OK, you’ve purchased the fur gun of your dreams and topped it with high-quality optics — the best you could afford. Maybe even fitted it with a high-quality suppressor. Your dream of filling the bed of your pickup truck with prime fur will finally come to fruition. Not necessarily so. All of that is for naught if you feed that rifle substandard ammunition. Even the highest-quality rifles can be finicky when it comes to ammo, and it behooves you to try several options before settling on the one that squeezes every ounce of accuracy from your rifle. Only when you stuff your favorite hunting rifle full of the best premium ammunition you can get their hands on will you reap the full benefits of its accuracy and terminal performance potential. Here are a few that might put you on the road to better shooting.
Black Hills Ammunition 10mm HoneyBadger
The Black Hills 10mm HoneyBadger bullet has deep flutes designed for optimum terminal performance without reliance on hollow points. It penetrates deeply, cutting through bone and muscle to get to the vitals. The sharp frontal edges of the solid copper bullet enhance efficient penetration, the flutes then gather, redirect and accelerate the tissue radially from the bullet, creating damage comparable or superior to a hollow point design. The 10mm load produces a velocity of 1,600 fps from a 5-inch handgun. Additionally, penetration in 10 percent ballistic gelatin is over 50 percent greater than that of hollow points while generating larger wound cavities.
MSRP: NA
Federal Varmint & Predator V-Max
Now there are even more options for gunning down everything from prairie dogs to coyotes. Federal Premium has added 55-grain .22-250 Rem. (.255 BC) and 75-grain .243 Win. (.330 BC) offerings to its Federal Varmint & Predator ammunition lineup. The .22-250 Rem. version has a muzzle velocity of 3,670 fps and the .243 Win. leaves the barrel at 3,375 fps. Both bring the consistent accuracy and explosive expansion of the proven Hornady V-Max bullet, loaded with Federal’s extremely reliable brass, primer and propellant. Priced for high-volume shooters, Varmint & Predator ammunition is available in 20-, 40 and 100-count packs.
MSRP: $24.99-$138.99
Fort Scott Munitions .260 Rem. TUI
Fort Scott Munitions 123-grain .260 Rem. TUI match grade ammo features a solid copper 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. 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: $50.35/Box of 20
Hornaday .223 Rem. 53-grain V-Max Varmint Express
Hornady’s .223 Rem. 53-grain V-Max Varmint Express combines a high ballistic coefficient with the ultra-flat trajectory of Superformance ammunition, making it an exceptional option for hunting coyotes. Superformance Varmint ammunition delivers muzzle velocity increases of 100 to 200 feet per second over standard ammunition for increased accuracy, increased range, flatter trajectory, less wind drift and devastating terminal results. Featuring a polymer-tipped Hornady V-Max bullet that delivers match accuracy and rapid fragmentation, Superformance Varmint ammunition extends current varmint cartridge efficiency and performance. Optimal results are achieved in all firearms, and Superformance Varmint ammunition is safe to use in all action types, including semi-autos.
MSRP: $33.81/Box of 20
HSM Varmint Blue .223 Rem.
For avid predator/varmint hunters who favor the popular .223 Rem. round, HSM offers its Varmint Blue ammunition, meticulously crafted with premium components for consistent accuracy and terminal performance. Clean burning, temperature-stable powder allows for consistent velocity and performance, but the magic of Varmint Blue lies in HSM’s exclusive 55-grain Sierra Blitz King Blue Thrill polymer tip. This bullet leaves the barrel at 3,120 fps, creating 1,189 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle and is an excellent choice for AR-platform rifles as well as traditional predator guns. The 55-grain .223 Rem. is HSM’s initial offering in this line, with more calibers on the way.
MSRP: $30.99/Box of 20
Olympia Shot .22-caliber Flat-Nose Slug
New from Olympia Shot is the 25-grain .22-caliber Olympia Slug OS. Due to the heavy weight of the pellets, they are designed for use in high-powered airguns only — PCP air rifles that produce at least 25 joules of energy (they achieve the best results, in air rifles that produce between 40 to 60 joules of energy). Olympia Slug OS pellets are not recommended or suitable for break-barrel airguns. They are manufactured utilizing the highest quality machinery and components, tested after production to ensure precision, quality and accuracy. Slug OS pellets are extremely accurate — precisely hitting targets at distances of 50, 100 or even 200 yards with considerable energy due to the flat nose. Distributed by Predator Distribution. MSRP: $15.99/250 count.
Remington .223 Rem. AccuTip-V
Optimized to deliver superior match-grade accuracy and maximum downrange energy whenever and wherever it’s needed, the Remington .223 Rem. 55-grain AccuTip-V is specially engineered for varmint and predator hunting, AccuTip-V bullets are optimized for match-grade accuracy and explosive on-game results. At impact, its gold polymer tip — which eliminates nose deformation and ensures accuracy — is driven rearward, causing the thin jacket and soft lead core to fragment violently and transfer maximum force to the target. The sleek bullet profile with a high ballistic coefficient for flat trajectory delivers reliable long-range performance at all shot distances.
MSRP: $28.99/Box of 20
Sierra Prairie Enemy
Prairie Enemy ammunition from Sierra is designed to deliver the match grade accuracy and devastating explosive performance for the most demanding varmint and predator hunters. This ammo uses some of the best components available, including nickel-plated cases to help with reliable feeding in semi-autos. The Prairie Enemy .223 Rem. offering utilizes the 55-grain BlitzKing bullet that has terrorized varmints for years — with a high ballistic coefficient (.271 BC) and high velocity. Known for superior accuracy and devastating expansion, the 55-grain BlitzKing will perform to high standards shot after shot.
MSRP: $37.99/Box of 20
