Browning Mountain Pro Long Range

On the range, my evaluation was broken into two sessions. I first shot a variety of handloads, factory hunting ammo and factory match ammo at 100 yards. I then evaluated the 300-yard potential of the top three 100-yard hunting ammo performers. While my handloads delivered consistent MOA type accuracy at 100 yards with an overall average of 1.039 inches, the results were not what I expected.

Not one group approached or bettered a half-inch, while a couple of the factory hunting and match ammo loads did. In fact, Hornady Match 120-grain ELD Match fell just shy of that mythical quarter-inch group. Actually, the rifle liked all of the factory match ammo, with a combined average of 0.538 inches. At 300 yards, meanwhile, Winchester Expedition Long Range 142-grain AccuBond LR separated itself from the pack with a 1.39-inch group (pictured below the charts).

 

 

 

FACTORY AMMUNITION     

100 yards

Brand	Bullet	Advertised velocity (fps)	Group size    (inches)
Hornady Outfitter	120-grain GMX	2,925	2.556
Hornady Superformance	129-grain SST	2,950	1.272
Hornady Precision Hunter	143-grain ELD-X	2,700	1.092
Federal Premium	120-grain Trophy Copper	2,800	1.142
Federal Premium	130-grain Barnes TSX	2,825	1.565
Fusion	140-grain	2,750	0.778
Barnes VOR-TX	127-grain LRX	2,825	0.598
Winchester Deer Season XP	125-grain Extreme Point	2,850	0.755
Winchester Expedition Long Range	142-grain AccuBond	2,700	0.630
Sako Gamehead Pro	130-grain Tipped GameKing	2,855	0.670

 

HANDLOADS

100 yards

Bullet	Powder	Case	Manual velocity*   (fps)	Group size     (inches)
Hornady 129-grain SST	StaBall 6.5	Hornady	2,756	0.965
Hornady 140-grain SP InterLock	H4350	Hornady	2,770	0.810
Hornady 143-grain ELD-X	StaBall 6.5	Hornady	2,740	0.720
Hornady 140-grain SST	StaBall 6.5	Hornady	2,806	1.265
Hornady 12,9-grain SST	Win760	Hornady	2,900	1.145
Barnes 120-grain TSX	StaBall 6.5	Hornady	3,004	1.375
Barnes 127-grain LRX	StaBall 6.5	Hornady	2,765	0.995

 

* Note: “Manual Velocity” refers to the velocity taken from the manufacturer’s reloading manual for that bullet weight and powder charge.

 

FACTORY MATCH

100 yards

Brand	Bullet	Advertised velocity (fps)	Group size     (inches)
Hornady Match	120-grain ELD Match	2,910	0.280
Hornady Match	140-grain ELD Match	2,710	0.558
Federal Premium Gold Medal Match	130-grain Open Point Match	2,875	0.778

 

300 yards

Brand	Bullet	Advertised velocity (fps)	Group size      (inches)
Winchester Expedition	142-grain AccuBond LLR	2,700	1.390
Barnes Vor-TX LR	127-grain LRX	2,825	2.430
Sako Gamehead Pro	130-grain Tipped Game King	2,855	2.560