There’s a popular expression out there about Texas. You know the one, claiming that everything is bigger there. Well, in December of 2023 I was lucky enough to find out if that was true. The sunrises were bigger. The racks on the whitetails that passed through my shooting lanes were bigger. The steaks served at the lodge were bigger. Most of all, the greetings from our hosts were bigger. A few of us were lucky enough to spend time with Federal Ammunition, Remington Accessories, and the wonderful people at Premier Ranch.
Premier Ranch is located just outside of Mason, in the Texas Hill Country. We were greeted by the Ranch Manager, Jed, and one of his hands, Joby Cook. Jed and Joby were two of the nicest guys you could ever hope to have as hosts on a hunt. Extremely polite, intensely passionate about hunting and the ranch, funny, and very down-to-earth. Greetings ensued, bags were dropped off at the lodge, and within 30 minutes we were on Premier’s range. For most of us, this was the moment when we were all introduced to the main guest. Federal’s new Fusion Tipped ammunition.
Federal’s Fusion line of ammo is easily recognizable. With 37 options in the original Fusion line and eight offerings in the Fusion MSR line, it’s hard not to notice a box of Fusion on the shelf. If you take into account that nine more offerings will be available in the Fusion Tipped line, you’ll be hard-pressed to not see Fusion on the shelf on your next trip to the gun shop. The original Fusion came out in 2005, and has been a popular option for deer hunters since its inception. With how affordable Fusion is, it’s hard to believe how complex it is. Fusion’s pressure-formed lead core is bonded to a copper jacket electrochemically. This gives the bullet incredible weight retention, maximum penetration, and outstanding expansion. It also takes bullet shred out of the equation. Shredding occurs when a bullet makes impact and pieces of the core shred off, or come apart. This, and core separation are common with traditional projectiles which have a cupped metal jacket mechanically pressed onto a lead core. Fusion’s jacket and core stay intact. The bullet holds together even after expanding and passing through matter. The new Fusion Tipped keeps all of the amazing features of the original Fusion, and adds a polymer tip. The polymer tip helps reduce wind drift, increases ballistic coefficient, flattens trajectory, and helps the bullet retain more energy, especially downrange. The sleek profile of the bullet, teamed with the polymer tip reduces air resistance, minimizing the effects of crosswinds, resulting in more predictable and stable trajectories. Adding the polymer tip makes Fusion more than just a reliable whitetail round for 200 yards and in. It pushes the effective range of the bullet for hunters, and makes it a viable bullet for long range shooting enthusiasts.
We were all toting rifles chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor, and as the guns were loaded and shots began to ring, it didn’t take long for any of us to realize that the new Fusion Tipped felt … different. The original sight-in shots were run-of-the-mill. Standard micro adjustments ending in great groups that were more than suitable for a whitetail hunt. Very tight groups were normal across the board. Then we inspected closer. Many shots were touching, and in some cases overlapping. But it didn’t stop there, it wasn’t until we started pushing shots at a longer-range gong that things became more noticeable. With a 140 grain bullet leaving the muzzle at roughly 2700 fps, and banging a gong at 300 yards with great consistency, it was hard not to be excited. Shots were ringing true on that west Texas afternoon, and everyone was ready to see what the new Fusion Tipped had in store for the deer over the next few days.
This was a management hunt, with the ranch hoping we could take out a few typical 10-point native deer from the property. Mature, big-bodied deer with 10 points or less. Within 30 minutes of sunrise on the first morning, I realized that finding a deer that fit the bill might be a little tougher than I thought. At the end of each hunt, everyone talked about the same problem. Lots of deer, too many points. Not a bad problem to have. I bet I counted points a dozen times on every buck that walked in front of me. Each time, crossing my fingers that I would end my count on 10, exactly. Well, it happened for me when a very mature native deer came through at 40 yards chasing a doe. By the time I was able to confirm that he had 10 points, he was quartering away and milling through patches of brush. Once I saw my opening, I gently squeezed the trigger on the Springfield Waypoint. My shot landed exactly where I wanted it to. The buck only ran 30 yards and crashed into some brush. When Jed came to pick me up, he was quick to find blood which led him on a short journey to my trophy. I was nervous that it may not have been one he wanted take out, but when he turned to me with a giant smile, I knew he was happy, and happy for me. It didn’t take me long to realize that it was the biggest whitetail I had ever harvested. I proclaimed to Jed, in full cliché mode, “It’s true, everything is bigger here!” We loaded up the deer, and headed to the cleaning area. A full inspection of the wound channel and vitals showed an excellent path of destruction and a full pass-through. I was happy with the result, but really wanted to retrieve the bullet for inspection. Luckily, with four others in camp, we had a couple of bullets to examine. Every deer shot on the trip showed evidence of great bullet penetration and excellent expansion. Two bullets were retrieved from bucks downed. One bullet went through the shoulder upon entry and passed through the liver, stopping against the hide on the opposite side. The other was pulled from a shoulder on the opposite side of entrance. The mushrooms were nearly identical. There was almost no evidence of any shredding, and the mass seemed to hold together perfectly. The ammo did its job.
If you’re already a fan of Fusion, be sure to pick up some Fusion Tipped to tinker with. You won’t regret trying it. And, if you’re ever looking at a whitetail hunt in Texas, be sure to check out Premier Ranch. I went to Texas with an open mind, and I found big personalities, big deer, big meals, and big results from the initial testing of the new Fusion Tipped from Federal Premium.
Fusion Tipped comes in nine offerings, including the subsonic .300 BLK at 190 grains, 6.5 PRC at 140 grains, 6.5 Creedmoor at 140 grains, .270 Win. at 150 grains, 7mm Rem. Mag. at 175 grains, 7mm PRC at 175 grains, .308 Win. at 180-grains, .30-06 Sprg. at 180 grains, and .300 Win. Mag. at 180 grains. All offerings have 20 cartridges to the box, and range from $45 to $82 per box, MSRP.
For more information about the Fusion Tipped, visit www.federalpremium.com.
Fusion Tipped Terminal Subsonic
Federal customers have repeatedly asked for a subsonic Fusion .300 Blackout round. Development of the terminal subsonic round began before Fusion Tipped was initiated. However, it quickly became apparent that a tipped design would be needed for optimal performance. With the introduction of Fusion Tipped, Federal’s engineers found a perfect path to the ultimate .300 Blackout hunting round. Fusion Tipped Terminal Subsonic with be offered along with the rest of the Fusion Tipped line this year.
