America's most popular firearms and their ammunition

[ChalkLine]

I've been having no luck in finding out what the most popular handguns and semi auto rifles in the US. I want to know this as this will dictate what the most common ammunition remaining is.

I've read some articles which are confusing, but it's pretty obvious the AR-10/15 is heads up letting me confidently assume* that 5.56 x 45mm is the most popular and this seems to be followed by the venerable 7.62 x 51mm is at least equal. After this I just don't know enough about the US to guess.

Shotguns are comfortably 12 gauge with other far behind.

Pistols are where it gets murky. Some years ago I would have confidently stated that 9.0 x19mm was everywhere but since then .40 cal round has been making headway. Couldn't even guess after that.

(*there's that word)

[RandyT0001]

As far as pistols are concerned I think the 9x19mm is most popular for military, conceal carry users, and police forces (local, state, federal). A significant number of police forces (local) and conceal carry users use the .40 S&W.

[ChalkLine]

Great!

I suppose with all the SMGs running around in 9mm that makes it no1.

What would the next two be though?

[nuke11]

For rifle ammunition I would say .30-06, .30-30, .308 and .223 would be the most popular and most stock piled.

Pistol I would guess 9mm and .45 ACP.

Shotguns would be 12 gauge, 16 gauge and 20 gauge. Not sure about .410 if that is all that popular anymore.

Here is the top 11 cartridges sold by Federal in 2014.

1. .223 Remington/5.56mm NATO
2. .308 Winchester/7.62x51mm NATO
3. .30-’06 Springfield
4. .30-30 Winchester
5. .270 Winchester
6. .243 Winchester
7. .300 Winchester Magnum
8. 7mm Remington Magnum
9. 7.62x39
10. .300 Winchester Short Magnum
11. .22-250 Remington

[ChalkLine]

I've heard that Russian calibres are very popular too. Is that true in your neck of the woods?

[.45cultist]

Rifles will be .223/5.56, 7.62X39, .30-30, .308/7.62X51, .30-06 and .303 for the Canadian side.
Pistols will be 9X19, .38 Special, .357 Mag, .45 ACP. these are mostly age and sheer amount. M1911's, Hp35's, are prolific, Glocks and "N" frame Smith and Wessons will last forever.
Black powder replicas, Remington, Colts(need to stat), the rifles. For replica revolvers, the barrels are .451, but the chambers are .455, so .451 balls creep forward and "jam" the cylinder. (worthless firearms trivia time). The .31 cap and ball revolver could replace the .22LR in small game, pest removal.

[Matt W]

Surely the 22LR is the most common round?

E-factor is 5, I believe

[mmartin798]

I cannot speak to the veracity of this data, but here is a ranking from 2013 on ammo sales using Google Analytics data:

https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/2013-ammo-stats/

.22LR came in 5th.

[Gelrir]

Keep in mind that's 5th by revenue, not by number of rounds. Right now 9mm is around 15 to 18 cents per round at Lucky Gunner ... .22 LR is about 5 cents per round. By round count, .22 LR looks to be about as popular as 9mm.

--
Michael B.

[ChalkLine]

I think the High Standard 10B bullpup shotgun may be replaced by this Mossberg 500 bullpup conversion;

[ChalkLine]

I talked about this to a mate and he suggested the KelTec KSG

[.45cultist]

Originally Posted by ChalkLine

I talked about this to a mate and he suggested the KelTec KSG

Those are kind of more range toys than serious combat weapons. But the P11 that uses M59 mags might be copied for KFS use.

[mmartin798]

Originally Posted by ChalkLine

I think the High Standard 10B bullpup shotgun may be replaced by this Mossberg 500 bullpup conversion;

Either of these are unlikely to replace the High Standard 10B. The High Standard 10B is a gas operated semi-automatic that can be fired one-handed. Both of these are pump action. In cases where you may only have one hand free, carrying an unconscious person or fragile lab samples, that could be valuable.

[mmartin798]

A more likely replacement is the Benelli M4/M1014. It is gas operated, low recoil, very reliable and you can mount all your fancy sites on the Picatinny rail.

[Gelrir]

As someone who owns an M10B, and has read up on them a lot ... they're not entirely a great weapon.

• not suited for left-handed shooting at all
• won't work with low-power 12 gauge ammunition
• the flashlight bulbs (back in the 1980s) broke quite often

I think that in modern times there are short shotgun options better than the M10B -- especially if you're running a campaign with the Project not being frozen until the early 21st Century.

If we consider the (modern) requirements for an equivalent to be:

• short length or folding stock (for hauling through vehicle hatches)
• capable of being used one-handed
• uses 12 gauge ammunition
• reliable
• having an accessory rail, or can easily mount lights, lasers, etc.

... what modern firearm fits all of that? The SPAS-12 doesn't have a rail ... they've been out of production since about 2000.

--
Michael B.

[Matt W]

You need the M26 Modular Accessory Shotgun System (MASS) or the KAC Masterkey, if you stay with 3rd edition

[Project_Sardonicus]

Most likely the preferred Morrow shotgun would be something, simple and unfussy that would cycle anything 12 gague put in it. Anything automatic requiring specialised ammo would soon be a liability.

A simple pump gun from the 1930s could be used to fire everything from grappling hooks, to armour piercing rounds, lock blowing hatton rounds and even something really exotic like taser shells.

The project like most militaries would appreciate reliability and flexibility over the best product.

That said it's interesting how often even elite military units have made bizarre choices in firearms. So there's no reason to believe the Project wouldn't buy something decidedly weird because it looked cool.

[Matt W]

It seems that some weapons are so popular that Americans will bless them in church