Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/728154
O ur assignment to Argentina isn't exactly clandestine, but on reaching base we are issued Steyr scout rifles. Mine is chambered 7.62x51mm NATO, cleverly disguised as ".308 Winchester" on the barrel. My duty mate, Neal Emery, unsheathes a Steyr sniper rifle in his favorite round, .300 Win. Mag. "I have it on good authority we'll be testing advanced prototype munitions on this operation," Neal whispers as our squad shuffles toward our ground transport for the final run to our forward base. "So this is just a munitions mission?" I joke nervously. The best laid plans of mice and men . . . The only prototype ammunition to arrive are a few rounds in .300 Win. Mag. Neal will be testing those. The rest of us are issued standard Hornady Full Boar factory loads featuring 165-grain, monolithic, copper-alloy hollow points tipped in red polymer. Given our targets, that raises eyebrows. The cartridges look fast but are rated at just 2,600 fps. Will that be enough? In the coming days I'll get plenty of chances to find out. So will the rest of the squad. Our team consists of five shooters: Scott O'Brien, head honcho at Steyr Arms, Inc.; Bryan Offutt and Jed Larkin from Under Armour's Outdoor Division; Neal and me. Neal conducts field research and diplomatic relations for Hornady.