Ammunition guide: common calibers and uses

The cartridge is 80% of accuracy

You can have the best gun in the world — generic ammo, generic results. Conversely, average gun + Match ammo gets respectable groups. Learn to choose before you stock up.

.22 Long Rifle

Sport’s king caliber: low recoil, low noise, low cost. 5.7 mm, 28-40 grains, 320-380 m/s. Enough to punch a 50m target with millimeter accuracy in skilled hands.

Eley Sport: club budget, €0.08/round.
SK Standard Plus: daily-driver, €0.10.
Lapua Center-X / Midas+: competition, €0.14-0.22. Test before buying volume — every gun has its preferred lot.

Limit: not for hunting, not past 100m. For sport, the absolute progression standard.

9mm Luger (9×19)

Sport pistol and IPSC standard. ~7.45g, ~360 m/s. Manageable recoil, ammo everywhere, reasonable price.

GECO or Magtech FMJ: training, €0.32-0.38.
Sellier & Bellot Match: reasonable competition, €0.45.
Federal Syntech, Hornady Critical: high-end, €0.70-0.90.

5,000 training rounds a year: €1,700-1,900. Cost of a serious IPSC Production season.

.38 Special / .357 Magnum

The historic revolver caliber. Same chamber takes both: .38 Special for training (soft recoil), .357 Magnum for power (hotter charge, same diameter, longer case).

.38 Special Match: €0.50-0.65, club-ideal.
.357 Magnum: €0.90-1.40. Serious recoil, fire sparingly.

Revolver remains an excellent sport choice for whoever loves the slow cadence and ritual gesture. Double-action trigger is a sport unto itself.

”Heavy” pistol calibers

.40 S&W: middle ground, €0.50-0.70. Losing momentum, not beginner-friendly.
.45 ACP: honest, €0.65-0.90. Heavy slow recoil. Beautiful round, expensive yearly.
10mm Auto: sport exotic, €1-1.80. Enthusiast-only.

None of these are needed to progress. Stay 9mm until you have a real reason.

Sport / precision rifle calibers

.223 Remington / 5.56 NATO

Centerfire entry caliber. Low recoil, abundant ammo, honest to 600m.

PPU or GGG FMJ 55gr: training, €0.50-0.70.
Hornady Match 75gr or 77gr: precision, €1.20-1.80.

6.5 Creedmoor

Modern PRS reference. Excellent ballistics to 1,200m, moderate recoil.

Hornady ELD-Match 140gr: €1.80-2.40.
Lapua Scenar 139gr: €2.80-3.50. Top tier.

.308 Winchester

Universal, proven. Excellent to 800m, but eclipsed in pure performance by 6.5 Creedmoor.

Sellier & Bellot Match 168gr: €1.50.
Federal Gold Medal 175gr SMK: €2.20.

.338 Lapua Magnum

Very long range (1,500m+). €5-9 per round. Heavy recoil. Specialized objectives only.

Reading the markings

On the box:

Bullet weight: grains (gr) or grams. 1 grain = 0.065g. Heavier = more penetration, better BC, less velocity.
Bullet type: FMJ (full metal jacket), HP (hollow point), SMK (Sierra Match King), ELD (Hornady), HPBT (hollow point boat tail). Sport: FMJ for training, Match for competition.
Muzzle velocity: m/s or fps. Indicative — varies ±5% with barrel length.

Three classic traps

Buying bulk without testing. You stock 1,000 rounds, your gun hates that lot, you sell at a loss. Buy 50 first, fire them, judge the group.
Mixing Match lots. Lapua and Eley vary slightly between lots — 1 cm difference at 50m can happen between two lots of the same caliber. Buy by lot, mark the box.
Bad storage. Cartridges hate humidity. Keep them in a closed box, stable temperature, no direct light.

FAQ

Q: How long does a cartridge keep? R: 30+ years in proper storage. Match lots from the 70s still shoot well in test labs.

Q: Should I buy military surplus? R: For volume training, yes (PMC, Igman, Magtech). For precision, never — dispersion is too wide.

Q: Is reloading worth it? R: Yes from 2,000 centerfire rounds/year. €600-1,500 in initial gear (press, scale, dies). 30-50% savings long-term. But it’s a hobby of its own — count 4-8 hours per 1,000 rounds.

G-TAC Customs

Sport shooter for 10 years. Writes at night, after the range.