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Hornady Black 308 Winchester 155 Grain A-Max

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Hornady Black 308 Winchester 155 Grain A-Max

At a Glance

Official Specs

Note: Hornady has not published muzzle velocity, muzzle energy, or ballistic coefficient data for this specific Hornady Black 155 gr A-Max load in its current product documentation. The 155 gr A-Max projectile used in other Hornady lines carries a published G1 BC of approximately 0.440 and a G7 BC of approximately 0.225, but these figures cannot be confirmed as identical for this factory load without manufacturer confirmation. No velocity or energy values have been entered to prevent propagation of unverified data. The ballistics table below is marked as a calculated estimate using a conservative assumed muzzle velocity pending community submissions.

Hornady Black 308 Winchester 155 Grain A-Max (Box)

$34.99

in stock

Ballistics Table

Calculated estimate. Real-world results vary by barrel length, temperature, altitude, and lot. Community submissions will provide measured muzzle velocity for comparison.Assumed muzzle velocity: ~2,800 fps (conservative estimate based on comparable 155 gr .308 Win factory loads from 24" barrel). All values marked ~ to indicate unconfirmed starting point. Zero: 100 yards. Sight height: 1.5" above bore. Drag model: G1 BC ~0.440.

Key takeaway: At an assumed 2,800 fps muzzle velocity, the 155 gr A-Max stays supersonic well past 500 yards with a relatively flat trajectory to 300 yards — holding within roughly ±4 inches of line of sight when zeroed at 100 yards. The high ballistic coefficient of the A-Max projectile helps resist wind drift and retain velocity at distance compared to flat-base or lower-BC bullets of similar weight. Practical precision shooting out to 500 yards is well within this load’s design envelope, though confirmed muzzle velocity data from Hornady would sharpen these estimates considerably. Shooters using short-barreled rifles should expect meaningfully lower velocities than the table above reflects.

The Hornady A-Max Bullet and the Hornady Black Line

The Hornady A-Max is a match-grade, polymer-tipped boat-tail bullet that was developed specifically for long-range precision competition and target work. The secant ogive profile and polymer tip work together to deliver a consistent, high-BC form factor that resists deformation during feeding and maintains aerodynamic uniformity across a production run. The tip also initiates reliable expansion on impact, though this load is positioned primarily as a target and training round rather than a hunting projectile.

The Hornady Black product line is engineered around the concept of optimizing a complete cartridge — not just the bullet — for modern sporting rifles and suppressor-equipped platforms. Clean-burning propellants are selected to reduce carbon fouling and minimize muzzle flash, which is a meaningful operational advantage in low-light conditions or when shooting from enclosed positions. Internal pressure curves and bullet seating are tuned to function reliably across a range of gas-system lengths, including those found on shorter carbine-length barrels where chamber pressure timing differs from a standard 24-inch rifle barrel.

It is worth noting that Hornady has largely transitioned the A-Max lineup to the ELD-Match (Extremely Low Drag – Match) bullet in many of its precision offerings. The ELD-Match uses a heat-resistant polymer tip designed to resist aerodynamic deformation at high velocities — a failure mode that was identified in A-Max tips through Doppler radar research. Whether this specific Hornady Black SKU has been updated to ELD-Match or retains the original A-Max tip should be confirmed at point of purchase, as product transitions in factory ammunition do not always coincide with immediate packaging changes.

Best Uses

Good fit:

• Precision target shooting and long-range paper punching at 100–500 yards
• Tactical training and carbine courses where consistent performance from varying barrel lengths is required
• Suppressed rifle platforms where reduced muzzle flash and clean-burning propellants reduce residue buildup
• Competitive shooting disciplines that allow soft-point or polymer-tipped ammunition (verify ruleset before use)
• Shooters seeking a match-grade bullet in a factory load without stepping up to dedicated precision-line pricing

Not the right tool for:

• Big game hunting — the A-Max is not designed or marketed as a controlled-expansion hunting bullet for ethical terminal performance on medium or large game
• Jurisdictions or ranges that prohibit expanding or polymer-tipped ammunition
• Shooters who require published, verified ballistic data for external ballistics solvers — the absence of confirmed BC and velocity data from Hornady limits drop-chart confidence
• Budget-conscious volume shooters — at approximately $2.02 per round, this is not a high-volume practice load

Reliability Notes

No structured submissions yet.

Based on manufacturer product description and open-source user feedback from forums and shooting communities, the following observations are noted — these reflect manufacturer claims and open-source reporting, not structured data collected by AmmoReports.com:

• Hornady Black loads are described by the manufacturer as optimized for consistent cycling across AR-10 and similar semi-automatic platforms, including those with carbine and mid-length gas systems
• The clean-burning propellant formulation is specifically cited as a design priority for reduced fouling in semi-automatic actions, which is relevant for high-round-count training sessions
• The A-Max bullet’s polymer tip has been noted in open-source discussions to provide consistent seating depth and reliable feeding from box magazines in both single-stack and double-stack configurations
• No active recalls or safety notices for this load were identified at time of publication

Competitors

Price Reality

• Typical retail range: $38–$45 per 20-round box; case pricing (typically 200 rounds/10 boxes) is approximately $380–$440 when available
• Per-round cost: approximately $2.02 at the $40.49 reference price
• Federal Gold Medal Match 155 gr Sierra MatchKing runs in a nearly identical range ($38–$45), making direct price comparison between these two loads essentially a wash — the decision comes down to bullet preference and BC data availability
• Lapua Scenar-L 155 gr commands a significant premium at $55–$65 per box, offering a measurably higher BC and tighter lot-to-lot consistency that is meaningful for competition shooters
• PMC Bronze 147 gr FMJ-BT at $22–$28 per box is the clear budget alternative, though it is not a match-grade load and should not be treated as a functional substitute for precision work
• Fair price benchmark: $40–$45 per box is a reasonable market price for this load. Listings above $48 per box should be evaluated against current in-stock pricing from multiple sources before purchasing.

Prices change. Check the Where to Buy block for current listings.

Where to Buy

Hornady Black 308 Winchester 155 Grain A-Max (Box)

Hornady Black 308 Winchester 155 Grain A-Max rounds are engineered for exceptional accuracy and performance, featuring clean-burning propellants that minimize muzzle flash for enhanced shooting in various conditions.

$34.99 at Ammunitiondepot.com

Affiliate links. These do not influence ratings, data, or any editorial content on this page.

FAQ

Is the Hornady Black 155 gr A-Max the same bullet as the Hornady Match ELD-Match?No — the A-Max and the ELD-Match are distinct projectile designs, though both are match-grade polymer-tipped boat-tail bullets. The ELD-Match uses a heat-resistant tip material developed after Hornady identified through Doppler radar testing that standard polymer tips could deform aerodynamically at high velocities during flight, altering BC mid-trajectory. The A-Max tip does not incorporate this feature. For most shooters at ranges under 400 yards, the practical difference is minimal, but at extended ranges the ELD-Match is theoretically more consistent. Buyers should verify which tip is in current production stock for this Hornady Black SKU, as the product line has seen transitions.

Can this load be used for deer hunting in states where expanding ammunition is legal?While the A-Max bullet does expand on impact and has been used by some hunters in informal settings, Hornady does not market this load as a hunting cartridge, and it is not designed to the terminal performance standards of dedicated hunting bullets like the Hornady InterBond or SST. The A-Max is optimized for ballistic coefficient and accuracy, not for controlled penetration and reliable expansion across the range of impact velocities encountered in hunting scenarios. For ethical harvesting of deer-sized game, a purpose-built hunting load is the appropriate choice. Regulatory compliance also varies by jurisdiction — some states have restrictions on bullet construction for hunting that may affect this load’s legality in the field.

How does the 155 gr weight compare to the more common 168 gr .308 Win match loads?The 155 grain bullet is lighter and typically exits the barrel at higher velocity than a 168 gr load from the same powder charge, which provides a flatter trajectory at mid-range distances. However, the 168 gr Sierra MatchKing and similar bullets carry a higher BC, which helps them retain velocity and resist wind drift more effectively at distances beyond approximately 600 yards. For most practical shooting inside 500 yards, the 155 gr load competes closely with 168 gr match loads. The 155 gr class became prominent in long-range competition (specifically the Palma discipline) because of its combination of velocity and BC, and it remains a well-regarded weight class for precision work.

Does the Hornady Black line cycle reliably in AR-10 pattern rifles with suppressor-optimized gas systems?Hornady specifically engineers the Hornady Black line to function across a range of gas-system configurations, including those tuned for suppressor use where back-pressure is elevated. The clean-burning propellant selection is intended to reduce fouling accumulation in the gas system and bolt carrier group, which is a relevant consideration for suppressed semi-automatic platforms that typically run dirtier than unsuppressed rifles. That said, no factory load can guarantee reliable function across every individual gas-system tuning — adjustable gas blocks remain the most reliable solution for suppressor transitions. No structured reliability data has been submitted to AmmoReports.com for this load at this time.

Why doesn’t Hornady publish velocity or BC data for this specific Hornady Black load?This is a legitimate gap in Hornady’s published product data for certain Hornady Black SKUs. Hornady’s primary precision line (Hornady Match) carries detailed ballistic data, while some Black line products have less complete published specifications. This may reflect the line’s positioning as a general-purpose tactical and training load rather than a dedicated competition cartridge requiring certified ballistic documentation. For shooters who rely on external ballistics solvers for precise drop compensation at distance, the absence of confirmed muzzle velocity and BC data is a meaningful limitation — and it is the primary reason all ballistic table values on this page are marked as calculated estimates rather than manufacturer-confirmed figures.

Hornady Black 308 Winchester 155 Grain A-Max (Box)

$34.99

in stock