Ammunition Depot

Smaller calibers deserve some respect. When actually compared head-to-head with the real-life performance of calibers beginning with 9mm and up, the performance statistics generally demonstrate comparable, or even superior, rates of effectiveness for the small calibers. It makes sense. Smaller caliber handguns are more universally manageable, there’s generally less recoil, and often less noise, making follow-up shot placement more accurate. The following provides a thumbnail overview of the most common small calibers and their niche. .22 LR The most popular caliber in the world by a considerable margin, you're virtually guaranteed to find . 22 LR ammo for sale anywhere ammunition is sold. As the smallest of the small calibers, .22 LR offers a variety of options. As concealed carry weapons (CCWs) or a backup gun (BUG), you can find pistols that literally fit inside a belt buckle or are the size of a stack of credit cards. As concealed as they come. For everyday ...

A few years ago the FBI released a report on their decision to adopt 9mm sidearms except for those chambered for .40 S&W and .45 ACP ammo. The decision was justified based on the development of “hotter” 9mm ammo, like +P loads, which make penetration and wound channels similar to larger calibers. And for their agents, that meant the larger pistol size, greater recoil, and lower capacity (in general) of .40 S&W and . 45 ACP ammo did not outweigh the benefits of a bigger caliber. While that may be a reasonable conclusion for thousands of FBI agents collectively, there are still many good reasons why you shouldn’t rule out a pistol chambered for .45 ACP as an everyday carry (EDC) or concealed carry weapon (CCW). History on Its Side When the U.S. Army was looking for something with a bit more punch than the .38 Long Colt, John Browning stepped up with the .45 ACP and its timeless partner, the Colt Model 1911. For three-quarters of a century, the .45 ACP and Co...

If you ask 50 firearm enthusiasts what the best caliber for an everyday carry (EDC) and backup gun (BUG) is, you’ll likely get several different answers. Everyone has their preferred firearm and their reasons for them. But it’s important to clarify that it’s certainly not just a matter of preference. There will always be the gun store counter or campfire debates regarding the merits of the 12 gauge vs. AR-15 in .223 Remington vs. a . 300 AAC Blackout upper in the home, or the 9mm vs. .40 S&W vs. .45 ACP on the hip. That, however, doesn’t mean there are “right” answers, and that’s what this is about. It’s a focus on two calibers, both in the .22 caliber family, and making an argument for their viability as legitimate defensive options. Since there aren’t 100% correct answers and there’s no universally perfect pistol that’s the right caliber, size, capacity, brand, and color for everyone , this is an example of a combination that could work. Although it may p...

The . 300 AAC Blackout has increasingly become established as the alternative caliber for the AR-15. With the exception of the forever-popular .22LR, it's very likely that more people are shooting .300 AAC Blackout from AR-15s than anything but the .223 Remington. It's not like there aren't other excellent calibers for the AR-15 platform that remain popular. But whether Grendel or SOCOM, Creedmoor or Valkyrie, propelled by buzz or hype, Blackout has rocketed past them all in popularity. While there are inevitably going to be shooters for whom it’s just not their cup of tea, that popularity isn’t just hype or an overrated, flavor-of-the-month cartridge. The .300 AAC Blackout has earned its place in the top echelon of centerfires with impressive versatility. Small and Medium Game While the .300 AAC Blackout was originally designed as an AR-15 (M4) compatible suppressible military cartridge to provide a harder thump for close-quarters combat, the civ...