Ranking Handgun Caliber Costs per Round

There is more to the price of owning a gun than the initial cost of buying it. Different handgun calibers are priced differently and can range from as low as four cents per round to well over a dollar. Bullet prices can vary widely from day to day and experts recommend that you take advantage of prices when they are low and buy more when you can. (Also check out how much America’s best-selling pistol costs.)

24/7 Wall St. identified the price of 19 different handgun calibers and ranked them by price per round, from lowest to highest. We used data for the list from Southern Defense, an ammunition price tracking website. Ammo prices can vary by brand, cartridge characteristics, retailer, and geographic area. The prices on this list represent the lowest available as of mid-August 2024. Supplemental data on cartridge ballistics and common usages are from Sportsman’s Warehouse and other firearm reference tables.

Why It Matters

Firearm sales have hit all-time highs in the U.S. in recent years. Those in the market for a new firearm have many considerations to weigh when choosing a gun — including intended usage, and long-term ownership costs. Whether keeping a firearm for personal protection, hunting, or recreational shooting, handgun owners need to be familiar with their weapon — and regular practice at the range is far more expensive with some handgun calibers than others.

19. 22 LR

Pink Ruger SR22 handgun (CC0 1.0) by AlmightyWorm

• Lowest price currently available: $0.04 per round (33.3% higher than 12-mo. avg.)
• Daily price range in recent years: $0.02 – $0.34 per round ($0.07 per round avg.)
• Ballistics of a 32-grain round: 1,640 fps at muzzle; 119 foot-pounds of energy at 50 yards
• Common usage: Plinking, varmints
• Handgun model(s) chambered for ammunition include: Ruger SR22

18. 9mm

• Lowest price currently available: $0.14 per round (12.5% lower than 12-mo. avg.)
• Daily price range in recent years: $0.09 – $0.71 per round ($0.28 per round avg.)
• Ballistics of a 100-grain round: 1,125 fps at muzzle; 224 foot-pounds of energy at 50 yards
• Common usage: Personal defense
• Handgun model(s) chambered for ammunition include: Beretta 92, Glock 17, Sig Sauer P365

17. 22 WMR

Heritage Rough Rider .22 revolver (CC BY 2.0) by James Case (CapCase)

• Lowest price currently available: $0.17 per round (10.5% lower than 12-mo. avg.)
• Daily price range in recent years: $0.15 – $0.93 per round ($0.27 per round avg.)
• Ballistics of a 45-grain round: 1,000 fps at muzzle; 85 foot-pounds of energy at 50 yards
• Common usage: Personal defense
• Handgun model(s) chambered for ammunition include: Heritage Rough Rider, North American Arms Mini-Revolver

16. 380 ACP

• Lowest price currently available: $0.21 per round (in-line with 12-mo. avg.)
• Daily price range in recent years: $0.17 – $1.47 per round ($0.41 per round avg.)
• Ballistics of a 90-grain round: 1,000 fps at muzzle; 166 foot-pounds of energy at 50 yards
• Common usage: Personal defense
• Handgun model(s) chambered for ammunition include: Ruger LCP Max Micro Compact

15. 40 Smith & Wesson

Holly Grips Ruger Blackhawk (BY-SA 2.0) by ~Steve Z~

• Lowest price currently available: $0.24 per round (7.7% lower than 12-mo. avg.)
• Daily price range in recent years: $0.20 – $0.90 per round ($0.36 per round avg.)
• Ballistics of a 155-grain round: 1,180 fps at muzzle; 387 foot-pounds of energy at 50 yards
• Common usage: Varmint, personal defense
• Handgun model(s) chambered for ammunition include: Ruger Blackhawk

14. 10mm

SigP320FullSize (CC BY-SA 4.0) by TexasWarhawk

• Lowest price currently available: $0.31 per round (8.8% lower than 12-mo. avg.)
• Daily price range in recent years: $0.21 – $0.89 per round ($0.46 per round avg.)
• Ballistics of a 155-grain round: 1,265 fps at muzzle; 430 foot-pounds of energy at 50 yards
• Common usage: Varmint, personal defense
• Handgun model(s) chambered for ammunition include: Sig Sauer P320, RIA Rock

13. 38 Special

• Lowest price currently available: $0.31 per round (6.1% lower than 12-mo. avg.)
• Daily price range in recent years: $0.22 – $2.88 per round ($0.48 per round avg.)
• Ballistics of a 90-grain round: 1,200 fps at muzzle; 215 foot-pounds of energy at 50 yards
• Common usage: Personal defense
• Handgun model(s) chambered for ammunition include: Taurus Model 856, S&W M&P Bodyguard

12. 45 ACP

• Lowest price currently available: $0.33 per round (6.5% higher than 12-mo. avg.)
• Daily price range in recent years: $0.27 – $1.08 per round ($0.44 per round avg.)
• Ballistics of a 185-grain round: 970 fps at muzzle; 341 foot-pounds of energy at 50 yards
• Common usage: Personal defense
• Handgun model(s) chambered for ammunition include: Colt 1911, RIA Rock

11. 32 ACP

• Lowest price currently available: $0.33 per round (in-line with 12-mo. avg.)
• Daily price range in recent years: $0.32 – $0.37 per round ($0.33 per round avg.)
• Ballistics of a 60-grain round: 1,000 fps at muzzle; 105 foot-pounds of energy at 50 yards
• Common usage: Personal defense
• Handgun model(s) chambered for ammunition include: Beretta 3032 Tomcat

10. 30 Super Carry

• Lowest price currently available: $0.34 per round (in-line with 12-mo. avg.)
• Daily price range in recent years: $0.27 – $0.37 per round ($0.34 per round avg.)
• Ballistics of a 90-grain round: 1,300 fps at muzzle; 272 foot-pounds of energy at 50 yards
• Common usage: Personal defense
• Handgun model(s) chambered for ammunition include: S&W Shield Plus

9. 5.7x28mm

Ruger 57 (BY-SA 4.0) by Thornfield Hall

• Lowest price currently available: $0.39 per round (in-line with 12-mo. avg.)
• Daily price range in recent years: $0.31 – $1.75 per round ($0.68 per round avg.)
• Ballistics of a 40-grain round: 1,700 fps at muzzle; 183 foot-pounds of energy at 50 yards
• Common usage: Personal defense, target
• Handgun model(s) chambered for ammunition include: Ruger-57

8. 357 Magnum

Colt Python(6) (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Stephen Z

• Lowest price currently available: $0.39 per round (5.4% higher than 12-mo. avg.)
• Daily price range in recent years: $0.21 – $1.63 per round ($0.53 per round avg.)
• Ballistics of a 125-grain round: 1,500 fps at muzzle; 478 foot-pounds of energy at 50 yards
• Common usage: Varmint, target, personal defense
• Handgun model(s) chambered for ammunition include: Colt Python, Taurus Raging Hunter

7. 357 Sig

• Lowest price currently available: $0.40 per round (4.8% lower than 12-mo. avg.)
• Daily price range in recent years: $0.32 – $0.49 per round ($0.42 per round avg.)
• Ballistics of a 135-grain round: 1,225 fps at muzzle; 371 foot-pounds of energy at 50 yards
• Common usage: Personal defense
• Handgun model(s) chambered for ammunition include: Glock 33, Glock 32

6. 7.62x25mm Tokarev

Chinese Tok (BY-SA 4.0) by Votesmall

• Lowest price currently available: $0.43 per round (2.3% lower than 12-mo. avg.)
• Daily price range in recent years: $0.41 – $0.47 per round ($0.44 per round avg.)
• Ballistics: N/A
• Common usage: Personal defense
• Handgun model(s) chambered for ammunition include: Zastava M57A

5. 44 Special

Charter Arms Bulldog... (CC BY-SA 3.0) by M62

• Lowest price currently available: $0.43 per round (23.2% lower than 12-mo. avg.)
• Daily price range in recent years: $0.43 – $0.61 per round ($0.56 per round avg.)
• Ballistics of a 165-grain round: 900 fps at muzzle; 263 foot-pounds of energy at 50 yards
• Common usage: Personal defense
• Handgun model(s) chambered for ammunition include: Ruger Blackhawk

4. 45 Long Colt

Taurus Judge Magnum noBG (BY-SA 4.0) by https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:HarveyHenkelmann

• Lowest price currently available: $0.60 per round (in-line with 12-mo. avg.)
• Daily price range in recent years: $0.47 – $2.19 per round ($0.80 per round avg.)
• Ballistics of a 185-grain round: 920 fps at muzzle; 311 foot-pounds of energy at 50 yards
• Common usage: Personal defense
• Handgun model(s) chambered for ammunition include: Taurus Judge

3. 44 Magnum

Taurus Raging Bull revolvers (.44 Mag and .454 Casull) (BY-SA 4.0) by Vrsooo

• Lowest price currently available: $0.60 per round (1.7% higher than 12-mo. avg.)
• Daily price range in recent years: $0.54 – $1.54 per round ($0.79 per round avg.)
• Ballistics of a 200-grain round: 1,500 fps at muzzle; 788 foot-pounds of energy at 50 yards
• Common usage: Medium and large game
• Handgun model(s) chambered for ammunition include: Colt Anaconda, Taurus Raging Hunter

2. 41 Remington Magnum

• Lowest price currently available: $0.66 per round (1.5% lower than 12-mo. avg.)
• Daily price range in recent years: $0.63 – $0.69 per round ($0.66 per round avg.)
• Ballistics of a 190-grain round: 1,620 fps at muzzle; 865 foot-pounds of energy at 50 yards
• Common usage: Medium game, personal defense
• Handgun model(s) chambered for ammunition include: Ruger Blackhawk

1. 500 Magnum

• Lowest price currently available: $1.34 per round (4.3% lower than 12-mo. avg.)
• Daily price range in recent years: $1.22 – $1.65 per round ($1.42 per round avg.)
• Ballistics of a 300-grain round: 1,950 fps at muzzle; 1,819 foot-pounds of energy at 50 yards
• Common usage: Medium and large game
• Handgun model(s) chambered for ammunition include: Taurus Raging Hunter