8 Best Ammo Brands to Stock Up On In 2025

Since the first time I fired a Hornady round, I’ve had a bias towards this ammo brand. I’ve used Hornady ammunition in my concealed carry pistols and hunting rifles for years and will do so for the foreseeable future.

Hornady ammo has always cycled and performed well in every firearm I’ve loaded it into. It’s a leading ammo manufacturer because Hornady produces high-quality ammo at reasonable prices (though it’s not the cheapest ammo by any stretch).

I’ll be the first to admit, I don’t always see the hype of Federal Premium ammo, but it was the first ammo brand I ever purchased in bulk. I’ve also waterfowl hunted with Federal BlackCloud and was left wanting, but I know too many other shooters and hunters who swear by Federal ammo to leave it off the list. I have also had good luck using Federal rifle ammunition, so I don’t hate the brand by any means. Plus, I’ll happily load my .22 LR mags full of Federal rounds for a fun day of plinking at my shooting range.

CCI

Speaking of rimfire rounds, CCI is my go-to for rimfire ammo. The Blazer line is also a favorite of mine to snatch up for a little practice with my handguns, but what truly makes CCi stand out is their unique approach toward handgun shotshells.

If you need to manage a few small pests in your barn or garden, CCi produces shotshells in many popular handgun cartridges. My grandpa loves using these rounds to take care of unwanted rodents in his barns.

One of the first rounds I ever fired was probably a Remington round. My dad and grandpa have trusted Remington Ammunition while hunting and target shooting for decades. Since it’s one of the ammo brands I’ve used most often, I’ve also had a few negative experiences with it and have heard of a few others. However, it’s another iconic brand that couldn’t be left off this list, even if based solely on nostalgia.

While owned by a European company (CSG, which also owns Federal, CCI, Speer, and other ammo brands), Remington ammo is loaded in Arkansas and remains proud of its strong American firearms and ammunition heritage.

While in college, I fired thousands of Winchester rounds at waterfowl and deer (many more waterfowl than deer, I’m not that bad of a shot with a rifle!). The prices always seemed right on for a broke college kid, and as I expanded my horizons from just cheap ammo after college, the higher-end Winchester lines have continued to impress me.

When I manage to get to the turkey woods, Winchester Long Beard is the first box of shotshells I reach for because I’ve heard so many of my die-hard turkey hunting buddies boast about it and it hasn’t let me down, yet.

The dove field and skeet shooting always call for a box of AA shotshells. I can’t blame my misses on them, and they always cycle well, no matter which shotgun I’m using.

Winchester remains one of my go-to brands for hunting and target shooting, whether I have a rifle or shotgun in my hands.

Nosler

While I’ve known about Nosler Ammunition since I began shooting, I was slow to try it out (it’s always been out of my price range). However, when I finally tried it out, I understood why it was more costly than the budget-friendly options I was so used to using. Nosler ammo is incredibly accurate, consistent, and reliable, whether you’re hunting or taking part in a shooting match.

It should catch any shooter's attention when other ammunition companies brag about using Nosler bullets in their ammunition. Nosler bullets have been some of the best for decades and continue to be the top choice for many experienced shooters. I still don’t stockpile Nosler ammo, but whenever I find a good deal on it, I snatch it up.

Fiocchi ammunition has recently made it into my stockpile in the last few years, and so far, I’ve been very impressed. While Fiocchi produced hunting, competition, defense, and training ammo, most of my experience is with the training ammo, specifically the Range Dynamics line.

My 9mm’s and 45 ACP’s eat this ammo up at the range, and I won’t hesitate to purchase more every chance I get. I’m also excited to try some out during the upcoming hunting seasons.