Federal Premium

You can't talk about ammunition without Federal Premium coming up. Started in 1922 in Anoka, Minnesota making shotshells, they've grown into one of the biggest ammo makers in the world. CSG (Czechoslovak Group) owns them now -- having acquired them from Vista Outdoor in 2024 -- and they still run operations out of Anoka, Minnesota -- and they're one of the few companies that still makes their own primers.

When you see "Federal Premium" on the box, you're paying extra for consistent quality control and proven terminal performance. Their HST is what most cops carry, Gold Medal Match is the benchmark for factory precision ammo, and Fusion gives you bonded bullet performance without the premium price tag.

• •Federal hit their 100th anniversary in 2022. That puts them in the same longevity class as Winchester and Remington -- companies that have survived world wars, economic crashes, and ownership changes by focusing on what works.

The big shift happened in the 1960s when they launched their "Premium" line. Instead of competing on price, they decided to compete on performance. Smart move -- it's why your local gun store stocks more Federal varieties than any other brand.

• •Federal covers everything from budget training ammo to match-grade precision loads. Here's what actually matters:

• •Gold Medal Match uses Sierra MatchKing bullets and is the factory match ammo everyone else gets measured against. Available in:

• •.223 Remington
• •.308 Winchester
• •6.5 Creedmoor
• •.300 Winchester Magnum

• •Fusion is their deer hunting workhorse. Molecularly bonded jacket means the bullet holds together instead of coming apart on impact. At around $30 a box, it's the sweet spot between performance and price for most hunters.

• •Barnes TSX and TTSX loads give you all-copper expanding bullets. Required if you hunt in California or other lead-free zones, but they work great everywhere.

Deep penetration, nearly 100% weight retention.

• •Terminal Ascent is their newest hunting line -- bonded construction with a high ballistic coefficient for longer shots. Think of it as Fusion's bigger brother.

• •Edge TLR (Terminal Long Range) is designed to expand reliably even when impact velocity drops to 1,400 fps. Good choice if you take shots past 400 yards on game.

• •HST is what the FBI carries and what wins most independent expansion tests. The Hydra-Shok Two design consistently opens up to textbook dimensions and penetrates 12-18 inches in ballistic gelatin. This is the defensive ammo to beat.

• •Punch takes HST technology and optimizes it for short barrels -- 3-inch and under. If you carry a compact or subcompact, this is worth the extra cost over standard HST.

• •Syntech uses polymer-coated bullets that eliminate metal-on-metal contact. Cleaner shooting, less fouling, reduced splash-back at indoor ranges. Popular with high-volume shooters.

• •American Eagle gives you Federal quality control at moderate prices. Good middle ground between cheap training ammo and premium stuff.

• •Federal started with shotshells in 1922, so they know what they're doing here.

• •Black Cloud for waterfowl combines steel shot with their weird FliteStopper pellets -- irregularly shaped chunks that hit harder than round pellets. The FliteControl wad keeps patterns tight at longer distances.

• •3rd Degree turkey loads put three different shot types in one shell. Sounds gimmicky but it works -- gives you close-range knockdown power and long-range reach in the same round.

Gold Medal Target for clay sports offers match-grade consistency. Top Gun gives you reliable target loads without the premium price.

• •HST expansion design replaced the old Hydra-Shok center post with a more efficient hollow point that opens reliably through barriers. It's why law enforcement switched.

• •Fusion molecular bonding creates jacket-to-core adhesion without soldering. The bullet expands but stays together instead of fragmenting. Works better than cheaper cup-and-core bullets on tough game.

• •FliteStopper pellets in Black Cloud are deliberately irregular shaped. More surface area means more energy transfer to birds. Sounds weird, kills clean.

Primer manufacturing -- Federal makes their own primers in Minnesota and Idaho. Most ammo companies buy primers from someone else. Federal's Large Rifle Magnum primers are widely considered the gold standard for handloaders.

In match rifle ammunition, Gold Medal Match competes head-to-head with Hornady Match. Both are excellent -- comes down to what your rifle likes better.

In defensive handgun ammo, HST consistently outperforms Speer Gold Dot and Hornady Critical Duty in independent testing. The FBI agrees.

In deer hunting ammo, Fusion's bonded construction gives it an edge over Hornady American Whitetail's cup-and-core bullets on tough shots.

In waterfowl loads, Black Cloud is widely preferred over Boss and Hevi-Shot by serious duck hunters.

Federal's pricing runs 20-40% higher than budget brands, but you're paying for consistency and terminal performance. For hunting and defense -- situations where the ammo absolutely has to work -- that's usually money well spent.

During shortage periods like 2020-2022, Federal prioritizes law enforcement and military contracts. Civilian availability gets squeezed hard. Keep that in mind for stocking up.

• •Federal Premium earned their reputation the hard way -- by making ammunition that works when it matters most. Their Gold Medal Match is the factory precision standard, HST is what cops carry because it performs in real gunfights, and Fusion gives hunters bonded bullet performance without breaking the bank.

Yes, you pay more for Federal. But in the three categories where they excel -- match shooting, self-defense, and hunting -- you're buying reliability when failure isn't an option.

In the three categories where they excel -- match shooting, self-defense, and hunting -- you're buying reliability when failure isn't an option.

The fact that they make their own primers (rare in the industry) and maintain strict quality control across production lots justifies the premium.

The main downside is availability during shortage periods. Federal serves military and law enforcement contracts first, which means civilian shooters get squeezed when demand spikes.

Stock up when times are good.

If you shoot competitively, carry for protection, or hunt game you've invested serious time and money to pursue, Federal Premium is worth every penny. For plinking and casual range time, their American Eagle line gives you Federal quality control without the premium price.