Centerfire Rifle Rebate
Get Up To $50 Back!
Buy at least 2 boxes of Federal® centerfire rifle ammunition* and receive 20% back. *Exclusions Apply
30 Super Carry
Hits like a 9mm Luger. Carries like a 380 Auto. Designed exclusively for defense.
High Over All Rebate
Buy at least 10 boxes of Federal Premium® High Over All™ 12- or 20-gauge ammunition to get $1/box back. Exclusions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
Varmint & Predator
Get the most of rimfire with loads that offer both accuracy and violent expansion on impact.
FireStick
There’s never been a muzzleloading system like this. See all the benefits that set FireStick apart to provide the most convenient, safe and consistent performance ever.
Hydra-Shok® Component Bullets
The bullet that’s defined self-defense for a generation is now available as a component.
Federal X Duluth Pack
Check out the all-new lineup of Federal-branded Duluth Pack apparel and gear.
Model 2020 Waypoint Special Edition
We worked with engineers from Springfield Armory to create Custom Shop loads specifically designed for the utmost performance from the new Model 2020 Waypoint rifle.
Federal loads eight gauges of shotshells: 10, 12, 16, 20, 28 and .410—in addition to specialty loads like 24 and 32 gauge. Shells can range in length from 1 3/4 to 3 1/2inches and in payload weight from 3/8 ounce to 2 1/2 ounces. They are loaded with lead, steel, bismuth and tungsten alloy shot, as well as slugs and buckshot.
All shotshells share a few common traits. The head and primer are similar in all shells. The hull and base wad are paper or plastic. The wad design and powder vary with the type of shotshell and its intended use.
LEAD SHOT: Pellets and buckshot are formed by pouring melted lead through a sieve or they are swaged (formed in a die). Traditional wads for lead shot are molded from flexible, low-density polyethylene plastic and have a cushion section on the bottom. The cushion helps reduce the number of deformed pellets and the amount of felt recoil.
STEEL SHOT: These pellets are made by cutting steel wire into short lengths which are formed and ground. Premium® steel shot is coated with a rust inhibitor. Wads for steel shot are molded from high-density polyethylene, with thick sidewalls to prevent the pellets from contacting the shotgun bore surface. Steel shot ammunition requires large charges of special slow-burning powders to give the large shot column a gentler start but a faster exit from the muzzle.
TUNGSTEN SUPER SHOT: These pellets are made of tungsten-alloy that’s 56 percent denser than lead. This allows hunters to use smaller shot without sacrificing downrange energy, increasing pellet counts and improving pattern density.
BISMUTH SHOT: Bismuth pellets are almost as dense as lead, 9.6 g/cc, for lethality at longer ranges than steel payloads. The material meets non-toxic requirements, is more affordable than tungsten, and safe and effective for use in all shotguns.
FLITESTOPPER® SHOT: Available in all-steel pellets for waterfowl and upland birds, and lead pellets for upland birds and turkeys. The pellet is ringed by a raised cutting edge for more lethal wound channels and even edge to edge patterns.
The FLITECONTROL FLEX® wad opens at the rear, creating an air brake that pulls the wad off the shot string. The pellets are released at the optimum moment for accuracy and power. The wad is combined with unique shot types to get better performance on target.
Use this process to pattern your gun before taking it to the field:
Constriction in a shotgun’s muzzle is referred to as “choke.” The three most common chokes are full, modified and improved cylinder. Lead, steel, bismuth and tungsten pattern differently in each of these chokes. To determine which load provides the best pattern density and most even pellet distribution, make sure to pattern a variety of loads at different distances.
The gauge of a shotgun was first determined by a simple method that used lead balls. A gun maker would use lead balls the same diameter of the shotgun bore, and then count how many of those balls it takes to equal one pound of weight. For example, it takes 12 lead balls the size of a 12 gauge shotgun bore to weigh a pound. The only exception is the .410, which is measured in inches. Shotguns and shotgun shell should also be matched. Failure to properly match the ammunition to the firearm can cause firearm damage and/or personal injury.
SABOT SLUGS feature a lead or copper bullet enclosed in a polyethylene sleeve that grips the rifling to provide spin and increased accuracy. Sabot slugs should only be used in rifled barrels.
RIFLED OR "FOSTER" SLUG has helix ribbing to enhance stability through the bore. It has a hollow point that is designed for maximum expansion. The rifled slug is recommended for smoothbore shotgun barrels.