Hornady's Black 5.56 NATO load brings military DNA to the civilian market. Pushing a 62-grain FMJ at 3060 fps, it hits with authority – delivering 1289 ft-lbs of energy that'll make steel targets sing. That velocity puts it right in the sweet spot for duty-grade performance, while the bullet weight plays perfectly with modern barrel twist rates. Think of it as the middle child that got all the good genes.

For defensive carbine work, this load checks all the boxes without trying to reinvent the wheel. The 62-grain projectile strikes an ideal balance between barrier penetration and energy transfer, giving you confidence whether you're dealing with walls, windshields, or anything in between. It's particularly effective in SBRs and other shorter-barreled platforms where maintaining sufficient velocity can be challenging. The consistency from round to round means your zero stays put, even when the pressure's on.

This isn't boutique ammunition that'll collect dust waiting for the perfect moment – it's built for serious training. The moderate recoil impulse keeps you on target during rapid strings, while the reliable feeding geometry works across platforms from vintage A2s to modern PDWs. Save your match grade stuff for competition; this is the load you stock deep for those high-round-count training days when you need reliability without compromise. After all, the best ammunition in the world is useless if you haven't practiced with it.