Posted by If you look at a Federal Gold Medal Match bullet, you will notice something peculiar. The nose of the bullet is open.
It looks like a jacketed hollow point. In fact, it looks a lot like a jacketed hollow point. So much so that some sellers even list it as “Federal Premium Gold Medal Match Hollow Point Ammo.”
This has some hunters thinking, and others asking questions.
Is match ammo the best for hunting at long range? It might seem to the unpracticed as though a hollow-point bullet designed for long-range stability and accuracy offers the best of both worlds.
That is, it would offer controlled expansion and ballistic stability.
Unfortunately, it does not. Don’t be fooled by product listings. Open-tip match ammo is not technically a hollow point, at least not in terms of performance.
It may have a “hollow point” but it does not behave on impact like a true HP bullet.
Open-Tip Match Ammo
Open-tip match (OTM) ammo was first developed to solve one of the biggest problems of conventional FMJ bullets: radial jacket symmetry.
Poor radial symmetry creates a “heavy side” of the bullet that wrecks spin-stability and at long ranges is disastrous to accuracy.
Drawing the jacket of the bullet down from the nose towards the base of the bullet creates problems here.
So, instead, ammunition manufacturers flipped the script, and started drawing the jacket up from the base of the bullet instead of down from the nose.
This creates a harder bullet base which is less likely to deform on firing, and it also moves the opening of the jacket to the top of the projectile nose, which helps create superior radial symmetry, wherein any eccentricities in symmetry are closer to the central axis of rotation (the bullet center) – not farther out towards the margin of the bullet where they would be magnified.
This may look like JHP but it is not. Here’s the difference.
Hollow-Point Ammo
Hollow-point ammo, specifically jacketed hollow point (JHP) ammo, may look a lot like OTM ammo. But they do not perform the same way.
One of the main differences between OTM and JHP bullets is that the latter features striations (gouges) in the jacket, either internal or external, that serve as weak points.
These striations, also known as skives, serve as the “tearaway” point for the jacket, allowing it to peel back, exposing the softer lead core, and enabling consistent expansion.
This difference is what makes JHP bullets much more suitable for hunting and defensive applications than FMJ and OTM bullets, which are designed for penetration and stability, respectively.
The Takeaway: OTM Ammo Is Not Ideal for Hunting
Because of the significant differences in the behavior of OTM and hollow point ammo, OTM ammo should not be used for hunting.
It behaves, on impact with a soft target, much more like a fully jacketed bullet than a hollow point, as OTM ammo lacks the internal or external striations/skives that deliver controlled expansion.
Unless you are shooting at a target that is 500 yards or more away. Then the stability and accuracy of OTM ammo may be necessary.
But you have been warned; with poor shot placement, OTM ammo will likely not ethically dispatch large game animals at extended ranges.
Where Can You Get Federal Gold Medal Match Online?
Whether you’re looking for JHP rifle ammunition for hunting or defensive applications or OTM ammo like Federal Gold Medal Match that offers long-range accuracy, you can get them online at Bucking Horse Outpost.
They offer a wide range of rifle ammo at great prices from top brands like Federal, Winchester, Remington, and others – and they often run specials, so add them into your rotation.