Video: Federal Defensive Ammunition

NRA Staff

posted on June 30, 2015

Support NRA American Rifleman DONATE

** 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

The Model 87 Ultra Special: A Rare Survivor of Ithaca's Final Gamble

In the spring of 1990, an 18-year-old received a shotgun he didn't order. The Ithaca Model 87 Ultra Special he got instead was the last gasp of one of America's most iconic shotgun makers.

News, Guns

As Gun Sales Stay High, Violent Crime Hits a Historic Low

According to a recent report from the FBI on national crime statistics, violent crime has decreased 9.3 percent from 2024, marking the largest year-to-year drop since the 1930s.

Armed Citizen, News

Five Million Friends

From one room of friends in Missouri to a nationwide movement, Friends of NRA celebrates more than five million lives touched through community, volunteerism, and a shared commitment to the future of the shooting sports.

News

Federal to Provide Rifle Ammunition to Top Nordic Police Agencies

The Nordic Police, comprised of Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland, recently selected two Federal Ammunition rifle loads for duty and training use.

News, Ammunition

New For 2026: Beretta APX A1 Ported

Beretta first entered the polymer-frame, striker-fired pistol market in 2017 with its APX, and nearly 10 years later, the company has added the APX A1 Ported to the lineup.

News, Guns