AAC's 123-grain OTM sits in the middle of the 6.5 Grendel match loads, both in muzzle speed and in recoil. Its open-tip match bullet is a jacketed bullet with a small opening at the nose, and it weighs the same 123 grains as the Grendel match loads from Hornady, Nosler and Alexander Arms. AAC loads it to 2,525 fps at the muzzle.

Compared with Federal's American Eagle 120 OTM, which uses the same style of open-tip bullet 3 grains lighter, the AAC OTM starts 85 fps slower. The two kick almost the same: in the same rifle the AAC OTM kicks about 2 percent harder. Compared with Hornady's American Gunner 123, a hollow point with a boat tail at the same bullet weight, the AAC OTM starts 65 fps slower and kicks about 3 percent less in the same rifle.

Buy the AAC OTM if you want a 123-grain open-tip bullet with a middle-of-the-road start and kick. Pick Federal's American Eagle 120 OTM if you want the faster start and a load Federal markets for competition and target shooting. Pick Hornady's American Gunner 123 if you want more speed from the same bullet weight and don't mind a little more recoil. Pick Hornady's 123-grain ELD Match if you want a load Hornady markets for target and match shooting, with a polymer-tipped bullet. Pick Nosler's Match Grade 123 if a softer kick matters most.