If you’re a new gun owner who’s curious about how to choose the right ammunition for your firearm, we’re here to help.
Whether you’ll be using it for target practice shooting, hunting or even for self-defense, there is the right ammunition for each firearm purpose.
Let’s get started!
How to Choose the Right Ammunition: Getting to Know the Caliber
When choosing the right ammunition, the first thing to look at is your firearm’s manual, which explains the types of ammo you can use with it.
Say you bought your firearm from a third-party vendor and your firearm isn’t equipped with a manual, then it’s time to do your research online.
Your firearm manufacturer often has online versions of manuals on their website, so you can start your research there.
Next, select your ammunition by caliber.
A gun’s caliber is the diameter of your projectile fire or the barrel itself. This means a .38 Special needs a .38mm ammunition for it to work properly.
The question is: how will you know your firearm’s caliber?
Well, you can find your firearm’s caliber stamped into your firearm’s receiver or barrel. For other pistols, the caliber is located above the loading port near the barrel’s end.
You can also find your firearm’s caliber on the bottom of the cartridge or on the ammo’s original manufacturer’s box.
How to Choose the Right Ammunition Based on Your Purpose
As we discussed earlier, your ammunition also depends on the purpose of why you’re using your firearm.
From practice shooting to hunting, here are three common purposes for using your firearm and which ammunition suits best for each situation.
- Hunting
Whether you’re hunting for birds or deer, you should use ammunition that is capable of penetration so you can kill it quickly but at the same time with dignity.
For small-game hunting or for when you’re hunting birds or rabbits, low-power, small-caliber cartridges such as the .22 LR are ideal since they avoid pelt damage and excessive meat.
But what about ammunition for when you’d like to hunt a deer or bear?
Well, it’s time to call the bigger shots.
Big-game hunting requires more power, which means a larger caliber bullet such as the 30-06 Springfield or the .308 Winchester.
While using larger ammunition for bigger animals may feel daunting, keep in mind that these animals are bigger than humans, so you’ll need bullets with more force.
For your ammunition needs and questions, check out the Natchez Shooting Supplies store, and they will be more than happy to help walk you through their wide array of ammo and other firing supplies.
- Target Practice
If you want to shoot for fun, then you won’t need ammunition as powerful as the one designed for hunting.
Instead, you should focus on using ammunition that is smaller and cheaper.
A good example of ammunition used for target practice is full metal jackets or FMJs, a bullet that contains a soft core (usually lead) and is encased with a metal shell.
- Self-Defense
It is no secret that you will need to spend more if you want to get more back-for-the-buck ammunition for self-defense.
After all, you would want to stop the threat instantly and with more impact regarding force.
Hollow points are a good example of self-defense ammunition since it is a type of expanding bullet that causes more damage without having to penetrate more than necessary. This also helps avoid situations where civilians are around, so no one else gets shot.
This kind of ammunition is also commonly used by law enforcement.
Wrapping Up on Choosing the Right Ammunition for Your Firearm
Not only does using the correct type of ammunition help your firearm perform at its best, but it will also keep you and your firearm safe.
Ultimately, the right type of ammunition for your firearm is key to either hunting an animal humanely or saving you from a life-threatening situation.