“precision hunter”

Hornady is rewriting the rules with its new Superformance Varmint ammunition.

Every hunter questions her limits when tackling the backcountry. But when you’re pursuing that trophy of a lifetime, there comes a time when you must believe in yourself and handle what comes your way—because you trained for it.

Just days before the annual NASGW showcase, Hornady has rolled out its new-for-2016 product announcements. Chief among them, as far as hunters are concerned, is the upcoming Hornady Precision Hunter line.

Is Hornady's Precision Hunter line the ultimate long-range rifle load for hunters?

Ammunition companies have been trying for decades to build a better bullet, especially the tipped variety. There are plenty of options on shelves, and for most hunters there’s no reason to upgrade. But wait. What about those seeking perfection and wanting to push the envelope to 600 yards or beyond? That’s the trend today.

In reviewing "bargain" bolt-action rifles for American Rifleman, Managing Editor Joe Kurtenbach couldn’t help but think that, much like a stripped AR, these guns may make great foundations for personalized rifle builds. To test the theory, he purchased his own bargain-bin bolt gun and set a goal to build a precision hunting rifle.

The first step of a Precision Hunter build is to choose a caliber capable of the name. For that, American Rifleman's Joe Kurtenbach selected one of his favorite cartridges—the 6.5 Creedmoor.

The Ruger American has some great features—hammer-forged barrel, reliable action, crisp trigger—but many would not consider the molded, polymer stock to be among them. With that in mind, American Rifleman's Joe Kurtenbach went with an aftermarket solution in his quest to build a precision hunting rifle.

Despite the demands of searching for the perfect utilitarian scope, it needed to be affordable and offer real bang for the buck.