What makes a shooter serious and not just a recreational one? Generally, if you’re someone who buys by the case and not the box for training, we’d call you a serious shooter. You know, you’re the type who needs to exercise your God-given Second Amendment right until your barrel melts. So, what are some of the best ammo options for shooters who are more than just once or twice a year plinkers? Let’s discuss!
Best AR-15 Bulk Ammo
A serious shooter doesn’t need to hear this, but let’s underscore the following in case any novice shooters are reading: a 5.56 rifle can safely fire 223 Remington ammo – although the inverse isn’t true.
So, when we discuss AR-15 rounds, we’re looking at both 5.56 *and* 223 ammo for your 5.56 AR-15. Convenient!
Federal Premium American Eagle 5.56×45 M193
- Product number – AE193
- Bullet weight – 55 grains
- Bullet type – Full metal jacket boat tail (FMJBT)
- Muzzle velocity – 3,165 fps
- Muzzle energy – 1,223 ft lbs
- G1 ballistic coefficient – 0.246
Lazy ammunition writers frequently use the phrase “gold standard” to praise whichever product they’re recommending. Well, you know what? “Gold standard” may not technically mean anything, I can’t help but use it to describe Federal’s tried-and-true American Eagle ammo.
This ammo is made in America. Reloadable? Noncorrosive? Nonmagnetic? It’s all of the above. Sure, its brass cases’ necks and shoulders appear to be discolored, but that is NOT because they are remanufactured. They’re fresh as daisies; they just weren’t polished after they were annealed (i.e. heat treated) at the factory for added suppleness and durability.
This is essentially M193 ammunition: the most “vanilla” variety of 5.56 you can buy. It is the same stuff the U.S. military issues for range training and field use, and features the most popular (and economical) type of bullet for everyday target work. The nonexpanding full metal jacket’s boat tail merely serves to reduce in-flight drag. It helps the FMJ conserve more velocity, fly flatter, and hit harder downrange.
PMC X-TAC 5.56×45 M855
- Product number – 5.56K
- Bullet weight – 62 grains
- Bullet type – Penetrator
- Muzzle velocity – 2,920 fps (16” barrel)
- Muzzle energy – 1,174 ft lbs (16” barrel)
- Muzzle velocity – 3,100 fps (20” barrel)
- Muzzle energy – 1,323 ft lbs (20” barrel)
- G1 ballistic coefficient – 0.287
PMC is South Korea’s largest small arms ammo manufacturer, and a subsidiary of one of the world’s largest nonferrous metal (e.g. copper) fabricators. I could go on and on about the world-class operation’s bordering-on-maniacal commitments to consistency and quality, but that would subtract from the word count I can spend extolling PMC’s M855 ammunition.
It’s good stuff!
This M855 spec round’s heavier 62 grain bullet exhibits its best precision with a 1:8″ to 1:10″ barrel twist. In contrast, the M193 load’s 55 grain bullet behaves best in conjunction with a 1:10” or 1:12” rate of twist. That said, either round’s accuracy ought to prove sufficient out of a 1:7” to 1:14” twist.
The M855 bullet is dubbed the “penetrator” for good reason. It is an otherwise normal FMJ with an additional 7 grain steel spike, which is concealed beneath its jacket’s green-painted tip. This helps the bullet pierce sheet metal and other barriers, which is of obvious utility in combat.
Take care that the penetrator will attract a magnet and is precluded from many commercial gun ranges for that reason. The plus side? The heavier bullet’s superior mass grants it greater momentum (hence its higher ballistic coefficient). That’s a welcome advantage if you’re shooting wherever it’s windy.
Best AR-10 Bulk Ammo
When Bobby Bacala wanted to show his respect and admiration to Tony Soprano, what did he give him? A Harry & David dried fruit and nut sampler? No (although Tony probably would have liked that). He gave him an AR-10.
Had Bacala *really* wanted to impress Tony, he’d also have gifted him either of the following.
Prvi Partizan 7.62×51 M80
- Product number – A-034
- Bullet weight – 145 grains
- Bullet type – Full metal jacket boat tail (FMJBT)
- Muzzle velocity – 2,838 fps (24” barrel)
- Muzzle energy – 2,593 ft lbs (24” barrel)
- G1 ballistic coefficient – 0.405
Prvi Partizan is one of the GOATs. Their products invariably meet my lofty personal standards for reliability, uniformity, and precision. I obviously can’t guarantee your own AR-10 will love it. (That’s because I’ve never personally fired your AR-10 before. You’ll have to invite me over sometime so I can.) That being said, I’m pretty darn confident you’ll get 100% of your money’s worth out of these Serbian-made M80 spec bullseye pokers.
This cartridge is nothing fancy at all: nonmagnetic 145 grain full metal jacket boat tail, nestled in the mouth of a virgin, military-grade reloadable brass case, and hovering atop a noncorrosive Boxer primer and charge of clean-burning powder. But you know what? “Nothing fancy” is exactly what you want when your goal is to build a mountain of 7.62×51 range ammo.
Winchester USA 7.62×51 M80
- Product number – WM80
- Bullet weight – 149 grains
- Bullet type – Full metal jacket (FMJ)
- Muzzle velocity – 2,790 fps (24” barrel)
- Muzzle energy – 2,575 ft lbs (24” barrel)
- G1 ballistic coefficient – 0.462
Winchester’s USA series “white box” M80 ammo follows the same basic recipe as Prvi Partizan’s. It seems to feed, fire and fly every bit as reliably as the Serbian-made alternative, too. Its bullet is just a teensy bit heavier, though. It’s not a night-and-day difference, but that little extra mass does theoretically represent better long-range precision.
Best 9mm Bulk Ammo
You have countless options when it comes to bulk 9mm ammo. Let’s discount the steel-cased stuff (e.g. Wolf, Tula, and Barnaul) because it is (A) dirtier, (B) nonreloadable, (C) usually magnetic, and (D) generally less reliable than the costlier brass-cased stuff. It’s OK if you’re trying to keep your spending at a bare minimum, but the extra money you shell out on brass tends to be worth it.
Blazer Brass 9mm 115 Grain FMJ
- Product number – 5200
- Bullet weight – 115 grains
- Bullet type – Full metal jacket (FMJ)
- Muzzle velocity – 1,145 fps (4” barrel)
- Muzzle energy – 335 ft lbs (4” barrel)
- G1 ballistic coefficient – 0.182
CCI started the Blazer brand in the ‘80s as part of an effort to market their newly invented aluminum cases. The label grew so popular that CCI eventually added affordable brass-cased products to its lineup as well. This 9mm ammo is one such product: reasonably priced yet intensely reliable, featuring primers by one of America’s foremost authority on primers, as well as economical plated FMJ bullets.
Proceed with caution. A plated jacket is thinner and weaker than the traditional cup-and-draw alternative. That’s why this ammo’s not safe for firearms with ported barrels and/or compensators. A port can strip off a sliver of copper and deflect it back at the shooter, which is an experience the shooter can do well enough without. That caveat aside, Blazer’s 9mm 115 grain FMJ ammo is good shooting!
Belom 9mm 124 Grain FMJ
- Bullet weight – 124 grains
- Bullet type – Full metal jacket (FMJ)
- Muzzle velocity – 1,230 fps (4” barrel)
- Muzzle energy – 413 ft lbs (4” barrel)
With my hand over my heart, I promise I have no affiliation with the nation of Serbia. I’m just recommending another Serbian brand because Belom’s 9mm is great for any and all kinds of range work. This is nonmagnetic, noncorrosive, intensely reliable, and repeatedly reloadable ammo, and it’s loaded with propellant that produces consistent results across a broad range of temperatures. You’ll love it!
Most folks prefer 115 grain ammo for plinking and casual target shooting. Its lighter bullets cost less, and tend to fly across the flatter trajectories that simplify aiming. There’s a good case to be made for amassing 124 grain target ammo instead – first and foremost being that it performs more analogously to 124 grain defense ammo. That’s clutch if you want to train under the most realistic conditions you can create for yourself.
Belom’s 50-round plastic boxes are neat. They’re waterproof, and they don’t passively absorb humidity that can gradually tarnish their contents.
Best 22 LR Bulk Ammo
People LOVE squirreling away 22 LR. Why? Because the rimfire ammo is:
(A) Fun;
(B) Cheap enough that you can buy tens of thousands of rounds without having to pawn your dog; and
(C) Extremely useful during an SHTF scenario, when squirrels are their tastiest.
That begs the question: Which 22 LR ammo is good enough to justify emptying your wife’s closet for? She won’t appreciate it if you throw all her shoes in the garage to make room for cruddy ammo. She’d better see you stockpiling the *good* stuff, such as:
Federal Premium Champion Training 22 LR 36 Grain CPHP
- Product number – 745
- Bullet weight – 36 grains
- Bullet type – Copper-plated hollow point (CPHP)
- Muzzle velocity – 1,260 fps
- Muzzle energy – 127 ft lbs
- G1 ballistic coefficient – 0.125
As you have already noticed, I’m recommending budget-friendly ammo for stockpiling. This is because I assume you aren’t a billionaire. (If you actually are, please give me money.) But despite not being too dearly priced, Federal’s Champion ammo is just about as good as it gets as far as high-velocity (i.e. supersonic) plinking ammo goes.
I like the bullet’s copper plating. It doesn’t eliminate lead fouling, but it does help curtail it. That’s of especial advantage to my AR-22, which is a terribly picky and altogether disagreeable firearm. No one loves it. It loves no one Even so, it tears through Federal Champion like it can’t get enough of the stuff.
I also like the supersonic muzzle velocity. It’s proven itself juicy enough to cycle any semi-automatic in my arsenal, from the Glock 44 up to the Ruger 10/22.
CCI Standard Velocity 22 LR 40 Grain LRN
- Product number – 35
- Bullet weight – 40 grains
- Bullet type – Lead round nose (LRN)
- Muzzle velocity – 1,070 fps
- Muzzle energy – 102 ft lbs
- G1 ballistic coefficient – 0.120
I just said I like supersonic 22 LR, but you can put me down as being a noted appreciator of SUBsonic ammo as well. A bullet that fails to break the sound barrier also can’t begin wobbling as a result of transonic destabilization, which translates to better long-range accuracy.
This ammo’s not CCI’s highest grade of quality. It *is* loaded to the same 1,070 muzzle velocity as the Idahoan company’s match-grade Green Tag series ammo, however, which makes it a more economical choice for training if Green Tag happens to be your preferred competition ammo. If you’ve never heard of Green Tag before, then you’ll still appreciate CCI’s outstanding consistency, which includes their famously clockwork primers.
And those plastic boxes? Well, you already know my druthers toward plastic boxes. They’re positive.
In Summary
I just recommended eight types of ammo for stockpiling. Are those the only good kinds of ammo to stockpile?
NO.
So long as you can get it for a decent price, pretty much any centerfire FMJ ammo is a worthwhile investment. Make sure to ascertain whether it’s corrosive (a trait that is exclusive to old military surplus) and/or magnetic (which will determine which gun ranges you can fire it at), and you’re good to go!
And remember: If you are a billionaire, send me money.
Born and raised in Bozeman, Montana, he graduated from George State University with an MBA in Actuarial Science. His hobbies include beach volleyball, hiking, fishing, and lifting weights
George is also a certified nutritionist with a passion for health and fitness.
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