First Look: Federal Premium Train & Protect Ammo

Federal Premium introduced its Train & Protect line of ammunition, which provides shooters with an affordable ammo option for range training and personal protection, all with the same round.

The Federal Premium Train & Protect ammo line is loaded with the company's versatile hollow-point bullet and is packaged inside of a reloadable brass case along with a reliable primer, ensuring that users have a round that performs consistently on the range and, if necessary, in a self-defense encounter.

The new Train & Protect line offers a different take on the more traditional route taken by most concealed-carry holders, which is to practice at the range with a budget ammo option, usually loaded with a round-nose, full-metal jacket projectile. Once range practice is over, owners will then load up their guns with premium-priced defensive ammunition that, more often than not, provides different performance and handling characteristics than practice ammo.

This new Federal Premium Train & Protect ammo makes it possible for users to head to the range with ammunition designed for defensive use straight from the box without needing to spend the same amount needed for top-shelf premium defensive ammo. One of the benefits of this setup is that users can be sure that their firearms will perform reliably with their ammo of choice. Certain handguns can perform flawlessly with FMJ rounds, but their performance quickly nosedives with the use of standard hollow-point bullets. Sticking with the same round for practice and protection eliminates this variable.

Another added benefit of using the same round for training and carrying is that different ammunition choices can perform differently from the same firearm. Users might be used to their training ammo impacting in a certain part of the target, while their carry ammo provides a different point of impact. With the Train & Protect line, users can be sure they have consistent performance all the time.

The Federal Premium Train & Protect line is available in three calibers: 9 mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP. The suggested retail price on a 100-round box of the 9 mm is $56.95, while 100-round boxes of the .40 S&W and .45 ACP options retail at a suggested price of $66.95.