Owning a handgun can provide added confidence and peace of mind. At the same time, having the right portable firearm for your needs and preferences is just as essential. This is also true when it comes to the bullets you use for practice or practical reasons. Below, the firearms experts from Gun Safety Training Pros, the professionals to turn to if you’re interested in taking a gun class online, go over why it’s important to have the right ammo for your handgun.
You Need the Right Ammo for Your Situation
Just because ammo fits into your handgun doesn’t mean it should be what you use. If you go with bullets that have a higher velocity, the added penetration, expansion, and velocity could send a bullet right through your target, which is also referred to as overpenetration. This increases the risk of unintentionally hitting something you weren’t aiming at or shooting through a wall.
You Can Use Different Types of Ammo for Self-Defense vs. Target Practice
Choosing the right ammo for the type of shooting you’re doing can make a big difference. Hollow point and full metal jacket ammo are the two most widely available rounds. Hollow point ammunition is typically used for self-defense purposes, as it reduces the risk of overpenetration and is more likely to stop its target. On the other hand, full metal jacket ammo is much cheaper and it generally used for target practice. Hollow point ammo can be used for target practice as well, but its high price usually prevents people from using it.
Accuracy Can Be Affected
Most handgun calibers have multiple options for types of bullets and loads. By testing different rounds and making sure they’re the correct caliber for your handgun, you can figure out what works best for your gun. Some ammo may be more accurate and function more reliable than others.
Using the Wrong Ammo Can Be Dangerous
Even if ammo that isn’t the same caliber as your gun fits in the gun, never attempt to fire it. For example, if you have a 9mm gun, .380acp ammo may fit, but it would be dangerous to attempt to use it. The gun could be damaged, and you could get hurt. The wrong ammo could cause the gun to break, sending fragments of the broken gun into your hands or face. Always make sure the caliber of your ammo matches the caliber of your gun.
Ammo Needs Also Vary Based on Intended Use
It’s also important to choose ammo based on how you intend to use your handgun. This may mean having different types of ammo on hand so you can use whatever’s right at the moment. For instance, full metal jacket bullets are often recommended for target shooting. However, a cartridge with a hollow point bullet tends to work better for self-defense, since this design slows the bullet down enough to reduce the risk of it completely passing through the target.
Whether you’re new to handgun ownership or you’ve owned handguns for years, choosing the right ammo is one of the most important things you can do. If you’d like to learn more about gun use, handling, and safety from experienced professionals at a top school of firearms, reach out to the experts at Gun Safety Training Pros. Contact us today at [email protected]
