G2 Research announced a new .308 Winchester load in the company’s Trident line. The new load uses a 150 grain solid copper hollow point bullet that the company claims will offer rapid expansion and deep penetration. According to G2 Research, the load will:

• penetrate 17 – 20+ inches
• rapidly expand to a one inch diameter
• be accurate and effective at “realistic hunting distances”

Earlier this year, G2 announced a 7.62×39 round in the Trident line that promised similar penetration and slightly lower expansion numbers.

The company rates the load at 2,690 fps and states the rounds are suppressor safe. The ammunition is, however, less safe around the wallet. At $56.99 for a box of 20, I suspect many hunters would hesitate at pulling out their credits cards for this load. In fact, this load is even more expensive than the Liberty Ammunition load I wrote about recently.

Speed Envy?

Oddly, the press release from G2 Research seemed to be aimed, if you’ll pardon the pun, at the Liberty Ammunition load announcement.

For example, the Liberty load uses a light for caliber 100 grain monolithic copper hollow point that is zipping along at 3,500 fps. The G2 Research press release states that its own load is rated at 2,960 fps and “will get there soon enough…” as if to say anything faster is unnecessary.

Another example: Liberty Ammunition claims 1 MOA accuracy to 500 yards. The G2 Research press release states:

Our PR firm is made up of experienced shooters. We consider a realistic distance for a hunter (average human being without specialized advanced competition or sniper training) relying on a single humane killing hit to be well under 500 yards. 

Again, this seems to suggest that anything that shoots tighter groups is not needed.

Finally, G2 Research states:

…at realistic hunting distances* you’ll get fast, humane killing results without the meat-destroying hydrostatic (gelatinous) shock you get from an over-done magnum through and through bullet.

Of course the photo that Liberty Ammunition provided with its product announcement showed an exit wound on a hog that was bloody and suggested a great deal of damage. However, I would expect that the “20+”” of penetration the Trident round promises would have exited the same hog.

I don’t know what motivated the G2 Research product announcement to be written the way it was. However, I’m always more impressed by products that stand on their own without taking shots at a competitor.

I happen to believe the shooting public is smart enough to figure out what they want and under what circumstances. Just make a good product and effectively communicate what it does and people will figure it out.

The G2 Research Trident sounds like a good round, but the marketing seems to diminish it.