Once you get into long-distance shooting, it’s hard not to think seriously about the quality of the ammo you shoot – as well as what its intended purposes are.
For a while you can get away with sending FMJ bullets downrange, even at long distance. But the truth is, for true long-range shooting, in excess of 500 yards, there are better options.
One of them is Federal Gold Medal Match, which is one of the best performing open-tip match ammo lines out there. Here are some of the basic questions about this line from Federal, answered.
What Is Federal Gold Medal Match?
Federal Gold Medal Match is a match-grade ammunition produced by Federal and loaded with Sierra MatchKing open-tip match (OTM, sometimes also referred to as hollow point) bullets.
This type of ammo is engineered for stability and accuracy at extended distances, making it better for long-range shooting disciplines and competition shooting than standard FMJ ammo.
What Are Sierra MatchKing Bullets?
Sierra MatchKing bullets are at the heart of performance for this ammo line. They are designed to produce a very high ballistic coefficient and excellent accuracy.
The higher the ballistic coefficient, the less drag the bullet produces, yielding a design that maintains velocity and accuracy at greater distances.
Speaking of accuracy, the bullets used to produce Gold Medal Match ammo are open-tip match ammo. This type of ammo is produced by drawing the jacket up from the base rather than down from the nose, as is the case with FMJ ammo.
The result of doing so leaves a little void at the nose of the bullet (hence the name) but it also produces a jacket that has a higher degree of radial symmetry, which offers higher spin stability – and therefore accuracy – especially at greater distances.
Who Owns Federal Ammunition?
Federal Ammunition is a subsidiary of Vista Outdoor, and is located in Anoka, Minnesota, at which facility the company produces rimfire, centerfire, and shotshell ammo, as well as components.
Is OTM the Same As HP?
Superficially OTM ammo looks like hollow point (HP) ammo, since both have a void or hollow in the nose of the bullet.
However, hollow point ammo is designed for maximal expansion and energy transfer, and the hollow in the nose of OTM ammo is just left over as a result of manufacturing, and is not an intended design.
OTM ammo is also not designed to expand. Therefore, they are not the same thing despite their apparent similarities.
Can You Hunt with Federal Gold Medal Match?
Theoretically yes, but this type of ammo is not designed to effectively dispatch game and so it is not a good idea. On top of that, according to your state’s game code, it might even be illegal.
Stick with hollow point, soft point, or ballistic point ammo. These types of ammo are designed to ethically dispatch game through optimal energy transfer and are unlikely to overpenetrate. Save the Gold Medal Match ammo for the range, for long-distance training and competition.
What Calibers/Cartridges Are Available?
Federal manufactures several calibers and cartridges in this line, including .308 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor, .223 Rem, .300 Win Mag, 6mm Creedmoor, .338 Lapua, .30-06 Springfield, .224 Valkyrie, and .300 Norma Mag.
Where Can You Get Gold Medal Match?
Looking for Federal Gold Medal Match ammo? Check out Bucking Horse Outpost. They offer competitive prices online on rimfire, centerfire, and shotshell ammo, as well as magazines and shooting accessories.
What’s more, they even offer bulk deals on popular calibers and cartridges, and they’re constantly running sales and police trade-in specials, so bookmark their website for the next time you need to get ammo.
