Why doesn't Hornady make match grade bullets capable of competing with Berger bullets?

[muleystalker]

I think,….. Hornaday thinks…….. they already make match grade bullets.
Wayne

Yup, they don't know what they don't know.....

 

[marchx]

I talked to the hornady people couple times at IWA in Nurnberg. They were not interested in hearing feedback from shooters. They thought they make THE bullets and it was even before A-Tips were released. Consistency of their bullets is a disaster. BC is overrated. They can record as many podcasts as they wish, it will not make me buy their bullets.

 

[NZ_Fclass]

With the size and breadth of Hornady's research and production, why don't they produce match grade bullets that are capable of competing with Berger bullets? Like benchrest, F Class, world record class bullets.

Seems Hornady's engineers and ballisticians etc enjoy talking the talk, but they can't walk the walk.

Let's not even mention brass quality.

They think that they do - A Tip.

 

[Bill Norris]

They think that they do - A Tip.

They are sadly mistaken with that. A tips fall short of that mark. Just a good blow out brass bullet.

 

[Mcrider55]

Face it guys, Berger and Hornady are after two entirely different markets. Berger is an $8M dollar per year company with 13 employees that outsources their product to Capstone. Hornady is a $59M dollar per year company with over 200 and does their own manufacturing. A HUGE difference.

While long range shooting is growing is popularity, it's always going to be severely limited by the number of ranges that are available. That really hurts the growth and with land + insurance costs continuing to skyrocket, the situation isn't going to improve significantly.

 

[DLT]

Hornady 6mm 105gr HPBT Match shoots spot on with Bergers of the same weight out to 650ish then Bergers really shine. I shoot Hornady for 600yd matches the change to Bergers for longer work. Lotta deer, bear, even moose seemed pretty impressed with Hornady soft points. Pdogs too!

I’ll sell you some 105s

 

[SteveOak]

hornady has proved they have an advanced degree in marketing with the 6.5 manbun and then the prc series. They are to busy making factory loads for these to be bothered with putting alot of exra effort into new bullet design and $ into new equipment to make match bullets whan they are allready stretched thin and making tons of $ doing what they are doing now.

LMAO @ 6.5 CM is the manbun of the shooting world.

The quality/grade of bullets Hornady, or, for that matter, any manufacturer from Bart to Armscor, is a business decision. As you climb the quality ladder, more resource is required to make the bullets and a higher price is necessary to make a profit.

There are several tiers of bullet quality;

1st tier, full custom bullets like Bart's and others
2nd tier, which is also first tier commercial/mass produced which Berger pretty much has staked out
3rd tier, SMK's, maybe some Hornady's, I am not sufficiently familiar with their better offerings
4th tier, other Sierra's like hunting bullets, Hornady
5th tier, mass produced, selling 'adequate' bullets that are attractively priced, Remington, Winchester, Armscore

The business model Hornady has chosen is to make 3rd or 4th tier bullets. They then employ marketing, which is endeavouring to convey to your customer the need to purchase your goods, to make their business profitable.

I do not fault their business model. It seems top work for them. In fact, I have quite a few Hornady 68gr BTHP-Match bullets for my 5.56 AR. Although I smile at the use of the term 'Match' for these bullets they are of adequate quality for the way I use them and modestly price. I see my AR as an up to 300 meter plinker.

 

[Spoonbill]

Accuracy wise I have had better luck out of Nosler bullets than Hornady.

 

[DLT]

hornady has proved they have an advanced degree in marketing with the 6.5 manbun and then the prc series. They are to busy making factory loads for these to be bothered with putting alot of exra effort into new bullet design and $ into new equipment to make match bullets whan they are allready stretched thin and making tons of $ doing what they are doing now.

I guess I’m part of the 6 manbun series

 

[c3d4b2]

As with most business decisions they do not see the return is worth the investment.

Of course this is strictly speculation. Without knowing Hornaday's inner workings and business strategies everything is hard to determine.

 

[jelenko]

Yup, they don't know what they don't know.....

Hmmm. Looks like PRS competitors don't know they weren't shooting matches. From Precision Rifle Blog:

 

[gdbleb]

As you climb the quality ladder, more resource is required to make the bullets and a higher price is necessary to make a profit.

There are several tiers of bullet quality;

This - Economics law of Diminishing Returns both on the producer side and the consumer side.
You see it most in cars, HiFi music systems, boats, and Trophy wives.

 

[Krogen]

hornady has proved they have an advanced degree in marketing with the 6.5 manbun and then the prc series. They are to busy making factory loads for these to be bothered with putting alot of exra effort into new bullet design and $ into new equipment to make match bullets whan they are allready stretched thin and making tons of $ doing what they are doing now.

6.5 manbun . . . Now that's funny right there!

 

[Fclassfool]

Hmmm. Looks like PRS competitors don't know they weren't shooting matches. From Precision Rifle Blog:
View attachment 1556208
View attachment 1556209

Now do what everyone shoots. Berger is still top dog.

 

[SteveOak]

Hmmm. Looks like PRS competitors don't know they weren't shooting matches. From Precision Rifle Blog:
View attachment 1556208
View attachment 1556209

Zero custom bullets on the list? Apparently the requirements for the bullets for PRS are rather modest.

I have been around this game long enough to have a healthy suspicion of equipment lists.

 

[SBS]

Hmmm. Looks like PRS competitors don't know they weren't shooting matches. From Precision Rifle Blog:
View attachment 1556208
View attachment 1556209

Hmmm. Looks like PRS competitors don't know they weren't shooting matches. From Precision Rifle Blog:
View attachment 1556208
View attachment 1556209

In spite of what the words PRS stand for, it's not a precision game, so the required accuracy is not the same as F Class or BR. Also, PRS seems to have a lot of shooters who aren't too serious, so cheaper to load up with less expensive bullets to just join in the fun.

 

[jelenko]

In spite of what the words PRS stand for, it's not a precision game, so the required accuracy is not the same as F Class or BR. Also, PRS seems to have a lot of shooters who aren't too serious, so cheaper to load up with less expensive bullets to just join in the fun.

My point is everything is not benchrest. I compete in 'cross the course' - many use Hornady. Are they not shooting in matches?

 

[jelenko]

requirements for the bullets for PRS are rather modest.

Modest vs benchrest requirements.

I'm simply objecting to using the word 'match' to mean 'benchrest match'.

 

[jmkasza]

Modest vs benchrest requirements.

I'm simply objecting to using the word 'match' to mean 'benchrest match'.

Agreed. I feel that in this context match is synonymous with target.

 

[TTE]

They make decent hunting bullet.

I disagree. Their bullets are very 'soft'