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...

There are some beliefs and misapprehensions held by people, sometimes large groups of people, that defy explanation. It’s not clear where these myths came from, why anyone even considers them, much less actively believes them, or why they’re still around. Then there are the myths that, while not true (being myths), people can’t really be blamed for occasionally believing. They often make good intuitive sense, may be considered longtime conventional wisdom, and may have been repeated by the experts in a given field. Those are the breed of common handgun defense myths that will be covered and (hopefully) debunked here. Stopping Power The fact that stopping power is a practically entirely mythical standard has actually been getting a good bit of coverage recently. Despite that, its rejection is still strongly contested by a considerable portion of the gun community. That’s no surprise since it hits all three believability markers: It has been repeated as gospel by civil...

There are a lot of passionate gun enthusiasts out there with a lot of passionate opinions. Those opinions are often based mainly on someone’s personal experience and preferences. Sometimes they’re helpful and informative, and sometimes they’re inaccurate and uninformed assumptions that sound helpful and informative. That’s why when it comes to choosing the right defensive handgun for you, you should take every confidently-shared, entirely-certain gun truism with a grain of salt. Just because someone recommends . 22 LR ammo over anything else doesn’t mean it’s the right choice for you. You’re far better off trying out a variety of options, weighing a variety of other options, and then deciding what works best for you . Size of the Handgun One of the most important considerations when choosing a gun is its size. Consider the conditions in which people find themselves when using a handgun in a self-defense scenario. Hands shake, hands sweat, fine motor skills often deg...

All too often, there’s an impression, conscious or not, among those who own or carry a firearm that by virtue of owning a gun they have become safer. However, a firearm is a tool, and like any other tool, attempting to use it without the appropriate training and familiarity can result in injury or worse. For a gun to be a safe and effective self-defense solution, whether you’ve got a pistol chambered for .22 LR or a shotgun racked up with 12 gauge ammo slug or buckshot, training is a must. And for that training to be most effective, it has to be more than going to the range every few months. The Best Gun for You The first step in a practical firearm defense strategy has to be finding a firearm that works for you. It’s highly important, particularly for carrying a pistol, that your firearm fits you, your physical traits, your lifestyle, and your comfort level. These factors are all exponentially more important than caliber alone. If you find a .22 LR pistol that fit...

Being concerned about a popular cartridge just being a fad makes sense. Investing in a firearm and the ammunition to feed it isn’t exactly cheap. And the last thing you want is to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on a new piece of hardware that you come to recognize is far less effective at whatever you bought it for than a more established cartridge. It’s exactly that concern that has led some of the gun community to be wary of the . 300 AAC Blackout as a fad caliber. Meanwhile, the .300 AAC Blackout has unquestionably become one of the most popular calibers for the AR-15 platform. So it seems reasonable to ask: Is that possible if the .300 AAC Blackout is solely just a passing trend? History and Hype Claims The .300 AAC Blackout was originally developed as a close quarters combat alternative to the 5.56 NATO. It was meant to deliver more punch from an AR-15 (M4/M16) platform carbine at closer range, with a shorter barrel, and effective subsonic per...

Based on comparative sales numbers for handgun ammunition, 9mm ammo, the Luger 9x19 Parabellum, is far and away the all-time champion. Excepting the (entirely understandable) personal preferences some shooters have for . 45 ACP ammo , .380 ACP, 10mm, etc., the 9mm being crowned a heavyweight champion makes sense. Particularly with the introduction of P+ loads, the 9mm packs a heck of a punch while being a modest enough caliber to preclude excess muzzle flip, allow for high-capacity mags, and optimize accuracy of follow-up placement. So, with the caliber’s benefits sufficiently laid out, the next question is: which 9mm pistols are history’s best, those worthy of the King of Calibers? SIG (Sauer) P210 Part of the reason it was suggested to remove personal preferences for objectivity is because the SIG (not yet Sauer) P210 warranted placement at the top of the list due to its appearance. Shallow as that may be, it’s one of pistol history’s most elegant sidearms. Feat...

First off, for the unfamiliar, a quick overview of what a “trunk gun” is: Trunk guns are always long guns and almost always rifles. Even if you kept a Desert Eagle .50 AE in your trunk, all the time, it would never graduate to trunk gun. It would forever remain just a gun in your trunk. While a single-shot bolt-action squirrel rifle loaded with . 22 LR ammo riding shotgun (ironically) in your passenger seat would qualify as a trunk gun. Trunk guns can be either rifles or shotguns but, as mentioned, are usually carbines. They don’t have to be in the trunk, though they often are. According to the trunk gun purists, they are also not long guns that share time between your vehicle and anywhere else; they are strictly car-based. So if it’s a long gun that’s exclusively dedicated to your vehicle as an offensive or defensive option, it’s a trunk gun. Now that it’s defined: Is it worth it? There are some pros and cons to consider. Trunk Gun Pros There’s a good chance that ...

There are few game animals that present as much challenge, excitement, fun, and danger as the bear. They’re certainly among the most dangerous game on the North American continent. Of course, it’s exactly that challenge, excitement, and element of danger that attracts so many hunters to go for that bear tag.  As is the case in any other hunting, no one wants any game animal wounded regardless of the personal risk. It’s always safest and the best practice to ensure a clean kill. As that’s the case, and considering the higher stakes accompanying bear hunting, its extremely important to choose the right long gun that is going to guarantee you the best chance of a quick, clean kill. After all, not only does no one want to deal with a wounded, angry, aggressive bear that’s decided to deal with the thing that has just upset it, but it’s also proper to do what’s right and make the choices necessary for a clean kill. .338 Winchester Magnum The .338 Winchester Magnum ...

The popularity of the AR-15 platform for home defense continues to increase, particularly with the inclusion of a . 300 AAC Blackout upper . However, a less widely adopted position in the firearms community is whether or not you should have a backup gun (BUG) when out of the home. There are groups within the community who assert that it’s unnecessary. The thinking goes that there’s not much chance that you’ll ever find yourself in a position where using one gun will be necessary, much less have to draw a BUG. On the other side are those who insist that there is indeed a practical reason to carry backup. They point out that if you’re going to carry, the point is effective self-defense for you and defense of your loved ones. If that’s a choice you’re going to make, ensuring that your defense strategy comes with a failsafe simply makes sense. Both sides have some valid arguments. And those on both sides generally concede that there are benefits and drawbacks both to carr...

There is a fairly common reaction among firearm enthusiasts and aficionados when the subject of pistol caliber carbines (PCCs) is brought up: OK, but why? The thinking generally goes that pistol calibers are for pistols and rifle calibers are for rifles for a reason. The chambering of carbines with 9mm ammo , .380 ACP, .45 ACP, etc. is often dismissed as both pointless and a newfangled gimmick with no application beyond novelty. That position usually changes after they have fired a PCC. There are a number of reasons for that, some of which will be covered below, but the feature of a PCC that makes converts of former doubters, as or more often than not, is how much fun they are. It’s also worthwhile to mention that while PCCs can seem like a fairly recent trend that breaks from decades, close even to centuries, of firearm tradition, it’s not. Gunslingers, cowpunchers, drovers, outlaws, lawmen, and a lot of the other denizens of the Old West would often choose a pistol/...

One of the best things about the AR-15 platform is how versatile it is. There are seemingly endless calibers, lengths, twists, grains, and loads that an AR owner can cycle between, depending on the situation. And while being spoiled for choice is generally good, it can result in a little bit of choice-paralysis. So while the following certainly isn’t comprehensive, it’s a basic overview of AR-15 caliber variants that are successful, or at least preferred, for different undertakings.  Target Shooting and Plinking As most readers are probably aware, the most common caliber in which AR-15 rifles are chambered is the .223 Remington. It’s the civilian cousin to the 5.56 NATO round that has served western military units so well for so long. As such, of the AR-15 calibers, . 223 ammo is among the least expensive and most commonly available—with decades of proven ability as a long, straight, flat shooter. So, if you’re interested in a rifle in the AR family for shooting ...

There are no predators left on the North American continent that inspire the anxiety, fear, awe, and, when in their territory, hopefully caution, like the grizzly bear. Grizzlies are the ultimate apex predators: they’re massive, incredibly powerful, way faster than you are, and sport real thick hides, muscle, and bone. Basically, they’re walking (or running) tanks bristling with natural armament and fierce territoriality that will violently react to any even perceived threats, and… they get pretty hungry. Unfortunately for many hikers, fishermen, hunters, and other sportspeople and lovers of the great outdoors, grizzly bears make their homes in those outdoors.  Grizzly bears can be found in the northwestern United States, ranging from Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and Washington, north to Alaska. And for the most part, they tend to leave human beings alone. But that’s really not the case, however, when they (or their cubs) feel threatened, or when they’re hungry and sme...

For decades, suppressors had been largely ignored by civilian gun owners, even those aware that, in most of the U.S. (minus eight states), they were, and are, legal. They seemed to suffer from a reputation as tactical accoutrements that only intelligence operatives and bad guys had any use for. However, as a larger appreciation of their benefits spread, suppressors became more popular for sport and recreation shooting, hunting, and home defense. So are suppressors for defending your home a good idea? Cons of Using Suppressed Weapons for Home Defense There are two chief reasons that opponents of suppressing weapons for home defense cite. The less-common contention is that the sound of a round being fired is an effective deterrent. Not only is the sound effective at deterring any intruders inside the home, but anyone waiting outside will surely be put off by the unmistakable sound of gunshots ringing out. A more common concern is that if someone is forced to use deadl...

There were some fantastic, sturdy, dependable pistols produced in the past, without question. However, there’s no question that modern firearms , in general , are more efficient, more reasonably engineered, lighter, more reliable, and—due to modern oversight, standardization, and enforced regulations—considerably safer than the handguns of the past. Among the advancements modern pistols enjoy over their predecessors is capacity. Nowadays, it’s not uncommon to find a 9mm pistol with a flush magazine carrying 18, 19, or 20+1. That’s three times or more than the capacity of the average revolver or semi-automatic pistol carried by civilians, law enforcement, and military personnel from the Civil War to the war in Vietnam. However, that’s not to say our sidearm-carrying antecedents had no interest in high-capacity handguns. Quite the opposite, in fact. And what the arms manufacturers of the past may have lacked in polymer frames, SAAMI standardized cartridges, or extended...