When the big factories quietly turned the 10mm Auto into a slightly hotter .40 S&W, one man in Utah decided to load it the way it was meant to be loaded. DoubleTap Ammunition built its name on full-power 10mm and grew into one of the most respected boutique loaders in the country — famous for its hardcast hunting and bear loads, its DT Defense hollow points, and a willingness to load hot, heavy and honest. Here is who they are, what they make, and what is worth buying.
Who DoubleTap is
DoubleTap Ammunition is a Cedar City, Utah maker founded in 2002 by Mike McNett, best known as the country’s largest producer of full-power 10mm Auto ammunition. It loads high-performance defensive, hunting and hardcast handgun and rifle ammo, casting many of its own hardcast bullets in-house.
The company started in Mike McNett’s garage in 2002, born out of frustration. The major manufacturers had “downloaded” the 10mm Auto so far that it barely outran the .40 S&W, and McNett saw a gap: full-power 10mm for shooters who actually wanted what the cartridge could do. DoubleTap filled it, and the brand became synonymous with the 10mm done right. You can read the company’s own story on the DoubleTap about page.
DoubleTap casts its own hardcast bullets at the Cedar City factory to a specific final Brinell hardness of 21 — hard enough to avoid fragmenting on bone, soft enough to hold the cutting edge of the flat nose through a deep wound channel. The company also says every cartridge is physically inspected by hand before it ships. That hands-on, performance-first approach is the whole identity of the brand.
On price, DoubleTap is premium boutique. You pay for full-power loads, quality components and small-batch attention rather than bulk-bin pricing. One honest note worth knowing: DoubleTap’s published velocities are measured at Cedar City’s elevation of over a mile above sea level, and over the years the brand’s advertised velocity figures have drawn scrutiny from shooters who chronographed lower numbers. As with any ammo, chronograph it in your own gun rather than trusting the box — but the loads are genuinely stout.
What DoubleTap makes
Full-power 10mm
The flagship. DoubleTap loads the 10mm Auto across the full spectrum — DT Hunter JHP and hardcast for game and woods defense, DT Defense JHP for carry, controlled-expansion loads, and target FMJ. If you carry or hunt with a 10mm, this is the brand built for it.
Hardcast hunting and bear loads
DoubleTap’s Hardcast Solid line drives heavy, flat-nosed hard-cast bullets deep, in calibers like 10mm, .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum and .45 Colt +P. These are the loads for backcountry carry and handgun hunting where straight-line penetration matters most.
DT Defense and self-defense
For everyday carry, DT Defense loads jacketed hollow points in 9mm (including +P), .45 ACP, .40 S&W, .380 ACP and .357 SIG, plus lead-free options for shooters who need them.
Long-range rifle and specialty
Beyond handgun ammo, DoubleTap loads long-range rifle ammunition with match hollow points in cartridges like .308 Winchester, 6.5 Creedmoor and .223/5.56, plus lead-free copper hunting loads and the Ted Nugent signature line. The catalog keeps expanding into new and classic rifle chamberings.
Build quality and the full-power idea
DoubleTap is a boutique loader that lives and dies on performance. Casting its own hardcast bullets to a controlled hardness, loading to the top of the cartridge’s potential, and hand-inspecting its output are real points of difference from mass-market ammo. The trade-off is exactly what you would expect: premium pricing, smaller-batch availability, and the velocity-claim caveat above — verify on a chronograph and confirm your pistol handles full-power loads comfortably. For shooters who want the hottest honest loads available, that is the price of admission.
How DoubleTap compares
In hard-hitting handgun ammo, DoubleTap’s main rivals are Buffalo Bore and Underwood — all three load full-power 10mm, heavy hardcast and stout magnum loads. DoubleTap is generally credited as the original full-power 10mm specialist and the largest 10mm maker; Buffalo Bore leans hardest into “strictly business” heavy loads; Underwood often loads the machined Lehigh Defense projectiles. Against mainstream defensive ammo like Federal HST or Speer Gold Dot, DoubleTap is the higher-power, boutique alternative.
Be straight about the trade-offs: DoubleTap is premium-priced, its loads run hot (confirm your gun is happy with them), and its advertised velocities should be chronographed rather than taken at face value. If you want full-power 10mm, serious hardcast penetration, or hot magnum handgun loads from a maker that casts its own bullets, DoubleTap is a top pick. If you want cheap range ammo or the most lab-documented duty load, look elsewhere.
Who should buy what
- The 10mm shooter: DT Hunter or DT Defense 10mm for full-power performance the cartridge was designed to deliver.
- The backcountry carrier: Hardcast Solid loads in 10mm, .44 Magnum or .45 Colt +P for deep, straight penetration.
- The concealed carrier: DT Defense JHP in 9mm +P, .45 ACP or .40 S&W.
- The handgun hunter: heavy hardcast or controlled-expansion loads in .357 or .44 Magnum.
- The rifle shooter: DoubleTap long-range match loads in .308 or 6.5 Creedmoor.
Who should look elsewhere? Shooters who want the cheapest practice ammo, or who prefer a major-brand duty load with extensive agency testing. DoubleTap is a premium, full-power specialist.
The DoubleTap philosophy
DoubleTap exists because one shooter refused to accept watered-down ammunition. The whole company is organized around loading cartridges to their real potential — full-power 10mm, hardcast bullets cast to the right hardness, hot magnum loads — and inspecting the results by hand. It is a boutique, performance-first maker with a clear point of view, and that conviction is exactly why a loyal following trusts it for the loads the big factories will not make.
How to choose your DoubleTap load
Start with the job and the gun. For 10mm defense or carry, choose DT Defense JHP; for 10mm hunting or woods carry, choose DT Hunter or Hardcast Solid. For bear country, the heavy hardcast loads give the deepest penetration. For everyday carry in other calibers, DT Defense covers 9mm, .45 ACP and more. For rifles, match the long-range load to your cartridge and twist rate. Whatever you pick, confirm your firearm is rated for full-power ammunition, chronograph if velocity matters to you, and verify reliable feeding before carrying any defensive load.
The 10mm done right
The 10mm Auto might have faded into obscurity if a handful of believers had not kept it alive — and DoubleTap is the brand most responsible for proving what the cartridge can really do. From a Utah garage in 2002 to the largest 10mm maker in the country, DoubleTap built a reputation on loading hot, heavy and honest when the majors would not. Chronograph the loads, respect the power, and you have ammunition that delivers exactly what it promises on the box: the cartridge at full song.
Shop DoubleTap Ammunition & Prices
Live DoubleTap products and current prices, organized by caliber and updated automatically.
DoubleTap 10mm Auto Ammo
DoubleTap 9mm Ammo
DoubleTap .45 ACP Ammo
DoubleTap .357 Magnum Ammo
DoubleTap .40 S&W Ammo
DoubleTap .380 ACP Ammo
Where DoubleTap Fits in Our Buying Guides
DoubleTap Ammunition FAQ
Where is DoubleTap ammunition made?
DoubleTap Ammunition is made in Cedar City, Utah, where Mike McNett founded the company in 2002.
Is DoubleTap really full-power 10mm?
Yes — full-power 10mm is the whole reason DoubleTap exists. It is the largest 10mm maker in the country and loads the cartridge near its potential rather than the downloaded levels common from major brands.
Are DoubleTap’s advertised velocities accurate?
They are measured at Cedar City’s mile-high elevation, and over the years some shooters have chronographed lower figures in their own guns. The loads are genuinely stout, but it is wise to chronograph rather than rely on the box numbers.
What is DoubleTap hardcast ammo?
It is ammunition loaded with heavy, flat-nosed hard-cast bullets — cast in-house to a Brinell hardness of about 21 — designed for deep, straight-line penetration on game and in bear country.
Is DoubleTap good for self-defense?
Yes. The DT Defense line offers jacketed hollow points in common carry calibers, and full-power loads for those who want them. As with any defensive ammo, confirm reliability in your specific firearm.
Does DoubleTap make rifle ammo?
Yes — DoubleTap loads long-range match rifle ammunition and lead-free hunting loads in cartridges like .308 Winchester, 6.5 Creedmoor and .223/5.56, alongside its handgun lineup.
DoubleTap vs Buffalo Bore vs Underwood?
All three are full-power boutique loaders. DoubleTap is the original full-power 10mm specialist and largest 10mm maker; Buffalo Bore focuses on heavy “strictly business” loads; Underwood often loads machined Lehigh Defense projectiles. All run hot — confirm your gun handles full-power ammo.
What tier is DoubleTap?
Premium boutique. DoubleTap is a performance-first American maker known for full-power 10mm, hardcast hunting loads and hot magnum handgun ammunition.
Related Ammunition Brands
- Buffalo Bore Ammunition Parts
- Lapua Ammunition Parts
- Federal Ammunition Parts
- CCI Ammunition Parts
- Winchester Ammunition Parts
- Speer Ammunition Parts
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