Aeromatch Bullets for high volume shooters

[Jud96]

Can you point me to an official statement that these are licensed copies? I thought that was only a guess.

+1 I’m seeing this repeated in several threads on different forums as well. There seems to be the assumption that these are licensed copies. I’d think Hornady would actually call out what specific bullets they’re replicating vs beating around the bush if they were paying licensing fees. I don’t know what the legality of copying a bullet profile is. I doubt each individual ogive is patented, but that’s an assumption.

 

[jpjulian]

Patents expired maybe?

 

[3Ackleys]

Berger isn't selling these through Hornady. They're allowing Hornady to produce copies of their bullets, to the same design. Hornady gets to set their prices and margins in that case, less the input inherent to the additional licensing costs.

Wow, complicated explanation to something that is not happening.
Licensing costs for what?? Allowing them to? It's a freaking bullet, not a spaceship. only so many ways you can make a cup and core bthp bullet that is 6mm/105 grains etc. They are clearly not patented.

Lapua (Berger) is a multinational, multi $billion company.
1) Bullets are probably less than 1% of their output
2) They can't make enough of anything they sell to reloaders
3) They don't know who Hornady is, and they don't care
4) Competition is always good

 

[Will Watkins]

I truly hope the aeromatch bullets match or even surpass the Berger bullets in accuracy, consistency, and availability. That would be great for EVERYONE in my opinion, but my opinion means nothing. The only question I have is how can any manufacturer (not only Hornady) but any manufacturer who makes a clone claim you don’t have to change your load whatsoever if it’s not the same bullet exactly? Yes it may be the same dimensions/weight/BC but is it the same j4 jacket? Or is it a Hornady jacket? I’m guessing if they are different they probably wont shoot the same as the Berger’s and be 100% plug and play.

 

[Robwal]

My name is Mark Walker and I have worked at Sierra Bullets for the better part of 25 years. I can with certainty say that these are not Sierra bullets being sold under the Hornady banner nor is there any licensing agreement.

 

[jrb06]

Well with "Aero" in the name maybe they are the infamous Aerospike finally coming to production for all to see and use!

 

[Jud96]

This kinda proves there’s no license agreement and the Aeromatch definitely isn’t a repackaged Berger

 

[Longrange57]

Wow, complicated explanation to something that is not happening.
Licensing costs for what?? Allowing them to? It's a freaking bullet, not a spaceship. only so many ways you can make a cup and core bthp bullet that is 6mm/105 grains etc. They are clearly not patented.

Lapua (Berger) is a multinational, multi $billion company.
1) Bullets are probably less than 1% of their output
2) They can't make enough of anything they sell to reloaders
3) They don't know who Hornady is, and they don't care
4) Competition is always good

This!
However, bullets is probably much more than 1% of their business. With Nammo and Ringmetall involved, they won't have a money problem! Must remember, the J-4 jackets are used and produced by the millions and also purchased by many hundreds of individual bullet makers as well. They produce the jackets as fast as possible, but often can't keep up with demand on the finished bullet side. Not many bullet manufacturers can make these claims. For competition use in various classes, aside from custom bullets (with J-4), Berger is probably the most sought after bullet on the planet. Hornady already has a line of bthp bullets. I personally don't think they will make clones and can't without Bergers jacket. Even if they could buy them, not many would purchase Hornady jackets. Probably a lawsuit or two and this will be over! My 2 cents!
3Ackleys is correct!

 

[rijndael]

3) They don't know who Hornady is, and they don't care

That's laughable. With the number of Hornady calibers that they've successfully pushed in recent years, that Lapua makes brass for, how can they not know Hornady?

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I wouldnt have beleived this if I didnt see it. I guess anything goes these days.

 

[Dave Way]

Still going to be a mass produced bullet no matter how you look at it. For serious competition, I have my doubts they will be good enough. How many hornady bullets are winning these days? Hunting, plinking may be another story but this website is all about accuracy, right?

Dave.

 

[rijndael]

In PRS, Hornady is doing pretty well.

 

[3Ackleys]

That's laughable. With the number of Hornady calibers that they've successfully pushed in recent years, that Lapua makes brass for, how can they not know Hornady?

Obviously I was being facetious.
World wide Hornady has 74 employees and 1 plant. Nammo has 3100 employees at 27 plants spread across 11 countries. Their revenue was nearly a billion dollars last year. Whatever Hornady does will be inconsequential to Nammo.
Lapua brass? Instead of making Hornady cartridges, maybe they should try to keep up with some of their own.

Nammo.com

Learn more about the latest in specialty ammunition and rocket motors.

www.nammo.com

 

[davidjoe]

World wide Hornady has 74 employees and 1 plant. Nammo has 3100 employees at 27 plants spread across 11 countries. Their revenue was nearly a billion dollars last year.

I suspect well more than 1B, based on this 2021 quote, on one item, to one customer.

“Nammo Defense Systems Inc., Mesa, Arizona, was awarded a $498,092,926 firm-fixed-price contract for the full rate production of M72 Light Assault Weapon variants and components for shoulder-launched munitions training systems.”

Add some cases of Midas Plus and 6BR brass, and that’s already a billion.

Hornady has more like 300 employees, I read.

 

[Longrange57]

Nammo reports for 2023 9.19 NOK which in USD is just under $900M. Doesnt matter! If Hornady can get some extra sales....ok! Competition shooters and the died in the wool Berger folks will desire Berger J-4 jackets...plain and simple. Hornady has done well and has some good products. Just not sure what they have to gain here. Berger won't stay behind forever! They will catch up at some point.

 

[D the D]

NAMMO is supplying military contracts with the US and European, probably outside EU countries also. I highly doubt reloaders are their main priority as they have to fulfill the military contracts. They can trickle stuff to reloaders and no one is fining or suing.

 

[X Count]

My response to Berger would be.

Stop bitching about it and make MORE bullets!! If your were making enough hybrids to meet demand then this market wouldn't exist.

I like Berger bullets and they cover a wide range. They are consistent bullet to bullet and more so batch to batch. If I could get them and at a fair price I'd run them for everything.

That being said. Measuring and using some of the ELDM range they are also very very good. It's just when you stack their weight vs profile vs BC they are a bit behind. It's like the heaviest bullet in the range is compatible but as you drop down in weight they seem to use the same bearing surface and just shorten the ogive so they are then behind in BC. Also you need different throat lengths to account for this odd profile. If they can make a profile that scales correctly with the weight while retaining the dimensional accuracy they currently have then they are on a winner.

There needs to be a 180gr 7mm in that lineup ASAP

 

[Varminterror]

Nobody remembers the coke and Pepsi commercials from the 1990’s where both brands appeared on the same spot? Nobody remembers when Burger King made Halloween costume spoof packaging to look like McDonalds? Mutually beneficial competitive marketing is a strategy with a long, long history.

Yes, bullets can be patented, no, patents aren’t the only means of intellectual property protection.

 

[LVLAaron]

The hornady 2025 "new" products video is obviously them just copying a bunch of existing products.

 

[Fuj]

I don't shoot or use anything red, however I did give the A-tips in
7mm a try. After paying twice the price of anything else out there
and having to de-oil them, The hype was just that, hype......Now here's
is a question to ask Hormady. ( I won't waste my time) I read that these
bullets will be sequentially produced as advertised like the A-tips. If this
is so, will they be oil coated and require cleaning ??