DoubleTap Ammunition

Last updated and checked October 31, 2026 · By Nick Hall. Prices are the lowest new listings in our feed of 200+ retailers on October 31, 2026.

DoubleTap Ammunition began with one man who wanted hotter 10mm than he could buy, and it now loads Colt’s branded ammo as well. It’s the name many 10mm owners reach for first, thanks to its Hardcast Solid woods loads, Bonded Defense hollow points and full-power hunting rounds. One thing to know up front: it tests at more than a mile above sea level, so box speeds deserve a chronograph. Here is who they are, what they make, and what is worth buying.

Table of Contents

Who DoubleTap is

DoubleTap Ammunition is a Cedar City, Utah ammo maker that Mike McNett started in his garage in 2002. It loads handgun and rifle ammo for defense, hunting and target use, and it’s best known for full-power 10mm.

The company’s own story is simple: McNett saw a need for high-performance ammo in a 10mm pistol, worked out what he wanted through testing, then sold it. American Hunter described him as a 20-something marketing professional who began with just four 10mm loads. By 2013 the same article counted 360 loads in more than 70 cartridges and called DoubleTap the world’s most prolific 10mm maker.

Here’s the part most shooters miss. Hunting Retailer reports that DoubleTap makes and markets Colt’s ammo line and has consulted on film and TV productions through McNett. So that box of Colt Defense in our carousels comes from the same Utah company, and its own site lists Colt Ammunition beside DT Defense and SnakeShot.

DoubleTap also makes a big promise: every round is “touched by our hands and inspected by our eyes.” I like that, though it doesn’t replace testing your own load. On price, it’s a specialist that often comes in below its reputation, and 10mm hardcast from $20.01 is cheaper than many people expect.

What DoubleTap makes

Full-power 10mm

This is where the company started and it’s still the main reason to know the name. We had 26 DoubleTap 10mm listings in stock on October 31, covering hollow points, hardcast and FMJ. A 180 gr JHP started at $22.95 in our carousel, while a Bonded Defense 180 gr was $25.69 at PSA and a Colt Defense version $25.99, so read the label before you buy.

Hardcast Solid

These heavy flat-nose bullets are built for straight penetration in the woods. The 10mm 200 gr started at $20.01, both it and the 230 gr were $23.99 at Midway, and the .44 Magnum 320 gr was $27.99. That’s a fair price for something you’ll carry far more than you’ll shoot.

DT Defense, Bonded Defense and lead-free

For carry, a Bonded Defense 9mm 115 gr JHP was $26.19 at PSA. There’s also a lead-free 9mm 77 gr solid hollow point at $22.99 from Midway, which is a useful option if you need to avoid lead. Then there’s the odd one. DT SnakeShot comes in calibers like .38 Special and .327 Federal Magnum at $27.99 to $28.99, and there’s a SnakeShot Defense 10mm that pairs a 205 gr hollow point with shot, also $27.99. I wouldn’t carry a novelty load for defense, but it’s a fun look at how far this catalog goes.

Rifle and hard-to-find cartridges

DoubleTap isn’t just a pistol brand. A Long Range .308 Winchester 175 gr boat tail started at $36.70 in our feed, and recent rifle loads include .25-06 Remington and .35 Whelen. If you own something the big makers ignore, it’s worth checking here.

Build quality and the velocity question

Handling is the company’s core claim. Its site says most ammo problems start with errors in how a cartridge is put together, so a person handles every round. Hunting Retailer adds that DoubleTap uses bullets and brass from other makers and also manufactures its own, which not every ammo company can say.

Now the honest catch. Guns.com pointed out in February 2026 that DoubleTap develops and tests its ammo in Cedar City, more than a mile above sea level, and that shooters at lower elevation may need to temper their expectations. That test location is one more reason a printed speed isn’t your speed, and barrel length matters as well. If a number matters to your hunt, chronograph it in your own gun.

How DoubleTap compares

On 10mm hardcast, DoubleTap has the price edge in our feed: $20.01 against $26.35 for Underwood. Buffalo Bore 10mm started at $38.99. Underwood’s advantage is its range of fluted copper, and it publishes more detail about pressure and bullet hardness. Buffalo Bore also sells low-recoil tactical loads for shooters who don’t want the full dose.

Against Federal HST or Speer Gold Dot in a 9mm carry gun, I wouldn’t leave the majors just for a smaller name. Those are easy to find in quantity for testing. DoubleTap makes more sense for the 10mm owner, the handgun hunter or the shooter with an uncommon cartridge.

Hardcast or hollow point in a 10mm?

This is the question most new 10mm owners ask, and DoubleTap sells both answers. A hardcast flat-nose doesn’t need to expand. It’s meant to stay in one piece and keep going in a straight line, which is what you want against heavy muscle and bone. The downside is depth. In a populated place, it can pass through a target and keep going, so I wouldn’t choose it for town carry.

A bonded JHP does the opposite job. It opens up and slows down, and that makes it the better pick around other people. Weight matters here too. Lighter 135 and 155 gr loads move fast and tend to feel snappy, while 180 and 200 gr loads are the middle ground many Glock 20 owners settle on. The 230 gr hardcast is the woods choice. Try the weight in your gun before you stock up, since recoil and point of impact both change.

What about the DoubleTap Equalizer?

This is the load people search for by name, because it’s strange. An Equalizer stacks two projectiles in one case. The 9mm +P pairs a 115 gr JHP with a 50 gr disk, and the 10mm pairs a 135 gr JHP with a 95 gr hardcast ball, for a 230 gr payload.

When Shooting Illustrated tested the 9mm, it measured about 1,046 fps against an advertised 975 fps from a 5-inch barrel, and the two entry holes landed 5 inches apart. That spread is the catch. You’re responsible for both projectiles, so treat it as a curiosity to test at the range before you consider carrying it.

What to check before you rely on it

• Feeding: flat-nose bullets can behave differently from round-nose range ammo, so run at least a couple of boxes.
• Barrel: check your maker’s guidance on lead or hardcast bullets.
• Recoil spring: a worn spring and a hot load are a poor mix, so replace it on schedule.
• Speed: chronograph your own barrel if energy figures matter for your hunt.
• Label: DoubleTap, DT Defense and Colt boxes can look alike in a listing, so read the exact load name.

Who should buy what

• 10mm woods carry: Hardcast Solid 200 or 230 gr.
• 10mm town carry: Bonded Defense 180 gr JHP.
• Revolver hunter: .44 Magnum hardcast, in the weight your gun shoots best.
• Lead-free buyer: the DT Lead Free line.
• Owner of an uncommon rifle: check its Long Range and hunting loads.
• Colt fan on a budget: Colt Defense or National Match, made by the same company.

Look elsewhere for high-volume practice. Bulk 9mm from a big brand will cost far less, and DoubleTap’s stock is too uneven to plan a training year around.

The DoubleTap philosophy

DoubleTap is a shooter’s company. It started with a load its founder wanted for himself, and it still sells cartridges a marketing department would drop. I think that explains both its strength and its catch: a lot of options, and speeds you should prove for yourself.

How to choose your DoubleTap load

Start with the threat or game, then the gun. Hardcast is for penetration, and a JHP is for controlled expansion at carry distances. Check your owner’s manual on hot loads and on lead bullets, since some barrel makers have rules about cast bullets.

Buy two boxes of a load before you commit. Run them for function and accuracy, and chronograph them if you’re hunting. Then check more than one store, because the same 10mm 180 gr family ran from $22.95 to $25.99 on one day.

From four loads to Colt’s ammo

Four 10mm loads and a garage isn’t much of a business plan. Yet that’s how DoubleTap started, and it did it with a cartridge most big makers treated as a sideline. Twenty-odd years later, the same founder still signs the company’s story as President and CEO, and another famous name’s ammo comes off his line.

Facts and Figures

• Founded: 2002, by Mike McNett, in his garage.
• Home today: Cedar City, Utah, more than a mile above sea level.
• First catalog: four 10mm loads.
• By 2013: 360 loads in more than 70 cartridges, per American Hunter.
• Prices on October 31: 10mm 180 gr JHP $22.95, 10mm hardcast $20.01, .44 Magnum hardcast $27.99.

Shop DoubleTap Ammunition & Prices

Live DoubleTap products and current prices, organized by caliber and updated automatically. Some rows are Colt-branded loads made by DoubleTap.

Where DoubleTap Fits in Our Buying Guides

• Best 10mm Ammo
• Best 9mm Ammo
• Best .45 ACP Ammo
• Best Defensive Ammo
• Best Deer Hunting Cartridges
• Best Bear Defense Handguns
• Best 10mm Pistols

DoubleTap Ammunition FAQ

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