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Hornady Subsonic 45-70 Govt 410 Gr Sub-X

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Ammo Reports Team 8 45-70 Government

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Hornady Subsonic 45-70 Govt 410 Gr Sub-X (Box)

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Ballistics Table – 100-Yard Zero

Calculated reference – not manufacturer data. G1 point-mass reference using BC 0.285, 1,075 fps muzzle velocity, 410 gr bullet, 100-yard zero and 1.5-inch sight height. Atmosphere: sea level, 59 F, 29.92 inHg, dry air, no wind. The 25-yard rows use shape-preserving interpolation between calculated 50-yard outputs.

Key takeaway: This table is a trajectory reference under the stated conditions, not a terminal-performance test or a recommended maximum hunting range.

The Sub-X Bullet and Why This Load Exists

Hornady designed the Sub-X as a subsonic expanding, lead-core bullet with a Flex Tip. Item 82742 is rated at 1,075 fps. No universal expansion guarantee or minimum impact velocity for this exact factory load was verified.

The 45-70 Government cartridge has an unusually broad velocity window, having been originally designed for black powder at around 1,350 fps and later downloaded for lever-action use. This flexibility makes it one of the few rifle cartridges that can be loaded to a genuinely subsonic standard while still driving a 410 gr projectile — a mass that carries enough sectional density and momentum to perform on large game at close range even without high velocity. Hornady’s decision to build a subsonic 45-70 load around this bullet weight reflects that physics: when velocity is intentionally constrained, bullet mass and construction become the primary drivers of terminal performance.

A subsonic projectile avoids a supersonic crack only while below the local speed of sound. Muzzle blast remains. Suppression does not establish that a firearm is hearing-safe; use appropriate hearing protection. No verified decibel figure was found for this exact load and suppressor combination.

Best Uses

Good fit:

• Suppressed hunting of hogs, black bear, and whitetail deer at ranges inside 150 yards
• Close-range lever-action or single-shot rifle use where appropriate hearing protection is used
• Noise-sensitive hunting environments such as residential-adjacent properties or areas where repeated shots may disturb livestock or neighbors
• Shooters who want to run a suppressed 45-70 platform and need a factory load specified at 1,075 fps under factory test conditions
• Training and range use where reduced muzzle blast is desirable without switching calibers

Not the right tool for:

• Shots beyond 175–200 yards, where trajectory drop becomes difficult to manage reliably
• Hunting large, dangerous game (bison, Cape buffalo, brown bear) where maximum energy and penetration depth are critical — the subsonic velocity ceiling limits retained energy at distance
• Semi-automatic platforms that require supersonic pressure curves to cycle reliably — function should be verified before field use
• Shooters without a suppressor who want a quiet experience — without a can, the report reduction compared to standard 45-70 loads is modest, not dramatic
• High-volume target shooting where cost per round is a primary concern

Reliability Notes

No structured submissions yet.

Hornady publishes 1,075 fps, 1,052 ft-lbs and G1 BC 0.285 for item 82742. The factory table uses a 200-yard row but a 100-yard zero; the former assumptions of 1,050 fps and BC 0.270 have been removed. No structured, load-specific reliability test is presented here. Component details or general reputation should not be treated as proof of feeding, accuracy or absence of defects.

Competitors

Note: No direct factory competitors offer the same Sub-X Flex Tip bullet design. Most competing heavy 45-70 loads in the subsonic or near-subsonic range use hard cast flat nose projectiles optimized for penetration rather than controlled expansion. Buyers choosing between these loads are effectively choosing between two terminal performance philosophies: expanding (Sub-X) versus non-expanding (hard cast).

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