Federal, Hornady, Remington and Berger have all introduced new cartridges for 2022. Which round will you carry afield? (Photo courtesy of Sam Forbes)
January 18, 2022
By Colton Heward
SHOT Show is one of the most anticipated events in outdoor media where manufacturers across the shooting and hunting community showcase their latest and greatest products. Ammunition companies work tirelessly to keep up with the high demand as well as continue to push the envelope and bring innovative new options to shooters and hunters alike. Here is a round-up of what’s new from SHOT Show in the hunting ammunition world.
Hornady CX Bullet in Outfitter and Superformance LinesHornady’s new CX bullet replaced the GMX bullet in both the Outfitter and Superformance ammo lines. The new CX bullet is a solid monolithic copper bullet designed by Hornady engineers to deliver better down range accuracy and devastating terminal performance. Featuring Hornady’s Heat Shield Tip, the CX Bullet will maintain its high BC value down range, allowing shooters better accuracy at extended distances. I had the opportunity to field test the CX bullet in the Outfitter line on Kodiak Island prior to launch. Two shots, two deer, dead on impact. Can’t ask for much more than that.
Hornady 350 Legend Sub-X Subsonic Ammunition The 350 Legend has become a staple amongst whitetail hunters across the country. Hornady’s launch of the new Subsonic 350 Legend ammo gives straight-wall hunters another option when deciding what ammo to take afield. The new ammunition features a 250-grain Sub-X lead core hollow point bullet with Hornady’s Flex Tip insert to ensure expansion at subsonic velocities.
Federal Premium HammerDown Ammunition Federal Premium’s new HammerDown Ammunition line was specifically engineered for your favorite lever-action rifle. This new line features a molecularly bonded soft point bullet designed for increased velocity, better accuracy, and down range terminal performance. Modified nickel-plated cases were designed to increase reliability, as well as ensure consistent cycling through both tubular magazine and side gate loading lever-actions. Varying options will be available in all popular lever-action chamberings including 45 Colt, 30-30 Win, 357 Mag, 44 Rem Mag, and 45-70 Govt.
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Federal Premium Fusion 6.5 PRC Ammunition Federal Premium’s Fusion line now offers a 140-grain option in the popular 6.5 PRC cartridge. The Fusion ammo line, built specifically for deer hunters, has a proven track record of accuracy and terminal performance. We can expect nothing less from the new 6.5 PRC offering. Federal hit a sweet spot with the 140-grain bonded soft point boat-tail bullet, combining plenty of knock down power with a mild return of recoil.
Remington Core-Lokt Tipped Ammunition One of the biggest releases this past year was Remington’s revamp of the decade’s proven Core-Lokt lineup. The new Tipped Core-Lokt bullet and ammo line builds on the Core-Lokt design and adds a Remington green polymer tip for improved ballistics, accuracy, and expansion on impact. Remington engineers also adjusted the bullet’s center of gravity rearward for optimized accuracy. The Tipped Core-Lokt bullet has massive shoes to fill, but all arrows point to decades more of hunters’ success stories. Remington has a variety of offerings available from .243 Win up to .300 Win Mag. To learn more about the specific round, be sure to watch our First Look video that we filmed after touring the newly reopened Remington Ammunition facility .
3 New Rounds Being Released at SHOT Show 2022 1. Berger Elite Hunter Ammunition New for 2022, Berger launched two new offerings in their Elite Hunter ammo line. The first being a 205-grain option for the 300 PRC and the second a 156-grain option for the 6.5 PRC. Both loads utilize premium brass, clean and efficient propellants, and match-grade projectiles.
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The 205-grain Hybrid Elite Hunter bullet totes an impressive G1 BC of 0.631. This combination of precision and terminal performance, launched out of a 300 PRC, allows hunters to confidently hunt any animal in the lower 48. Advertised muzzle velocity is 2,985 fps.
The 156-grain Hybrid Elite Hunter projectile is a heavy-for-caliber offering that increases the knockdown capabilities of the 6.5 PRC. With a G1 BC of 0.679, hunters can expect handload type precision paired with the terminal performance that they have come to expect from Berger bullets. Advertised muzzle velocity is 2,960 fps.
2. Winchester Copper Impact Ammunition Formerly known as Winchester Deer Season XP Copper Impact, the Copper Impact lineup was renamed to reflect its effectiveness on not only deer, but all big game. Winchester’s Copper Impact ammo features a solid copper bullet with an oversized Extreme Point tip designed to expand upon impact and deliver impressive terminal performance.
New for 2022 is several 180-grain options for the 30-06, 300 Win. Mag, and 300 WSM, all of which can take down elk-sized animals and larger. Other new options include a 130-grain offering for the 270 Win, a 125-grain offering for 6.5 PRC, and my favorite, a 162-grain offering for the 6.8 Western. I recently shot a bull elk with the 162-grain Copper Impact bullet out of a 6.8 Western at 330 yards. The bullet centered the shoulder and was recovered just underneath the skin on the offside. That bullet weighed 148-grains, maintaining 90% of its weight. The bull was dead in seconds.
3. Winchester 6.8 Western 170-grain Powerpoint Hunters have relied on Winchester’s Powerpoint ammunition for decades. New for 2022 to the Powerpoint lineup is a 170-grain option for the 6.8 Western. Powerpoint’s soft point bullets utilize a cup-and-core design to deliver maximum energy transfer and devastating knockdown performance.
