The historic Bruen Decision, which eased concealed carry laws across the country, saw a surge in demand for defensive ammunition. The 2023 NSSF shot show was ablaze with new offerings due to a resurgence in 10mm Auto and a renewed interest in ammunition that can defend against furry foes. I sprinted through miles of displays to see the latest offerings in the industry. Here are my top 21 personal defense ammunition picks for 2023.
Personal Defense Ammo for 2023
Underwood – Platinum Line
I don’t know how many times I have ended a search for an exotic cartridge by saying, “Oh, Underwood makes them.”
Underwood began as a small-batch, boutique ammo business. It has grown to be a full-service cartridge business. The company now loads the best components into a product I am always satisfied with.
The Platinum line is new for 2023. The Platinum line includes the Xtreme Defender bullet. It is now treated with a dry film lubricant that resists corrosion. This improves feeding. This monolithic design creates a permanent wound channel larger than any hollow points on the market. It can also withstand the most difficult barriers, including auto glass. It is currently available as a.380 ACP or 9mm Luger, 40 S&W or 10mm Auto.
For more information, visit UnderwoodAmmo.com
Winchester – Big Bore
Even if I’m not hunting, I never leave the woods without a gun. One time, a hiking companion asked why I needed a gun for a particular hike. I replied, “bears & rapists”. The great trails of this continent are home to wildlife as well as those who want to flee authorities.
The Big Bore line by Winchester is ideal for both threats. Its controlled-expansion jacketed soft-point bullets are sufficiently powerful to withstand attacks from two-legged dogs, but they penetrate deep enough to withstand attacks from four-legged animals. This makes it ideal to use on the trail. It is currently available in.357 Mag. and.44 Mag. as well as 10mm Auto and.45 Colt.
Winchester.com has more information.
Winchester – USA Ready Defense 10mm Auto
Col. Jeff Cooper invented the 10mm Auto Cartridge directly on the Gunsite Academy firing line. His idea was only a few decades ahead its time. Gun makers hadn’t yet found a way to control it. The 10mm is now thriving with so many easy-to-use options available, pushing.40 S&W into oblivion.
Winchester has responded to the demand for personal defense ammunition by extending its USA Ready Defense line. This ammunition features a 170-grain Hex-vent bullet that hits hard and resists clogging to allow for rapid expansion.
Winchester.com has more information.
Federal – PUNCH .30 Super Carry
I was surprised that PUNCH, the cartridge’s creators, wasn’t offered as an initial offering. However, considering what was happening in the ammo marketplace during its release, I give the Minnesota boys a pass.
PUNCH ammunition is intended for civilian concealed carry. It trades barrier-defeating properties to accelerate expansion and reduce the chance of overpenetration. This ammunition is also cheaper than common practice ammo. This latest addition, which is loaded with 103-grain jacketed hollowpoint projectiles, balances zip and penetration while generating minimal recoil.
FederalPremium.com has more information.
Federal – Train + Protect 10mm Auto
Range trips usually start with loading your personal defense ammunition, shooting a lot of FMJ, then reloading for the return trip. It can be frustrating, but it doesn’t have the to be. Federal’s Train + Protect line of hollow-point ammunition is affordable and can be used in an emergency.
This one-and-done solution was introduced in 10mm Auto in 2023, with a 180-grain bullet.
FederalPremium.com has more information.
Speer – Gold Dot G2 carbine
The best weapon you can use to defend yourself is the one that you are most skilled in. If you’ve fallen for the pistol-caliber gunbine craze, great! Let’s get some personal defense ammunition.
Speer’s Gold dot bullets are a powerful weapon. They have been loaded to maximize performance from a handgun. Speer’s new carbine load pushes the limits, increasing velocity and reliably cycling long guns actions. It also generates more thump when the target is in range.
Speer.com has more information.
Remington – Golden Saber Bonded 10mm Auto
We should have it if the cops can get it. That’s something I have been saying for years. Remington seems to feel the same. Golden Saber Defense is now open to the public. Its bonded bullet is nothing but a delight.
The jacket and core are kept together by hot-fusion, which allows it to penetrate intermediate barriers and stop bad guys on the other side. This product is yet another addition to the 10mm personal defense ammunition.
Remington.com has more information.
Remington – Golden Saber Defense 10mm Auto
Remington was so busy with production, they didn’t have the time to come up with a name for this line. Golden Saber Defense is quite different from Golden Saber Bonded.
To reduce the risk of overpenetration, the Defense line includes an unbonded bullet. These rounds are also slightly cheaper. These rounds are ideal if you’re concerned about collateral damage, but you don’t want frangibles. You can hug.40 S&W’s widow. This round is also available in 10mm Auto.
Remington.com has more information.
Byrna – 12-gauge Kinetic Slugs
Sometimes, it is more sensible to be less lethal in a defensive encounter. Let’s say you are a victim and you want to make their aftermath less awkward.
Although Byrna is most well-known for its pepper guns and its 12-gauge kinetic Slugs, 2023 will see it dipping its toes into firearms cartridges. These painful pills can be fired from any pump-action shotgun and deliver an accurate smack up to 100 feet without piercing the skin (in most cases).
Visit Byrna.com for more information.
Hornady – .30 Super Carry
It is a shame to say, but there are now more companies that make.30 Super Carry ammo than guns that can fire it. It’s a shame, because it is a significant upgrade from.380 Auto and a fair compromise in power and capacity when it is subbed for 9mm Luger.
Federal and Hornady have a great relationship, it’s not secret. I was not surprised to see the big red H support this small powerhouse. This load is resistant to clogging thanks to a Critical Defense bullet 100-grain. It also delivers the same performance you would expect from this iconic manufacturer.
Hornady.com has more information.
Fiocchi – 4.6mmx30
The 4.6x30mm is in the midst of some big developments. If 5.7x30mm taught us anything, it is that the US market responds well high-velocity, skinny bullets. Fiocchi’s Hyperformance4.6 delivers a hollow point projectile with a 38-grain tip to hit the target at incredible speeds. It is affordable enough to shoot at the range. It is combined with a jacketed soft tip and FMJ loading to provide self-defense with minimal recoil.
FiocchiUSA.com has more information.
PolyFrang – 300 BLK
Close-quarters combat is a delicate dance–overpenetration and misplaced shots have a serious chance of hurting one of your teammates. PolyFrang ammunition is designed to explode when it strikes a threat or an intermediate barrier. This adds an additional layer of mission safety.
The new 125-grain 300 BLK load is available in 2023. It is made with its proprietary metal-impregnated, polymer matrix. This allows for lethality and no collateral damage. These have a similar point-of-impact to standard ammo, and are safe for suppressors.
PolyFrang.com has more information.
Aguila – 20g Mini Shells
Mini-shells from Aguila have been the most popular shotgun product since rubber recoil pad. Many enthusiasts are asking when 20-gauge will be available. The short answer is not 2020-2021, and 2022 doesn’t look promising either.
The time has come to get rid of the craze and build up your stockpile. These 20-gauge beauties, measuring 1-3/4 inches in length, are loaded with a heavy load of 4B shot. They can be used to treat home invaders without bruising your shoulders.
For more information, visit AguilaAmmo.com
Aguila – Jacketed Hollowpoint Pistol Line
Aguila is well-known for its affordable pistol ammunition. This show’s largest defensive cartridge extension comes from the company. This mainstream manufacturer introduced a new load for 2023 in.380ACP,.38 SPL..357Mag..40 S&W. 10mm Auto. Two in 9mm Luger.
All rounds come in 50-round boxes and feature a JHP bullet. This product is great to add carry ammo to your favorite range blaster or for adding bulk ammunition to your existing inventory.
For more information, visit AguilaAmmo.com
Black Hills – 10mm Honey Badger
Honey Badgers are known for their determination and tenacity. This makes the line from Black Hills a fitting name. Honey Badger bullets don’t rely on expansion to stop or transfer energy. Instead, they radially-disperse matter. They stop like a propeller that crashes into water’s surface.
They are monolithic in construction and can also smash through non-liquid barriers without any problem. This ammunition will seal the deal with anyone who seeks to do you harm, as if the big ten weren’t already destructive enough.
Black-Hills.com has more information.
Barnes – Pioneer
When you go into the woods, you are not at the top of your food chain. You want ammunition that will perform if you are chosen by something to be a good lunch. Barnes’ new Pioneer line loaded ammo is designed for revolvers or lever guns. It also includes a variety of options, including its legendary solid-copper bullets.
Solids are unlikely to experience jacket separation. This means that they can penetrate deeply and hit hard, regardless of medium. This is exactly what you need in order to stop a charging animal from running away. You can buy lever gun fodder in.30-30 Win, and revolver rounds are.357 Magnum or.45 Colt. or.47-70 Gov.t.
BarnesBullets.com has more information.
Buffalo Bore – Hard Cast .25 ACP
Buffalo Bore is the company that keeps old cartridges alive. It has a strong presence in the super-powerful market subset but sometimes surprises us with huge improvements on sub-calibers.
It introduced a.25-ACP load with a 60-grain load of hard-cast loads for 2023. It travels at 875. These numbers were gathered by live fire from the tiny pistols this round was chambered into. Buffalo Bore doesn’t hide its lethal nature. If you have this old-fashioned ammo, it is your best defense against any potential danger.
BuffaloBore.com has more information.
Doubletap – 140gn 357Mag.
Revolvers can be finicky so it is important to have loads. Doubletap ammo recently introduced a 140-grain load with its famous solid-copper hollow-point bullet to fill the gap in its.357 Magnum range. This is a middle ground between the lighter 125-grain loads, and the more common 158 grain fodder.
Splitting the difference allows recoil to be managed and effective downrange energy to be retained. These products are also free of lead and will be used in areas that require them for hunting or range use.
DoubletapAmmo.com has more information.
Liberty Ammo – Overwatch
You’ll find that velocity plays the biggest role in the downrange energy equation if you do the math. Light-weight bullets traveling at high speeds make it more difficult to make contact than the inverse. Liberty capitalized on this idea to create a name for herself and introduced its Overwatch line in 2023.
This line’s projectiles are designed to fly faster that comparable ones in Civil Defense. They also have better barrier-defeating capabilities. Initial loadings will occur in 9 mm Luger and.45 ACP.
LibertyAmmo.com has more information.
Freedom Munitions – The X-Def.357 Magnum
As a reloading instructor I advise my students to leave defensive ammunition to the manufacturers. A slimy prosecutor will do anything to stop you from doing the unthinkable. You should try to keep your hands off of the ammo as much possible. However, that doesn’t mean you have to load your own practice rounds.
Freedom’s X-Def line comes loaded with the same bullets as its sister company, X-Treme. Handloaders can now carry the same.357 Magnum that they use at home for range work in 2023. Its copper-plated, 125-grain tablet offers reliable expansion and unmatched downrange energy all at an affordable price.
For more information, please visit FreedomMunitions.com.
SIM – X DefenseCore
The world will be a better place if we take something from each camp and learn from it. SIM-X ammunition is a combination of a polymer core and a metal jacket. It delivers hyper-velocity, barrier penetration, and low cost monolithic bullets without being too extravagant.
These rounds are easy to carry and very light overall. They stop exactly where they are needed in a threat. Loads are available in 9mm Luger and.40 S&W as well as.45 ACP.
SimxAmmo.com has more information.
Continue Reading
Are you still having trouble finding what you were looking?
Search
Personal Defense World published the article Newest Personal Defense Ammo at SHOT Show 2023.
