I’ve shot a lot of questionable ammo in my lifetime…From Russian steel core corrosive 7.62x54R to gun show reloads that looked like they were dragged through the jungles of Vietnam before being sold. And I would trust all of those with my life A LOT more than anything sold by Federal Armament LLC (FedArm for short).
When it comes to FedArm ammo, I’ve got just two words for you:
Hard Pass
It doesn’t take much digging to find some scathing FedArm reviews about split cases, under/over charged cartridges, projectiles falling out cases, and incorrectly seated primers. The company’s Better Business Bureau (BBB) profile tells the whole story, 1.2 out of 5 stars. That’s abysmal!
Not only does the company have a bad reputation for suboptimal ammo, but their CFO and co-owner Neil Mehta was arrested by the FBI in January 2023 for unlawful possession of an unregistered destructive device. The company is also under investigation by the US Department of Labor for lying to investigators about employee’s overtime pay (or lack thereof).
I hate having to write a bad ammo review, but FedArm ammo should be avoided at all costs unless you find it for next to nothing on Gunbroker.
I would not recommend FedArm ammo. Even though the company boasts multiple military, government, and law enforcement contracts, FedArm ammo is plagued by numerous manufacturing inconsistencies and experiences a high volume of misfires.
Honestly there are not a lot of positive things to say about FedArm ammo at this point. I suppose if you like practicing malfunction clearing with countless jams and misfires, then FedArm ammo is a great training investment. However, the quality control and consistency of FedArm ammo is so poor that it’s hardly worth buying. Furthermore, as the company is currently embroiled in multiple lawsuits, they don’t have any ammo for sale even on their own website.
FedArm offered a selection of remanufactured rimfire, centerfire rifle and handgun ammo in different chamberings, here are some of their most popular handloads:
Federal Armament LLC was established in 2014 and holds multiple Federal Firearm’s Licenses (FFL’s) as the company sells ammunition, their own brand of reloading components, firearms, firearm accessories, and body armor.
The company is owned by an investment firm called XN Capital, who is owned by the FedArm CFO, Neil Mehata.
FedArm sells several grades of ammunition, their most common being Blaster and Range Grade loaded with either full metal jacket (FMJ) or total metal jacket (TMJ) bullets. These cartridges are designed to be used just for the fun of shooting, and after you’ve read some FedArm reviews, you’ll understand that most of the joy is lost in the low quality of this ammo.
The company does manufacture its own brand of primers named Forth Smith after the town the factory is located in. As a small plus, the Fort Smith Arms and Ammunition Plant (FSAAP) does manufacture their own Berdan primers, which can be notoriously difficult to find if you’ve ever tried reloading Berdan primed cases before.
FSAAP sells their own brand of AR-15 handguns, rifles, and semi-auto shotguns.
However, as the company is embroiled in multiple legal battles at the moment, the only place you can find any of their firearms or ammo is on Gunbroker.
FedArm ammo is loaded in their factory in Fort Smith, Arkansas. However, as of June 2023, the company is not currently producing ammunition for sale due to legal entanglements.
Yes, due to manufacturing inconsistencies FedArm ammo is notoriously dirty and inconsistent.
No. Most shooters report FedArm ammo as being inconsistent with wide spreads in muzzle velocity and point of impact.
FedArm currently does not manufacture any ammo that is suitable for big game hunting. Their 223 Remington ammo can be used for varmint hunting if necessary.
FedArm uses their own brand of primers named “Fort Smith” after the hometown of the company, Fort Smith, Arkansas.
I would not recommend using FedArm cases for reloading. Multiple shooters report issues with FedArm brass such as split necks and bulged cases.
FedArm 115 grain FMJ Blaster ammo or Range Grade is a suitable range ammo for general target practice. However, don’t expect to take this ammo to a shooting competition as it is notoriously unreliable.
FedArm Ammo Review: Hard Pass originally appeared in The Resistance Library at Ammo.com.