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New rifles and handguns get all the attention this time of year, but we feed our guns with ammunition, and they’d be useless without it. The means that the latest ammo introductions are always worth a close look, but that's especially true in a year like this, when the top new offerings range from noteworthy to groundbreaking.
When it comes to new ammunition for 2025, we’ve got a little bit of everything, including a dedicated rimfire revolver load, unique snake-defense ammo, more lead-free options, and even ammunition for dangerous game. We’ve also got two brand new rifle cartridges, one of which may just change the future of rifle ammunition.
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New Rifle and Handgun Ammo for 2025
Buffalo Bore
In addition to providing ammunition that offers elevated performance, Buffalo Bore also offers loads for cartridges that other manufacturers do not support very well. For 2025, Buffalo Bore has introduced a 225-grain soft-point load for the 338 Federal at 2450 fps ($51.00 for 20). They are also offering two dangerous-game loads for the 416 Rigby. The first is a 350-grain solid Cutting Edge bullet at 2625 fps, and the other is a 400-grain Barnes TSX load at 2400 fps. The 416 Rigby loads retail for $220.00 per box of 20.
CCI
When it comes to rimfire ammunition, CCI is the undisputed king, and they have several new loads for 2025. There’s the new Suppressor Max 22 Long Rifle load, designed to deliver optimal accuracy, good terminal performance, and noise reduction when fired through a suppressor. It’s loaded with a 45-grain hollow-point bullet that’s engineered to segment on impact, even with a muzzle velocity of only 970 fps. It should retail for $18.99 for a 50-round box. CCI is also offering self-defense 22 LR and 22 WMR loads called “Uppercut.” Bullets for both feature nose skiving to initiate full and reliable bullet upset out of a handgun. The 45-grain 22 WMR Uppercut load has a velocity of 1050 fps, and 50 rounds retail for $25.99. The 22 LR Uppercut load uses a 32-grain bullet at 950 fps and retails for $13.99 per box of 50.
Related: The Hottest New Shotgun Ammo for 2025
Doubletap SnakeShot Defense
Doubletap has expanded their new SnakeShot Defense line of ammunition to include several new cartridges for semi-automatic pistols. They’re offering a 9mm Luger load with a 145-grain payload that includes a 95-grain JHP bullet and 100 pellets of #9 shot. It will have a muzzle velocity of 1050 fps from a 4-inch barrel. The 10mm load combines a 135-grain JHP bullet with 140 pellets of #9 shot and has a muzzle velocity of 1050 fps. There’s also a new SnakeShot Defense load for the 45 Auto that uses a 185-grain JHP and 140 pellets of #9 shot at 900 fps. What sets these loads apart is that they keep you from having to choose between a conventional bullet and snake shot when working in serpent country. MSRP is $30.
Federal 7mm Backcountry
In case you missed it somehow, the biggest ammunition news for 2025 is Federal’s introduction of the 7mm Backcountry cartridge. This cartridge raises the bar regarding what’s obtainable when it comes to centerfire rifle cartridges. By using a reloadable and proprietary one-piece, high-strength Peak Alloy case, the 7mm Backcountry cartridge can provide magnum performance from a rifle with a standard, non-magnum bolt face. It is specifically intended for short-barrel suppressor-friendly rifles, and the 7mm Backcountry can launch a 170-grain bullet from a 20-inch barrel at 3000 fps. As I have said previously, I believe the 7mm Backcountry is the greatest innovation in ammo-making of my lifetime, and depending on how Federal applies it to future loads, it could revolutionize rifle ammo going forward. Initially, Federal is offering five loads, including a 168-grain Barnes LRX, 175-grain Fusion Tipped, 195-grain Berger Elite Hunter, and 170-grain Terminal Ascent. You can read all about this potentially groundbreaking cartridge here.
Federal Barnes LRX Copper
Federal has also introduced a new line of centerfire ammo loaded exclusively with Barnes LRX Copper bullets. The new lead-free lineup will include the following loads: 168-grain 7mm Backcountry and 7mm PRC, 145-grain 280 AI and 7mm Remington Magnum, 200-grain 300 Winchester Magnum, 175-grain 308 Winchester, and 127-grain 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5 PRC. This new line gives hunters who prefer high weight retention mono-metal bullet performance combined with extended reach. Prices range from $66.99 to $83.99 per box of 20.
More from Federal
Some of the other interesting new Federal loads include a 108-grain Berger BT Target load for the 6mm ARC in Federal’s Gold Medal Berger line that retails for $57.99 per box of 20. There’s also a new 40-grain cooper-plated, lead HP HammerDown load for the 22 LR that comes in a 325-round box for $39.99. For handguns, Federal has a new 1070 fps 230-grain HST load for the 44 Remington Magnum for $55.99 per box of 20. And they’re also introducing two new Hydra-Shok Deep loads that include a 210-grain 45 Colt load ($44.99 for 20) at 913 fps, and an 85-grain 32 H&R Magnum load ($38.99 for 20) at 1025 fps. Federal is even offering a new American Eagle 85-grain load ($47.99 for 50) for the 32 H&R Magnum at 975 fps.
Related: The Hottest New Rifles for 2025
Hornady 338 ARC
Federal is not the only ammo manufacturer offering a new cartridge for 2025. Hornady has introduced the 338 ARC, which is an 0.338-caliber AR15 compatible centerfire rifle cartridge designed to offer subsonic and supersonic performance. The 307-grain Subsonic load ($47.93 per box of 20) in Hornady’s Subsonic line is substantially more powerful than subsonic 300 Blackout ammunition. The supersonic 175-grain HP Match load ($46.27 for a box of 20) is available in their Black ammo line, with a muzzle velocity of 2075 fps. Hornady is also offering 338 ARC reloading dies.
Hornady Backcountry Defense
Backcountry Defense is a new line of handgun ammunition from Hornady that’s designed to provide protection from critters like bears, lions, and wolves in the wilderness. Hornady is offering seven loads that include a 138-grain 9mm Luger +P, a 165-grain 357 Magnum, a 200-grain 10mm Auto, a 240-grain 44 Magnum, a 500-grain 500 S&W, and a 300-grain load for the 454 Casull and 460 S&W Magnum. All seven of these loads feature the Hornady DGD (Dangerous Game Handgun) bullet that’s designed to deliver deflection-free, deep penetration. Prices range from $46.45 to $121.08 per box of 20.
Remington Core-Lokt Tipped Lever Gun
The big news from Remington is the introduction of a new line of Lever Gun ammo loaded with polymer-tipped bullets. The new Core-Lokt Tipped Lever Gun loads have a higher ballistic coefficient for flatter trajectories and better downrange energy retention. The line includes the following loads: 150-grain 30-30-Winchester, 170-grain 32 Winchester Special, 200-grain 35 Remington, 180-grain 360 Buckhammer, 240-grain 444 Marlin and a 300-grain 45-70 Government. Prices will range from $39.99 to $93.99 per 20-round box.
Remington has added some other new loads of note in both their Core-Lokt and Core-Lokt Tipped line. In the Core-Lokt line, there is a new 125-grain load for the 300 HAMR ($31.99) and a 210-grain load for the straight-walled 400 Legend ($39.99). In Core-Lokt Tipped line, Remington has added a 180-grain load for the 300 Remington Ultra Magnum that retails for $100.99 per 20-round box.
Remington Rimfire Ammo
New rimfire loads from Remington include a 28-grain WheelGun load for the 22 Long Rifle that has been engineered to deliver a low noise output from rimfire revolvers. It will retail for $14.99 per 100-round box. Surprisingly, Remington is also offering two new 22 Short loads that include a 27-grain hollow-point bullet and a 29-grain round-nose bullet, and they’ll retail for $7.99 per box of 50. There’s also the new economical 38-grain Standard V load for the 22 Long Rifle with a muzzle velocity of 1080 fps. It comes in a 550-round box that will go for $41.99.
Lehigh Defense Tipped Xtreme Chaos
Since Wilson Combat acquired Lehigh Defense, they’ve been diligently working to refine the product line to provide optimum performance with mono-metal bullets. The newest load—available from Lehigh Defense and Wilson Combat—is for the 308 Winchester, and it utilizes the 165-grain Tipped Xtreme Chaos bullet at 2660 fps from a 20-inch barrel. This bullet is designed to shed four wound-enhancing petals, and the bullet’s slightly expanded base penetrates very deep. MSRP is $75.95 per 20-round box.
Underwood Ammo 8.6 Blackout
Although the 8.6 Blackout cartridge developed by Q has not yet received SAAMI approval, it is getting a lot of attention from hunters because of its dual subsonic and supersonic capabilities. Underwood ammunition has just released a new subsonic 8.6 Blackout load that features a 300-grain hollow-point boattail bullet with a muzzle velocity of 950 fps and a muzzle energy of 602 foot-pounds. It is available in a 20-round box for $57.99.
Related: Hottest New Hanguns for 2025
