On every upland hunt we’ve taken since the launch of Prairie Storm, this Federal Premium ammunition has been in the ammo can when we head afield. Prairie Storm can be had in two main families – FS Lead and FS Steel. The FS stands for FliteStopper, which is Federal’s bird-winning design. Prairie Storm FS Lead is loaded with 30-percent FliteStopper lead topped with 70-percent copper-plated lead shot. That sits inside the company’s FliteControl Flex wad, which is intended to produce full, consistent patterns. Unlike some specialty shells from other brands, Federal Premium’s FliteStopper wads can be used through both ported and standard chokes of any brand.
We’ve been using the lead exclusively, and that flavor comes in multiple shot sizes for 12, 20, 16, and 28 gauges. Patterns and knockdown performance are exceptional, with each optimized for pheasant hunting. Should you prefer steel, those loads are available in either 12 or 20 gauge. Prairie Storm is built completely in-house at the company’s Minnesota headquarters, with a portion of proceeds going to Pheasants Forever.