Bullets are, undoubtedly, the most common kind of ammunition. Small arms calibers range from .17 approximately .50. Airguns and BB guns utilize a .177 caliber bullet. 38 Special Ammo is probably the most popular being used in the United States. Despite its name, it is a .357 caliber bullet (the .38" means the approximate diameter with the loaded brass case). Since this ammunition works in 357 revolvers, more shooters are deciding on it due to the cost savings and reduced recoil (in Europe you are able to by its metric designation 9-29mmR).
You might be surprised to understand that people from various walks in life are interested in ammunition - from bear hunters to full-time experts in ballistics, forensics, metallurgy, chemistry, and manufacturing disciplines. Obviously, there's the current and former law enforcement officials and military professionals. Those not involved in the active use of firearms include historians (particularly with the Civil War) and hobbyists interested in the evolution of ammunition, as well as the amazing variety of creative designs which have been tried.
Developing a collection of militaria and weaponry is some people's hobby, as opposed to being active hunters or shooters. Because the end of the Second World War a great number of surplus military rifles have been imported and sold in the United States. A couple of models continue to be imported as various militaries all over the world, particularly in the smaller nations, clean out their reserve stocks of obsolete rifles.
Hunters favor a variety of rifles with the New England Firearms Handi-Rifle being just about the most popular (although it can be hard to source as a result of that popularity). New rifles could be very expensive and it is worth your time and effort to check if there are used firearms on the market either online of inside your local gun stores.
Traditionally, whenever you wanted to buy ammunition, you'd go to your local gun store. Obviously, these days you will find the option of getting 1000 rounds 556 available online. However, you need to be sure you know what it is you're looking for. There's more to buying ammo online than looking for the least expensive prices. Additional circumstances should be considered so you're certain you'll get precisely what you require - the sort of ammo you need is determined by what you intend to shoot or hunt.
You also need to consider how much ammunition you're looking for. Find a source, for example military surplus ammunition, where one can get replacement stocks easily of the same ammunition so you don't wind up switching types inside them for hours to head down to the target range to sight in the new ammunition. Zeroing inside a rifle will take time and ammunition is not that cheap, if you live buying surplus ammo. So may well avoid some time and money.
Military surplus ammunition is, essentially, the ammo that the various military (Marine Corps, Army and Navy) provide an excess of. In the past, it also included ammunition that soldiers returned home with after they were discharged, then later sold. Now, might be found are more rigorously controlled and ammunition and weapons has to be handed back before a soldier leaves military life. Military surplus ammunition is one of the most popular kinds of ammunition simply because the cost savings are usually pretty decent when compared to the prices made available from hunting and outdoor specialty stores plus more generic large sporting stores.
Surplus ammunition is not only limited to the U.S. forces, however - additionally, it may come from outside of the U.S. A good example of that is the cartridge first found in the SKS carbine from the Soviet Union within the Second World War - the 7.62x39mm rifle cartridge.