Ammo & Caliber
11 expert answers on Ammo & Caliber. Practical guidance from a master gunsmith with 30+ years of experience.
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What Is the Best 5.56 Ammo for Home Defense vs Range Use?
For home defense, use a quality 55- to 62-grain soft point or barrier-blind hollow point like Hornady 75gr TAP, Speer Go…
What Is the Difference Between Hollow Point and FMJ Ammo?
Full metal jacket (FMJ) ammunition has a solid copper jacket that covers the lead core, causing it to retain its shape o…
Does Steel Case Ammo Damage Your Gun?
Steel-cased ammunition does not damage your gun in any meaningful way, but it does cause slightly more wear on the extra…
What Is the Best 9mm Ammo for Self-Defense?
The top 9mm self-defense loads are Federal HST 147gr, Speer Gold Dot 124gr +P, and Hornady Critical Duty 135gr +P. All t…
6.5 Creedmoor vs .308 Winchester — Which Is Better?
The 6.5 Creedmoor has less recoil, shoots flatter, drifts less in wind, and retains more energy at distance than the .30…
What Is the Difference Between Supersonic and Subsonic 300 Blackout?
Supersonic 300 Blackout (110 to 125 grains, 2,200 to 2,350 fps) delivers rifle-level terminal performance similar to 7.6…
How Do You Read an Ammunition Box Label? What Do the Numbers Mean?
An ammo box label tells you the caliber (cartridge name), bullet weight in grains, bullet type (FMJ, HP, SP, etc.), muzz…
What Is the Best Bulk Ammo for Range Practice?
The best bulk range ammo balances reliability, cleanliness, and cost. For 5.56/.223: Federal American Eagle XM193 or PMC…
Is +P and +P+ Ammo Safe for My Gun?
+P ammunition is loaded to higher than standard pressure (typically 10 percent over SAAMI standard) and is safe for mode…
9mm vs .45 ACP vs .40 S&W — Which Caliber Should I Choose?
For most shooters, 9mm is the best all-around choice. It offers the highest capacity, lowest recoil, cheapest practice a…
What Is the Best Hunting Caliber for Different Game Sizes?
For varmints and predators (coyotes, prairie dogs): .223 Remington or .22-250. For medium game (whitetail deer, antelope…
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