Federal Training Ammo Review: Cheap Ammo That Performs

By Wes Littlefield

Last Updated: Sep 15, 2025

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Wes Littlefield

Guns have fascinated Wes since pulling the trigger on his BB gun as a kid. He built a private gun range over a decade ago to keep his skills sharp. He loves breaking down complex ideas into understandable pieces for readers, with expertise in hunting and all aspects of shooting.

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Wes Littlefield, "Federal Training Ammo Review: Ammo Choice of Champions?"
(https://ammo.com/ammo-review/federal-training-ammo-review)

When looking for practice or training ammo, you have so many options it can be overwhelming. This Federal Training ammo review will help ease your mind and point you in the right direction for your next ammo purchase.

We'll charge into the history and quality of Federal Training ammo, its best uses, and its most significant downsides. We'll also provide the information you need to determine if it's ammo you want to buy.

Let's get shooting!

Federal Training Ammo Overview

Federal Premium is a leading manufacturer of ammo. As one of the most recognizable names in the industry, they have every type of ammo you might need, including handgun ammo for target practice and personal defense, rifle ammo for hunting, all kinds of shotgun shells, and, of course, rimfire ammo.

Whether you're looking for range ammo, hunting ammo, law-enforcement ammo, or self-defense ammo, Federal makes it. Better yet, they make it right in the USA.

But we're here to focus on their Training ammo. It was once labeled "Federal Training Ammo" and came in a pretty basic white box with black print, and similar in quality to the Minnesotan company's American Eagle line of ammo.

Well, those days are over.

Shooters now have the option of Federal Champion Training ammo, Federal Syntech Training Match ammo, Federal American Eagle Indoor Range Training Lead-Free ammo, and Federal Train + Protect ammo.

Take a deep breath and focus on one at a time.

Federal Champion Training ammo has three offerings: Champion Training, Champion Training Rimfire, and Champion Training Rifle.

Champion Training is great pistol ammo for the range. However, much of it has been discontinued. Champion Training Rimfire comes in 22 LR and 22 WMR. Champion Training Rifle was only available in 5.56x45mm but has, been discontinued.

Federal Syntech Action Pistol 9mm Ammo - 500 Rounds of 150 Grain Total Synthetic Jacket Ammunition

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$258.99

54 In stock now

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Federal Syntech Training Match is pistol ammo loaded with a polymer-coated flat nose bullet. It is currently available in a few different calibers.

Federal American Eagle Indoor Range Training Lead-Free handgun ammo is designed for safer shooting indoors. It has lead-free primers, as well as lead-free bullets with similar performance to traditional FMJs.

Federal Train + Protect ammo is handgun ammo that's inexpensive enough to use at the range and for self-defense. It is loaded with Versatile Hollow Point projectiles: economical yet effective lead-core jacketed hollow points.

Now that we have a basic understanding of Federal Training ammo, let's talk a little bit about the general performance of these rounds.

Our Federal Training Ammo Review

I've fired a lot of Federal ammo throughout the years, whether that was from my Smith & Wesson M&P Shield 9mm Luger carry pistol, Ruger 22 LR pistols and rifles for plinking, my wife's 380 ACP, shotshells for dove and duck hunting, or running some 5.56 through my AR-15.

Rarely have I ever had a problem with it. However, it's also not my favorite brand of ammo.

Let's find out why I and many other shooters like to use Federal Training ammo – and its shortcomings.

What Is It Best For?

As the name suggests, it's best for training and practicing. This is not hunting or self-defense ammo, although Federal did well at matching its ballistics to high-end ammo as closely as possible.

Suppose you're a prepper or just someone who likes to ensure they have plenty of ammo on hand in case anything happens. In that case, Federal Training ammo is a solid choice since it's often sold at competitive prices and very reliable.

Federal American Eagle Indoor Range Training ammo and Federal Syntech Training ammo are best for shooting indoors, because they do not produce nearly as much lead vapor on ignition as conventional cartridges. It promotes a healthier environment wherever ventilation is limited.

Disadvantages

Federal American Eagle 9mm Ammo - 100 Rounds of 124 Grain FMJ Ammunition

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$30.99

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A significant disadvantage of this ammo is how much of it has been discontinued. If you fall in love with it, buy a whole bunch, because it might never get produced again.

Federal ammo as a whole also tends to be on the pricey side; however, Federal Training ammo is priced well for the performance it offers.

Lastly, trying to keep up with and decide between all the choices is confusing. And that's coming from someone who is paid to stay on top of ammo! For those just getting into shooting or who occasionally enjoy the smell of burnt gunpowder, all the new choices might scare them away.

Pros and Cons

You now have a little background for this ammo and its best uses. Below are the pros and cons I discovered while researching Federal Training ammo.

Pros

• Reasonably priced
• Reliable
• Reloadable brass cases
• American-made

Cons

• Many variants are discontinued
• Presently only available in pistol and rimfire calibers

Variants of Federal Training Ammo

Federal Training ammo comes in several forms. Here are the available cartridge and bullet options available to help you decide which is right for you.

Champion Training

Federal Champion 22 LR Ammo - 3200 Rounds of 40 Grain LRN Ammunition

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$269.99

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• Champion Training 32 H&R Magnum 95-grain semi-wadcutter hollow point
• Champion Training 44 Special 200-grain semi-wadcutter hollow point
• Champion Training 45 Auto 230-grain full metal jacket
• Champion Training 40 S&W 180-grain full metal jacket
• Champion Training 9mm Luger 115-grain full metal jacket

Champion Training Rimfire

• Champion Training Rimfire 22 LR 36-grain lead hollow point
• Champion Training Rimfire 22 LR 40-grain lead round nose
• Champion Training Rimfire 22 LR 36-grain copper plated hollow point
• Champion Training Rimfire 22 WMR 40-grain full metal jacket

Champion Training Rifle

• Champion Training Rifle 5.56x45mm 55-grain jacketed soft point (Discontinued)

Federal Syntech Training Match

• Syntech Training Match 9mm Luger 147-grain Syntech jacket flat nose
• Syntech Training Match 9mm Luger 124-grain Syntech jacket flat nose
• Syntech Training Match 40 S&W 180-grain Syntech jacket flat nose
• Syntech Training Match 45 Auto 230-grain Syntech jacket flat nose

Federal Train + Protect 357 Magnum Ammo - 50 Rounds of 125 Grain JHP Ammunition

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$41.99

19 In stock now

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Federal Train + Protect

• Train + Protect 380 Auto 85-grain Versatile Hollow Point
• Train + Protect 9mm Luger 115-grain Versatile Hollow Point
• Train + Protect 38 Special 158-grain Versatile Hollow Point
• Train + Protect 357 Magnum 125-grain VHP
• Train + Protect 40 S&W 180-grain Versatile Hollow Point
• Train + Protect 10mm Auto 180-grain Versatile Hollow Point
• Train + Protect 45 Auto 230-grain Versatile Hollow Point

Federal American Eagle Indoor Range Training

• American Eagle Indoor Range Training Lead-Free 380 Auto 70-grain FMJ
• American Eagle Indoor Range Training Lead-Free 9mm Luger 70-grain FMJ
• American Eagle Indoor Range Training 9mm Luger 147-grain FMJ
• American Eagle Indoor Range Training 9mm Luger 124-grain FMJ
• American Eagle Indoor Range Training Lead-Free 40 S&W 120-grain FMJ
• American Eagle Indoor Range Training 40 S&W 180-grain FMJ
• American Eagle Indoor Range Training Lead-Free 45 Auto 137-grain FMJ
• American Eagle Indoor Range Training 45 Auto 230-grain FMJ

Ballistics of Federal Training Ammo Bullets

Federal Training ammo ballistics vary widely depending on the cartridge and bullet you're shooting. Here are ballistic data for the more popular Federal Training offerings.

Parting Shots

Now that you've read our Federal Training ammo review, you're equipped with the knowledge to choose the best practice ammo for your precious Glock 19 or SIG Sauer.

You have plenty of options, but some might be discontinued, so grab as much as you can from Ammo.com today!

Frequently Asked Questions

I rounded up and answered some commonly asked questions regarding Federal Training ammo.

Is Federal Training Ammo worth buying?

Yes. Federal Training ammo is worth buying if you're looking to stock up on a bunch of quality ammo at a reasonable price.

What is the range of Federal Training Ammo?

The range of Federal Training ammo is similar to all other ammunition in the same caliber. It will primarily depend on the caliber you're using for the effective range.

Written by

Wes Littlefield