How to Pick Pistol Ammo
Look for a caliber stamped or marked on the frame or barrel of your pistol (such as 9mm, .45 ACP or .38 SPCL)., Consider the type of ammo that you prefer., For target practice, almost any bullet will work., For hunting, accuracy, penetration, and...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Look for a caliber stamped or marked on the frame or barrel of your pistol (such as 9mm
The caliber of ammo on the box you use should match the markings on your pistol.
Understand that caliber alone is not the soul requisite for choosing the correct ammo, there are several 45 caliber bullets, and more than one 9 mm, and these are not interchangeable. -
Step 2: .45 ACP or .38 SPCL).
The type of bullet (or projectile that will be striking your target) varies and may be important if you are using the ammo for a specific activity such as either target shooting, hunting, or self-defense.
Here are examples:
Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) have a brass or other metal casing surrounding the softer (usually lead) core.
These are required by the Geneva Convention for military rounds, as they have very limited expansion, making combat wounds less devastating.
They generally leave less fouling on the barrel's rifling, resulting in slightly better accuracy than some other rounds.
Soft point bullets have the front, or tip of the bullets soft metal core exposed, but the sides and tail of the bullet are jacketed so they foul the barrel less than bullets with no jacket at all, and engage the barrel's rifling more aggressively.
Hollow points have a hole in the center of the tip of the bullet, which causes more initial expansion on impact.
There are arguments as to whether this feature affects accuracy, but the real results vary from gun to gun.
Semi Wadcutter bullets are flattened on the end to create a shockwave in living tissue on impact.
These are often a preferred round for self defense, since the generally do more damage than other bullets.
Wadcutters have a completely flattened tip, again designed for causing maximum damage on impact.
Shot shell bullets are bullets load with small bird shot, sometimes referred to as rat shot, used for shooting small varmints (hence the name) at very close ranges.
Non Lethal rounds are special low velocity rounds used for riot control and other police/military purposes.
Blanks, as the name implies, are blank cartridges, containing only a powder charge, used for theatrical purposes or in starter pistols.
Other bullets include frangible bullets, tracers, and armor piercing rounds with special purposes not really addressed in this content. , All you are doing is putting holes in paper.
However, trying different types of bullets while target-shooting will give you an idea of how that bullet functions in your gun.
How accurate the ammo is, and how dirty your gun becomes when using that ammo will be apparent as well.
You can observe how much "flash"
noise and recoil are produced. , You may only get one shot at a living target; if you miss and scare it away.
The bullet design is also important depending on what you are hunting, and more can be read about that elsewhere. , You do not want to use a bullet type or under-powered ammo that will not function in your weapon. , Use less expensive ammo for high-volume plinking.
This will give you both familiarity and skill with your weapon.
If you decide to use expensive or "premium" ammo for either hunting or self-defense, you must still try it out to be sure it functions in your weapon and that you can place the rounds where you need to. , 9 mm bullets are usually available in loads of either 115, 124, or 147 grains.
There are a number of other weights available from bullet manufacturers for special reloading applications.
The lighter bullet will generally have a higher velocity, where heavier bullets may have more energy at impact, although this is a variable that also has to have distance factored in.
Look for a middle ground weight in your caliber to begin with, then try lighter or heavier bullets according to your needs. , A 357 Magnum revolver, for instance, can use a .38 caliber bullet, resulting in less noise and recoil and a substantially lower cost for target practice or plinking. , Factory manufactured ammunition is made with strict quality controls using new brass and bullets, so it is, in most cases, the best choice for the average shooter.
There will still be a significant difference in brands, and within brands.
Some offer premium loads, target loads, hunting loads, and other levels of quality, and for practical purposes, the cheaper the bullet is, the lower the quality and the expected results achieved with it.
Here are some of your options for buying ammo.
Retail stores.
Big box stores like Walmart carry handgun ammo at most locations.
They may have a limited variety of common calibers at competitive prices, but for specialized rounds or unusual calibers, you will have to look elsewhere.
Sporting goods stores will have a wider selection, and large, chain type stores will also have competitive pricing.
One advantage of shopping a sporting goods store with a firearms department is the likelihood the counter help will be more knowledgeable about the products they sell.
Online ammo sellers.
Websites like Ammo-to-Go, Cheaper Than Dirt, MidwayUSA, and Scott's Ammo offer wide ranges of calibers and bullet weights, as well as the aforementioned bullet types.
They also often offer military surplus at reduced cost, and bulk purchases can further reduce the cost.
To get a quick overview of the pricing of online bullets, go to ammoseek.com and enter the caliber you are looking for.
They will give you a listing of prices from numerous online ammo sources.
Reloaders.
Although people may feel like it is a gamble to buy ammo from a reloader, there are some advantages, particularly with special loads like subsonic ammunition for noise suppression.
The main issue, when dealing with a reloader is being familiar with their process.
Do they use brass in good condition? Do they accurately meter the power charge? In other words, can you depend on a reloader to produce quality ammunition? -
Step 3: Consider the type of ammo that you prefer.
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Step 4: For target practice
-
Step 5: almost any bullet will work.
-
Step 6: For hunting
-
Step 7: accuracy
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Step 8: penetration
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Step 9: and expansion are the most important things.
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Step 10: For self-defense
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Step 11: dependable function is second only to bullet placement.
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Step 12: Cost is also something to consider.
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Step 13: Look at the bullet weight.
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Step 14: Realize that some calibers can utilize different bullets.
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Step 15: Consider the source of your ammunition.
Detailed Guide
The caliber of ammo on the box you use should match the markings on your pistol.
Understand that caliber alone is not the soul requisite for choosing the correct ammo, there are several 45 caliber bullets, and more than one 9 mm, and these are not interchangeable.
The type of bullet (or projectile that will be striking your target) varies and may be important if you are using the ammo for a specific activity such as either target shooting, hunting, or self-defense.
Here are examples:
Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) have a brass or other metal casing surrounding the softer (usually lead) core.
These are required by the Geneva Convention for military rounds, as they have very limited expansion, making combat wounds less devastating.
They generally leave less fouling on the barrel's rifling, resulting in slightly better accuracy than some other rounds.
Soft point bullets have the front, or tip of the bullets soft metal core exposed, but the sides and tail of the bullet are jacketed so they foul the barrel less than bullets with no jacket at all, and engage the barrel's rifling more aggressively.
Hollow points have a hole in the center of the tip of the bullet, which causes more initial expansion on impact.
There are arguments as to whether this feature affects accuracy, but the real results vary from gun to gun.
Semi Wadcutter bullets are flattened on the end to create a shockwave in living tissue on impact.
These are often a preferred round for self defense, since the generally do more damage than other bullets.
Wadcutters have a completely flattened tip, again designed for causing maximum damage on impact.
Shot shell bullets are bullets load with small bird shot, sometimes referred to as rat shot, used for shooting small varmints (hence the name) at very close ranges.
Non Lethal rounds are special low velocity rounds used for riot control and other police/military purposes.
Blanks, as the name implies, are blank cartridges, containing only a powder charge, used for theatrical purposes or in starter pistols.
Other bullets include frangible bullets, tracers, and armor piercing rounds with special purposes not really addressed in this content. , All you are doing is putting holes in paper.
However, trying different types of bullets while target-shooting will give you an idea of how that bullet functions in your gun.
How accurate the ammo is, and how dirty your gun becomes when using that ammo will be apparent as well.
You can observe how much "flash"
noise and recoil are produced. , You may only get one shot at a living target; if you miss and scare it away.
The bullet design is also important depending on what you are hunting, and more can be read about that elsewhere. , You do not want to use a bullet type or under-powered ammo that will not function in your weapon. , Use less expensive ammo for high-volume plinking.
This will give you both familiarity and skill with your weapon.
If you decide to use expensive or "premium" ammo for either hunting or self-defense, you must still try it out to be sure it functions in your weapon and that you can place the rounds where you need to. , 9 mm bullets are usually available in loads of either 115, 124, or 147 grains.
There are a number of other weights available from bullet manufacturers for special reloading applications.
The lighter bullet will generally have a higher velocity, where heavier bullets may have more energy at impact, although this is a variable that also has to have distance factored in.
Look for a middle ground weight in your caliber to begin with, then try lighter or heavier bullets according to your needs. , A 357 Magnum revolver, for instance, can use a .38 caliber bullet, resulting in less noise and recoil and a substantially lower cost for target practice or plinking. , Factory manufactured ammunition is made with strict quality controls using new brass and bullets, so it is, in most cases, the best choice for the average shooter.
There will still be a significant difference in brands, and within brands.
Some offer premium loads, target loads, hunting loads, and other levels of quality, and for practical purposes, the cheaper the bullet is, the lower the quality and the expected results achieved with it.
Here are some of your options for buying ammo.
Retail stores.
Big box stores like Walmart carry handgun ammo at most locations.
They may have a limited variety of common calibers at competitive prices, but for specialized rounds or unusual calibers, you will have to look elsewhere.
Sporting goods stores will have a wider selection, and large, chain type stores will also have competitive pricing.
One advantage of shopping a sporting goods store with a firearms department is the likelihood the counter help will be more knowledgeable about the products they sell.
Online ammo sellers.
Websites like Ammo-to-Go, Cheaper Than Dirt, MidwayUSA, and Scott's Ammo offer wide ranges of calibers and bullet weights, as well as the aforementioned bullet types.
They also often offer military surplus at reduced cost, and bulk purchases can further reduce the cost.
To get a quick overview of the pricing of online bullets, go to ammoseek.com and enter the caliber you are looking for.
They will give you a listing of prices from numerous online ammo sources.
Reloaders.
Although people may feel like it is a gamble to buy ammo from a reloader, there are some advantages, particularly with special loads like subsonic ammunition for noise suppression.
The main issue, when dealing with a reloader is being familiar with their process.
Do they use brass in good condition? Do they accurately meter the power charge? In other words, can you depend on a reloader to produce quality ammunition?
About the Author
Jack Wilson
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow pet care tutorials.
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