Handgun Ammo

Handgun Ammunition and Its History

The handgun performance most American civilian shooters can expect today is light-years ahead of where most pistol ammo was even two decades ago. With more sophisticated projectiles, today's leading ammunition manufacturers have developed bullets capable of neutralizing larger threats with less recoil from smaller pistols. It all adds up to a better self-defense tool in a smaller package that's easier to carry with less recoil that can make you a more accurate shooter. But that wasn't always the case.

The Chinese invented the world's first handguns along with the early development of gunpowder in the country. These firearms were literally hand cannons, often fired at the end of a long handle with ball ammunition.

From there, technology improved the hand cannon design into a more compact version that still closely resembled those early hand cannons, which most historians date in the 15th century. In the 18th and 19th century, a more modern looking pistols evolved, as did the revolver.

Today's shooters tend to favor 9mm rounds, based on domestic ammo sales data in the United States. 380 ACP ammo, .40 S&W and 45 ACP are all very popular rounds as well, as many shooters and law enforcement officers rely on these rounds to defend their families and communities.

You'll see a full line-up of in-stock handgun ammo for sale in the various calibers listed above. We work to keep a steady stream of pistol ammo available for plinking as well as hollow point rounds that are designed to be relied upon in an emergency.