Ammo Specifications
More Information on Hornady .223 Remington Ammo
Hornady Superformance .223 Remington 35 Grain NTX (83266) is a specialized high-velocity varmint cartridge that combines the familiar .223 Remington case with Hornady’s lightweight, lead-free NTX projectile. Part of the Superformance Varmint line, this load is designed around very high velocity, a flat trajectory, and rapid terminal performance on small varmints and pests. With a factory-rated muzzle velocity of 4,000 feet per second, it is substantially faster than typical .223 Remington loads using conventional 50- to 55-grain bullets. Each box contains 20 rounds.
The defining component is Hornady’s 35-grain NTX bullet. NTX stands for Non-Toxic eXpanding, and the projectile was developed to provide varmint-bullet performance without a traditional lead core. Its lead-free construction makes it particularly relevant in areas where regulations restrict the use of lead ammunition. A polymer tip provides a streamlined nose and is designed to initiate expansion upon impact, while the lightweight construction allows the bullet to achieve exceptionally high velocities from the .223 Remington cartridge.
Hornady publishes a muzzle velocity of 4,000 fps and muzzle energy of 1,243 ft-lbs for item 83266. Factory ballistic figures show approximately 3,353 fps and 874 ft-lbs at 100 yards, 2,796 fps and 607 ft-lbs at 200 yards, and 2,302 fps and 412 ft-lbs at 300 yards. Hornady’s data continues to 500 yards, where the lightweight projectile has slowed considerably, illustrating that the primary advantage of this load is its exceptionally fast performance at more typical varmint distances.
The NTX projectile has a published G1 ballistic coefficient of approximately .177. Because the bullet is extremely light for the .223 Remington, it starts very fast but sheds velocity more rapidly than heavier, higher-BC projectiles. The tradeoff is an especially flat initial trajectory. With Hornady’s published 200-yard zero, trajectory is approximately 0.8 inch high at 100 yards, 5.3 inches low at 300 yards, and 17.3 inches low at 400 yards.
Superformance ammunition is designed to achieve increased velocity while remaining within appropriate pressure specifications for the cartridge. In the 83266 load, that technology is paired with the unusually light 35-grain NTX to create one of Hornady’s fastest factory .223 Remington offerings. Independent testing has also demonstrated that actual velocity varies with barrel length; one test from a 20-inch rifle produced approximately 3,660 fps compared with the 4,000-fps factory specification.
Overall, Hornady 83266 is a purpose-built varmint load distinguished by its 35-grain tipped NTX projectile, lead-free construction, 4,000-fps factory muzzle velocity, 1,243 ft-lbs of muzzle energy, and 20-round packaging. It provides a notably different ballistic profile from conventional 55-grain .223 ammunition, emphasizing exceptional speed and a flat short-to-medium-range trajectory while providing a non-lead projectile for varmint applications.
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