Rifle Ammo

Impact Guns carries the full range of rifle ammunition — from standard hunting calibers in stock at every big-box store to specialty cartridges that bigger sellers don’t bother with. The grid below organizes every rifle caliber we sell by use case, so you can find what you need without scrolling through a flat alphabetical list.

Read our full Rifle Ammo Buying Guide ↓

Standard Centerfire Hunting Calibers

The traditional American hunting cartridges — the rounds that have taken more game than any others. Effective on deer through elk depending on caliber, with broad ammunition availability at every retailer.

.223 / 5.56 NATO • .308 Winchester • .30-06 Springfield • .270 Winchester • .30-30 Winchester • 7mm Remington Magnum • .300 Winchester Magnum • .243 Winchester • 7mm-08 Remington • .25-06 Remington

Long-Range & Precision Cartridges

Modern cartridges designed for extended-range hunting and precision rifle competition. High ballistic coefficient bullets, flat trajectories, and the performance for shooting past 800 yards.

6.5 Creedmoor • 6.5 PRC • 7mm PRC • .300 PRC • .22 Creedmoor • 6mm Creedmoor • .338 Lapua Magnum

AR-15 Platform Calibers

Cartridges chambered in the AR-15 platform — from the standard 5.56 NATO to the modern AR-15 hunting and target options that have expanded the platform’s reach.

.223 / 5.56 NATO • .300 Blackout • 6.5 Grendel • .224 Valkyrie • .350 Legend • 6mm ARC • .458 SOCOM • 8.6 Blackout

Straight-Wall Hunting Cartridges

Legal for deer hunting in straight-wall-only states — Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, and other Midwestern jurisdictions that restrict bottleneck rifle cartridges. Modern straight-wall cartridges deliver effective deer terminal performance under those rules.

.350 Legend • .450 Bushmaster • .360 Buckhammer • .45-70 Government

Big Game & Magnum Cartridges

Heavy hitters for elk, moose, bear, and dangerous game. Significant recoil and report, but the energy delivery these cartridges produce at hunting ranges is unmatched.

.300 Winchester Magnum • 7mm Remington Magnum • .338 Lapua Magnum • .300 PRC • .45-70 Government • .458 SOCOM • .50 BMG

Lever-Action Calibers

Traditional lever-action cartridges — the rounds American cowboys carried and modern hunters still favor for short-to-medium-range deer hunting in timber and brush country.

.30-30 Winchester • .45-70 Government • .360 Buckhammer • .44 Magnum • .357 Magnum

Military & Surplus Cartridges

Cartridges with significant military service history — some still in production for surplus rifles, others reintroduced as modern military calibers like .277 Fury.

7.62x39 • 7.62x54R • .277 Fury • 6.8 SPC • .308 Winchester (7.62 NATO) • 5.56 NATO

Varmint & Predator Calibers

High-velocity small-caliber cartridges built for prairie dogs, coyotes, and other varmints at extended ranges. Light bullets, flat trajectories, and meaningful energy at 400+ yards.

.22 Creedmoor • .224 Valkyrie • .22-250 Remington • .204 Ruger • .17 Hornet • .223 / 5.56 NATO

Rimfire

The most-shot ammunition in America — .22 LR alone outsells every centerfire cartridge by orders of magnitude. Affordable, low-recoil, and the foundation of nearly every American shooter’s skill development.

.22 LR • .22 WMR • .17 HMR • .17 WSM

How to Pick the Right Rifle Cartridge

Cartridge selection turns on three questions: what you’re shooting (game species, target distance, competition format), what platform you’re shooting from (AR-15, bolt-action, lever-action), and what regulations apply (straight-wall states, magazine capacity limits, hunting season restrictions). For new shooters and hunters: start with the most common, most available cartridge that fits the use case — .223/5.56 for AR-15s and varmint hunting, .308 or 6.5 Creedmoor for general bolt-action and big game, .30-30 for lever-action deer hunting, .22 LR for everything else. Once you understand what your rifle does and what you actually shoot, branching into specialty cartridges makes sense.

Bullet Type Basics

FMJ (full metal jacket) for practice and training — cheap, doesn’t expand. Soft point and ballistic tip for hunting — controlled expansion delivers terminal performance on game. Match and OTM (open tip match) for precision shooting — tightest accuracy without designed expansion. Bonded and controlled-expansion bullets (Hornady ELD-X, Federal Trophy Bonded, Berger Hybrid Hunter) for hunting at extended range or on tough game. Match the bullet to the job; the right bullet matters as much as the right caliber.

Buying Bulk vs. Premium

For practice, training, and high-volume shooting, bulk FMJ ammunition keeps cost per round manageable and works fine for the role. For hunting and serious precision, premium loads with match-grade or premium hunting bullets deliver the performance the rifle is capable of. Most shooters maintain both — bulk practice ammunition for training, premium loads zeroed and shot only when the shot matters. Buying ammunition in case quantities saves meaningfully versus single-box pricing, particularly on common calibers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most popular rifle caliber?
.223 / 5.56 NATO is the most-shot rifle cartridge in America by volume — the AR-15 platform’s standard chambering plus military and law enforcement use create enormous demand. Among hunting cartridges, .308 Winchester and .30-06 Springfield remain perennial bestsellers, with 6.5 Creedmoor having grown rapidly to join the top tier in recent years.

What rifle caliber should I buy for deer hunting?
Depends on where you hunt. In straight-wall states (Ohio, Michigan, Indiana): .350 Legend or .360 Buckhammer. In open country with longer shots: 6.5 Creedmoor or .308 Winchester. In timber and brush: .30-30 Winchester or .308 Winchester. For an all-purpose deer rifle that works anywhere not constrained by straight-wall rules, 6.5 Creedmoor and .308 Winchester are the consensus modern recommendations.

Can I shoot 5.56 NATO in a .223 Remington rifle?
Sometimes — depends on the rifle’s chamber. Rifles marked .223 Wylde or 5.56 NATO can fire both safely. Rifles marked .223 Remington only should fire only .223 Remington ammunition; firing 5.56 NATO in a .223-only chamber generates pressure beyond what the rifle is designed for. Check your rifle’s barrel markings before mixing the two.

What is the longest-range rifle cartridge?
Among common civilian cartridges: .338 Lapua Magnum and .50 BMG are designed for extreme long-range shooting (1,500+ yards). For practical long-range hunting and competition without the recoil and cost of those magnums, 6.5 PRC and 7mm PRC are the modern sweet spots, both effective to 1,000+ yards.