Black Hills .300 Blackout Dual-Performance
Nothing has a greater impact on hunting success than bullet performance — pun intended. And that’s why it is so important that predator hunters feed their favorite rifles the very best ammunition they can get their hands on. And for factory-loaded ammunition it begins and ends on the business end of the cartridge — with the bullet. A bullet’s effectiveness for anchoring everything from coyotes to wild hogs is determined by four factors: velocity, penetration, expansion and accuracy. Ammo manufacturers address this by using high-quality components and effective bullet design and construction. The desired result is more fur in the bed of the pickup. Velocity, of course, is the measurement of the speed at which a bullet leaves the barrel and then travels to its destination, measured in feet per second. This is determined by a combination of factors including the type of gun and ammunition used, as well as atmospheric conditions such as humidity, temperature and altitude. The higher the velocity, the quicker it will travel downrange, which, in turn, affects trajectory and wind drift. Penetration and expansion — terminal performance — are the result of bullet design and the materials used. Hunting thin skinned predators such as coyotes, foxes and bobcats requires finesse — bullets that don’t cause excessive fur damage. Hunting stout, powerful big-game animals such as wild hogs and black bears requires ammunition loaded with bullets that pack a significant punch, ensuring a quick, clean kill. Bullets come in a wide assortment of flavors — ballistic tip, jacketed soft points, jacketed hollow points, all copper, bonded, etc. — each with their fans and foes. It’s up to you to pick the ammo that is best suited for your specific needs. And, of course, all is for naught if shot placement is less than precise. When selecting predator hunting ammunition, it is important to choose a reputable brand and then experiment until you find the “silver bullet” that performs best in your specific firearm.
Apex Predator TSS
Shotshells designed for predator hunting traditionally meant massive lead pellets and a low pattern count, which unfortunately delivered limited performance. Not anymore. Suitable for anchoring wild hogs and all sorts of predators, Predator TSS Shotgun Ammunition from Apex turns any shotgun into a big-game/predator hunting machine. Apex’s Predator TSS loads — available in Nos. 4, 2 and BB shot sizes in 20- and 12-gauge 2.75- 3- and 3.5-inch loads — capitalize on superior density to deliver extended range and penetration while maximizing pattern retention. MSRP: $44.99-$68.99
Barnes Ammunition .223 Rem. JHP BT
The 55-grain JHP Boattail Multi-purpose Ammo offering from Barnes Ammunition produces a muzzle velocity of 3,240 fps and has a BC of .225, designed to deliver impressive downrange accuracy and terminal performance, a great choice for hunters who are pursuing varmints and predators. Constructed with premium components under stringent quality control, its jacketed, lead core bullet has Barnes precision in its DNA, engineered to help hunters/shooters realize their highest potential as a marksman. This ammunition is non-corrosive, in boxer-primed, reloadable brass cases carefully engineered for maximum versatility. Other JHP BT offerings from Barnes include .243 Win., 6.5 Creedmoor, .270 Win., .308 Win. and .300 Blackout. MSRP: $24.99/Box of 20
Benjamin Airguns Match Grade Domed .177-inch Pellets
Benjamin Airguns Domed .177-caliber Single-die 10.5-grain Match Grade Pellet is meticulously crafted in the USA to meet the demands of discerning shooters who seek pin-point accuracy. This precision engineered pellet features a radically improved ballistic coefficient that ensures higher downrange energy, a flatter trajectory and reduced wind drift. Precision is paramount, and these pellets are engineered with tighter tolerances and manufactured using a single-die. This unique approach ensures consistent dimensions and uniformity — made with a special lead wire alloy that ensures consistency and exceptional performance. The advanced design optimizes aerodynamics, enhancing flight stability, trajectory and accuracy, delivering an exceptional shooting performance. Retail: $19.99/Tin of 500
Black Hills .300 Blackout Dual-Performance (pictured above)
With precision machining of solid copper it’s possible to produce projectiles that accomplish things not possible with conventional lead core projectiles. Black Hills Ammunition’s .300 Blackout 198-grain Subsonic Dual Performance Ammunition not only expands to provide good terminal performance, after expansion its three expanded petals separate from the shank of the projectile to cut three separate wound tracks, further increasing its terminal effectiveness. The shank of the projectile then continues on to penetrate to around 20 inches as demonstrated in 10 percent ballistic gelatin. The 198-grain Subsonic Dual Performance load produces 1,050 fps muzzle velocity and generates 539 foot-pounds of energy. MSRP: NA
CCI Clean-22 Hyper Velocity Rimfire Ammo
Now predator and varmint hunters can get all the benefits of CCI’s exclusive Clean-22 technology with the flat trajectories and power of an extreme-velocity load. CCI Clean-22 Hyper Velocity .22-caliber rimfire loads clock in at 1,550 fps, while an advanced polymer coating on the 31-grain lead round nose bullet reduces fouling in the barrel without leaving residue, and cutting lead buildup in suppressors by up to 60 to 80 percent. The bullet provides optimized bullet geometry for improved accuracy and high-velocity loading and reliable function in semi-automatic firearms. MSRP: $10.99/Box of 50
Federal Ammunition Power-Shok Buckshot No. 1 Buck
Hunters who like the option of hunting feral hogs, predators and big game with a scattergun have a great ammunition option in Federal Ammunition’s Power-Shok No. 1 Buck 12-gauge shotshell offering. The powerhouse 16-pellet shotshell provides optimal patterns and devastating terminal performance thanks to its Triple Plus wad system, which provides better shot alignment, granulated plastic buffer that minimizes shot deformation for tight downrange patterns and quality lead pellets. These 2.75-inch magnum loads generate a muzzle velocity of 1,325 fps. $9.99/Box of five
Fiocchi .223 Rem. Hyperformance Hunt
Fiocchi has added another specialized cartridge to its Hyperformance Hunt series — a .223 Rem. load designed for lights out performance on predators and varmints. The new cartridge is built on the same foundation as all centerfire cartridges in the Hyperformance Hunt line — top-quality brass cases, reliable primers, carefully selected powder to ensure shot-to-shot accuracy and precision-manufactured bullets that deliver exceptional terminal performance. What separates the Hyperformance Hunt .223 Rem. from the pack is its lead-free hollow point projectile — part of Fiocchi’s EnviroShield initiative. The Barnes Varmint Grenade bullet is based on a frangible copper-tin powdered metal core surrounded by a hollow point gilding metal jacket, designed to fragment quickly while delivering devastating terminal performance that leaves pelts relatively undamaged. MSRP: $26.99/Box of 50
Fort Scott Munitions .243 Rem. TUI
Fort Scott Munitions 70-grain .243 Rem. TUI Match Grade Ammo features a non-lead solid copper spun SCS bullet engineered to tumble upon impact to provide devastating terminal performance and is precision machined and loaded with the utmost care within tight tolerances for dependable accuracy. TUI bullets are machined from solid copper or brass rods on a CNC lathe with quality control parameters that require tight tolerances for consistency with every pull of the trigger. Upon entry into soft tissue the TUI projectile begins to tumble, causing a high degree of energy transfer and massive internal damage. And the solid copper projectile provides hunters with the freedom to pursue wild game where lead ammo is prohibited.
MSRP: $42.14/Box of 20
Hornady .300 Blackout 190-Grain Sub-X
Hornady Subsonic Ammunition — designed for accuracy and performance below the speed of sound — comes in both rifle and handgun loads and is now available in a 190-grain .300 Blackout offering. The Sub-X bullet used in Subsonic Rifle loads features a lead core. Long grooves in its gilding metal jacket combine with the bullet’s flat profile and the Flex Tip insert within its hollow point cavity to help it expand reliably at low velocities. Powders are selected for optimal performance and consistency from lot to lot. Hornady Subsonic Ammunition doesn’t have the loud report of a supersonic round, and paired with a suppressor, it’s even quieter. Unique powders optimized for subsonic use result in a low flash signature. MSRP: $40.45/Box of 20
HSM Ammunition Tipping Point 2
HSM’s Tipping Point 2 Ammunition combines the Hornady SST (Super Shock Tip) bullet with HSM’s 50+ years of crafting highly accurate and reliable ammunition. This bullet features an HSM orange polymer tip that upon impact drives into the lead core like a wedge, initiating lightning-fast yet controlled expansion. Its secant ogive design, the tapered point, increased bearing surface and more aerodynamic profile combined with a boattail base makes the SST more efficient with less drag and greater stability. The new Tipping Point 2 is flat shooting and deadly accurate, and the Hornady SST bullet creates a devastatingly large wound channel. It is available in .243 Win., 6.5mm Creedmoor, .270 Win., 7mm-08 Rem., .308 Win. and .30-06 Springfield. MSRP: $34.99-$75.99
JSB Match Diabolo Hades Airgun Pellets
JSB Diabolo Hades .25-caliber 26.54-grain Airgun Pellets combine the pellet maker’s most accurate diabolo-shaped pellet with a devastating impact opening design that turns the head of the pellet into a terminal blender of destruction. This ensures massive takedown power with a traumatic wound channel for quick and humane kills. It provides a great projectile option for hunting coyotes, foxes, bobcats, racoons and all sorts of mid-sized to larger small game — a must have airgun load for hunting this season. MSRP: $24.99/Tin of 300
Wilson Combat .300 HAM’R Controlled Chaos
This .300 HAM’R Lehigh Defense Controlled Chaos offering from Wilson Combat pushes a 110-grain Lehigh Controlled Chaos bullet to 2,650 fps for devastating terminal performance while producing precision accuracy. Upon impact, four petals break off the deep penetrating base of the bullet creating massive tissue damage. An effective load for hunting and self defense, the 110-grain Lehigh Controlled Chaos bullet generates 1,717 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle from an 18-inch barrel. Developed by Bill Wilson of Wilson Combat, the .300 HAM’R is based on a slightly shortened .223/5.56 case, optimized to get the most terminal effects possible out of a standard AR-15 rifle. MSRP: $34.14/Box of 20
