Hornady's Frontier 208-grain FMJ Subsonic comes from the line Hornady sells for plinking, target shooting and training. Its full metal jacket bullet is a plain range bullet with no tip or hollow point. Hornady rates it at 1,025 fps, under the speed of sound, with 485 ft-lbs of energy. Hornady measured that speed in a 24-inch test barrel, so a shorter carbine barrel will give somewhat less.

Compared with Hornady's Black 208-grain ELD Match, the Frontier carries the same bullet weight, starts 5 fps faster and has 5 ft-lbs more energy at the muzzle. Hornady gives the ELD Match's 1,020 fps from a 16-inch barrel, though, so that 5 fps edge may not hold in a carbine. Compared with Sellier & Bellot's 200-grain Subsonic FMJ, the Frontier starts 35 fps slower, though its bullet is 8 grains heavier.

Buy the Frontier if you want a heavy full metal jacket subsonic load for plinking and target practice. Pick the ELD Match if you want Hornady's polymer-tipped match bullet at the same weight; Hornady markets it for target and match shooting. Pick the S&B if you want the faster start from a load Sellier & Bellot markets for range and match shooting. Pick Hornady's 190-grain Sub-X if you need an expanding bullet, since Hornady markets it for personal defense. Ammo Inc's 220-grain Stelth carries a heavier bullet and 504 ft-lbs at the muzzle.