Underwood Ammo Review: The New Kid on the Block
Underwood ammunition is the new kid on the block for American manufacturers. It’s one of those manufacturers that bleeds Red, White, and Blue, and their founder, Kevin Underwood, saw a great need for high-quality and affordable ammunition.
With a wide variety of calibers, bullet types, and grain weights, you’re likely to find the ammunition you need coming out of the Underwood plant in Illinois. However, the company is still relatively new, so it may be challenging to find Underwood ammo in stock.
But don’t fret, we like it, and we have an expansive list of ammunition in stock HERE. But if you’re really interested in Underwood, keep reading.
Is Underwood Ammo Any Good?
One of the best things about Underwood ammunition is that you can get high-quality self-defense and hunting cartridges. Comparable to what we’d expect from Speer or Winchester, the small ammo company does produce pretty good ammo.
You can get JHP (Jacketed Hollow Point) cartridges for personal defense, Solid Copper rounds for hunting (even in California), and FMJ (Full Metal Jacket) rifle and handgun ammo for target practice and stockpiling.
Their ammunition varies in price, composition, and design. It has pretty decent ballistics and key features we’ve come to expect from high-end ammunition. With everything from ballistic tips, bonded jackets, and coated hardcast projectiles (for woods defense), there isn’t much you won’t find.
Underwood Ammo for Personal Defense
If you’re wondering whether Underwood ammo will suffice as your EDC (everyday carry) ammo, the answer is, absolutely.
The company easily competes with our top personal defense brands like Hornady and Speer Gold Dot. Whether you’re carrying a Glock, 1911, or you prefer something smaller like the .380 ACP, you can get some pretty awesome cartridges.
For example, if you’ve hopped on the 10mm bandwagon, you’ll love Underwood’s 155-grain TAC-XP hollow point cartridges or the Xtreme Defender line. The nickel-plated brass casing is perfect for reloading, and it’s packed with flash-suppressed powder to help you maintain visibility in low light. The muzzle velocity and muzzle energy of Underwood’s self-defense ammo is also quite impressive. Again, going with the 10mm example, the muzzle energy of this ammo is 675 ft-lbs and the muzzle velocity is a whopping 1,400 fps (feet per second).
Of course, if you don’t have a 10mm, don’t worry. You’ll get similar ballistics, features, and adequate bullet weight with any Underwood ammunition.
One thing that separates Underwood Ammo from other defense ammo manufacturers is that they aren't afraid to push the limits of new technology. Take for example the Xtreme Penetrator bullets by Lehigh Defense.
These projectiles use groves in the bullets to redirect fluid when it hits a soft target. The result is massive hydrostatic shock and a huge temporary wound cavity without having to worry about a clogged hollow point or over penetration.
Underwood Ammo for Hunting
If you’re like me, you’re always on the hunt for good hunting ammo (yes, that pun was absolutely intended). I love a good bullet design when it comes to hitting the woods. Fortunately, Underwood has everything from XTP (Extreme Penetrators), to monolithic solid copper bullets from Barnes, and Nosler Accubond hunting ammo.
With a high muzzle velocity and key features that maximize penetration and expansion, any Underwood ammunition designed for hunting big and medium-sized game is sure to impress.
Finally, if you’re like me and you like to test new ammo, don’t worry, it won’t break the bank and you won’t be in the dog house after deer season. You can find this high-quality ammo for reasonable prices, and it’s great for reloading. It’s basically guilt-free ammo that performs really well.
While you need a good expanding bullet for any hunting or defense, you can go a little cheaper on your target practice ammunition. If this is the Underwood ammunition you’re looking for, you can get a few cases of FMJ rounds, too.
Pros & Cons
We wouldn’t give you all of the information above without telling you the pros and cons of Underwood ammunition. Fortunately, there are more pros than cons, but we’ll let you decide whether Underwood ammo is right for you.
Pros
- Great quality
- Wide selection of high-quality ammo
- Made in America
- Excellent personal defense options
- Brilliant hunting ammo designs
Cons
- Slightly costlier than other cheaper ammo brands
- Online availability isn’t great at your favorite retailers
As you can see, Underwood produces some great ammo, and it’s certainly worth the price.
Which Calibers are Available?
Now, there’s no point in searching for good ammo if the company doesn’t produce your caliber. So, I’ve compiled this helpful list to help you along.
Rifle
- .22-250 Remington
- .25-06 Remington
- .30 Carbine
- .30-06 Springfield
- .30-30 Winchester
- .45 Raptor
- .45-70 Government
- .223 Remington
- .224 Valkyrie
- .243 Winchester
- .270 Winchester
- .300 AAC Blackout (7.62x35mm)
- .300 Rem Ultra Mag
- .300 Winchester Magnum
Handgun
- .32 ACP (& +P)
- .38 Special
- .38 Special +P
- .38 Super +P
- .40 S&W
- .40 Super
- .41 Remington Magnum
- .44 Magnum
- .44 Remington Magnum +P+
- .44 Special
- .45 ACP
- .45 ACP +P
- .45 Colt (Long Colt)
- .45 Colt (Long Colt) +P
- .45 GAP
- .45 Super
- .45 Winchester Magnum
- 327 Federal Magnum
- .356 TSW
- .357 Mag
- .357 Sig
- .380 ACP
- .380 ACP +P
- .400 Cor Bon
- .454 Casull
- .460 Rowland
- .460 S&W Magnum
- .475 Linebaugh
- .480 Ruger
- .500 S&W Magnum
- 9mm Luger
- 9mm Luger +P
- 9mm Luger +P+
- 9x18mm (9mm Makarov)
- 9x25mm Dillon
- 10mm Auto
While we do carry Underwood ammo, and we really like it, it does go quickly. But also keep in mind, Underwood, Speer, Winchester, Federal, and many other great American brands make superb hunting and EDC ammo.
Underwood Ammo History & Important Information
As mentioned above, the Underwood ammo company opened its doors in 2013 with the goal of supplying high-quality ammunition at affordable prices. With Kevin Underwood at the helm and a decade of striving to meet this goal, Underwood supplies many calibers and ammo types to people all over the U.S.
The company has an endearing culture that makes a point to support the defenders of our country and our freedom. They even offer military discounts which is a refreshing nod to those who serve.
Overall, between what the company offers consumers in the way of ammunition, and the company’s general pro-American practices, we’d say Underwood ammo is a great buy for any shooter.
Where is Underwood Ammo Made?
Underwood Ammo is produced in Sparta, Illinois. The facility produces ammo for nearly any activity you can imagine, from hunting to self-defense to target practice.
FAQs
I receive a lot of questions about ammo manufacturers. If you still have questions about Underwood ammo, keep reading this section.
Is Underwood ammo safe for a Glock 9mm?
Yes. Underwood 9mm ammo is safe for Glock firearms as they use high-quality jacketed bullets or coated lead projectiles.
Is it safe to shoot hardcast bullets in a Glock?
Sure! Underwood’s hardcast projectiles are safe for the polygonal rifling in a Glock thanks to its bullet coating. This coating prevents leading in your Glock barrel despite the polygonal rifling.
Is Underwood ammo accurate?
Underwood ammo is know to be extremely accurate with most shooters reporting MOA levels of accuracy or better.
What does +P mean in ammo?
When you see +P on ammunition, it means that it has a higher pressure than basic rounds. +P rounds are often preferred for self-defense because they increase the muzzle velocity and transfer more kinetic energy to their target.
What is the difference between .45-70 and .45.70 Government
The .45-70 is the .45-70 government. There isn’t a difference in the case, projectile, size, or anything else.
Parting Shots
Clearly, we think pretty highly of Underwood ammo. The rounds are excellent, the pricing isn’t too bad, and the company is reputable and respectable. If you’re an ammo connoisseur, definitely order a few boxes of Underwood for your collection.
