Winchester’s W Train & Defend has been named the 2014 Ammunition of the Year by Guns & Ammo magazine. Earlier this year, Guns & Ammo brought back the Ammunition of the Year award after a 10-year hiatus.

W Train & Defend is personal defense ammunition designed to provide threat-stopping power without overly-taxing recoil. Paired with the defense rounds are training rounds which shoot and feel like the standard rounds to allow shooters to familiarize themselves with the performance and use of the ammo that they’re counting on to protect them. The W Train & Defend’s reduced recoil makes effective defensive shooting more accessible to newer shooters and those with slighter builds and less muscle strength, particularly women.

“The influx of new female shooters to the outdoor/shooting sports category is significant,” said Brett Flaugher, vice president of sales, marketing and strategy. “We are committed to making their experiences positive when it comes to selecting the appropriate gear, which includes ammunition.”

The training rounds are packed in 50-count boxes marked with a prominent ‘T’ on the packaging and have lead-free primers for increased range acceptance, brass casings, and full metal jacket bullets. The defensive rounds come in 20-round boxes marked with a ‘D.’ The cartridges have nickel-plated cases and hollow point bullets featuring Winchester’s advanced bonding technology. W Train & Defend ammunition is available in .380 ACP, 9mm, .40 S&W, and .38 Special.

“When our new products win awards such as Ammunition of the Year from Guns & Ammo, it is a testament to our commitment to manufacturing excellence and new product development,” said Brett Flaugher. “Our team works extremely hard to bring new, innovative products like W Train & Defend into the industry. We are honored to receive this award, which proves we’re doing something right.”