The 2025 Ammo Excellence Awards Winners Are In

After weeks of voting and input from the firearms community, the results are official. The 2025 Ammo Excellence Awards have been decided - and this year’s winners represent the brands and loads shooters trust most across hunting, defense, precision, value, craftsmanship, and innovation.

These awards aren’t based on marketing claims or spec sheets alone. They reflect real-world performance, long-term reliability, and the collective experience of shooters who rely on this ammunition in the field, on the range, and in critical moments.

2025 Award Highlights

This year’s awards recognize both proven leaders and forward-thinking innovation:

• Harvest Master: Hornady Precision Hunter ELD-X

• Time Tested Trophy: Federal Ammunition

• Bang for Your Buck: CCI Blazer

• Craftsman’s Choice: Underwood Ammo

• Eye Candy Award: Hornady Critical Defense

• Frontier Maker (Top Cartridge Innovation): Federal 7mm Backcountry

• Guardian Choice (Best Defensive Load): Federal HST

• Marksman’s Masterpiece (Top Precision Ammo): Federal Gold Medal Match

Several categories saw repeat winners — a testament to consistency and long-term performance — while new awards like Frontier Maker and Guardian Choice were introduced to highlight modern innovation and defensive excellence.

See the Full Results

Each award category includes detailed write-ups explaining why these winners earned their titles in 2025. If you want the full breakdown, context behind each selection, and a closer look at what sets these products apart, visit the official awards page:

View the full 2025 Ammo Excellence Awards
https://blackbasin.com/2025-ammo-excellence-awards/

Whether you’re choosing ammunition for hunting season, dialing in a precision setup, stocking defensive loads, or maximizing range time value, the 2025 Ammo Excellence Awards are built to help you make informed decisions backed by the firearms community.