When it comes to centerfire rifle ammunition, from the small varmint rounds to the big safari stuff, I became a handloader as a young man because I simply couldn’t afford the premium factory stuff. That certainly set the hook in my lip, as I soon realized that the possibilities were nearly endless, so long as I could obtain component bullets and a supply of brass for the job at hand. I took pride in the ability to use certain projectile/cartridge combinations that were simply unavailable in factory guise. But I also learned pretty quickly that handloading isn’t for everyone.
Today, we have many more projectile options than we’ve ever had. However, there are still some combinations that aren’t readily available, and some of our older cartridges have become all but unobtainable. Enter a boutique ammunition shop from Montana, the brainchild of Mr. Jon Wemple: meet Choice Ammunition.
“100% Handloaded!!” So reads the Choice Ammunition website, and it is true. There are over 70 different rifle cartridges, ranging from the .204 Ruger to the mighty .577 Nitro Express, as well as over 20 handgun cartridges, from .32-20 WCF to .500 S&W Magnum. Most have several options within the cartridge line, and there are often several projectile brand and weight choices within each cartridge. And the choices aren’t just limited to the common cartridges. Say you’d like to feed your .264 Winchester Magnum—how about a 143-grain Hornady ELD-X? Or perhaps a 150-grain Barnes TTSX for the 6.8 Western? Or one of the classics, like the .300 Holland & Holland Magnum with a 180-grain Nosler AccuBond? Choice Ammunition has you covered.
Choice Ammunition divides their products into five categories: Hunter’s Choice, Defense Choice, Cowboy Choice, Safari Choice and Range Choice. Each has a good selection of popular and useable projectiles, and come in quality, reloadable brass cases. Among the pistol and rifle cartridges I’ve used over the years from Choice, I’ve seen brass cases from Hornady, Norma, Starline, JAG and their own Choice branded cases. For projectiles, there is a wide lineup to check nearly any box. The hunter and/or target shooter can choose from Nosler, Hornady, Sierra, Barnes, Swift, Speer, Berger, and some newer names like Cutting Edge and Hammer. In the Bear Defense line, you'll find heavy, hard-cast flat-nosed Chey Cast projectiles, delivering deep penetration and leaving large wound channels. The Cowboy Choice line sees Hi-Tek coated lead projectiles at very moderate velocities which are perfect for the Cowboy Action shooter or those who are after a low-recoiling option for practice or training.
I asked Choice’s President/CEO, Mr. Jon Wemple, for a bit of background on the founding and development of the company
"I was born and raised in the outfitting business; my family owned and operated a guest ranch and hunting operations in both Idaho and Montana, so hunting, shooting, loading ammunition and the outdoors have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I spent a tremendous amount of time in the field hunting big game from a very young age, and that passion only grew as I entered adulthood. Over the years, I have been fortunate to hunt extensively throughout North America and travel internationally pursuing big game. Those experiences gave me a tremendous appreciation for the importance of quality equipment, particularly the ammunition we depend on when the opportunity finally presents itself.
“Although I ultimately chose a different professional path—primarily in real estate—than the family business, I never lost my passion for hunting or the conservation efforts that support it. For more than 20 years, I was actively involved with organizations such as Safari Club International, including serving as chairman of its Affiliate Membership Program. My focus was bringing like-minded sportsmen and conservation organizations together to collaborate on conservation, hunting, and Second Amendment issues.
“The combination of my upbringing, decades of personal hunting experience, and what I perceived as an opportunity in the ammunition industry led me to establish Choice Ammunition over ten years ago. I had watched firearms and optics evolve tremendously over the years, with remarkable advancements in their quality, precision, and capabilities. I felt there was an opportunity for ammunition to evolve alongside those advancements, and I wanted to scale manufacturing of a premium, hand-loaded product—like no one had been able to do—that could help shooters take full advantage of what their firearms and optics were capable of delivering.”
Having put a bunch of Choice’s ammunition to the test at the bench, I’d like to highlight some of my favorite loads, to give an example of the variety and diversity of the product line. First, I really like that Bear Defense line. The idea of a blunt, hard-cast bullet, usually in the +P guise, makes perfect sense, especially for a close encounter with a bruin. My Ruger Blackhawk .45 Colt handles the 325-grain Bear Defense load wonderfully, though you do want to hang onto the gun. The box is labeled 1,200 fps, but the 7 ½-inch barrel of my gun generates 1,330 fps. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Choice offers a Cowboy load using a 180-grain Hi-Tek coated lead bullet at an advertised 460 fps, though my gun gives a healthy velocity increase, but the recoil is still nearly nothing in comparison to the heavier .45 Colt loads. This load is perfect for teaching the marksmanship skills needed to proficiently hunt with a single-action revolver, as well as for honing your skills, or just plain fun.
In the rifle department, I have yet to be disappointed by Choice’s ammunition across a wide selection of cartridge choices, but a few stand out in my guns. The .22-250 Remington load – built around the 55-grain Hornady V-Max—leaves the muzzle of my Ruger 77 at 3,680 fps, into ¾-MOA groups, and that bullet is hell on coyotes and woodchucks alike. My Browning X-Bolt 6.8 Western isn’t particularly finicky, but it really likes 155-grain Barnes LRX load from Choice, which the Garmin Xero C1 Pro chrono says leaves the muzzle at 2,995 fps. This load would be great for nearly anything I’d hunt with the 6.8 Western. And much to my rejoicing, Choice Ammunition offers ammo for my .300 Holland & Holland Magnum; their 180-grain Nosler AccuBond load gives an average velocity of 2,918 fps from my push-feed Winchester Model 70, printing three-shot groups at one MOA. Lastly, my Heym Model 89B double rifle in .470 Nitro Express seems very happy with the Choice safari load featuring the 500-grain Barnes TSX bullets; that big stick will put a left-and-a-right pair of bullets 1 ½-inches apart, just above the bull at 50 yards. And for an expanding bullet for dangerous game, it is very hard to argue with the performance of the Barnes TSX, as it gives the deep penetration and reliable expansion needed to break heavy bone and penetrate thick hides.
The fact that Choice can deliver such a wide variety of ammunition, all handloaded, is commendable. I’ve been very happy with their products, and will continue to use their stuff. I believe Jon Wemple put it best: “My vision was simply to bring the consistency, accuracy, and overall quality of carefully developed hand-loaded ammunition to hunters and shooters who didn't necessarily hand-load their own. Having spent so much of my life in the field, I understood how much time, preparation, and expense go into a hunt, and I wanted to provide ammunition that hunters could have confidence in when it mattered most.
“I often say here's a passion that goes into hand-loading ammunition that you just can't duplicate on a mass-production line. I've often compared it to the difference between a homemade cookie baked with love in your mother’s or grandmother’s kitchen, and one you buy off the shelf at Walmart. They're both cookies, but there's something special about the one made with love and pride in that kitchen. That's the philosophy behind Choice Ammunition!”
