U.S. Military Small Arms Ammunition Types

• Rifle and Machine Gun Ammunition
  • .30-06 (Springfield, Garand, light machine guns)
  • .30 Carbine (M1 Carbine only)
  • .50 cal (heavy machine guns, tactical rifles)
  • 7.62 mm NATO (M-14 rifle, M-60/M-240 machine guns)
  • 5.56 mm (M-16 rifle, M-249 SAW)
  
  
  
• Pistol and Submachine Gun Ammunition
  • .45 cal ACP (M1911 pistols, Thompson and M-3 submachine guns)
  • 9 mm (M-9 Beretta pistol, many worldwide firearms)

Click on the link to go to the page for the individual ammo type you are interested in.

Ammunition cases awaiting shipment at Hampton Roads in 1942.

Recommended Books about Ammunition

• Cartridges of the World
• Understanding Firearm Ballistics

Find More Information on the Web

There are many fine websites that have additional information on this topic, too many to list here and too many to keep up with as they come and go. Use this Google web search form to get an up to date report of what's out there.

For good results, try entering this: ammunition. Then click the Search button.

Especially recommended:

• International Ammunition Association, Inc.
• Wartime Small Arms Ammo Producers of the USA
• Ammunition Cartons

U.S. Military Ammunition

Since the early 1900s the U.S. military has standardized on a manageable number of types of small arms ammunition. These Olive-Drab.com pages will provide basic information about each major type. Although other ammunition has been used by the U.S. military (e.g. .22 cal., 12 ga. shotshells) the cartridges covered here represent by far the most common in actual usage.

Inspecting ammo at Lake City Army Ammunition Plant, Independence, MO.

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