The short answer
Compare ammo by price per round, not by box price: divide the price by the number of rounds. Buy one box first to make sure it runs in your gun, then buy in bulk once you know it does. Stored cool and dry, ammunition keeps for many years.
Compare by price per round
Boxes come in 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 rounds, so the box price alone doesn't tell you much. Divide the price by the rounds: a $17.99 box of 50 is 36 cents a round, and a $299.99 case of 1,000 is 30 cents a round.
Every caliber page on Strike Zone Arms opens sorted by price per round, and each product shows its per-round price. The Ammo deals page lists the lowest prices per round in stock for each popular caliber, updated daily.
Test before you stock up
Ammunition is final sale, so buy a single box of a new load and shoot it first. Check that it feeds, fires and ejects in your gun, and that you like how it shoots. Then buy the case.
Shipping
Standard shipping is free on orders of $99 or more, which most bulk ammo orders reach on their own. Ammunition ships by ground, and we can't ship it to Alaska, Hawaii, P.O. boxes or APO/FPO/DPO addresses. Some states, counties and cities restrict ammo shipments; checkout checks your address against them. You must be 21 or older to order ammunition. See our shipping policy and restrictions page.
Storing ammo
Heat, moisture and big temperature swings are what shorten ammunition's life. Keep it in a cool, dry place, ideally in a sealed ammo can with a desiccant pack, away from solvents and oils. Stored this way, factory ammo stays good for many years.
Rotate stock: shoot the oldest boxes first and keep the newest for later.
Popular bulk calibers
9mm Luger, .22 LR, .223 Remington, 5.56 NATO and .45 ACP are the most common rounds to buy by the case. Or browse all ammunition.
Common questions
- How do I calculate price per round?
- Divide the box or case price by the number of rounds in it. A $17.99 box of 50 is about 36 cents per round.
- How long does ammunition last?
- Factory ammunition stored cool and dry, away from moisture and solvents, stays reliable for many years. Heat and humidity shorten its life.
- Is shipping free on bulk ammo?
- Standard shipping is free on orders of $99 or more. Ammunition ships by ground only and can't ship to Alaska, Hawaii, P.O. boxes or APO/FPO/DPO addresses.
- Can I return ammo I bought in bulk?
- No. Ammunition is final sale, so buy one box to test in your gun before ordering a case.
General information, not professional or legal advice. Always follow your firearm maker's ammunition guidance and your local laws.