The most common rounds.

[ZeSpectre]

I was having a conversation with someone last night and they asked me "so what is the most common round?"

Of all the questions to bring me to a screeching halt

So after some thought (excluding "active military" production) I finally had to answer that it was probably the .22LR

Later that evening while shooting with another friend the question kept bugging me and now I'm wondering if the answer might be 12GA "00" Buck or 12GA slugs.

So what do y'all think?

Silly question for a slow Friday morning.

 

[MD_Willington]

I'd say 9x19mm, pretty much every country has them...

 

[JesseL]

Are we talking worldwide, or just the US? I would agree that 22lr is most common followed by 9x19mm. After that I would guess 38 special.

I don't think 12GA buck shot or slugs are all that common. I see a lot more 12 GA rounds sold with #7 - #8 birdshot.

 

[General Geoff]

.22LR, followed by most likely 9mm parabellum, followed by 7.62x39 Russian, followed by 5.56mm NATO.

 

[ZeSpectre]

Are we talking worldwide, or just the US?

Well, this was a non-gun person so I doubt they were considering the world, probably just the US (we didn't really limit it that way).

Given the rest of the context I would say the question was asked in regards to "what am I going to see if I go into a local store and look at ammo" sort of thing.

Others make a good point about 9mm, don't know why I didn't think of it.

 

[Libertylover]

I would say that in shotguns, you're going to see more target loads being sold than anything else, for the simple reason that they're the most economical to practice with. Most people only use buckshot for defense (including patterning to determine the best load for defense) and MAYBE hunting, and slugs for hunting and MAYBE defense.

As for handgun and rifle, I'd agree, .22LR is most common. A good indicator for how common a round is is price compared to similar rounds, the exception maybe being the .45 ACP as I see a LOT of people using it, but it's pretty expensive.

 

[oldgold]

Just a thought, probably very close on the heels of the .22 long rifle are 12 guage trap shells. Close to where I live is a trap range that on a slow night throws 1800 birds. There is probably another 15 clubs within an hours drive.most shoot three or four days a week year round. Add their total to the Grand and all the zone matches and you are talking in the millions of rounds per year. Just a thought

 

[Geronimo45]

12 gauge, .22, 7.62x39 - and I think you could find .32 in nearly every country in the world.

 

[kd7nqb]

I think worldwide 7.62x39 has got to be top since AK's all around the world are full auto. In the US I would guess 9mm.

 

[tinygnat219]

Most common worldwide rifle cartridge is probably: 7.62X39 followed by .223, followed by 7.62X54R, followed by 7.62X51 NATO.

Most common pistol cartridge: 9MM Parabellum, followed by 9MM Makarov

In the US: 22 LR, 45ACP

 

[SniperStraz]

9 mm Luger Parabellum
Wikipedia says:

It has become the most widespread pistol cartridge in the world.

That was my first thought too. Everyone uses the 9x19mm. If you add up just the amount used in the US it probably out-numbers any other cartridge by far. I think that in the US most LEOs still use the 9mm although that is subject to change real quick, and our military alone probably puts a couple billion down range every year.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9_mm_Luger

 

[tnieto2004]

I think worldwide 7.62x39 has got to be top since AK's all around the world are full auto. In the US I would guess 9mm.

I agree.. I have learned that WIKIPEDIA is OFTEN wrong due to the fact that ANYONE can write on there .. I have written stuff on there before .. no validity

 

[benEzra]

For the United States, in terms of number of rounds expended per year, I'd say .22LR is probably tops. 7.62x39 and .223 are undoubtedly #1 and #2 among centerfire rifle calibers (not sure in which order), and 9mm is the #1 pistol round.

 

[chiefs-special-guy]

i read somewhere that more 22 lr rounds were produced each year in the world than all other calibers combined.
God Bless

 

[rangerruck]

22 has been around since the Flobert cb cap, 1858 , I think.

 

[MachIVshooter]

22 has been around since the Flobert cb cap, 1858 , I think.

BB cap, 1845

The .22 LR is the most popular cartidge in the world, period. I remember hearing that something like 18 billion rounds of .22 LR are sold worldwide annually.

After that, 9x19.

(Though in my fantasy world, it is 10mm)

 

[Cosmoline]

.22 LR is not only the most common cartridge, worldwide, it's one of the most mass produced items in history. These days .38 Special isn't even in the top twenty.

 

[Neo-Luddite]

I would bet my money on .22 LR,

It's really a loaded question---more specifics are needed.

On paper, in the US anyway, .30-06 is still the top of the ceterfire heep as far as sales of commercial ammo go. But there is no way it is tops in production---for the US it's 5.56 all-the-way in center fire.

For shotshell my bet is on 12 ga 3.25 dr #7.5 or 8 shot ---Walmart has pallets of the things for 'always low prices'.

Worldwide, I bet on 9mm for pistol caliber up top.

 

[10-Ring]

Most common...22lr 9mm 45 acp & 223

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Worldwide?

.22 LR and 9mm Luger

The only calibre I can think of that's almost unrestricted is the .22 LR. It's used all over the world.

It's also the least expensive round you can buy.

The most common centerfire will be the 9mm (9x19) Luger cartridge.

The two of them are used pretty much everywhere, and are less expensive than just about anything else.

Heck, I can get 9mm for less than, or equal to, .22 mag ammo.