Five Calibers for New Shooters
Table of Contents
Hey all, we here at True Shot Academy are going to go over five calibers for new shooters today. Our goal with this blog post is to go over these five calibers while providing a brief overview of each in addition to other pertinent information. Without further ado, let’s talk about five calibers for new shooters.
.22 Long Rifle
The
.22 Long Rifle cartridge has persisted in common use for well over a century in common usage. In addition to its standard designation, the cartridge is also referred to as
.22 LR. Since the round’s debut in 1887, the cartridge has been the chambering for firearms of all types. Pistols, revolvers, and rifles tend to be some of the most common types of firearms one will encounter.
New shooters will enjoy the
.22 LR cartridge due to its affordable nature.
.22 LR ammunition is generally going to be some of the most affordable
ammo one will find on the market. New shooters will also benefit greatly from the common bulk
.22 LR ammo offerings on the market. These offerings allow an end user to purchase large quantities of ammunition at prices which won’t break the bank.
Bulk .22 LR ammo can be found in a variety of quantities ranging from 250, 500, 1000, and even 2,000 rounds.
Additionally, the
.22 LR is well-known for its light recoil and mild report. This makes it easy for new shooters to become acquainted with the operation of a firearm without having to worry about being overwhelmed by recoil. Many firearms chambered in
.22 LR mirror firearms in larger calibers, allowing end users to familiarize themselves with popular centerfire style firearms by using a smaller caliber. Notable examples include the Glock 44 and Smith & Wesson M&P-15-22 which are analogs to semi-automatic Glock handguns and AR-15s respectively.
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9mm Luger
The
9mm Luger cartridge is one of the most popular handgun calibers in existence. The cartridge has been in production since 1902 and has been the chambering of many service handguns throughout history. The cartridge has gone by many names, with
9mm Luger,
9mm NATO, and just plain “
9mm” being one of the most common names for the cartridges.
Shooters will find that
9mm ammo tends to be some of the most common and affordable handgun calibers on the market. Shooters can easily buy small and bulk
9mm ammunition quantities in a variety of loadings. These loadings will often be in the form of 115 grain and 124 grain loadings, common grain weights which are great for use by beginners and experienced shooters alike. One will be able to
purchase 9mm ammunition in both individual and bulk quantities, making it easy to stock up.
Bulk 9mm ammo offerings tend to come in the form of
ammo cans, battle packs, and in case quantities.
When compared to other service handgun calibers, the
9mm boasts a tame and controllable recoil impulse. This allows a new handgun shooter to build proficiency with the caliber and their handgun without having to worry about excessive recoil and an oppressive report. Additionally,
9mm is a versatile cartridge which is well-suited for use in defensive, competition, and recreational use cases.
5.56x45mm NATO/.223 Remington
This list entry is a “two-fer” as these cartridges are very similar and some interchangeability exists between them. Firearms chambered in
5.56x45mm NATO will accept
.223 Remington ammunition. Firearms chambered in
.223 Remington will not accept
5.56x45mm NATO. This is because the
5.56 NATO cartridge is loaded to a higher pressure than
.223 Remington.
5.56 ammunition and
.223 ammo are some of the most common intermediate rifle calibers one will encounter on the market. As such, some of the common full metal jacket (FMJ) loadings tend to be some of the more affordable rifle caliber loadings on the market. Generally speaking,
5.56 ammo offerings can be more expensive than
.223 ammunition offerings. This is due to the fact that some
5.56 loadings are loaded to higher specs than
.223 loadings are, such as M193 and M855 spec loadings. Both
5.56 and
.223 ammo can be found in various quantities, ranging from small, individual offerings to bulk offerings. Bulk
5.56 ammunition and bulk
.223 ammo can generally be found in the form of battle packs and in case quantities which typically include 1,000 rounds.
A new shooter will benefit from the light recoil and versatility of the
5.56 and
.223 cartridges. The fact that both cartridges feature soft recoil impulses makes them easily mastered by new shooters. Additionally, the cartridges are exceptionally versatile and can be well-suited to a variety of use cases. Small to medium game can effectively be dispatched by either cartridge if the right loading, firearm, and distance are all in play. Both cartridges will also provide a new shooter with an effective means to defend themselves. It is also worth noting that both cartridges excel at plinking and target shooting applications, allowing users to engage in competition and recreational shooting.
.308 Winchester/7.62x51mm NATO
This entry represents another “two-fer” due to the potential for interchangeability between these cartridges. Firearms chambered in
.308 Winchester will safely fire
7.62x51mm NATO ammo. Conversely,
7.62x51mm NATO firearms are not designed to handle
.308 Winchester ammunition. This is due to the fact that
.308 ammo is loaded hotter and to higher pressures than
7.62 NATO ammunition is.
FMJ
.308 and
7.62 NATO loadings are going to be noticeably more expensive than
5.56 or
.223 ammunition. This is due to the fact that we are now considering full-sized rifle cartridges rather than intermediate rifle cartridges. That being said, one will find that FMJ loadings in either
.308 Win or
7.62 NATO will be more affordable than other types of rifle loadings. These loadings can be found in the form of individual boxes and a variety of
bulk ammo quantities.
Bulk .308 ammo and
bulk 7.62 NATO ammunition offerings can be found in the form of case quantities, battle packs, and
ammo cans.
While these cartridges feature stouter recoil impulses than their intermediate counterparts, they are by no means abusive. A new shooter with the proper guidance and instruction can easily master a rifle cartridge such as the
.308 or
7.62 NATO. Semi-automatic firearms aid in taming the recoil of these cartridges in addition to things such as muzzle brakes and compensators. By acquiring either of these cartridges, a new shooter will have a versatile and capable caliber on hand. With the proper loadings at appropriate distances, one will be able to dispatch some medium and large-sized game with either round. Additionally, the cartridges are viable for competition use and recreational shooting due to the availability of
ammo and the cartridge’s overall performance.
12 Gauge
The
12 gauge is one of the most common types of
shotgun ammo that you will encounter. A variety of loadings such as birdshot, buckshot, target/match, and slug loads to name a few. Additionally, there are exotic loadings such as Dragon’s Breath rounds and flechette loads.
Most generic birdshot, target, slug, and buckshot
12 gauge ammo offerings will tend to be affordable. Exotic and specialty loadings will demand a premium price over these common mainstream loadings, often due to unique things such as lead-free pellets/projectiles and specialty use cases. Like most forms of
ammo,
12 gauge ammunition can be found in both the form of individual boxes and in case quantities.
Bulk 12 gauge ammo is typically found in the form of case quantities, often called “flats,” and in
ammo cans.
Generally,
12 gauge ammo features a stout recoil impulse, but is ultimately dependent on the specific loading used. One will have no issue working their way up to full power shotgun loadings with enough time and practice. For a new shooter, a
12 gauge shotgun is an incredibly versatile firearm. A great deal of versatility is afforded to the user due to the wide range of
ammunition available for the firearm. These loadings often excel at specific use cases such as hunting, home defense, competition, and general-purpose plinking. These many use cases are easily accomplished by a single shotgun. Most shotguns feature interchangeable barrels or chokes, making it easy for an end user to adapt a shotgun to many uses. New shooters will often purchase “combo” variants of popular shotguns which include shorter barrels for home defense and long barrels for field use.
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Supported by Many Companies
These calibers are currently supported by a wide range of companies. These
ammunition manufacturers hail from countries all across the globe. Some companies will even make loadings for all of the calibers on this list, such as Aguila, Federal, and Sellier & Bellot to name a few.
.22 LR ammo can easily be acquired from companies such as Aguila, CCI, Winchester, and Norma.
9mm ammunition is supported by manufacturers such as Speer, PMC, Turan, and Maxxtech.
Ammo manufacturers such as PMC, GGG, Winchester, and Barnes support both
5.56 and
.223 ammunition. When it comes to
.308 ammo and
7.62 NATO ammunition, companies such as Aguila, GGG, PMC, and Magtech are among those who produce loadings.
12 gauge ammo offerings come from a number of companies such as Nobel Sport, Rio, Federal, and Winchester to name a few.
Simply put, the wide range of
ammunition manufacturers make it easy for a new shooter to find a variety of
ammunition for their shooting needs.
Readily Available Ammunition
Ammunition for these calibers is also quite readily available in most places where
ammunition is sold. Odds are, if a place sells
ammunition, they should normally stock most if not all of these calibers. Granted, some exotic types of loadings may not be commonly found in the wild. Additionally, some types of loadings for these calibers may be less common than others. For example, some forms of defensive and hunting
ammunition for these calibers may not be as readily available as some more common loads. Additionally, one also has the option to
purchase ammunition online. If you
buy ammo online, you will not be at the mercy of the stock which may or may not be available on a shelf at a local outlet.
Readily Available Firearms
Additionally, there is a literal ocean of firearms available in these calibers. Small gun shops and big box sporting good stores alike are likely to offer firearms in all of these calibers. Firearms in these calibers are also available at all kinds of price points, giving shooters both premium and budget options to consider. The presence of budget and economically priced options makes it easier for new shooters to access firearms and the hobby without a large cost of entry. An economically priced firearm in one of these calibers will pair well with the affordable loadings for the aforementioned calibers, allowing new shooters to get out and shoot. Simply put, a new shooter can easily find an appropriate firearm in one of these calibers which won’t break the bank.
Conclusion
All in all, these five cartridges represent solid options for beginners and new shooters. Their accessibility, performance, support from firearms manufacturers, and versatility make them well-suited for new and experienced shooters alike. We here at True Shot have a wide range of
ammunition for sale which includes loadings for each of the calibers on this list. Whether you are after
12 gauge ammo,
5.56x45mm NATO ammunition, or a different type of
ammunition we stock, we have you covered. As always, happy shooting.
Need bulk ammo? At True Shot Ammo, we have a wide variety of handgun ammo and rifle ammo available to purchase. Please visit our website trueshotammo.com, call us at (888) 736-6587, or you can email us at sales@trueshotammo.com for more ammo options.
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