About Hornady
Hornady Manufacturing is based in Grand Island, Nebraska. Founded in 1949, Hornady is known for innovation in bullet design — they've introduced several technologies that have become industry standards. Hornady co-developed the 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge with Creedmoor Sports and popularized the ELD (Extremely Low Drag) bullet line with its Heat Shield polymer tip. They manufacture bullets, loaded ammunition, brass, and reloading equipment.
Key product lines
| Line | Category | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| ELD Match | Precision | Heat Shield tip — standard factory match load for 6.5CM and .308 |
| Frontier | Range / Training | Lake City brass with Hornady bullets — 5.56 and .223 |
| Critical Defense | Self-Defense | FTX polymer tip — optimized for short-barrel concealed carry guns |
| Critical Duty | Duty | Thicker jacket FlexLock — FBI protocol, full-size duty guns |
| Precision Hunter | Hunting | ELD-X bullets — .270 Win, 6.5CM, .308 |
| Black | Modern Sporting | Sub-X subsonic, .300 BLK, 5.56, 6mm ARC |
| LEVERevolution | Lever Action | FTX tip safe for tubular magazines — .30-30, .45-70 |
| American Whitetail | Hunting | InterLock bullets — budget hunting line |
Hornady occupies the mid-to-premium tier across most categories. Their innovation focus means their products often command a $0.05–0.15/rd premium over comparable Federal or Winchester loads.
Popular Hornady calibers
- 9mm ammo listings
- 5.56 / .223 ammo listings
- 45 ACP ammo listings
- 308 / 7.62 ammo listings
- 12 gauge shotshell listings
Where to buy Hornady ammo
- Lucky Gunner — Fast shipping, strong Hornady selection
- MidwayUSA — Full Hornady lineup from Frontier to ELD Match
- Palmetto State Armory — Competitive pricing on popular loads
- Target Sports USA — Free shipping on case quantities
- Sportsman's Warehouse — Online and in-store
Guides & resources
- Best 9mm for concealed carry — Features Critical Defense and Critical Duty
- Best .300 BLK subsonic — Features Hornady Black
- Best 6.5 Creedmoor for long range — Features ELD Match
- FMJ vs hollow point — Covers Critical Defense bullet design