The most common selection mistake at the counter is matching cartridge to platform instead of to purpose. A bolt-action shooter who does most of his work on paper at 100 yards and a prairie-dog shooter working steel from 200 out to 400 both own rifles that could chamber the same cartridge — but their load choices should be entirely different. This guide walks through ten ammunition categories with purpose-specific buying criteria.

Rimfire Magnum Selection

Serious varmint hunters shopping for rimfire at the top of the performance envelope should know the 17 winchester short magnum sits in a narrow but impressive category. A 20-grain polymer-tipped load at 3,000 fps extends ethical range past 200 yards — nearly double what 22 WMR delivers. Factory platforms for this cartridge remain limited (Savage B.MAG and Winchester XPR Sporter being the primary options), so availability is worth confirming before buying quantity ammunition.

In the established rimfire magnum tier, 22 magnum ammo remains the more broadly supported choice. Platforms span from Ruger 10/22 Magnum variants through CZ 457 and Savage A22 bolt-actions to Kel-Tec PMR-30 handguns, and the ammunition is widely available from every major rimfire producer.

Shotshell Selection Across 20 Gauge

For the volume upland shooter, stocking 20 gauge shells by the flat (250 rounds) of quality 7/8-ounce or 1-ounce game loads reduces per-round cost by 15 to 25% versus boxed-25 purchasing. This is the practical approach for hunters running a full upland season across multiple species.

When selecting a turkey load 20 gauge specifically, pattern density at 40 yards is the single most important specification. A premium TSS load delivering 100+ pellets in a 10-inch circle at 40 yards outperforms older heavyweight lead loads at twice the distance.

Winchester's volume production extends across multiple gauges. A working inventory of winchester 12 gauge shells or their 20 gauge equivalents in the Super-X or AA target lines covers general sporting and field use at predictable retail pricing.

Centerfire .22 Buyer Considerations

For the classic-cartridge hunter, quality 22 hornet ammunition from Hornady, Federal, and Winchester typically runs $30 to $45 per box of 20. Annual consumption for a dedicated 22 Hornet shooter runs 50 to 100 rounds, so bulk purchasing is rarely justified — box buying covers most needs.

Long-range varmint shooters buying 22 250 ammo should match bullet weight to intended use: 40- to 50-grain bullets for maximum velocity and flat trajectory on smaller varmints; 55- to 60-grain bullets for heavier-built predators like coyote where deeper penetration matters.

222 and 223 Buying Patterns

Because production volume is smaller, 222 remington ammo runs $28 to $45 per 20-round box from Hornady, Federal, and Remington. Benchrest shooters building load preferences typically buy 100-round quantities of a specific candidate load for comparative testing.

For high-volume AR-15 shooters, stocking .223 ammo in case quantities (500 or 1,000 rounds) cuts per-round cost by 15 to 30%. Bulk 55-grain FMJ covers practice and training; premium JHP and match loads cover hunting and precision use in smaller quantities.

Hunters specifically buying 223 hornady ammo typically focus on the V-Max line for varmint/predator work or the TAP line for precision application. Both deliver sub-MOA accuracy from quality rifles with chronograph consistency tight enough to support reliable holdover calls.