The Best Ammo Brands in Canada
Whether the plan is spending an afternoon on the gun range, or a weekend hunting in the bush, you will need to be sure you have enough ammo. Ammo is essential to any sport involving guns and having ammunition you are comfortable and confident using could be the difference between coming home empty-handed or not.
However, ammunition is growing difficult to obtain at a reasonable price in Canada due to ammo shortages south of the border. If your favourite round is becoming harder to find, or has gone up in price, we have created a list of some of the best ammo brands easily found in Canada, so you can find ammo suitable for your uses.
Our top picks
What to look for in an ammo brand
- Accuracy – Accuracy is very important in hunting or sport shooting purposes, but likely you will want to hit your target. Almost all manufacturers will make claims about their product’s accuracy, but you should talk to experienced users or the employees at your local sports store regarding the accuracy regarding a certain round, and think about quality control, construction and accuracy.
- Choice – There are many different types of ammunition available, from all types of manufacturers, in a range of calibres, price, variations or intended uses it may have. What you use for hunting and use for plinking will likely be very different. We recommend looking into different types of ammunition for your different uses and sticking with whichever type works best for each purpose.
- Reliability – Ideally, you should be able to rely on your ammo when you need it. If you have a deer in your sights yet your gun jams or misfires, you could be going home empty-handed. We recommend testing out any new ammo for reliability on a range before your next hunting trip.
- Price – On the other end of the spectrum, price is a huge factor in terms of shopping for ammo – perhaps now more than it recently has been, due to high demand for ammunition and scarce supplies making ammo hard to find, and even harder to find at a good price.
Why trust us
If you are interested in owning a gun, or you are looking into different types of ammo for your purposes, it can be hard figuring out what type and brand of ammunition is worth picking up. We put over 10 hours of research into the creation of this buying guide, reviewing professional reviews and user experience in creating this list. We ensured each brand of ammo we reviewed was easily obtainable in Canada, however, due to increasing ammo shortages, you may need to look around or order online to find the ammo you have specifically in mind.
Federal Premium
Available at: Cabela’s, Canadian Tire, The Ammo Source
Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota Federal Ammunition is an ammunition manufacturer that has been around since the year of 1922. From its humble beginnings from a single plant in Anoka, Minnesota to being the modern giant in ammunition that it is today, Federal has been dedicated to technology and innovation.
Federal has a complete line of shotshell, rimfire and centerfire ammunition and components. Federal’s American Eagle line is an excellent budget choice, with many other lines that might be worth your while for your purposes, including their Premium Personal Defense line and their polymer-tipped V-Shok line.
Users generally find Federal consistent and accurate, with solid results up and down their product lines. Even their American Eagle line is generally well-liked among shooters. Federal Premium got to where it is now by aggressive marketing (legendarily stocking grocery stores to even barbershops), and even today the brand is widespread and commonly found wherever you buy your ammunition.
Pros
- Wide range of products at a varying price range.
- Widely available.
Cons
- Some of their ammo, including the Personal Defense line, does not pack much power.
Cascade Cartridges Inc.
Available at: Cabela’s, Canadian Tire, The Ammo Source
Cascade Cartridges Inc. (or more commonly known as CCI) have been around since 1951 and are renowned for their quality rimfire ammunition. The Lewiston, Idaho-based company has been developing and producing on the same land since their early days, and they maintained the same commitment to quality as well.
CCI is one of the better brands of ammunition that focuses on rimfire, with a wide range of rounds that people love. For .22 calibre ammunition, The Stinger and Standard Velocity .22LR are extremely popular and easy to find, and the Mini-Mag .22LR is an industry-standard. Additionally, CCI makes impressive budget centerfire handgun ammo with their Blazer Brass line. While their product range stops there, the products CCI does offer are definitely worth your time.
Users tend to really enjoy using CCI’s 22 rifle rounds, finding them accurate at even long ranges and powerful. Blazer Brass ammunition is popular among people who like breaking out a handgun at the firing range. CCI is also very widely available, so trying the company on for size will not be hard.
Pros
- Very accurate .22 calibres, perfect for plinking and hunting.
- Widely available.
Cons
- Does not offer a lot of ammo types.
Sellier & Bellot
Available at: Canadian Tire, Canada Ammo, The Ammo Source
Sellier & Bellot is a Czech manufacturer that is one of the oldest ammunition manufacturers still around, making ammunition since 1825, in that time making ammo for the French Infantry post–Napoleon. With years and years of experience, and a wide catalogue of ammunition, Sellier & Bellot is a brand of ammunition that you can trust.
Due to its long-standing position as one of the best international ammunition manufactures, Sellier & Bellot has a wide range of ammunition, including rounds for older European calibres. Sellier & Bellot’s dedication to innovation has led to an expanded product line to include many different types of ammunition, including shotshells, centrefire and rimfire cartridges, and handgun ammunition. Today, Sellier & Bellot makes some excellent hunting cartridges, including SBT’s GameKing rifle ammo that packs a punch while being quite accurate.
Users find Sellier & Bellot a high-quality ammo manufacturer, that makes reliable and accurate ammo from quality brass. Sellier & Bellot ammunition does vary in price, so it can be great to shop around, as this company’s ammo can perform great at its price.
Pros
- High quality for the price.
- Reliable for reloading.
Cons
- Prices for ammo may vary.
Hornady
Available at: Cabela’s, Canadian Tire, Canada Ammo, The Ammo Source
Dating back to 1940, Hornady is a very reputable maker of ammunition, with ammo that is excellent for target shooting and hunting. Today, Hornady’s ammunition is produced in a factory in Grand Island, Nebraska, where they make their ammo with accuracy and quality in mind.
Hornady is a premium product, with a dedication to providing hunters and shooters with the highest performance available. Each component of each bullet is meticulously crafted from the best materials, with performance always in mind. Hornady manufactures all four of the primary ammunition types: rifle, handgun, shotshell & rimfire. Hornady has a wide selection of popular product lines including their Critical Defense, Superformance, and American Whitetail lines. Hornady also is known for their 17 HMR round, which they had a role in creating.
Users find that Hornady makes some of the best off-the-shelf ammo, that can outperform ammo much more expensive than itself. While Hornady might be on the expensive side itself, you can count on them to deliver quality ammo. When hunting or sport shooting, you cannot go wrong with Hornady.
Pros
- Strong penetration and expansion make Hornady an excellent hunting round.
- Very accurate.
Cons
- Can be on the expensive side.
Prvi Partizan
Available at: Canada Ammo, The Ammo Source
Prvi Partizan ammunition is a Serbian ammunition manufacturer that was founded in 1928. Today, Prvi Partizan ammunition is the sole supplier of ammo to the Serbian Army and Police and is one of the largest foreign suppliers of ammunition to the US.
Prvi Partizan is dedicated to supplying economical yet effective products. They focus primarily on Rifle ammunition and handgun ammunition, with the former being excellently suited for hunting, and either being suitable for sport. Additionally, Prvi Partizan makes ammunition for a wide range of historic European guns, making them a great place to start looking if you maintain a collection of antique guns.
Users find that Prvi Partizan is a cheap, yet decently performing brand of European ammunition. While other brands like Wolf and TulAmmo can be had for cheaper, Prvi does make a solidly performing, economical product. Some users had difficulties with this ammo jamming, making this less-than-reliable. However, for a cheap, accurate round, people seem to quite like Prvi Partizan ammunition.
Pros
- Usually decently priced.
- Niche calibres available.
Cons
- Not as reliable on account of some jamming issues.
Nosler
Available at: Canadian Tire, Canada Ammo, The Ammo Source
Nosler is another American ammunition manufacturer that has been around for a long time. After an uneventful hunting trip in British Columbia, founder John Nosler set out to make ammo for hunters that would be more effective than the full metal jackets of the time. By 1948, Nosler was selling his Partition bullets – that featured an expanding core that improved the bullet’s effectiveness – commercially. Now, Nosler is based out of Bend, Oregon and still specializes in hunting ammunition, among other types.
Nosler carries a range of ammunition for Rifles and Handguns alike. Popular products that Nosler manufactures include their Ballistic Tip, Match Grade, and Trophy Grade lines of ammunition.
Users find Nosler ammo very accurate, with the power to boot. Nosler is an excellent choice for hunting rifle ammo. However, Nosler ammo is typically on the expensive side. Sometimes you got to pay a little more for quality, and that is what you can expect with Nosler.
Pros
- Highly accurate.
- Powerful.
Cons
- Expensive.
- Only rifle Ammo seems to be available.
Remington
Available at: Cabela’s, Canadian Tire, The Ammo Source
Remington is a hugely famous American gun manufacturer, being the oldest US gun manufacturer at over 200 years old. Based in Madison, North Carolina, Remington is at the top of the pack for availability and price.
Remington makes ammo for all four primary ammo types, in a range of calibres available. With an extensive list of ammunition they make, you can trust Remington for almost any of your weapons, especially for more mainstream weapons. Remington offers some product lines that users really enjoy, including their Core-Lokt big game rifle ammunition, Premier centrefire ammunition, and Hypersonic shotshell ammunition.
Users typically think that Remington rounds are effective and can seriously pack a punch, however, some lines of their ammo can be on the cheaper side of things and quality control-wise. While Remington ammo can be had for cheap and is widely found, you may need to test it out.
Pros
- Can be had for cheaper.
- Wide range of ammunition available.
Cons
- Some of their lines may not be the most reliable.
Winchester
Available at: Cabela’s, Canadian Tire, The Ammo Source
Another iconic brand with a storied history; Winchester was founded in 1866, and while the company has been defunct for 15 years now, the name is still used under license by the Herstal Group, and Winchester ammunition is manufactured still under the parent company Olin Corporation. With such a storied name, it is fitting that Winchester still produces widely respected and sought-after ammo.
Winchester makes all the major types of ammo in a wide range of calibres for your shooting needs. Winchester’s “White Box” rifle ammunition is one of the best middle-of-the-road offerings that are widely available. Other lines of Winchester ammo that have proved popular include Super-X rifle ammunition, Defender shotshell, and Match rifle ammunition.
With such a storied name, Winchester ammunition is made under a stringent commitment to quality. Users really enjoy Winchester overall, for their effective line of reliable ammo. Chances are Winchester has ammo for your purposes, and that you will be very happy with the line of ammunition that you choose.
Pros
- Reliable.
- Wide range of ammo that is widely available.
Cons
- Can be outperformed by many other brands of ammo.
How we chose the best ammo brands
When looking for specific types of ammo, there are factors that you may be looking into to ensure accuracy and reliability, including consistency, weight, and design. However, when talking about ammo brands, we need to be general and discuss other attributes, such as the company’s quality assurance, history, reputation, and price range. Not all ammunition manufacturers are going to be excellent at the same things, so we tried to signify which product lines were popular among consumers.
Frequently asked questions about ammo
What is ammo?
Ammo, short for ammunition, is the projectile that is fired from a gun.
How to pick the best ammo?
You will look at different things for different kinds of ammo for different purposes. For example, ammo for use at the range, you are likely going to want to buy something on the cheaper side of things, as well as ammo with little recoil so you can shoot repeatedly. While for hunting purposes, you will need to consider ammo that will humanely drop your target – so something heavier that expands upon penetration is most likely preferred to bring down big game.
Are there any ammo rebates in Canada?
There are Ammo rebates that are available in Canada through many different suppliers and sellers of guns and ammunition. Since rebates are reliant on time and different rebates will be available at different times, we recommend doing research into rebates on products you are thinking of buying to make 0back some of your hard-earned money.
How much ammunition can you own in Canada?
A person may buy and keep up to 225kg of net explosive quantity. What this means is you are only able to keep ammunition that has a combined net weight of 225 kg of gunpowder. Which is a lot. Additional requirements regarding storage also exist. If you want to look into Canada’s laws on storing weapons, we recommend checking out Canada’s explosive regulations on the official Natural Resources Canada website.
Where can I buy ammo in Canada?
You can buy Ammo at Canadian Tire, Cabela’s, or other outdoors stores that carry guns. You can also buy ammo online through websites such as Canada Ammo or The Ammo Source.
What are the most popular Canadian-made ammo brands?
There are a lot of Canadian-made ammo brands out there, however, many do not have the popularity to compete with ammunition imported from the United States or Europe, most of the time. These retailers more frequently will sell their products from their own online stores or smaller stores. Some Canadian-based ammo retailers include:
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