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Accurate, Deadly, Dependable – the company’s slogan well describes its products. Since its very beginning, Hornady was committed to offering bullets and ammunition that excel in the applications they are designed to be used in. Hornady Manufacturing Company is currently one of the leading companies that develops and manufactures ammunition, bullets and reloading equipment. Being a family-owned business, Hornady is the largest privately owned ammunition manufacturer in the world.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
- Introduction/Overview
- Products
- History
- Locations/Facilities
- Competition/Training
- TFB News/Reviews
- Where To Buy
1. Introduction/Overview
If you have ever been shopping for ammunition, whether in your local gun store or online, the chances are high that you came across a box with the big red H logo. Hornady is indeed a very large manufacturer of hunting, competition and defensive ammunition and its products can be found virtually anywhere. The company also constantly pushes the boundaries of the ammunition and projectile design by introducing dozens of new products each year.
2. Products
Hornady products are divided into the following main categories: Ammunition, Bullets, Muzzleloading, Reloading, and Security. Hornady also owns the SnapSafe which products are marketed under the SnapSafe brand. There is also a separate Hornady LE website dedicated to the products for law enforcement. Another Hornady product is the weather meter developed in cooperation with Kestrel and marketed in a separate website.
HORNADY AMMUNITION
Hornady Ammunition line includes four categories – Rifle, Handgun, Rimfire, Shotgun. Each of these categories has a number of caliber and load options designed for virtually every need including hunting (from varmint to dangerous game and everything in between), target shooting and self-defense. Different products of Hornady ammunition are also grouped in product lines designed to better suit each of the mentioned applications.
Hornady has also developed or co-developed with other companies a number of cartridges such as the .30 TC, 6.5mm Creedmoor, 6mm Creedmoor, .300 PRC, 6.5mm PRC, .375 Ruger, .376 Steyr, .416 Ruger, .204 Ruger, .300 RCM, .338 RCM, .308 Marlin Express, .338 Marlin Express, .450 Marlin, .450 Bushmaster, .480 Ruger, .17 HM2, .17 HMR etc.
Hornady Rifle Ammunition includes 94 different cartridges – from .17 Hornet to .50 BMG and every popular cartridge in between. The cartridges and loads are categorized in 21 product lines: American Gunner, American Whitetail, Critical Defense, Custom, Custom Lite, Custom International, Dangerous Game Series, Frontier, Full Boar, Hornady BLACK, LEVERevolution, Match, Outfitter, Precision Hunter, Subsonic, Superformance, Superformance International, Superformance Match, Superformance Varmint, Varmint Express, Vintage Match.
Cutaway of a LEVERevolution cartridge. This ammunition line really was a revolution for the lever action rifle world and evolution of lever gun cartridge design. The Hornady Flex Tip technology incorporated into the design of FTX and MonoFlex bullets provides a flexible polymer tip which makes the bullets have streamlined ballistically superior profile but at the same time remain safe to be loaded into tubular magazines eliminating the risk of detonating the primer of the cartridge in the magazine by the pointed Spitzer bullet of the cartridge sitting behind it.
Hornady Handgun Ammunition currently includes 24 different cartridges including the 410 bore loaded to be used in 410 revolvers such as the Taurus Judge or Smith & Wesson Governor. The company loads handgun ammunition for most popular pistol and revolver calibers – from .25 Auto to .500 S&W Magnum. As in the case of rifle ammunition, Hornady handgun ammunition can also be grouped in different product lines which in this case are the following eight: American Gunner, Cowboy, Critical Defense, Critical Duty, Custom, LEVERevolution, Subsonic, Handgun Hunter.
Cutaway of a Critical Duty cartridge. This line of handgun ammunition is loaded with FlexLock bullets and it is designed to be used in full-size handguns providing both good barrier penetration and expansion. For the use in short barreled concealed carry firearms, the Critical Defense line is a more suitable option.
Hornady Rimfire Ammunition consists of the following four cartridge offerings: .17 Mach 2, .17 HMR, .17 WSM and .22 WMR. Almost every Hornady rimfire cartridge belongs to their Varmint Express Rimfire product line with the exception of one .22 WMR Critical Defense load designed to be used in .22 WMR handguns. Currently, the company does not have a .22 S/L/LR offering listed on their website.
Hornady rimfire cartridges loaded with V-MAX® and NTX® bullets make great varmint loads.
Hornady Shotgun Ammunition includes 12 gauge and 20 gauge shotgun loads within the product lines of American Gunner, American Whitetail, Critical Defense, Custom Lite, Heavy Magnum Shotgun, Hornady BLACK, Superformance, SST Slugs, and Varmint Express. Technically, Hornady also makes 410 bore loads, but as mentioned earlier, those are designed primarily to be used in revolvers and are listed in handgun ammunition category. The company offers loads with buckshot and slugs for hunting and defensive applications.
12 GA American Whitetail® Slug with 325 gr InterLock® saboted slug
HORNADY BULLETS
Next category of Hornady products are the bullets. The company offers a wide variety of projectiles made for rifles, handguns and shotguns. This company actually started as a bullet manufacturer and they excel in developing and manufacturing high-quality projectiles with cutting edge materials and technologies.
Hornady Rifle Bullets are offered for 29 different calibers (from .17 to .50) and in the following 19 product lines: A-MAX, A-TIP Match, DGS, DGX Bonded, ELD-X, ELD Match, FMJ, FTX, GMX, InterBond, InterLock, Match, MonoFlex, NTX, SST, Traditional, V-MAX, Varmint, Sub-X.
Cutaway of a Hornady A-TIP Match bullet. This series of projectiles was introduced in April 2019. It is designed to provide an ultimate long range accuracy and features machined aluminum tip. These bullets are also sequentially packaged.
Hornady Handgun Bullets offer 15 caliber options in the following seven product lines: Traditional, XTP, HAP, FMJ, FTX, Lead Bullets, XTP Mag.
Cutaway of the Hornady XTP handgun bullet. The jacket extending over the nose protects the nose of the bullet and ensures reliable feeding in semi-auto firearms. The controlled expansion is achieved via the varying thickness of the jacket.
Besides the rifle and handgun bullets, Hornady also offers Buckshot (#4, 00 and 000), Gas Checks and Muzzleloading projectiles.
HORNADY RELOADING
Since the acquisition of Pacific Tool Company in 1971, Hornady started to manufacture reloading equipment, too. Today their reloading products include Reloading Presses & Accessories, Reloading Dies & Accessories (including custom made and match grade dies), Precision Measuring Equipment (scales, gauges, tools, etc.), Case Care Equipment (lubricants, tumblers, case preparation tools, etc.), Cartridge Cases as well as the Hornady Reloading Handbook.
The lineup of Hornady reloading presses
One of the distinctive features of Hornady presses that worths mentioning is the Lock-N-Load technology that allows to quickly insert and remove the dies into the presses thanks to the quick detach Lock-N-Load bushings that the dies are threaded in. Here is how this technology works:
How Lock-N-Load® Works
The patented Hornady® Lock-N-Load® System is as Easy as 1-2-3
- 1. Insert the Lock-N-Load® die bushing into the press bushing and lock it into place with a twist. The six locking lugs on the die and press bushings will hold it securely in position.
- 2. Insert your standard die with 7/8″-14 threads into the Lock-N-Load®bushing.
- 3. Adjust the die to the proper position and lock your setting into the place with Hornady’s unique Sure-Loc™ lock ring.
HORNADY SECURITY
Lastly, Hornady also manufactures security products including gun safes and accessories. Their gun safes are offered in different product categories that include the RAPiD Safes, Keyed Safes, Lock Boxes, and they also sell Security Accessories such as gunsafe dehumidifiers, gun racks and hangers, RFID accessories, etc. In 2015 Hornady acquired the SnapSafe but these products remain marketed under the SnapSafe brand.
RAPiD safes use the RFID technology and will swiftly open and provide quick access to the weapon in a matter of touch-free unlocking via RFID tags built in keyfobs, decals or wristbands. Currently, Hornady offers six different RAPiD safes designed for handguns, rifles, shotguns as well as one dedicated for use in vehicles.
3. History
Hornady Manufacturing was established in 1949 by Joyce Hornady. The company was started with the philosophy of “Ten bullets through one hole” and was aimed to offer high-quality bullets that the post-war market demanded. Started as a two-man operation in a rented garage, Hornady now occupies over 400,000 square feet of space and has over 500 employees.
Joyce Hornady
Here is a timeline of the company events:
1949 – Joyce Hornady founds the company.
1950-1953 – During the Korean War, Hornady manufactures various military contract products.
1958 – The company moves to a new facility (the current location). The number of employees is increased to 40.
1964 – Hornady launches the Frontier Ammunition and starts making ammunition using military surplus cases.
1970 – Steve Hornady, Joyce’s youngest son, joins the company.
1971 – Hornady acquires the Pacific Tool Company which becomes the base of starting the reloading equipment line.
1981 – Joyce Hornady was tragically killed when the company’s plane crashed. Steve Hornady becomes the president of the company.
1983 – Frontier Ammunition is renamed to Hornady Custom Ammunition, Pacific Reloading Tools is renamed to Hornady Reloading Tools and these two ventures along with the Hornady Bullets are merged into one corporation – Hornady Manufacturing Company.
1984 – Hornady starts manufacturing cartridge case in-house.
2000 – Hornady acquires 3D Ammunition.
2006 – Steve Hornady’s son Jason Hornady joins the company as a Director of Sales and later Vice President.
2011 – Hornady adds a new 110,000 square feet facility.
2013 – Hornady Security division is launched.
2015 – Hornady acquires the SnapSafe.
2018 – Hornady West Facility is opened in Grand Island, Nebraska.
To learn more about the history of Hornady Manufacturing Company, watch the following video.
4. Locations/Facilities
Hornady Manufacturing Company
3625 West Old Potash Hwy
Grand Island, NE 68803
USA
Phone: 1-800-338-3220
Phone: 308-382-1390
Fax: 308-382-5761
Website: www.hornady.com
5. Competition/Training
Hornady sponsors a number of sportsmen in various competition disciplines. Here is a quote from the company’s website describing their activity in the competition shooting world:
Hornady® is proud to sponsor some of the most successful competitive shooters in the industry.
Our sponsored shooters represent Hornady® Manufacturing across the nation and the world. The top competitors in 3-Gun, Benchrest, Action Pistol and High Power competitions rely on Hornady® products to deliver the accuracy and consistency needed to win time after time. We are proud to endorse them and their efforts industry-wide.
6. TFB News/Reviews
7. Where to Buy
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Images from www.hornady.com
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