Venom Ammunition Review: Sidewinder Slide Bite
Venom Ammunition is a relative newcomer to the North American shooting community, and offers marksmen an inexpensive handgun ammo alternative to more expensive brands like Remington, Winchester, and CCI.
Although Venom ammo is currently only available in 9mm Luger in the USA, many handgun shooters have taken a liking to the pre-2020 pricing Venom offers and wonder if it is a good answer to their shooting needs.
In this Venom Ammunition review, we will take a hard look at this Turkish ammo brand and determine if their 9mm Luger ammo will leave you smiling or snake bit.
Is Venom Ammo Good?
Venom Ammunition claims that they load all their ammo to C.I.P. specs. However, customer reviews surrounding Venom Ammo is nothing short of a nest of vipers. Some shooters report Venom being loaded too hot and near the upper level of chamber pressure limits, while other shooters report exceptional results from Venom 9mm Luger ammunition.
Pros and Cons
No manufacturer is perfect. Here are some of the pros and cons of Venom ammo you should be aware of.
Pros
- Inexpensive
Cons
- Currently only 9mm Luger is available in the USA
- Some reports of higher-than-standard chamber pressure
- Overall quality control concerns
Which Venom Calibers Are Available?
Venom Ammunition is only available in 9mm Luger in the United States at the time of writing. However the company’s catalog lists the following shotgun, handgun, and rifle calibers:
Venom Ammunition History and Important Information
The Venom Ammunition brand belongs to Medef Defense, a Turkish ammo company that operates out of Cyprus. Descending from the Turkish shotgun ammo company Avci, Medef Defense was established in 2017 to advance the brand into the centerfire rifle and handgun ammo market.
In 2021, Medef USA LLC was established to expand the company’s operations into the United States. Plans are in place to open an ammo manufacturing plant in Savannah, Georgia. The completion date for this factory is still unknown.
Although the company has multiple rifle and handgun calibers listed on their company website, currently only Venom 9mm Luger ammo is available to North American markets.
This means if you love shooting your 45 ACP Springfield Armory XD or 1911, you aren’t able to sample Venom ammo at this time. Furthermore, the company does not produce any long-range ammo like the 6.5 Creedmoor or 300 Winchester Magnum.
Medef Defense prides itself on manufacturing nearly every part of their ammunition. The company makes its own cases and projectiles, and loads all its ammo in-house. This allows the company to exert its own quality control protocol over as many parts of the loading process as possible.
At the time of writing, Medef Defense only produces one bullet type for their ammunition: full metal jacket. These projectiles are great for plinking and range work, but subpar for personal protection.
Customer reviews of Venom ammo are somewhat of a mixed bag. Some shooters report no issues with the ammo, while others suggest that Venom ammo is dangerous and has damaged multiple handguns.
If a cartridge were overloaded at the factory, a case rupture could occur near the case rim and cause damage to the handgun. Clearly, it’s easy to write a review online without corroborating evidence to support it. However, we recommend caution when testing Venom ammo to ensure that your firearm likes it before investing in a large bulk ammo order.
Where Is Venom Ammo Made?
Venom Ammunition is currently manufactured in Cyprus. The company is planning on opening a state-of-the-art ammo manufacturing facility in Savannah, Georgia sometime soon.
FAQ
Is 9mm Venom Ammo Good?
Venom 9mm Luger ammo is inexpensive and functions relatively well. It is not as reliable as Winchester, Remington, or Blazer Brass, but Venom 9mm ammo costs considerably less than more traditional brands.
What Is the Velocity of Venom 9mm Ammo?
Medef Defense’s website claims the muzzle velocity of their 115 grain full metal jacket Venom 9mm Luger ammunition is 370 meters per second (1,214 fps). However, some shooters have reported Venom 9mm ammo to have a muzzle velocity closer to 1,280 fps.
What Bullets Does Venom Use?
Venom manufactures and loads their own projectiles in their centerfire ammo.
Does Venom Make 22 LR Ammo?
No, Venom Ammunition does not currently offer any rimfire ammo for sale.
Is Venom ammo accurate?
Venom ammunition is on par with Blazer ammo in terms of accuracy. It is good enough for the range, but not match grade.
Is Venom Ammo Good for Hunting?
Venom does not have any rounds that are appropriate for big game hunting. The company currently only offers full metal jacket handgun ammo.
Is Venom Ammo Corrosive?
No, Venom ammo is loaded with non-corrosive Boxer primers.
Does Law Enforcement Use Venom Ammo?
No, law enforcement agencies do not currently use Venom ammo for qualifications or duty carry.
What Primers Does Venom Use?
Venom loads non-corrosive Boxer primers in all their centerfire ammunition.
Are Venom Cases Good for Reloading?
Yes! Venom’s Boxer-primed brass cases are reloadable.
Which Venom 9mm Ammo Works Best in a Glock 17?
The best (and only) current option is Venom 9mm Luger 115 grain FMJ ammo. This round performs well, and seems to have consistent muzzle velocity and point of impact.
