Editor’s Choice: Winchester AA Diamond Grade Elite

posted on April 4, 2020
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
winchaa.jpg

Winchester Ammunition has a high-performance addition to its a shotshell lineup. Called AA Diamond Grade Elite, these are loads intended for serious clays shooters, and the timing couldn't be better for a premium product like this, as clay-shooting competitions continue to expand across the country.

These clay-shooting shotshells employ the AA wad, but the lead shot has higher antimony content, so it does not deform as much as softer shot upon firing. Also, the shot is copper-plated and sorted for size and concentricity. One of the additional benefits of the AA wad is that it is designed to reduce felt recoil for the shooter by absorbing some of the energy from the shotshell's firing.

Thanks to the sorted shot and its protection from deformation during firing, the Winchester AA Diamond Grade shells are purpose-built to provide a perfect shot pattern that breaks clays in even the most challenging circumstances. The use of hardened shot means that shot patterns stay tighter, allowing shotgunners to break clays at extended distances.

It is available in 12 gauge only in 1-oz. loads at either 1250 or 1350 f.p.s. or in 1 
1⁄8-oz. loads at 1250 or 1300 f.p.s. winchester.com

Latest

Match Ready M1 Garand 1
Match Ready M1 Garand 1

Making a Match-Ready M1 Garand

For decades, fans of the M1 Garand have gone to Camp Perry to shoot the John C. Garand match, a test of their shooting skills and rifles. Here, one M1 Garand enthusiast prepares his rifle and ammo for the shoot.

Will the USPS Allow Handguns to Be Mailed?

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) on April 2, 2026, published a proposed rule that would permit the mailing of lawful handguns through the U.S. mail for the first time in nearly a century.

The Trijicon AccuPoint 1-8x24 mm: A Flexible Optic for Dangerous Game Hunting

Trijicon is probably best known for its military and law-enforcement optics, but the company is also serious about its commercial line of riflescopes designed for hunting.

U.S. Army Bases Will No Longer Be Gun-Free Zones

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced this week that U.S. Army bases will no longer be gun-free zones.

Gun of the Week: CZ Shadow 2 Carry

One of the latest concealed-carry handguns to hit the consumer market is the CZ's Shadow 2 Carry. Watch our "Gun of the Week" episode to see the details of this carry-oriented design.

The Armed Citizen® April 3, 2026

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.