Find the right ammo for what you're doing
Pick what you're shooting for and we'll point you to the calibers and bullet types that fit. Everything else you'd want to know is further down the page.
Range practice: brass-cased full metal jacket
FMJ is the cheapest ammo that still feeds reliably, and it's what most ranges expect you to bring. Buy it by the case for the lowest cost per round, and save your premium loads for when they actually matter.
Practicing for carry? Pick a practice load with the same bullet weight as your defensive ammo so your sights hit the same spot.
- Good places to start
- 9mm 115 gr FMJThe lowest-cost centerfire pistol round to shoot in volume.
- .223 / 5.56 55 gr FMJThe standard AR-15 training load.
- .45 ACP 230 gr FMJMild, slow push that most 1911s run happily.
- Steel-cased loadsCheaper still, but check that your range allows steel cases.
Home & carry: jacketed hollow points
Hollow points open up on impact, so they slow down inside the target instead of passing through. That means more energy where you need it and less risk to whatever is behind. Stick with established defensive lines from major manufacturers.
Before you carry a load, run at least a couple of boxes of that exact ammo through your gun to confirm it feeds, fires, and ejects every time.
- Good places to start
- 9mm 124 gr or 147 gr JHPThe most popular carry choice. Heavier bullets usually recoil a little softer.
- .380 ACP JHPFor micro pistols. Look for loads tested in short barrels.
- .223 / 5.56 bonded soft pointFor a home-defense AR.
- 12 ga reduced-recoil 00 buckEasier to control in a home-defense shotgun.
Hunting: an expanding bullet sized to the animal
Soft points and polymer tips are the go-to for deer. For tougher animals like elk and big hogs, step up to bonded or solid copper bullets that hold together through bone. Never hunt with FMJ, which punches through without expanding.
Check your state's regulations before you buy. Many set minimum calibers for big game, and some require lead-free bullets or non-toxic shot.
- Good places to start
- Deer and antelope6.5 Creedmoor, .270 Win, .308 Win, or .30-06 with soft point or polymer tip.
- Elk, moose, bear.30-06, 7mm Rem Mag, or .300 Win Mag with bonded or copper bullets.
- Hogs.308 or .300 Blackout with bonded or copper bullets for heavy shoulders.
- Coyotes and varmints.223 Rem or .22-250 with fast-expanding varmint bullets.
Competition: match-grade loads
Match ammo uses tightly controlled powder charges and precision bullets, so shot-to-shot velocity stays consistent and groups stay small. Once you find a load your rifle likes, buy several boxes from the same lot so your data stays good for the season.
Open tip match (OTM) and hollow point boat tail (HPBT) bullets are built for accuracy, not expansion. Don't count on them for hunting.
- Good places to start
- 6.5 Creedmoor 140 gr matchLow recoil and excellent wind resistance at distance.
- .308 Win 168 gr or 175 gr matchThe long-standing standard for precision rifles.
- .223 Rem 69 gr or 77 gr matchFor precision ARs and service rifle matches.
- .22 LR standard velocity matchFor rimfire precision and smallbore leagues.
.22 plinking: the cheapest trigger time there is
.22 LR barely recoils, costs a fraction of centerfire ammo, and is quiet enough to keep new shooters relaxed. It's the right round for teaching, backyard-range fun, and small game like squirrels and rabbits.
.22 rifles and pistols can be picky. If one brand jams, try another before blaming the gun. Semi-autos usually prefer high-velocity loads.
- Good places to start
- High velocity, 36–40 grMost reliable in semi-autos. Great for general plinking.
- Standard velocity or subsonicQuieter and often more accurate in bolt actions and suppressed guns.
- Hollow pointsFor squirrels, rabbits, and pest control.
- .22 WMR or .17 HMRFlatter shooting for longer small-game shots. Not interchangeable with .22 LR.
Shotgun: match the payload to the target
The same shotgun can break clays in the morning and hunt deer in the afternoon. What changes is the shell. Small shot for small, fast targets; buckshot or slugs for anything big.
Never fire shells longer than your chamber is marked for. A 3" shell in a 2¾" chamber is dangerous.
- Good places to start
- Clays: #7½, #8, or #9 target loadsLight recoil for long days at trap, skeet, and sporting clays.
- Doves and quail: #7½ or #8Upland birds that don't take much to bring down.
- Ducks and geese: steel #2 to BBNon-toxic shot is required for waterfowl.
- Deer and defense: 00 buck or slugsSlugs for longer shots, buckshot for close range.
What's inside a cartridge
Every round you buy has the same four parts. Knowing what each one does makes product listings much easier to read.
Bullet
The only part that leaves the barrel. Its shape and construction decide how it behaves on target.
Case
Holds it all together. Usually brass, sometimes steel or aluminum.
Powder
Burns fast and builds gas pressure that pushes the bullet out.
Primer
A small cup that sparks when the firing pin strikes it, lighting the powder.
Centerfire
The primer sits in the middle of the case head. Covers nearly every pistol, rifle, and shotgun round. Brass centerfire cases can be reloaded.
Rimfire
The priming compound is spun into the rim. Mostly .22 LR, .22 WMR, and .17 HMR. Inexpensive and low-powered, and the cases can't be reloaded.
Bullet types, explained
The letters on the box tell you how the bullet is built, and that tells you what it's for.
| Bullet | How it behaves | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| FMJFull metal jacket | Copper jacket over a lead core. Keeps its shape and penetrates without expanding. | Range practice and training |
| TMJ / platedTotal metal jacket | Fully enclosed, including the base, so less lead is exposed when fired. | Indoor ranges and practice |
| JHPJacketed hollow point | A cavity in the nose makes it open up on impact and slow down inside the target. | Home defense and concealed carry |
| SPSoft point | Exposed lead tip starts expansion while the jacket keeps the bullet together for depth. | Deer and medium game |
| Polymer tip | Plastic tip improves aerodynamics and drives expansion when it hits. | Hunting at longer ranges |
| Bonded | Core is fused to the jacket so it holds together through heavy bone. | Elk, hogs, bear, and defensive rifle loads |
| Monolithic copper | One solid piece of copper. Expands and keeps nearly all of its weight. | Big game and lead-free hunting areas |
| OTM / HPBTOpen tip match, hollow point boat tail | The small opening is a byproduct of manufacturing, not a design for expansion. Built for accuracy. | Competition and long range targets |
| Frangible | Compressed powdered metal that breaks apart on hard surfaces. | Close-range steel targets and training facilities |
| LRNLead round nose | Bare lead, inexpensive and mild. Some indoor ranges don't allow it. | Revolvers and cowboy action shooting |
Caliber cheat sheet
The calibers we sell the most of, what they weigh, and what they're good at. "gr" means grains, the weight of the bullet. There are 7,000 grains in a pound.
| Caliber | Common weights | Recoil | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| .380 ACP | 90–95 gr | Light | Pocket and micro pistols for deep concealment |
| 9mm Luger | 115, 124, 147 gr | Moderate | Almost everything: training, carry, home defense, competition |
| .38 Special | 125–158 gr | Light to moderate | Revolvers. Also fires safely in .357 Magnum revolvers |
| .357 Magnum | 125–158 gr | Stout | Revolver defense, woods carry, and close-range deer where legal |
| .40 S&W | 165, 180 gr | Snappy | Duty pistols and carry |
| 10mm Auto | 180–200 gr | Heavy | Backcountry carry and hogs |
| .45 ACP | 185, 230 gr | Moderate push | 1911s, carry, and range time |
| Caliber | Common weights | Recoil | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| .223 Rem / 5.56 NATO | 55, 62, 77 gr | Light | AR-15 training, varmints, coyotes, home defense |
| .300 Blackout | 110–125 gr, 190–220 gr subsonic | Light | Short barrels, suppressed rifles, hogs |
| 7.62x39 | 122–124 gr | Moderate | AK and SKS rifles, budget practice, deer at moderate range |
| 6.5 Creedmoor | 120–147 gr | Moderate | Long range targets, deer, antelope |
| .308 Win / 7.62 NATO | 147–180 gr | Firm | Deer, hogs, precision shooting, battle rifles |
| .30-06 Springfield | 150–220 gr | Firm | Nearly any North American game with the right bullet |
| .300 Win Mag | 180–215 gr | Heavy | Elk, moose, and long range big game |
| Load | Typical speed | Noise | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| .22 LR subsonic | Under ~1,050 fps | Quietest | Suppressed guns, backyard pests, indoor ranges |
| .22 LR standard velocity | ~1,050–1,150 fps | Quiet | Accuracy and match shooting |
| .22 LR high velocity | ~1,200–1,300 fps | Normal | Semi-autos and general plinking |
| .22 LR hyper velocity | ~1,400+ fps | Loud | Varmints. Can be hard on some actions |
| .22 WMR | ~1,900 fps | Loud | Longer small-game shots and foxes |
| .17 HMR | ~2,500 fps | Loud | Flat-shooting varmint and squirrel rifle |
.22 LR, .22 WMR, and .17 HMR are not interchangeable. Only shoot the cartridge stamped on your firearm.
| Gauge | Shell lengths | Recoil | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 gauge | 2¾", 3", 3½" | Moderate to heavy | Everything: clays, waterfowl, turkey, deer, home defense |
| 20 gauge | 2¾", 3" | Light to moderate | Upland birds, youth and smaller-framed shooters, deer slugs |
| 28 gauge | 2¾" | Light | Skeet and quail |
| .410 bore | 2½", 3" | Very light | Squirrels, rabbits, and defensive revolvers chambered for it |
Lower gauge numbers mean bigger bores. Your chamber length is stamped on the barrel. Shorter shells fit longer chambers, never the reverse.
Shotgun shot sizes, side by side
Birdshot numbers run backwards: the bigger the number, the smaller the pellet. Buckshot uses its own scale. Pellets below are drawn to scale with each other.
Skeet
Clays, quail
Trap, doves
Pheasant, rabbit
Turkey, ducks
Ducks, geese
Geese
Defense, coyotes
Defense, deer
Defense, deer
#4 shot is not #4 buck. #4 birdshot is about half the diameter. Read the box carefully.
Steel runs light. Steel is less dense than lead, so go up about two sizes from what you'd use in lead.
Waterfowl requires non-toxic shot. Steel, bismuth, and tungsten are all legal. Lead is not.
Three mix-ups to avoid
-
.223 and 5.56 aren't the same
A rifle marked 5.56 can shoot both. A rifle marked only .223 Rem should not be fed 5.56, which runs at higher pressure.
-
+P means more pressure
+P loads are hotter than standard. Only use them if your manufacturer says your gun is rated for them.
-
Never put .300 BLK in a 5.56 rifle
The two can fit the same magazines and a .300 BLK round can chamber in a 5.56 barrel. Firing it can destroy the gun and injure you. Label your mags.
Brass, steel, or aluminum?
The case material mostly affects price, whether you can reload it, and whether your range allows it.
Brass
The standard. Extracts smoothly, resists corrosion, and can be reloaded. Costs a little more.
Nickel-plated brass
Brass with a silver finish. Slicker feeding, extra corrosion resistance. Common on defensive loads.
Steel
The budget option, usually coated to prevent rust. Runs fine in most guns but can't be reloaded, and some ranges ban it.
Aluminum
Light and affordable for practice. Not reloadable.
Common questions
Is 9mm enough for self-defense?
Yes. Modern 9mm hollow points perform very well, which is why most police departments carry 9mm. Shot placement and practice matter far more than the jump to a bigger caliber.
Can I shoot .38 Special in my .357 Magnum?
Yes. A .357 Magnum revolver safely fires .38 Special, and it makes great low-recoil practice ammo. It doesn't work the other way: never fire .357 Magnum in a gun chambered only for .38 Special.
Is steel-cased ammo bad for my gun?
For most firearms, no. Steel cases don't expand quite as much as brass, so a few guns extract them less reliably. The bigger limits are practical: you can't reload steel cases and some indoor ranges don't allow them.
Does ammo expire?
There's no expiration date. Stored somewhere cool and dry, ammunition can last for decades. Skip any rounds with green or white corrosion, dented cases, or bullets that have been pushed back into the case.
What does "grain" mean on the box?
It's the weight of the bullet, not the powder. Lighter bullets generally fly faster with sharper recoil. Heavier bullets move slower with more of a push.
Why does my pistol jam with some ammo and not others?
Bullet shape, overall length, and power level all affect how a gun feeds and cycles. If one load gives you trouble, try a different brand or bullet weight before assuming the gun is the problem.
Are there age or state rules for buying ammo?
Federal law sets 18 as the minimum age for rifle and shotgun ammunition and 21 for handgun ammunition when buying from a licensed dealer. Some states add their own rules on age, shipping, and which ammunition types are allowed.
Still not sure which load to get?
Tell us your firearm and what you're doing with it. We'll point you to the right box.