5.45×39 – 60 Grain V-MAX – Hornady BLACK – 500 Rounds

This is not AR-15 ammunition. 5.45×39 is designed for the Russian AK-74.

Most of us would agree that Russia’s steel-cased ammo can get the job done at the rifle range. But when you’re doing something extremely important – such as defending the lives of your family members, or hunting varmints – it can’t do any harm to bank on ammo made by one of our country’s greatest manufacturers.

This 5.45×39 cartridge from Hornady’s BLACK label features their 60 grain V-MAX. It’s arguably the most popular varmint hunting bullet in America, with a sharp polymer tip and match grade AMP jacket that give this particular bullet a G1 ballistic coefficient of 0.285. Once fired from a 16” barrel it retains enough velocity to strike a 300 yard target with nearly 500 ft lbs of energy.

The V-MAX’s tip is actually situated over a deep nose cavity. On impact its tail briefly rams inward until connecting with the bullet’s swaged lead core, thus initiating rapid fragmentation. The V-MAX’s terminal effect is explosive even following lower velocity impact, making it effective for a variety of hunting and tactical applications alike.

Hornady’s BLACK line of ammunition is also versatile, as it’s designed to run smoothly through pretty much any rifle capable of chambering it. Hornady’s brass is always worth holding onto for handloading, and their primers are well-made to prevent “clicks” when there should have been “bangs.”