Video: Federal Defensive Ammunition

by
posted on June 30, 2015
** 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. **
There is no conventional personal-protection projectile available to “civilians” that performs optimally “across the board.” A bullet that is intended to maintain its integrity—for sufficient penetration—even when encountering difficult-to-defeat barriers, such as automobile glass, cannot be expected to exhibit the same traits as one designed to expend most of its energy in a soft target, even wallboard, to reduce damage from over-penetration or a miss. As such, it’s prudent for an ammunition company to offer multiple loads with distinct performance parameters. That’s exactly what Federal Premium did with HST and Guard Dog Home Defense.

Watch this segment from a recent episode of American Rifleman as the staff visits Federal Premium's factory in Anoka, Minn., to see how its Guard Dog and HST loads fare under the most extreme testing.

For more on Federal's defensive ammo, please enjoy the following articles:

Mastery of Metals: Federal's HST and Guard Dog Loads

Editors' Picks—New for 2015: Federal Premium .380 ACP Personal Defense HST 

Federal Premium Personal Defense Low Recoil .45 Auto Ammunition


Six Things to Consider When Choosing Self-Defense Ammunition

Federal Premium Guard Dog Ammunition

Latest

Taylors Tc73 Gotw 1
Taylors Tc73 Gotw 1

Gun of the Week: Taylor's & Co. TC73

The Taylor's Firearms TC73 has classic lines and a classic appearance, but unlike other lever-actions, this one has a few unique features.

The Armed Citizen® June 26, 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.

The U.S. Supreme Court’s Wolford v. Lopez Decision is Striking

In Wolford v. Lopez, the Supreme Court ruled that “Hawaii’s law prohibiting licensed concealed-carry permit holders from carrying handguns on private property open to the public without the property owner’s express authorization violates the Second and Fourteenth Amendments.”

The Fighting Shotgun: Myths, Legends & Facts

For a host of reasons, the Winchester Model 1897 "trench gun" probably never really made it into combat on the Western Front. But, the fact remains that Americans have always revered the shotgun as the ultimate fight-stopper.

Leupold Celebrates USA 250th With Limited-Edition "Mark 250" Riflescope Package

Leupold has commissioned a Limited-Edition Mark 250 Riflescope Package to commemorate the United States semiquincentennial, and it is now available exclusively through Scheels.

A Successful Friends of the NRA Dinner at Compton Hunting & Fishing Club

On Saturday, June 20, 2026, the Compton Hunting & Fishing Club in Southern California hosted another outstanding Friends of the NRA dinner.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.