Women’s Outdoor News and Avery Skipalis bring a post covering the basics of purchasing pistol ammunition, including how to find out the correct ammunition caliber for a specific firearm.
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If you need ammunition for a firearm and are unsure of where to start, you’re in the right place. The first step in purchasing ammunition is determining the caliber of the firearm. It’s probably obvious to most, but a firearm must be fed the correct ammunition. If unsure of the caliber, use one of the following methods to determine the caliber of a firearm.
First, on most pistols the caliber is stamped on the barrel or somewhere on the magazine follower. Second, the caliber may be listed on the original case or box that came with the purchase of the firearm. Third, refer to the owner’s manual that came with the firearm. When you’ve determined the correct caliber of the firearm, move on to the next step.
It is important to determine the primary use for the ammunition before making a purchase. The two primary purposes are: target and defense uses. Be aware that some modern defensive rounds are loaded with a hotter charge to produce greater muzzle velocity. These rounds are designated with a +P or +P+. Check your owner’s manual to ensure your pistol is rated for this ammunition before use.
Now that you’ve identified the caliber and type of ammunition needed, shop around to price ammunition. Websites like https://ammoseek.com/ are great resources for finding in-stock ammunition and comparing prices. They scour the internet, which saves you time and effort. Remember to calculate shipping while comparing online prices to that of local stores.
If you own a firearm, purchasing ammunition will more than likely be on the to-do list one day. Shopping around before making any ammunition purchases and buying ammunition in bulk could potentially save you a lot of money in the long run. Regardless of where or how you decide to purchase ammunition, always have a little extra on hand. Having ammunition on hand prepares you for times when there’s limited availability or inflated prices.
Want more information? I cover this topic more in-depth in a previous post at Women’s Outdoor News.
Avery Skipalis is the owner of Skip’s Tactical Solutions, an organization that focuses on empowering women, men and children to make sure that no one else becomes a victim. She gained her firearms experience from the military where she’s been a military firearms instructor for 10.5 years. She’s also a certified NRA rifle and pistol instructor and Glock Advanced Armorer since 2015. She’s attended Sig Sauer Academy, FNH, Special Operations Command Armorers courses as well as multiple Advanced Shooting Schools across the United States. She resides in Florida with her husband and 2 kids. She’s currently serving in the United States Air Force and loves sharing her passion with others. She thinks it’s important that women also feel like they’re in control of their own safety. View all posts by Avery Skipalis
