Ammunition Guides with Ammo.com

If you'd like to poke the bear on any online hunting forum, all that's needed is to proclaim that "243 Win is best!" Or conversely, "308 Win is best!" And then sit back and watch the fireworks. When it comes to medium to large game hunting, two rifle cartridges stand out from the rest, 308 Winchester and 243 Winchester. These two rifle cartridges offer a wide variety of ammo to meet your needs for varmint hunting. From Pronghorn to prairie dogs to antelope to Whitetail deer, no varmint is safe from the 243 Winchester or the 308. There's no denying that both cartridges are excellent at effectively and ethically harvesting medium to large game animals, but which one truly is better? Both cartridges are effective at long range and have enough muzzle energy to take down a mule deer at 400 yards. But which cartridge will suit your needs best for your next hunting rifle? The 242 has long been considered an excellent choice for whitetail and smaller game, but nothing much larger than that. Whereas the 308 can take down elk and probably a moose with proper loads and shot placement. However, the 308 has considerably more recoil and the question comes: is it worth it? Many shooters prefer the added power of the 308 as it can fire heavier bullets and take down large game as well as medium to small game. This gives the 308 a broad range of versatility that is difficult to match with any other cartridge. However, the 308 is often considered a bit too much bullet for varmint hunting and this is where the 243 does very well. Picking the right cartridge here mostly consists around which game animals you want to hunt most. Read the full article here: https://ammo.com/comparison/243-vs-308

The 300 Winchester Magnum (300 Win Mag) and 308 Winchester (308 Win) are the two most successful 30-caliber big game hunting and long-distance shooting rifle cartridges in the world. Although they both shoot the same diameter bullets, the 300 Win Mag and the 308 Winchester each have their distinct advantages when it comes to cartridge selection. We're going to take a detailed look at the history, ballistics, and performance of these two long-range rifle cartridges so you can make a more informed decision on which precision or hunting rifle you will add to your gun safe next. There's no denying the longevity of the 308 Winchester. It is perhaps the quintessential 30-caliber hunting round only challenged by the 30-06 Springfield. However, the 300 Win Mag has been making waves in the shooting community for quite some time and is slowly becoming the long range rifle cartridge of choice for military, law enforcement, and civilian precision shooters. #308

For several reasons, the 357 SIG vs 9mm debate is not often thought of, even though the 357 SIG has some of the most devout supporters in the shooting community. Designed to replicate the ballistics of the venerable 357 Magnum, the 357 SIG has a small following inside the law enforcement community and government agencies such as the United States Secret Service (USSS) and the Texas Department of Public Safety (TDPS, a.k.a. the Texas Rangers). The key word here is "small." Proponents of the 357 SIG will point to its higher muzzle velocity, muzzle energy, and stopping power as the primary reasons for selecting the 357 SIG as your self-defense ammo. But is the 357 SIG truly a "man stopper" as many of its loyal fanbase claim, or is this simply confirmation bias due to the belief that shooters can carry a 357 Mag in a semi-auto handgun? On the other hand, does less recoil, higher magazine capacity, and the ability to land quicker follow-up shots make the 9mm the ideal defense round? Or is the 9mm just an oversized mouse cartridge? For most shooters, this debate is already solved as the 9mm is one of the most popular handgun rounds in existence. Most law enforcement agencies have made the switch back to 9mm Luger as shot placement and rapid follow-up shots seem to be the determining factor in walking away from a self-defense situation. Furthermore, virtually every handgun on the market has a 9mm option whereas you have to look a bit harder to find a 357 SIG. Ammo cost and availability is also a consideration, as it's very easy to find 9mm where as 357 SIG is a bit more boutique. However, proponents of the 357 SIG are some of the most devout followers in the 2A community and they cling to their bottleneck handgun round for dear life. Spouting words like stopping power, Walker Texas Ranger, and penetration in their retorts to magazine capacity, ammo availability, and low recoil.

For $20 off your next ammo purchase, go to https://ammo.com/youtube (a special deal for our viewers)! 7mm-08 vs .308 is an interesting cartridge comparison for long range shooters. If you are looking for a great cartridge for your next hunting rifle, then you need not look further than the 308 Winchester and the 7mm-08 Remington. One was forged for battle, and the other was designed with long range shooting in mind. Is one cartridge superior to the other? When it comes to this caliber comparison, we are essentially splitting hairs between these two rifle cartridges. However, the 7mm-08 Remington and the 308 Winchester are both potent hunting and long-range shooting cartridges and we will take a look at the history, ballistics, and defining characteristics of both. Remington loves their wildcat cartridges and the 7mm-08 does not disappoint. Although superior to the 308 in terms of ballistics, is it really enough? Does a 7mm bullet with its added penetration really facilitate the need to ditch the tried and true 308 for a new rifle. Many hunters swear by the 7mm-08 and will not hear a word about any other cartridge. Though this feels a bit like confirmation bias to me as the 308 has been a force to be reckoned with in the hunting community since its release. In our Ammo Guides Podcast, Chris and Dave take a deep dive on the 7mm-08 vs 308 debate and give you their thoughts on these two excellent hunting cartridges.

For $20 off your next ammo purchase, go to https://ammo.com/podcast (a special deal for our viewers)! When it comes to self-defense, many shooters hold to the belief that you should shoot the caliber that has the best ballistics and the most stopping power that you can handle. These shooters like to favor a larger caliber bullet, such as the 10mm Auto. Other shooters believe that the ideal defense round should be lightweight and low recoil, allowing for accurate and quick follow-up shots as modern jacketed hollow points (JHP) have made the caliber debate moot. These are typically your 9mm Luger concealed carry permit holders. The 9mm vs 10mm caliber debate is an interesting one as these two handgun rounds are extremely different from each other, despite their bullet diameter only being separated by 1mm. And it begs the question, is bigger actually better when it comes to self-defense? The 10mm is the brainchild of Lt. Col. Jeff Cooper, a legendary American shooter and veteran. The 10mm was designed primarily as a hunting round, but was shortly adopted by the FBI in response to the Miami Shootout that claimed multiple agents' lives. It was determined that the 38 Special and 9mm ammo used by the agents was ineffective so the FBI switched to a heavier round. Although the 10mm gave the FBI the stopping power they wanted, the recoil was simply too much for smaller agents and the FBI eventually switched to the 40 S&W, which is essentially a shorter version of the 10mm with less powder. However, multiple agencies are now switching back to the 9mm Luger, the question is why? The truth is that the 9mm has come a long way since the 80's and jacketed hollow point ammo has advanced significantly. As such, law enforcement is coming to the understanding that shot placement is more important than raw kinetic energy. Although the 10mm is potent bear medicine, most shooters do not need the power the 10mm offers for most CCW purposes. Therefore our recommendation is to stick with the 9mm as you can carry more rounds and shoot more accurately due to lower recoil.

For $20 off your next ammo purchase, go to https://ammo.com/youtube (a special deal for our viewers)! When it comes to the debate about what the best big game hunting cartridge is, the 270 Winchester and 308 Winchester are always in the middle of the discussion. Both the 270 Win and the 308 Win offer exceptional long range ballistic performance and have claimed countless game animals across North America and the world for decades. These spectacular hunting rounds have a track record about a mile long, but which one is going to be better for bagging that trophy whitetail, mule deer, or pronghorn antelope this hunting season? In this caliber comparison we are going to break down the history, ballistics, and pros/cons of each cartridge to help you understand whether you should purchase a 308 Win or a 270 Win for your new hunting rifle. The 308 Winchester is America's long range cartridge and has served in the military, law enforcement, and hunters for decades. It is a strong, short action cartridge that captures the terminal ballistics of the 30-06 Springfield into a smaller cartridge. Although it is falling out of favor in the long range shooting community, the 308 Win is still a formidable hunting cartridge that will not go away anytime soon. The 270 Winchester is one of those calibers that you don't think of when you start comparing hunting cartridges. However, thanks to Field & Stream author Jack O'Connor, the 270 Win has become much more prevalent in hunting circles. O'Connor took the 270 on safari in Africa and was extremely successful with it, despite it being smaller than a 308 Win or 30-06. The 270 Winchester takes a page from the Mauser playbook and utilizes a smaller, more aerodynamic projectile moving at a higher muzzle velocity to increase penetration and terminal ballistics. Both rounds are incredibly capable, but which one is best? Watch the video and find out!

For $20 off your next ammo purchase, go to https://ammo.com/youtube (a special deal for our viewers)! When it comes to the scholarly debate about the iconic rifle cartridges of the Cold War, the 7.62x51mm NATO (308 Winchester) and the 7.62x39 Soviet are always omnipresent in the discussion. One became a staple NATO round and the most prevalent big game hunting cartridge in North America, while the other became a symbol of pure, unadulterated ruggedness and dependability. Both are excellent cartridges and will serve you faithfully, but which is the better choice will depend mostly on your intended purpose. The 7.62x39 is a Russian designed cartridge that is most famously chambered in the AK-47. Having seen conflict on multiple continents, the 7.62x39 has cemented its legacy as one of the most innovative intermediate rifle cartridges of the 20th century. It is extremely popular today in the AK-47 and SKS platforms and has seen some integration into the AR-15 as well. Hunting with 7.62x39 has become more popular as well since the terminal ballistics of the round are similar to that of the 30-30. The 308 Winchester is America's 30-caliber cartridge. Developed after the Korean War, the 308 Win draws its lineage from the 30-06 Springfield that carried us through two World Wars and Korea. Although the 308 Winchester closely mimics the ballistics of the 30-06, it was quickly discovered that the 308 was too big for a frontline battle cartridge and was eventually replaced by the 223 Remington/5.56 NATO. However, the 308 still remains one of the quintessential long range cartridges and has won multiple shooting matches and is one of the most versatile hunting cartridges available on the market today.

For $20 off your next ammo purchase, go to https://ammo.com/youtube (a special deal for our viewers)! Many shooters will assert there is no difference between .223 Remington and 5.56x45mm NATO and that you can safely fire both from the same rifle. Others will contest that assertion, "The two ammo types are different!" But which one is right? Who is correct? Although the external dimensions of the cartridge case for .223 Rem and 5.56 NATO are identical, the chamber dimensions are different with the 5.56 NATO chamber having a 0.125" longer leade (the distance between the case mouth and the barrel rifling). In addition to the leade difference, 5.56 NATO ammo is loaded for higher pressure based on the NATO cartridge specifications. Therefore, 5.56mm NATO ammo should NOT be loaded into a .223 Remington chamber as it will cause higher chamber pressures during firing. This higher pressure can damage the shooter, rifle, or both. However, shooting .223 Rem in a 5.56mm NATO chamber is perfectly safe, though some performance will be sacrificed due to the leade difference. Most AR-15 owners will just opt for a 5.56 NATO chamber and shoot whatever they can get their hands on and forget about the difference, and this is ok. The 5.56 chamber can handle all the pressure a 223 or 556 round can throw at it. However, some older AR-15 rifles will be chambered in 223 Remington, and this is where problems can arise. As 223 and 556 are dimensionally identical, it's important to make sure you know what you're shooting before you load up your mags.

For $20 off your next ammo purchase, go to https://ammo.com/youtube (a special deal for our viewers)! When it comes to long range shooting, two calibers that cannot be ignored are the 6.5 Creedmoor and the venerable 308 Winchester. Although the 308 Winchester (7.62 NATO) has been a staple in the long-range target shooting community since its inception over 60 years ago, the 6.5 Creedmoor simply outperforms the 308 Winchester in almost every category when shooting out past 500 yards. The 6.5 Creedmoor was the brainchild of legendary rifle competitor Dennis DeMille and the chief ballistician at Hornady Ammunition, Dave Emary. After having issues with the wildcat 6XC cartridge in competition, DeMille came up with a wish list of characteristics he wanted in a long-range cartridge and Emary delivered the 6.5 Creedmoor. The 6.5 Creedmoor is named after the legendary Creedmoor range in New York where the first National Matches were held. Although not an immediate success, the 6.5 Creedmoor has be quickly gaining a following in the long range shooting community and USSOCOM is considering the round for its snipers.

For $20 off your next ammo purchase, go to https://ammo.com/youtube (a special deal for our viewers)! The .308 Winchester (.308 Win) and 5.56 NATO rounds are two of the most popular centerfire rifle cartridges in the United States and across North America. Both cartridges are battle-proven and currently in service with the U.S. Military and its NATO allies. The 308 vs 556 debate has been raging between civilian marksmen, law enforcement, and military shooters for well over 60 years and it is unlikely that we will be able to crown a victor in the context of this video. However, when selecting a caliber for your new firearm, it's always a good practice to understand the ins and outs of each so you can make the best selection for you. 5.56 NATO is one of the most prevalent centerfire cartridges in the US as it is the primary chambering for the AR-15 sporting rifle. The 5.56 (or 223 Rem) replaced the 308 as the United States' primary battle cartridge during Vietnam, and despite some teething issues, is still standard issue for all GI's. The M16 and M4 have proven themselves time and time again as a capable front line battle rifle. 308 Winchester (or 308 Win) has made quite the name for itself in hunting and precision rifle circles. Being the de facto replacement for the stalwart 30-06 Springfield has cemented itself as an incredibly capable rifle cartridge with some big shoes to fill. However, the 308 has proven itself time and time again in the woods, in competition, and on the streets. Both rounds are extremely accurate, reliable, and powerful. But which is going to work best for you? In our brand new series here on the channel, Dave and Chris will compare and contrast these two classic military and civilian cartridges so you know which is best for your next rifle or handgun. Learn more about 308 vs 5.56 and visit us here: https://ammo.com/comparison/308-vs-556