Vote for Your Favorite Nominees in The Ammo Excellence Awards 2025

The nominees are locked in, and the final phase is officially underway.

The Ammo Excellence Awards 2025 spotlight the ammunition brands and cartridges that shooters actually trust — the loads that performed when it mattered, stood up to real-world use, and earned their reputation the hard way.

These nominees weren't picked by a panel behind closed doors. They were nominated by shooters like you.

Now it's time to decide who takes the top honors.

Cast your vote, support the manufacturers you rely on, and help recognize the ammo that defined the year. Every vote helps shape what excellence looks like in the ammunition industry.

? As a bonus, all voters are automatically entered for a chance to win $200 in store credit.

Scroll down to see the nominees and start voting.

2025 Nominees

The Harvest Master

Best Hunting Ammo of the Year

• Hornady Precision ELD-X
• Remington Core-Lokt Tipped
• Barnes VOR-TX
• Federal Terminal Ascent

The Eye Candy Award

Best Ammo Packaging / Branding

• Federal HST
• Hornady Black
• Hornady Critical Defense
• PMC X-Tac

The Time Tested Trophy

Most Reliable Ammo Over 10 Years

• PMC
• Hornady
• Federal
• Winchester

The Frontier Maker

Top Cartridge Innovation of 2025

• Federal 7mm Backcountry
• Hornady 338 Blackout
• Hornady 22 ARC
• The Q 8.6 Blackout

The Bang for Your Buck

Best Value Ammo

• PMC X-Tac
• Fiocchi Range Dynamics
• Remington Core-Lokt
• CCI Blazer

The Guardian Choice

Best Defensive Load of 2025

• Hornady Critical Duty
• Speer Gold Dot
• Underwood Xtreme Series
• Federal HST

The Brass Crown

Overall Manufacturer of the Year

• Winchester
• Federal
• Hornady
• CCI

The Marksman's Masterpiece

Top Long-Range / Precision Ammo of 2025

• Hornady ELD Match
• Norma Match
• Federal Gold Medal Match
• Hornady Precision ELD-X

The Craftsman's Choice

Best Small-Batch / Boutique Ammo Manufacturer

• Badlands Munitions Co
• Barnes Bullets
• Black Hills Ammunition
• Underwood Ammo