Editor’s Choice: Hornady Subsonic Ammunition

by
posted on May 6, 2020
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
hornsubson.jpg

Hornady launched its Subsonic Ammunition line (and the Sub-X projectile utilized therein) back in 2018 with a single .300 Blackout load, a cartridge already well-known for its subsonic suitability.

For 2020, the Nebraska-based company is taking the opposite tack, expanding the Subsonic family to include ammunition options for .30-30 Win., .450 Bushmaster and .45-70 Gov’t—greatly increasing the versatility of three rifle chamberings not traditionally loaded for use at speeds below the sound barrier.

The three new offerings include a 175-gr. .30-30 Win. load, a 395-gr. .450 Bushmaster load and a 410-gr. .45-70 Gov’t load, all using powders optimized for a minimal flash signature and tipped with the Sub-X bullet designed to initiate immediate expansion upon impact at velocities as low as 900 f.p.s.

In addition to the new rifle options, the Subsonic line is also growing to accommodate three new pistol cartridges, all employing heavy-for-caliber XTP bullets: a 147-gr. 9 mm Luger load; a 180-gr. .40 S&W load; and a 230-gr. .45 ACP load. For more information on this load and other new loads for 2020, visit
hornady.com.

Latest

attack in a back alley
attack in a back alley

Cold Performance: How to Prepare for the Uncertainty of Self-Defense

Defensive gun use is defined by uncertainty. You don’t know when it will happen, how far away the threat will be, how many threats you will face or what position you will be in when it begins.

Derya Goes Silent: The OBone Suppressor

In 2025, Turkish manufacturer Derya Arms opened a new facility in Florida, enabling the company to produce a number of new products domestically, such as its new OBone suppressor.

The Armed Citizen® Oct. 26, 2026

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Rifleman Q&A: Understanding a Firearm's Cycle of Operation

The cycle of operation is the mechanical sequence of events that it takes to fire one shot out of a firearm. If one of those steps fails to take place as designed, there is an interruption in the cycle of operation and the gun stops firing.

Review: Sightmark Pinnacle 1-6x24 mm Riflescope

Looking for a performance LPVO without the usual associated cost? The Sightmark Pinnacle 1-6x24 mm might be your answer.

Myths & Misunderstandings About the “Modern Fighting 1911”

The Colt Model 1911 pistol and its derivatives are among the most iconic military handguns ever made. But in 2026, does the M1911 still hold up as a quality defensive arm?

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.