7 Best Cartridges For SHTF

This video by Sully from Line 45 outlines seven essential calibers gun owners should stockpile in anticipation of future shortages and price spikes. The expert emphasizes the importance of proactive stocking for calibers like .300 Blackout, .308 Winchester, 10mm Auto, 12 Gauge, .22 LR, .223 Remington/5.56 NATO, and 9mm Luger, detailing their specific use cases and current market availability challenges.

Instruction from Ted of Line 45 provides expert insights into building an ammunition stockpile before potential shortages. The guide details which calibers are most vulnerable, like .22 LR and 9mm, and explains the impact of supply chains and import restrictions. It emphasizes strategic stockpiling for different uses, from training to self-defense, to ensure preparedness.

This video identifies the top five calibers for survival scenarios, emphasizing versatility, availability, and effectiveness for various threats and needs. The speaker, an experienced firearms instructor, highlights the .22 LR for its abundance and ease of carry, the .223/5.56 for its balance of power and capacity, 12 gauge for its multi-role ammunition options, .357 Magnum/.38 Special for defensive and hunting capabilities in revolvers, and 9mm for its widespread use in handguns and pistol-caliber carbines.

This video provides a clear, demonstrative comparison of 9mm FMJ versus R.I.P. ammunition performance. Utilizing a Sig Sauer M17 and slow-motion videography, the test shows the distinct impact characteristics of each round on a clay block. The R.I.P. round exhibits a significantly more destructive and fragmenting effect compared to the standard FMJ.

This video provides a comprehensive guide to selecting firearms and ammunition for SHTF (Shit Hits The Fan) scenarios, emphasizing common, military-proven calibers like 5.56x45mm, 7.62x39mm, and 9mm for their availability and reliability. It details the advantages of platforms like the AR-15 and AK-47, recommends substantial ammunition stockpiles, and covers essential accessories such as slings, extra magazines, optics, and maintenance tools. The instructor, with extensive experience, stresses the importance of modularity, durability, and ease of repair in critical situations.

This guide details a comprehensive ballistic gel test procedure for Underwood 9mm +P 115 Grain Sporting JHP ammunition, as demonstrated by an expert instructor. It covers test setup, firearm preparation, velocity and penetration measurements, and projectile analysis, providing critical data for self-defense ammunition evaluation. The expert's methodology ensures reliable and comparable results across different firearm platforms.

This video provides an expert-level comparison between the .44 Magnum and .50 Action Express calibers, featuring a Magnum Research Desert Eagle and a Ruger Super Redhawk. The host, demonstrating high authority, conducts a series of tests including penetration through lumber, steel, sand, and concrete, followed by ballistic gel testing with hollow-point rounds. The analysis highlights differences in muzzle energy, penetration, and wound channel, ultimately questioning the cost-to-performance ratio of the .50 AE.

This video provides an in-depth, experimental comparison between .223 Remington and 5.56x45mm NATO cartridges, utilizing a chronograph and various barrier materials. The host, demonstrating high expertise through empirical testing, reveals significant performance differences, particularly in barrier penetration, with 5.56x45mm NATO generally outperforming .223 Remington.

This video from Banana Ballistics explores the surprising lethality of "less lethal" shotgun ammunition. Through rigorous testing with ballistic gel and plywood, the host demonstrates that rounds like bean bags and high-velocity .410 rubber buckshot can cause significant damage, challenging the common perception of these rounds as entirely non-lethal. The testing highlights the importance of understanding ammunition performance beyond its intended classification.

This video provides an objective comparison of 9mm Luger, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP calibers through a series of rigorous tests including lumber, sand, concrete, and ballistics gel. The host, leveraging specialized equipment like a Garmin Xero C1 Pro chronograph and digital calipers, presents data on velocity, penetration, and expansion. While .40 S&W showed competitive performance in some tests, the analysis concludes with a preference for 9mm due to its higher capacity and lower recoil, highlighting the importance of practical considerations beyond raw ballistics.