Grand Island, NE — Team Hornady® shooters Sean Murphy and Greg Hamilton survived the grueling Mammoth Sniper Challenge on Jan. 9-12 at Fort Gordon, Ga., to emerge victorious.

Murphy and Hamilton shot Hornady® 6mm 110 gr A-Tip™ Match and .224 75 gr ELD® Match bullets in the three-day precision rifle competition, which pitted two-man teams in a series of stages. Some targets were located across natural terrain while others made creative use of standard Army ranges.

Most of the stages were shot blind with limited information provided on the course of fire, Murphy said. The stages tested a variety of field shooting skills, as well as how well the team could work together to maximize points on a stage.

Murphy and Hamilton each shot about 120 rifle rounds over 11 stages.

“Being able to trust our bullets to deliver the performance we need to quickly engage targets is a must,” Murphy said. “We chose this combination to put us at an advantage with the velocities and ballistic coefficients needed over very flat flight paths. Hornady® ammunition delivered the consistency needed for repeatedly hitting small targets both near and far.”

Competitors in the Tough Man division, including Murphy and Hamilton, had to remain in the field throughout the challenge, carrying everything they needed over the course of more than 40 miles at a minimum pace of 3.75 miles per hour while on the move.

“By the numbers, I logged 79,000 steps for 41 miles across three days, burning just over 12,000 calories,” Murphy said. Throughout the course, they carried about 54 pounds apiece, including their rifles and Hornady® ammunition.

A-Tip™ Match bullets feature an aluminum tip that’s precision machined and longer than polymer tips. That moves the center of gravity and enhances inflight stability, resulting in tighter groups and reduced drag variability. In addition, A-Tip™ bullets are sequentially packaged for the ultimate in consistent performance.

ELD® Match bullets are technologically advanced, enhanced accuracy target bullets featuring Heat Shield® tips with the perfect meplat, combined with numerous design features that deliver highest-in-class BCs, superior accuracy and extreme consistency.

Founded in 1949, Hornady® Manufacturing Company is a family-owned business headquartered in Grand Island, Nebraska. Proudly manufacturing products that are made in the USA, Hornady® Manufacturing is a world leader in bullet, ammunition, reloading tool, accessory and security product design and manufacturing.