Barnes lists its Precision Match 300-grain as a match and target load. The bullet is Barnes' OTM, an open-tip match bullet with a boat tail, rated at a G1 BC of .716, and it leaves the muzzle at 2,600 fps.

Compared with Federal's 300-grain Sierra MatchKing, the Barnes starts slightly faster, and zeroed at 100 yards both drop about 57 inches at 500. The Federal's higher G1 BC, .768 against .716, shows up in the wind: at 500 yards, a steady 10 mph wind blowing across the range pushes the Barnes about 14 inches sideways and the Federal about 13. Compared with Hornady's Match 285-grain ELD Match, the Barnes falls behind on speed, drop and wind. The Hornady starts faster, drops about 49 inches at 500 from the same zero and drifts about 11 inches in the same wind, and it kicks about 4 percent less in the same rifle.

Buy the Barnes if you shoot targets out to 500 yards with a 300-grain bullet; it flies almost the same path as Federal's 300-grain Sierra MatchKing. Pick the Federal if wind is the bigger concern, since it drifts about an inch less. Pick Hornady's Match 285-grain ELD Match if you want less drop, less drift and a little less recoil. Pick Underwood's Custom Competition 300-grain if you want less wind drift at the same bullet weight, about 11 inches in the same wind, and don't mind more recoil.