Hornady | Fashions are the engine of a considerable part of the trade and the calibers from rifled barrel they are rightly placed in this sector as can be verified by scrolling through the offers of rifles and related calibers. Until recently the 6,5 Creedmoor was unknown to most, confined to long-range shooting where he had found asylum and shelter, especially in his homeland. This cartridge was designed as an American counterpart to the European 6,5 × 47 Lapua, born from a precise ballistic program for top competition with results under the eyes of all fans: the launch of the 6,5 Creedmoor date from 2007 and prodromes they were not so exciting, especially with regard to the size of the trigger (Large Rifle) and its pocket obtained in the caseback.
Over time, a correct development has been reached so that it would be interesting to conduct an extensive and documented test between the two contenders, but at the moment we are not able to assure it and we limit ourselves to observing this recent product from across the Atlantic not without a little satisfaction, noting how the 6,5 mm, a traditional and repetitive measure for well over a century in old Europe, has been adopted by Yankee researchers. On this point it is worth pausing for a moment while thinking about a splendid one hunting cartridge with this section of the ball, too soon dropped into oblivion: the .264 Win. Mag. Especially with the 140 gr ball of choice capable of ensuring superb performance where grazing, intrinsic precision, energy and long-range lethality are required, even in game of great prowess and vitality.
As often happens, the availability of original charges, moreover differentiated and well divided between the hunting and shooting ranges, is an overwhelming spring for the diffusion of the new invention and if the production is carried out by a House like Hornady, distributed in Italy from Bignami di Ora (BZ), there are all the right cards to achieve success. Having said that, let's examine the characteristics of this specific Match classified charge, equipped with one of the latest balls created by the House, therefore with the most advanced technical updates.
The presentation
The cartridges are supplied in a sturdy white cardboard box with a front occupied by an off-center black target, crossed by the wording MATCH where, in the letter A above the mouche of the escutcheon, the three holes of a magnificent grouping appear; at the top the inscription Hornady® and below, on two lines, 20 cartridges. Very simple and captivating. On the upper and lower sides of the box there are written in English and French relating to the safety of use and stowage, as well as those for the risks of exposure to lead vapors if you shoot in a poorly ventilated environment. The company logo, the well-known red H with the silhouettes of two bullets, the red word MATCH, the ♯ sign with the company identification number of the specific product, the 6,5 Creedmoor caliber in extended and, below, the specification of the 147 gr ELD® MATCH bullet.
On the back we find the wide description of the care with which these cartridges are built and, very interesting, the signaling of the dual proposal of the bullet for this line with the ELD and the 147 gr BTHP. Obviously we go to the first one, the one mounted on the cartridges we have by hand. The red polymer tip called Heat Shield® is immediately characterizing, perfect for aerodynamics and non-deformability: let's not forget how the manufacturer was a pioneer in the adoption of balls with secant nose profiles for superior aerodynamic performance. The control of the internal lead castings and the thickness of the jacket is carried out by radar with the Doppler system and the materials used are undeniably of the best quality offered on the market.
The ballistic data
Unfortunately, the data are presented with the classic Anglo-Saxon measurements for which the shooting distances in yards, the speeds in feet per second, the falls of the ball in inches appear in the mirror. The V / 0 is equal to 2695 ft / sec (820 m / sec) and with zero calibration at 200 yards you will have a +1,9 (4,86 cm) at 100 yds, -7,7 (-19,6 , 300 cm) at 21,9 yds, -55,6 (-400 cm) at 43,2 yds and -109,7 (-500 cm) at XNUMX yds. All in all a good grazing, thanks above all to the ballistics of the bullet, and a precision that allows you to use the latest generation optics for long-range shooting with the calculation of the trajectory.