A magnetic recording medium including a non-magnetic polymeric support and a magnetic layer on the non-magnetic polymeric support. The magnetic layer is positioned to be in contact with a record/playback head and includes ferromagnetic powder, abrasive material and binder resin, with at least 40 parts by weight of the abrasive material per 100 parts by weight of the ferromagnetic powder. The ferromagnetic powder has a saturation magnetization sigma s of 80 emu/g or more and long axis length of 0.25 mu m or less.
