It’s that time of year again, when ammunition manufacturers debut their new lines of products along with upgrades to existing products. For 2020, the amount of new ammunition is actually very impressive. All by itself, for example, Federal Premium launched 130 new SKUs at the 2020 SHOT Show in January.

This year sees a great mix of high-quality rounds and additions to existing lines. Media coverage during and after the SHOT Show was very strong for the various ammunition brands listed below, so you can expect customers to be asking about many of these products. 

Of course, with so much new, what follows is only a small sampling of a much larger number of offerings. Best advice: log onto manufacturer websites or talk to your ammo reps for a full accounting of all that’s new for 2020.

Handguns

Doubletap Equalizer 9mm+P 165-Grain

The new Equalizer 9mm+P 165-grain from Doubletap features a 115-grain JHP bullet in the front followed by a deep-penetrating 21 brinell hardcast disk in the back that has been gas checked. The JHP is designed to expand at lower velocity, followed by the 50-grain flat hardcast disk for a second, deep wound channel. From a Beretta 92FS, Doubletap rates the ballistics of this round at 995 fps and 365 ft./lbs., and 900 fps and 297 ft./lbs. from a Ruger SR9. When taking a shot to defend yourself, two is always better than one. www.doubletapammo.net

Federal Hydra-Shok Deep .380 Auto

One of the more intriguing new self-defense loads of 2020: Federal Hydra-Shok Deep .380 Auto. The .380 Auto is a very popular carry round, but many consider it underpowered. Federal took that as a challenge and developed their new Hydra-Shok Deep .380 to be the first expanding .380 Auto to consistently meet FBI protocol recommendations for 12-inch minimum penetration through bare ballistic gelatin and through heavy clothing. And, Federal achieved this using test gun barrel lengths of 2.75- to 3.5-inches from compact handguns and rates the new Hydra-Shok as penetrating up to 14 inches of gel covered in heavy clothing. www.federalpremium.com

Federal Premium Solid Core

Federal Premium’s all-new Solid Core rounds are made to take down anything from hogs to bears. The handgun loads hit game harder with a tough, flat-nose lead bullet that holds together while blowing through bone, thereby providing high weight retention and deep penetration. The Syntech polymer jacket technology on the bullet reduces the friction and leading that plague hard-cast bullets. It is intended for hunting and as protection against dangerous animals (hence the 9mm offering). Solid Core is available in six calibers, from 9mm Luger to .44 Rem. Magnum. www.federalpremium.com

Fiocchi Blue Guardian HP

Intended for duty use and personal/home protection where ricochet is a concern in hard structure environments, Fiocchi’s new Blue Guardian HP delivers the ideal combination of terminal performance and collateral safety. Incorporating an environmentally safe lead-free primer, Blue Guardian HP is based on a lead-free, hollowpoint, reduced-ricochet bullet. The hollowpoint design induces critical fragmentation upon penetration of soft tissue yet begins to dump energy and disintegrate with impact on hard surfaces such as steel or concrete. Available for .380, 9mm Luger, .40 S&W and .45 ACP.

Fiocchi Blue Guardian FR

Developed for high-volume training, Fiocchi Blue Guardian FR features lead-free and frangible ballistically matched bullets in .380, 9mm Luger, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, .223 in either 45- or 55-grain, and 300 BLK. Engineered to disintegrate on impact with materials harder than themselves, such as AR500 steel, Blue Guardian FR is ideal for handgun and CQB training. Lead-free primers offer additional safety for use in closed environments.

Hornady Handgun Hunter

Hornady’s all new Handgun Hunter line is built around Hornady’s rugged MonoFlex handgun bullet, made from a tough copper alloy to achieve deep penetration and 95 percent weight retention. Bullet expansion across a range of velocities is aided with an elastomer material added to the bullet’s open cavity. Upon impact, the elastomer compresses, then pushes out and causes the bullet to expand faster than a standard hollowpoint design. Available in standard handgun calibers from 9mm through .460 S&W. www.hornady.com

Speer Gold Dot CarryGun

Many self-defense loads are actually designed or full-size handguns. Yet, significant numbers of people carry more discreet handguns with shorter barrels. So, Speer created its new Gold Dot CarryGun specifically for use in compact and subcompact carry guns. To accomplish this, Speer developed a modified, slightly lighter Gold Dot G2 style bullet that reaches optimum velocity in short-barreled pistols. The Gold Dot CarryGun 9mm load, for example, utilizes a 135-grain bullet instead of the 147-grain bullet in the Gold Dot G2 duty ammunition. Also available in .40 S&W and .45 Auto +P. www.speer-ammo.com

Winchester Silvertip Line Upgrade

Winchester Silvertip handgun rounds feature jacketed hollowpoint bullets that offer consistent expansion, stopping power and accuracy for the concealed-carry permit holder. For 2020, Winchester Silvertip will be available in 20-round boxes with a new packaging design. Previously, the ammunition was only available in 50-round packs, making it difficult for consumers to compare these rounds to what had become the industry-wide norm of 20-round packs for self-defense rounds. Silvertips are available for most of the common personal defense handguns today including two 9mm options (115- and 147-grain weights), a 10mm Auto round with a 175-grain bullet rated at 1,200 fps muzzle velocity, and a 185-grain option in .45 Auto. www.winchester.com

Rifle

Black Hills Ammunition 6.5 Creedmoor 120-Grain GMX Load

Black Hills now loads a 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge with the Hornady 120 GMX bullet, offering up to 50 percent more penetration, 24 inches or more than the same weight lead bullet. And, compared to a lead-core projectile, the GMX generally retains nearly 100 percent of its weight compared to 70 percent or less for lead core. The GMX design causes the bullet to open immediately upon impact, over a wide range of velocities, causing large-diameter wound cavities that anchor game quickly and humanely. www.black-hills.com

Black Hills Ammunition Dual Performance 5.56mm

The new Dual Performance Ammunition 5.56mm rounds from Black Hills are loaded with precision machined, monolithic copper projectiles that immediately expand upon impact to form a large temporary cavity exceeding that of conventional bullets. Once the large primary cavity is created, the petals release from the body of the projectile to cut separate wound tracks through the stressed tissue. Dual Performance Ammunition is initially available in 5.56mm with a 62-grain projectile rated at 3,000 fps from a 20-inch barrel. www.black-hills.com

Federal Premium Terminal Ascent

Longer-range hunters will gravitate to Federal’s new Terminal Ascent line, featuring a lead-core bullet bonded to the copper jacket, and a solid copper shank. This combination retains bullet weight for deep penetration and energy dump, delivering extremely effective wound channels even at velocities as low as 1,400 fps — speeds typically seen 1,200 yards downrange in the 200-grain 30-caliber loads. For superior accuracy, there’s also a high-tech grooving design along the bullet’s shank, plus Federal’s Slipstream heat-resistant polymer tip. The rounds get the job done at closer ranges, too. Initially launched in 11 cartridge options, including 6.5 PRC, .280 Ackley Improved, and .28 Nosler. www.federalpremium.com

Hornady Subsonic Ammunition

Hornady expands its sub-sonic rifle with several new calibers (the company originally launched 300 BLK sub in 2018) and offers a new handgun subsonic, too. Subsonic Handgun utilizes Hornady’s tried-and-true XTP bullets that expand reliably at subsonic velocities. The Sub-X bullet used in Subsonic Rifle features a lead core. Long grooves in its gilding metal jacket combine with the bullet’s flat profile and the patented Flex Tip insert within its hollowpoint cavity to help it expand reliably at low velocities. Powders are selected for optimal performance and consistency from lot to lot. New rifle offerings are .30-30 Win., .450 Bushmaster, and .45-70 Govt. Initially, Subsonic Handgun will only be available in 9mm. www.hornady.com

Marlin 150th Anniversary Ammunition

Remington Ammunition is honoring sister company Marlin’s 150th Anniversary with the launch of Marlin 150th Anniversary Ammunition in .30-30 Win., .35 Rem., .444 Marlin, .45-70 Govt., and .22LR. These should be in-demand collectibles. The rounds feature a special Marlin 150th headstamp and are packaged in a 150th Anniversary box. This is the very first time Marlin branded ammunition has been produced. And, Remington has announced a one-year only production run on this ammunition. Get it while you can. www.remington.com

.27 Nosler Trophy Grade

Nosler’s newest is the .27 Nosler, loaded in the company’s Trophy Grade line, a super-charged version of the venerable .270 Win. Loaded with a 150-grain bullet, the .27 Nosler is 400 fps faster than a .270 Win., and 300 fps faster than a .270 WSM, both measured at the muzzle. With the same bullet, the .27 Nosler has an additional 800 ft./lbs. of energy over the .270 Win and 600 ft./lbs. more than the .270 WSM, again both at the muzzle. With that level of velocity, the .27 Nosler also drops 11-inches less than a .270 Win at 500 yards, and 7-inches less than a .270 WSM. Currently, only Nosler makes rifles chambered in .27 Nosler, with two models offered in the company’s M48 line. www.nosler.com

Winchester Expands .350 Legend line

Winchester launched the .350 Legend round last year and continues to add to the lineup in 2020 with a pair of variations.

For hunters, the new Power Max Bonded uses a proprietary bonding process to fuse the lead core to the copper jacket for maximum retained weight and deep penetration through dense hide and bone. Ideal for big northern whitetail bucks or heavily armored wild hogs, this 160-grain bullet provides hunters with confidence on the toughest of animals.  

At the range, .350 Legend Super Suppressed utilizes a 255-grain heavyweight bullet at subsonic speeds to achieve maximum noise reduction out of suppressors. Shooters can enjoy their time at the range more and clean their suppressors less thanks to clean burning powders and a fully encapsulated projectile. At roughly 100 yards and in, the Super Suppressed should be a fine hunting choice, too. www.winchester.com

Sierra Ammunition Expands GameChanger

Sierra Ammunition expands its GameChanger line of hunting ammunition with the addition of .300 AAC Blackout and .223 Remington. Each GameChanger round utilizes a Sierra Tipped GameKing bullet providing initial expansion plus long-range velocity and energy retention. The .300 BLK features a 125-grain Tipped GameKing bullet configured on a 7.62x35mm casing and is a solid choice for hunting coyotes, hogs and deer. GameChanger combines match-grade accuracy in a hunting round with impressive terminal performance.  www.sierrabullets.com

Sierra Prairie Enemy Varmint and Predator

Sierra’s new Prairie Enemy Varmint and Predator family of hunting cartridges promises pinpoint precision with devastating terminal performance and debuts in four popular calibers: .204 Ruger, .223 Rem., .224 Valkyrie and .243 Win. Prairie Enemy offers shooters and hunters an economical package for high-volume varmint and predator control. Sierra tipped each Prairie Enemy cartridge with a BlitzKing bullet, designed for explosive expansion in varmints and small game, with the well-known accuracy of its MatchKing rounds. www.sierrabullets.com

Sig Sauer 6MM Creedmoor Elite Match Ammunition

With the growing popularity of the 6mm Creedmoor round, Sig Sauer extends its line of Elite Match premium competition ammunition with its 6mm Creedmoor featuring a 107-grain Sierra MatchKing bullet. This new 6mm Creedmoor Elite Match OTM load has a muzzle velocity of 2,950 fps and muzzle energy of 2,068 ft./lbs. and is made to perform very well in windy conditions thanks to a very high ballistic coefficient and extremely flat trajectory. Sig’s Elite Match ammunition features a temperature-stable propellant that delivers consistent muzzle velocity in all weather conditions. In addition to this new load, Elite Match ammunition is also offered in .223 Rem., 300 BLK, .308 Win, .30-06 Spfd, .300 Win. Mag., and 6.5 Creedmoor. www.sigsauer.com/ammunition

Sig Sauer .300BLK FMJ Rifle Ammunition

For 2020, Sig Sauer adds 300 BLK to its Elite Performance line of full metal jacket rifle ammunition for training. Sig FMJ ammunition is ideal for those who want a cost-efficient, high-quality training round. The 125-grain 300 BLK load has muzzle velocity of 2,145 fps. As with all Elite Performance offerings, the new 300 BLK load features dependable primers and the same exceptional, clean-burning propellants used in breakthrough Sig V-Crown defense rounds. Sig’s FMJ bullets remain intact on impact, and deliver point-of-impact, recoil and energy performance equivalent to V-Crown defense counterparts. www.sigsauer.com/ammunition

Shotgun

Barnes VOR-TX Expander Slugs

Slug hunters get a major upgrade to their available options with the new Barnes VOR-TX Expander Slugs, available in 12- and 20-gauge and in both 2.75- and 3-inch shells. All loads employ sabots and a Barnes all-copper projectile with a polymer tip for extreme expansion and penetration, even at extended ranges. The 12-gauge slugs weigh 437 grains, while the 20-gauge versions tip the scales at a still-hefty 250 grains. Major knockdown power for tough game like hogs and bear. www.barnesbullets.com

Kent Fasteel 2.0 Precision Plated Steel Waterfowl

Further adding to its comprehensive high-performance steel shotshell line, Kent introduces three new Fasteel offerings for hunters this fall: 12-gauge 3 1/2-inch with 1 3/8 ounce of No. 1 shot; 12-gauge 3 1/2-inch with 1 3/8 ounce of No. 3 shot: and, 12-gauge 2 3/4-inch with 1 ¼ ounce of No. 3 shot. 

All Fasteel 2.0 Precision Plated Steel Waterfowl loads feature high performance base wads and will function reliably in all-manner of semi-automatic shotguns. Kent promises all-weather performance and optimal velocities for consistent patterning. www.kentcartridge.com

Kent Elite Pro Target in 28 Gauge

Loaded with Kent's very own Diamond Shot — a highly polished and uniform lead shot — Kent Elite Pro Target now gives 28-gauge enthusiasts a high-performance load to tackle the sporting clays course. The new 28-gauge load is a 2 ¾-inch shell holding ¾ ounces of No. 7.5 shot and launching it from the muzzle at 1,200 fps. With quality components, clean burning powder and Diamond Shot pellets, this new load and all other Kent Elite Pro Target loads promise competition-level consistency. www.kentcartridge.com

Remington Premier TSS

Remington Ammunition jumps into the TSS shotshell market with five shells loaded with Remington’s own ultra-high-density tungsten super shot. Loaded with No. 7 or No. 9 pellets, these TSS offerings promise higher energy and better patterns than lead shot, resulting in increased pellet counts on target. Translation: more hits on Big Tom’s vital zones. They’re available in three 12-gauge varieties, two in 20 gauge, one in .410 bore and all as 3-inch shells. www.remington.com

New Light Target Loads for Winchester Super Target

Winchester Super Target adds eight Light Target loads, all in 12 gauge, and boasting velocities from 1,150 to 1,350 fps. Reliable, hard-hitting target loads, ideal for trap, skeet, and sporting clays, the Light Target options feature a hinged wad for reduced felt recoil and increased velocity. Plus, the clean burning powder and ultra-reliable primer provide consistent patterns from shell to shell. www.winchester.com

Winchester AA Diamond Grade Competition Target Load

The Winchester AA shotshell line receives a big upgrade on the range in 2020 with the introduction of AA Diamond Grade, designed to deliver more round pellets with higher energy retention downrange for dense, consistent patterns that crush clay targets. The improvement here is the AA Diamond Grade Shot. The 8 percent antimony hardening alloy equals four times more antimony than standard target loads, resulting in the hardest copper-plated shot available to target shooters. The shot is also precision sorted, meaning only the roundest shot makes the grade and is used. Available in four different 12-gauge loads, 2 ¾-inch shells with 1 to 1 1/8 ounce of Diamond Grade Shot. www.winchester.com