Ammo Price Index & Comparison Charts
As of September 7, 2026, the lowest observed in-stock price across 23 tracked calibers is $0.0618 per round (.22 LR), based on 281,279 daily-best price observations from tracked online retailers. How we measure this
Ammo price comparison charts for 23 calibers, updated daily. Each chart shows the 30-day observed cost per round — cheapest, per-product midpoint, and range — from tracked online retailers.
Looking for the per-caliber summary view instead of the full benchmark tables? Visit Ammo Prices by Caliber. For today’s biggest price movers and lowest cost per round, see Today’s Ammo Market.
Last updated: Sep 7, 2026 · 23 calibers with data · 10,682 product listings · 281,279 price observations
Market Pulse
Full market index →Two daily readings taken over the same record of tracked online-retailer prices: one for what ammunition costs, one for how strained the market looks while it costs that. Both describe conditions that have already been observed.
What it measures. The per-round cost of one fixed basket of common calibers — 9mm, 5.56/.223, .45 ACP, .22 LR and .308/7.62 — held at constant weights, so the number moves when prices move rather than when the mix of what happens to be in stock changes.
Reading this value. The basket costs 10.4% more per round than it did in July 2026 — the base period the index fixes at 100. The 7d figure is the change against one week ago and nothing more — one week is movement, not a direction.
What it measures. Three observed signs of a dislocated market, weighted and summed: how far apart tracked retailers’ prices are, whether tracked in-stock counts are thinning, and how choppy the index has been day to day. Higher means more strain, not higher prices — DUMP already reports that.
- Spread (40%)
- 100
- In stock (35%)
- 35
- Volatility (25%)
- 100
The largest contributor right now is the widening price spread between tracked retailers. This describes conditions today, not a forecast.
Spread as of Sep 6, 2026 · availability as of Sep 7, 2026
What these numbers are not. Neither is a forecast, a verdict, or a signal about when to buy. Both are withheld rather than estimated when their inputs fall short: DUMP publishes only when every basket caliber clears its coverage floor, LAFF only when all three of its signals qualify. Full market index breaks down the components; methodology covers how both are built.
23
Calibers Tracked
23
With Price Data
10,682
Product Listings
281,279
Price Observations
—
Falling (30d)
Composite Price Trend
Median observed cost-per-round across 22 tracked calibers, by month. Current composite $0.884/rd. Tracked-retailer coverage changed materially across this window, so earlier points are not directly comparable and no change is claimed. Descriptive observation only — not a forecast.
Composite = median across tracked calibers of each caliber’s observed median cost-per-round. Monthly points are frozen archive snapshots; “Last 30 days” is the rolling observed window. Each point requires at least 5 calibers with sufficient data; months below that threshold are omitted. Calibers indexed under more than one name (e.g. 5.56 NATO and .223 Remington) are counted once. Calibers differ in absolute price, so this reflects central tendency across the tracked set — not any single caliber.
Are Ammo Prices Going Up or Down?
As of September 2026, no tracked caliber has comparable retailer coverage at both ends of the trend window, so no month-over-month percentage is claimed — when tracked-retailer coverage changes (e.g. new retailers are added), a median shift reflects the coverage change rather than price movement. The per-caliber Trend column in the comparison charts shows the observed six-month direction of each caliber’s monthly median. IronScout reports observed prices only and does not forecast future prices.
Across 22 tracked calibers, 0 had sufficient trend history with comparable retailer coverage to report. The remaining 22 calibers either lacked enough history or saw a change in tracked-retailer coverage across the window (which would distort a percentage), and are not counted here.
Percentages are the observed change in monthly median cost-per-round from the start to the end of the trend window. Descriptive observation of past data — not a prediction of future prices.
How Much Does Ammo Cost?
As of September 2026, observed in-stock prices at tracked online retailers put cost per round at .22 LR from $0.0618/rd (range-ammo midpoint $0.119/rd), 9mm Luger from $0.145/rd (range-ammo midpoint $0.300/rd), and .308 Winchester from $0.410/rd (range-ammo midpoint $1.09/rd). Premium defensive and match loads run higher than range ammo — each caliber’s page breaks out the range/practice and defensive/premium tiers separately.
Figures are the lowest recently observed price and per-product midpoint from the comparison charts below, before shipping. Full per-caliber breakdowns are in the tables that follow.
Handgun Ammo Price Comparison Chart
| Caliber | Current Low | 30d Low | Midpoint $/rd | 30d High |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9mm Lugerhistory | $0.145 | $0.138 | $0.519 | $1.70 |
| .45 ACPhistory | $0.356 | $0.340 | $0.832 | $2.17 |
| .380 ACPhistory | $0.281 | $0.275 | $0.664 | $1.82 |
| .40 S&Whistory | $0.260 | $0.260 | $0.556 | $1.75 |
| 10mm Autohistory† | — | — | $1.25 | $2.20 |
| .357 Magnumhistory | $0.329 | $0.329 | $1.20 | $2.05 |
| .38 Specialhistory† | — | — | $0.660 | $1.72 |
| .44 Magnumhistory | $0.699 | $0.650 | $1.35 | $2.64 |
Rifle Ammo Price Comparison Chart
| Caliber | Current Low | 30d Low | Midpoint $/rd | 30d High |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.56 NATOhistory† | — | — | $0.797 | $1.81 |
| .223 Remingtonhistory† | — | — | $0.797 | $1.81 |
| .308 Winchesterhistory | $0.410 | $0.410 | $1.65 | $2.95 |
| 6.5 Creedmoorhistory† | — | — | $1.90 | $3.20 |
| 7.62x39history | $0.420 | $0.420 | $0.799 | $2.00 |
| .300 Blackouthistory† | — | — | $1.28 | $2.44 |
| .30-06 Springfieldhistory | $0.850 | $0.804 | $1.70 | $3.00 |
| .243 Winchesterhistory | $0.879 | $0.875 | $1.75 | $3.00 |
| .270 Winchesterhistory† | — | — | $1.90 | $3.60 |
| .30-30 Winchesterhistory | $0.998 | $0.948 | $1.45 | $2.45 |
Rimfire Ammo Price Comparison Chart
Shotgun Ammo Price Comparison Chart
Methodology
IronScout tracks ammunition prices by indexing product listings from tracked online retailers. The Ammo Price Index reports 30-day rolling statistics computed from these observations.
Price calculation: For each caliber, IronScout computes the daily-best (minimum) price per round for each product on each day it was observed in stock. The median, 25th percentile, 75th percentile, and minimum (“30d Low”) are then calculated across all daily-best observations in the trailing 30-day window using SQL PERCENTILE_CONT. The “30d High” reports the 95th percentile rather than the raw maximum, so a single premium or specialty listing does not distort the high end. The “Current Low” column uses a separate 7-day window to show the lowest recently observed price.
Coverage: Only in-stock observations are included. Coverage varies by retailer and data source. The absence of listings does not imply the absence of inventory in the broader market.
Limitations: Prices reflect what was observed at indexed retailers and may not represent the full market. Sale prices, member discounts, and bulk deal pricing may or may not be captured depending on how the retailer presents their catalog. Shipping costs are not included.
Data access: Individual caliber snapshot data is available as JSON per tracked caliber, for example /market-snapshots/30d/9mm.json. See Terms of Service for usage terms.
Monthly Releases
The figures above update daily. Each completed month is also published as a permanent release with final figures and a stable URL — cite those rather than this page.
- August 2026 release106.8
Cite This Data
Media outlets, researchers, and content creators are welcome to reference IronScout's Ammo Price Index with attribution. Suggested citation:
For questions about methodology or data partnerships, reach out via our contact page.
Browse by Caliber
Price Per Round by Caliber
Detailed cost-per-round reports for each caliber — current tiers from cheapest to premium, monthly trend, and where the low was observed.
Ammo Prices by Month
Frozen monthly archives of what ammo cost in past months — median, low, and high cost per round per caliber, locked at month end.
Ammo prices August 2026: 10mm Auto · 12 Gauge · 20 Gauge · 5.56 NATO · .22 LR · .270 Winchester · .30-06 Springfield · .300 Blackout · and 12 more calibers
Ammo prices July 2026: 10mm Auto · 12 Gauge · .17 HMR · 20 Gauge · 5.56 NATO · .22 LR · .243 Winchester · .270 Winchester · and 16 more calibers
Ammo prices June 2026: 10mm Auto · 12 Gauge · .17 HMR · 20 Gauge · 5.56 NATO · .22 LR · .243 Winchester · .270 Winchester · and 15 more calibers
Ammo prices May 2026: 10mm Auto · 12 Gauge · .17 HMR · 20 Gauge · 5.56 NATO · .22 LR · .243 Winchester · .270 Winchester · and 13 more calibers
Ammo prices April 2026: 10mm Auto · 12 Gauge · .17 HMR · 20 Gauge · 5.56 NATO · .22 LR · .243 Winchester · .270 Winchester · and 13 more calibers
Ammo prices March 2026: 10mm Auto · 12 Gauge · .17 HMR · 20 Gauge · 5.56 NATO · .22 LR · .243 Winchester · .270 Winchester · and 17 more calibers