Federal Premium Ammunition is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Czechoslovak Group, located in Anoka, Minnesota.

The original Federal Cartridge and Machine Company was founded during the period of increased ammo demand during the First World War, when brothers Harry and Louis Sherman, experienced in the industry, found investors to establish a small plant on the eastern outskirts of Anoka, Minnesota to make shotgun shells.

[2] Horn launched a distribution plan that involved merchandising Federal products in grocery stores, barbershops, and filling stations.

[5] In 1977, William B. Horn introduced Federal's Premium line of centerfire rifle and shotshell ammunition.

In 1985, Federal was sold to a group of private investors including Kelso & Company, BancBoston Capital, and members of the management team.

[9] The HST 380 Auto Micro was designed for self-defense and use in small pistols such as the Smith & Wesson Bodyguard.

Hydra-Shok was introduced in 1988 after the FBI requested a bullet with better terminal ballistics than traditional cup and core projectiles.

[11] Hydra-Shok ammunition has a patented center-post design and notched jacket with a non-bonded lead core.

Federal Premium claims that the scored jacket and center post design provide a "programmed" expansion.

[12][better source needed] Federal Premium announced a .30-30 Winchester version of its Vital-Shok Trophy Copper ammunition for medium-sized game in August 2015.

These bullets are tipped with polymer inserts to affect rapid expansion and retain 99 percent of their mass after expanding.

Federal says the Shortys work just as well as full-sized shotshells, although some pump-action and semi-auto shotguns may cycle them improperly without conversion parts.

In addition to being cleaner than conventional ammunition, Federal Premium claims that Syntech is also safer due to decreased splash and fragmenting when hitting hard targets.