This week on Wheelgun Wednesday, we will be taking a look at some of the best choices for revolver hunting ammo for 2023. Note that this is not necessarily caliber specific.  We are simply looking for factory ammo that has consistent velocities, good quality control, and advanced bullet construction to provide the appropriate penetration, expansion and weight retention required for hunting.

Wheelgun Wednesday @ TFB:

• Wheelgun Wednesday: Empire KAGE for Colt Python
• Wheelgun Wednesday: Jefferson Davis Capture Beaumont-Adams Revolver
• Wheelgun Wednesday: Magnum Research BFR in 360 Buckhammer
• Wheelgun Wednesday: Taurus Raging Hunter .460 10 in Review (Part 2 of 2)

Revolvers have often been a popular choice for handgun hunting because they can handle more powerful commonly available cartridges than most semiautomatic handguns.  The single-action trigger pull on a hunting revolver can be had at a lightweight conducive to hunting right from the factory.  That, and many major manufacturers offer revolvers with longer barrels and provisions for attaching a bipod, should one want this feature.

Top Revolver Hunting Ammo for 2023:

1. Federal Premium Barnes Expander Handgun

First on the list, we have an unleaded entry from Federal.  Federal’s loading of the Barnes Expander bullet has an excellent nickel-plated brass case that can handle many outings into inclement weather without corrosion.  The Barnes Expander bullet is an all-copper hollowpoint with an aim towards 100% weight retention and very reliable expansion.

I have had excellent results with this ammunition in .454 Casull and .460 S&W.  I personally have recovered a few fired Barnes expander projectiles from ice, and not only did they retain 100% of their weight, but they also provided excellent penetration.  Federal premium cartridges may be rather expensive, but the performance is there in velocity, consistency, and accuracy.

Calibers Available:

• .357 Magnum
• .41 Magnum
• .44 Magnum
• .454 Casull
• .460 S&W
• 500 S&W

2. Hornady Handgun Hunter

Relatively new on the market, Hornady’s entry features their “Monoflex” bullet design.  The Monoflex bullet is a monolithic copper alloy hollowpoint bullet with elastomer material added into the bullet cavity to aid in expansion.  Per Hornady:

Hornady Handgun Hunter® ammunition is built around a bullet as rough and rugged as the conditions and game demand. The MonoFlex® handgun projectile is manufactured with a tough copper alloy that achieves deep penetration and 95% weight retention. Bullet expansion across a range of velocities is aided with an elastomer material added to the bullet’s open cavity. Upon impact, the elastomer compresses, then pushes out and causes the bullet to expand faster than a standard hollow point design.

Calibers Available:

• 9mm +P
• .357Magnum
• .40 S&W
• 10mm
• .44 Magnum
• .454 Casull
• .460 S&W Magnum
• .500 S&W Magnum

3. Underwood Xtreme Hunter

Underwood Ammunition’s Xtreme Hunter (XH) loadings come in nickel-plated brass cases and feature an interestingly-shaped monolithic solid bullet with a cross-section that is designed for deep penetration, cavitation and a large “permanent wound cavity”.  If you are looking to take down your game by shooting through shoulders or skulls, this would be a good consideration.  Per Underwood:

The optimum hunting round has arrived. The Xtreme Hunter (XH) was born from the incredibly popular Xtreme Defender product line. Like the XD, the Xtreme Hunter (XH) ammunition has an optimized nose flute. The difference is that weight and attained velocity have been optimized to achieve maximum penetration depth with a permanent wound cavity (PWC) that is just simply enormous. No expanding hollow point comes close to achieving anywhere near the diameter and volume of wound channel achieved by the Xtreme Hunter. Not only is the PWC over 100% larger than any other expanding bullet, terminal performance is achieved despite being shot through barriers. The solid copper body ensures that thick hide, bone, and any other barrier will have minimal effect on the Permanent Wound Channel.

Calibers Available:

• .357 Magnum
• 10mm
• 41 Magnum
• 44 Magnum
• 460 S&W Magnum
• .45-70 Govt (Thanks to BFR, technically a revolver caliber…)

4. Federal Premium Swift A-Frame

A hybrid hollowpoint bonded (lead with copper) design, the Swift A-Frame bullet has been known for a long time to have the benefits of both expansion in the front half and penetration aided by the back half.  The other benefit of the A-Frame bullet is that it reliably and similarly expands at close distances and far distances alike.  Again, we have a nickel-plated case with this ammunition to help keep your expensive ammo in prime condition.

Calibers Available:

• 327 Fed. Magnum
• 357 Magnum
• 10mm
• 44 Magnum
• 454 Casull
• 460 S&W Magnum
• 500 S&W Magnum

5. Eley High-Velocity Hollowpoint 36gr

Not to leave small but versatile .22LR revolvers out of the mix, lastly, we have Eley’s 36gr copper plated hollowpoint ammunition. Extremely consistent, and great for taking out small game and pests, this .22LR ammunition is a great choice if you want to fill your pot or take out pests with your .22LR revolver. Its oxidized blackened brass case is also a unique feature. Per Eley:

ELEY high velocity hollow is the first and only black .22LR rimfire hunting cartridge. The patented oxidisation process of the blackened brass case enhances accuracy by providing a more consistent propellant and primer burn by optimising the contact point between case and bullet.

Our scientific studies with ELEY edge and ELEY force (both featuring black cases) have proven the oxidised finish increases friction between the case and projectile. This regulates and controls the force required to eject the bullet, increasing ballistic consistency and accuracy whist stabilising the projectile.

The oxidised case reduces the inherent instability caused by supersonic speeds, another reason why ELEY have chosen the black case for ELEY high velocity hollow. You can use a ballistic chronograph, like the Magnetospeed v3, to see how fast the bullet can travel.

ELEY high velocity hollow guarantees world class accuracy, penetration and expansion from the low antimony soft lead alloy bullet. Each shot delivers a lethal blow to vermin such as prairie dogs, gophers, rabbits and squirrels. It is the perfect round for hunters and pest controllers who need maximum velocity without compromising on accuracy.

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