Load Up: The Best New Ammunition for 2025

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Rifles and shotguns are important tools of the hunting trade, but if you’re going to be successful in the field this year, good ammunition is a must. This year there’s a long list of fantastic new loads for every pursuit, and there’s even a brand-new cartridge that incorporates cutting-edge technology. No matter whether you’re looking for shotshells, centerfire rifle ammo or even bear-defense handgun loads, you’ll find what you need here on Petersen’s Hunting roundup of the best new ammunition for hunters in 2025.

Federal 7mm Backcountry Cartridge

The big news at Federal Premium is their brand-new 7mm Backcountry cartridge. Before you roll your eyes at yet another 7mm ammo offering, let me emphasize that this is a innovatively different hunting cartridge. The 7mm Backcountry pushes a 170-grain bullet at 3,000 feet per second from a 20-inch barrel using a case that is similar in overall size to a .280 Remington. The secret to the 7mm BC’s success is the use of Peak Alloy steel cases. Peak Alloy steel—which is used in aerospace and auto racing industries—is a totally different composition than the traditional steels used to make low-cost ammunition. Instead, it allows for safely increased pressure and provides performance that’s unrivaled by brass case ammunition and the cartridge’s smaller diameter increases magazine capacity compared to larger brass-cased 7mm magnums. The cases are nickel plated for smooth operation and there are five initial load offerings including 155 and 170-grain Federal Terminal Ascent, 195-grain Berger Elite Hunter, 168-grain Barnes LRX and 175-grain Federal Fusion Tipped. In addition, a number of rifle manufacturers including Ruger, Gunwerks, Seekins, Christensen Arms, Savage, Weatherby and others are all offering rifles chambered for this round. I tested the 170-grain Terminal Ascent load while elk hunting in Texas and found that the terminal performance was simply outstanding. Federalpremium.com

Hornady Backcountry Defense Pistol Loads

For 2025 Hornady is launching a brand-new handgun load called Backcountry Defense, which is designed for use against North America’s largest, most dangerous predators. Backcountry Defense is loaded with Hornady’s new DGH (Dangerous Game Handgun) bullet which utilizes a protected point for deep, straight-line penetration and maximum stopping power. Unlike hard cast bullets that produce lead smoke that make follow-up shots difficult, the DGH is a copper-jacketed lead core bullet. Available in 9mm Luger, 10mm Auto, .357 magnum, .44 magnum, .454 Casull, .460 Smith & Wesson Magnum, and .500 Smith & Wesson Magnum, Backcountry defense offers an ideal load for your pistol or big bore revolver when you’re hunting in bear country. The number of conflicts between hunters and grizzlies has risen over the last decade, so it’s important to have a backup gun loaded with ammunition designed for deep penetration and maximum stopping power, which is precisely what Hornady’s new Backcountry Defense offers. Hornady.com

APEX Ammunition .410 Blended TSS

APEX Ammunition is adding a new .410 blended TSS load to their Greenleaf Turkey line of shotshells, and it promises to provide the most gobbler-thumping performance possible from your sub-gauge shotgun. Each 3-inch load holds 7/8ths ounces of blended #9 and #10 TSS pellets inside APEX’s Tungsten Propulsion Wad System. The Tungsten Propulsion Wad is designed specifically for use with TSS and produces tight, consistent patterns at ranges never thought possible with a .410 shotgun. With a mass of 18.1 grams per cubic centimeter, TSS is about 60% denser than lead. This allows for smaller pellets to carry more energy, and it also results in more pellets per round. The new Apex Turkey .410 load holds 92 #9 pellets and 272 #10 pellets for superb terminal performance. I’ve hunted turkeys with APEX’s Greenleaf 28-gauge load and was astounded by the performance, and I have no doubts that the new .410 load will work wonders in a lightweight, sub-gauge turkey shotgun. Apexammunition.com

Nosler Whitetail Country Centerfire Ammunition

The big news out of Bend, Oregon is Nosler’s new Whitetail Country centerfire load. As the name implies, this ammunition was designed with America’s favorite big game animal in mind and the bullets are optimized for consistent, reliable terminal performance on deer-sized game. The cup-and-core bullets are precision manufactured and designed to expand reliably at a wide range of distances. 6.5 Creedmoor, .270 Winchester, 7mm-08, .30-30, .308 Winchester, and .30-06 Whitetail Country loads use Nosler’s boat-tailed Solid Base bullet which provides reliable mushrooming and straight-line penetration from 50 to 400 yards. .350 Legend and .45-70 Government Whitetail Country ammunition comes loaded with the company’s Straight Wall bullet, which features an ogive designed to feed reliably in straight-wall rifles. The .350 and .45-70 Whitetail Country bullets are also optimized for maximum performance at slower velocities, making them the ideal option for anyone hunting whitetail with a straight-wall cartridge. I tested the 6.5 Creedmoor load and found it to be exceptionally accurate, even beating some target loads. Best of all, Whitetail Country ammunition is priced under $40 a box, making it a great value. Nosler.com

Winchester Long Beard TSS Turkey Load

Late winter always makes me look forward to the spring thaw and the start of turkey season. This year there’s even more to be excited about as spring approaches because Winchester has just introduced their newest turkey load, Long Beard TSS. Loaded with big payloads of #8 or #9 shot, these turkey thumpers fill patterns and drop birds at extreme ranges. The 12-gauge 3-inch load at 1,150 feet per second that I tested demolished the turkey target at 50 yards, and I stopped counting after tallying fifty pellets in the vital zone. Long Beard takes full advantage of TSS’ whopping 18.1 g/cc density, packing each payload with smaller diameter pellets with less surface area for better penetration. Available in 12, 20, and 28 gauge and .410 bore, Long Beard TSS offers the absolute best performance from your turkey hunting shotgun. Winchester.com

Remington Core-Lokt Tipped Lever Gun Ammo

A few years ago, Remington unveiled Core-Lokt Tipped ammunition. The concept was simple: the traditional Core-Lokt bullet that was so dearly loved by generations of hunters was getting modernized with the addition of a polymer tip for improved ballistic performance. For 2025, Remington is adding a Core-Lokt Tipped Lever Gun, and this round promises to improve the performance of your favorite lever-action rifle. It utilizes the proven Core-Lokt bullet but adds a polymer tip, giving the bullet a more aerodynamic profile while allowing it to be safely loaded in tubular magazines. Initially, Core-Lokt Tipped Lever Gun will be available in classic lever-action cartridges including .30-30 Winchester, .32 Winchester Special, and .35 Remington. It’s also being offered in .360 Buckhammer, .444 Marlin, and .45-70 so this is a great option for anyone who hunts in a straight-wall state and wants to improve the performance of their lever-action rifle. Remington.com

Barnes VOR-TX & VOR-TX LR Line New Offerings

Barnes revolutionized monometal bullet design decades ago, and in the years since, the company has remained at the cutting-edge of lead-free bullet technology. This year, Barnes is adding new products to their existing lines to meet the needs of hunters, and these include a 162-grain .28 Nosler load. Part of the VOR-TX family, new VOR-TX .28 Nosler comes with Barnes’ proven TSX BT bullet which offers double-diameter expansion and the reliable straight-line penetration we’ve come to expect from Barnes ammo. Also new this year are two new additions to the VOR-TX LR line: 7mm PRC 160-grain and .280 Ackley Improved 152-grain. Both these loads use Barnes’ monometal LRX bullets which are designed specifically for improved long-range performance. The LRX’s aerodynamic bullet profile helps reduce wind drift and drag, perfect for making long shots on big game. Combine this with Barnes’ unassailable record for reliable monometal bullet performance, and these loads offer an excellent option for hunters. Barnesbullets.com

HEVI-Shot "HEVI-Hitter" Blended Load

Waterfowl and upland hunters know HEVI-Shot offers some of the most lethal and effective non-toxic loads on the market, and this year the company is offering a brand-new option: HEVI-Hitter. This blended load contains 20% 12 g/cc tungsten shot stacked over an 80% steel payload. The result is consistent patterning and performance that is superior to standard steel loads at a price that is well below TSS or tungsten loads. Steel shot is less dense than tungsten but is effective at moderate ranges, but the addition of tungsten to this load makes it more versatile and effective. Initially, HEVI-Shot is going to offer 11 different HEVI-Hitter loads in 12, 16, 20, and 28-gauge, all of which share the same 20% tungsten/80% steel blend for superb performance. This is one waterfowl load that will hit way above its price point. Hevishot.com

Weatherby Select Plus 7mm PRC w/ 177-Grain Hammer Custom Bullets

Weatherby has been offering ammunition for decades, but recently the company has branched out beyond their proprietary cartridges, and they now offer premium ammo loaded in popular non-Weatherby cartridges including .280 Ackley Improved, .28 Nosler, 6.5 and .300 PRC, and others. This year Weatherby is offering 7mm PRC ammo loaded with 177-grain Hammer Custom bullets. Hammer bullets are turned on a CNC lathe and are carefully measured for proper weight and diameter. Combine this with their high-BC aerodynamic shape, and these bullets offer superb ballistic performance. In addition, Hammer Custom bullets are made from solid copper and provide straight-line penetration and superb weight retention without excessive meat damage. With a muzzle velocity of 2,925 fps, this is an excellent all-purpose hunting bullet and is especially well-suited for demanding tasks like cross-canyon shots on elk. The new 7mm PRC 177-grain Hammer Custom load is part of Weatherby’s Select Plus line of ammunition which utilizes high-quality components throughout. Weatherby.com

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