Hornady Match Nickel Plated Cases?

[ArmedGinger]

Ok this is something I've never seen. Digging through a box of random rounds that I've had to see what is in there and I came across 3 that I don't remember at all.

They are stamped Hornady 308 Win Match on the bottom of the case, they are nickel plated, and loaded with what appears to be a HPBT. For the life of me I don't remember Hornady ever making a 308 HPBT with a nickel plated case... in fact I can't even find a picture of a Hornady 308 Win Match stamped case that is nickel plated.

Both of these rounds are marked the same: "Hornady 308 Win Match" with what appears to be the same bullet type. You can clearly see one is nickel plated and the other is normal brass.


Both of the cases are stamped with near the same thing (The brass one appears to be a reload I picked up from some where due to the wear on the case).

 

[SigWig]

Old Critical defense line? Kind of like this

 

[ArmedGinger]

Old Critical defense line? Kind of like this

I had some of those but they weren't stamped "match" on the bottom

 

[bdb.hunting]

Would you mind posting a picture ?

It does sound like an oddball. I only really remember Outfitter being nickel plated but its not match ammo. I don't have any .308 to look at though. Now i'm going to have to check my collection of cartridges as this may be something I need to add!

B

 

[ArmedGinger]

Would you mind posting a picture ?

It does sound like an oddball. I only really remember Outfitter being nickel plated but its not match ammo. I don't have any .308 to look at though. Now i'm going to have to check my collection of cartridges as this may be something I need to add!

B

I edited the OP and added pictures


The only nickel plated cases from Hornady I know of are the Critical Defense and the Outfitter lines but neither of those are stamped "Match" on the bottom.

 

[SigWig]

I wonder if these came out after the steel match line. I have half a k of that in 223

 

[bdb.hunting]

Thanks for the photos.

That is random. I’d be very curious to know why as well! Its almost like someone messed up and they just sent them out the door anyways rather than sitting on the cases.

B

 

[ArmedGinger]

A guy who supposedly works at Hornady said they haven't stamped "Match" on cases for the past 8 years but doesn't remember any nickel plated Match cases to begin with. So I fired off a message to Hornady themselves.

 

[PSE]

Hornady Match 308 HPBT is good stuff. If I was following a semi on the highway and a case of that fell off the back I would be giggling for a month after.

 

[ArmedGinger]

So talked to someone at Hornady and they solved the mystery.

Hornady TAP Law Enforcement ammo is Nickel Plated. So about 10 years ago they were still stamping it with the word "Match" and at the time they had a 168gr HPBT round available which is what he figures these are.

Somehow I ended up with three of them...