SWEET HOME, Oregon –– HEVI-Shot Ammunition recently launched several new turkey loads for the upcoming 2025 spring season, and retailers are now stocking shelves with them. Two new HEVI-Bismuth Turkey 3-inch, 12- and 20-gauge offerings in 4/5 shot, and four HEVI-13 3-inch, 12- and 20-gauge offerings in 6 or 7 shot are currently being delivered to retailers nationwide.

“We are excited to be shipping our new-for-2025 loads to turkey hunters gearing up for a great spring season,” said Tina Larsen, HEVI-Shot’s marketing manager. “This includes an entirely new product line in HEVI-Bismuth Turkey. Plus, HEVI-Shot’s original HEVI-13 product line is returning. These products offer excellent, hard-hitting solutions for hunters seeking non-leaded options at specific price points.”

The new HEVI-Bismuth Turkey product line comprises two 3-inch 12- and 20-gauge offerings. With a blend of 4 and 5 shot made with 9.6 g/cc HEVI-Bismuth, turkey hunters get blistering speed and 22 percent more energy compared to steel. Learn more at:

https://www.hevishot.com/turkey/hevi-bismuth-turkey.

HEVI-Shot’s original HEVI-13 returns in 2025. It comprises four 3-inch 12- and 20-gauge offerings in 6 and 7 shot. Loaded with HEVI-Shot 12 g/cc tungsten, HEVI-13 offers 20 percent more effective range and energy than lead turkey payloads. Learn more at: https://www.hevishot.com/turkey/hevi-13-turkey.

Part No. / Description / MSRP

HSBT412045 / HEVI-Bismuth Turkey 12g, 3”, 4 & 5, 1¾ oz, 5-count box / $23.99

HSBT420045 / HEVI-Bismuth Turkey 20g, 3”, 4 & 5, 1¼ oz, 5-count box / $20.99

HS43026 / HEVI-13 12g, 3”, 6, 2 oz, Tungsten, 5-count box / $50.99

HS43027 / HEVI-13 12g, 3”, 7, 2 oz, Tungsten, 5-count box / $50.99

HS306 / HEVI-13 20g, 3”, 6, 1¼ oz, 5-count box / $39.99

HS307 / HEVI-13 20g, 3”, 7, 1¼ oz, 5-count box / $39.99 Read more

Federal Ammunition recently released Its all-new HammerDown 22 LR rimfire product line and is currently being delivered to retailers nationwide.

The New 22 LR hunting round features nickel-plated brass for weather and corrosion resistance, specially formulated propellant, and a copper-plated hollow-point bullet. It is loaded to velocities that provide superior ballistics through lever-action rimfire rifles and delivers excellent cycling in tubular-magazine and lever-action feeding systems. It is packaged in 325-round bulk boxes.

HammerDown Rimfire 22 LR Ammo

“The technology that revitalized centerfire lever-action rifles and carbines is now available for rimfire,” said CCI’s Rimfire Product Line Manager Steve Monniere. “Our new HammerDown Rimfire 22 LR load features a specially modified copper-plated hollow point bullet designed to function flawlessly in all lever guns and modern sporting rifles (MSRs). The new bullet’s hollow-point design offers excellent expansion at hunting ranges between 25 to 100 yards for small game.”

Part No. / Description / MSRP

22HAM / 22 LR, 40-grian, Copper-plated HP 325-count, 1,200 fps / $39.99

Federal Ammunition products are available at dealers nationwide and online. For more information on all Federal products, visit www.federalpremium.com.

APEX Ammunition and Woodhaven Custom Calls are excited to introduce NEXT LEVEL Ninja TSS shotshells – a new blend of Tungsten Super Shot for turkey hunting. The NEXT LEVEL Ninja features a combination of # 8.5 and # 9.5 TSS, offering the perfect balance between pattern density and knockdown power.

The result of feedback from avid turkey hunters and developed in collaboration with Woodhaven, this premium blend delivers optimized lethality at varied distances, ensuring versatility in numerous hunting situations. NEXT LEVEL Ninja is a lethal turkey load that bridges the gap between the original APEX Smalltown blend and Greenleaf blend – the perfect choice for hunters who prefer medium-sized shot blends.

“At APEX, we’re always pushing the boundaries to give hunters the best possible options when they take to the woods in pursuit of wild turkey,” said Jason Lonsberry, President and CEO, APEX Ammunition. “We’re excited to be back in the innovation process with our partners at Woodhaven Custom Calls. Our new NEXT LEVEL Ninja blend strikes the perfect balance –offering a ‘not-too-big, not-too-small’ solution for hunters looking for versatility. We can’t wait to see it in action this spring.”

“APEX continues to be the industry leader and innovator in the TSS market,” said Mike Pentecost, Founder and Owner, Woodhaven Custom Calls. “The popular Turkey Ninja loads (8.5 shot) that we launched back in 2020 have surely been, and will continue to be, a lethal load, and we are excited to bring a NEXT LEVEL Ninja blend (8.5 – 9.5 shot) to turkey hunters nationwide. I know the NEXT LEVEL will deliver superior performance and give hunters the perfect blend to hunt with.”

Why NEXT LEVEL Ninja?

Balanced pellet size – The perfect mix of dense patterns and hard-hitting power.

Unmatched versatility – Designed to perform across all hunting conditions.

Lethality at varied distances – Whether up close or at range, NEXT LEVEL gets the job done.

Available In:

• 12 Gauge (3.5″ 2-1/2 oz) – 931 pellets
• 12 Gauge (3″ 2-1/4 oz) – 854 pellets
• 20 Gauge (3″ 1-5/8 oz) – 608 pellets
• 28 Gauge (2-3/4″ 1-1/2 oz) – 569 pellets
• .410 Gauge (3″ 7/8 oz) – 376 pellets

With three distinct blends now in the APEX lineup – Smalltown (7.5 / 9 TSS), Greenleaf (9 / 10 TSS), and the new NEXT LEVEL Ninja Blend (8.5 / 9.5 TSS) —hunters can customize their load options to match their hunting style. Whether you prefer maximum pattern density, core tightness, or a perfect balance in between, APEX gives you the power to choose.

All NEXT LEVEL Ninja loads come in 5-round boxes, except for the .410 which comes in a 10-round box.

MSRP: $59.99 – $84.99

The NEXT LEVEL Ninja blend will be available exclusively at the Woodhaven Custom Calls booth (#1401) at the NWTF Convention in Nashville and online at ApexAmmunition.com. Read more

Length makes bullets heavy. And deadly. Does a pointed nose help or hinder?

When they caught up with the injured elephant, a right and a left from the client’s .600 double—7,500 foot-pounds each—had no effect. Quickly he reloaded, sent two more 900-grain bullets, then another pair, all into the head. By then, the fusillade had severely punished both elephant and hunter. Neither was yet prostrate when the professional hunter triggered his .450 No. 2. The elephant collapsed just four steps away. The .600’s solids had flattened on bone and stopped shy of the vitals. These days, high-velocity bullets that disintegrate on moose, elk, even deer before penetrating yield the same unsatisfactory result. A hunting bullet has two tasks: to hit and to kill. Target bullets need only hit. Since rifled barrels appeared in the 16th century, accuracy standards have tightened. Shooters expect ever-smaller groups on paper, and hits at greater distance. But for stopping elephants—or tumbling deer or elk—good accuracy is often just hitting a melon as far as you can throw it. Bullets that fly flat and nip tight knots far away gain you nothing in cover. They may even cost you kills. Read more