an increase in the section of the medium and all its induced effects without losing weight: we also think we are interlocks because even if we go on a diet we vary the external measures a little, but the weight remains the same ... We don't know whether to consult a dietician or a bullet maker.
Apart from Celie, we still proceed with a final examination, noting in the various writings how the House finances with an economic percentage on sales the Wildlife Restoration, an organization that takes care of the restoration of the natural wild world in which, it should be noted, indirectly every buyer of these cartridges participates: we are also happy because we imagine how the funds are spent with good reason for this purpose and not to maintain armchairs, armchairs, stools and so on. Finally a few shots in the shooting range taking advantage of a brand new rifle Bergara B14 Varmint with optics Delta Titanium made available to us by the importer, the company RA Sport of Redolfi, based in Manerbio (BS). We underline how these cartridges are purely for hunting so the three-shot grouping at 100 m in 18,5 mm is an excellent result that confirms the goodness of the shotgun and optics combination together with the reliability of the ammunition.