Who suggests this: Hornady, or the folks who make the "improved" follower? FTX's are not flat nose, but their profile is not a very exaggerated spitzer-type either. I've used them in .44Mag and .45-70 in a couple of Marlins, and they fed perfectly. I'd love to hear more about the supposed advantages of this follower. Is it designed for the Hornady ammo exclusively, or do they suggest that it will continue to function properly with standard ammo as well?
In the brass used by Hornady for this ammo, the case-length is very slightly shorter than standard. Is this done to bring the COAL with the slightly longer, pointier bullet back down to a proper length for efficient feeding?