Preview: Hornady Backcountry Defense

by
posted on March 30, 2025
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
Hornady Backcountry Defense
Photo courtesy of Hornady.com.

Understanding the target medium is critical in designing ammunition with terminal performance that can be relied upon—something Hornady ballisticians know all too well—and the company’s new Backcountry Defense line is designed specifically for personal protection in the backcountry.

Capped with Hornady’s new, heavy-for-caliber Dangerous Game Handgun (DGH) bullet featuring a unique cup-and-core interlock, this new ammunition is crafted to deliver maximum straight-line penetration with limited deflection, driving deep through bone and stopping the threat of charging predators.

Loadings for 9 mm Luger and .357 Mag. come in 25-count packages, while 10 mm Auto, .44 Mag., .454 Casull, .460 S&W Mag. and .500 S&W Mag. come in 20-count boxes.

Suggested retail price range for aforementioned loads is from $38 to $98.

For more information, visit hornady.com.

Latest

Beretta Ruger Reach Agreement F
Beretta Ruger Reach Agreement F

Beretta and Ruger Agree to Partnership

Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. and Beretta Holding S.A. have announced that both companies are entering into a strategic cooperation agreement.

Return of the Encore: T/C Arms Brings Back Its Iconic Single-Shot

In 2024, former owner Gregg Ritz purchased Thompson/Center Arms. Now the company has introduced a modern take on its classic Contender/Encore concept: the ENCORE PROHunter.

7 New ARs for 2026

While it's certainly a saturated marketplace these days, the AR-15 has never been more popular with American firearm enthusiasts, and many manufacturers are continuing to feed the need with new options loaded with new features.

The Drawbacks of Being a Numbers-Oriented Gun Guy

Like any hobby or pastime that is in any way even vaguely related to machines or technology, firearms attract a (possibly) disproportionate number of “right-brained,” STEM-oriented personalities who like numbers.

First Look: MDT Hand Cannon Slingshot

Slingshots are fun, but they can also be a legitimate backup defensive tool—in 2023, a 13-year-old Michigan boy saved his 8-year-old sister from being kidnapped by using a $3 slingshot to fire a marble and a rock at the assailant, striking him in the chest and head.

The LCP Meets Magpul: Ruger's LCP Max with Magpul's EHG

Over the years, Ruger has enhanced its LCP with the introduction of the LCP II and LCP Max. New for 2026, Ruger is offering a new version of the LCP Max with the addition of a Magpul Enhanced Handgun Grip.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.