My previous blog post talked about how to kill Zombies when the Zombie Apocalypse happens. Now that you’re an expert at the fundamentals and you’ve printed your Zombie Hunter card, your next questions are “What ammunition do I put in my gun to kill those dirty, rotten, walking dead things? Where in the world do I find that information?
Have you ever heard the term, RTM? It stands for Read The Manual. The manual that came with your firearm that is. The manufacturer doesn’t want accidents when using their firearm so they will tell you exactly what caliber, type, and power rating is safe to use it. Be sure to use only what the manufacturer recommends. Where can you find a manual for your firearm if you don’t have one? Try searching for a PDF version on the manufacturer’s website, or finding a version on the internet.
I mentioned caliber and power rating. What are those? Caliber is the approximate internal diameter of your firearms barrel. Common calibers are .38 special, .357 magnum, 9mm, .44 magnum. The first three are essentially the same diameter or .38 inches. The last is .44 inches in diameter or nearly half an inch.
Power ratings refer to the amount of powder loaded in the case during manufacture and make the bullet travel faster downrange. There can be a standard, a +P or a +P+ power rating. You’ll need to look up the SAAMI specifications to determine what those ratings relate to with the ammunition. Whatever you do, do NOT use +P or +P+ ammunition in a firearm where the manufacturer says to only use standard power ammunition. (SAAMI stands for The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute and is an association of the nation’s leading manufacturers of firearms, ammunition and components. This organization sets the standards for ammunition and firearm chamber specifications for the manufacturers.)
So where are the other places to look to determine what ammunition to use? In most cases, you can look at the firearm itself. This information is usually stamped somewhere on the barrel. Ask the store clerk where you purchased the firearm, or email the manufacturer’s customer service center.
What if you have some ammunition already, how can you determine if it’s the right type? Look at the bottom of the cartridge. You will find the manufacturer and caliber/type stamped there. If you have a box of ammo already, the end flaps and maybe the top of the box will have the caliber/type printed on it. Before you use it in your firearm, make sure that the information on the head stamp of the cartridge, the printed information on the box, and the stamped info on the barrel all match. If they do, you can safely use that ammunition. Keep in mind that some cartridges have more than one designation. For example, various manufacturers describe the most popular handgun ammunition in use today, the 9mm cartridge, as 9mm PARA or 9mm LUGER or 9x19mm.
The only other knowledge you need at this time is how to store your ammunition so it’s usable when the Zombies start down your street. Here are some bullet points:
- Ammunition should be stored in a cool, dry place.
- Always keep the ammunition in the original factory box or carton.
- Store ammunition in a location where children or other UNAUTHORIZED persons cannot access it.
- Do not expose ammunition to water, solvents, petroleum products or other materials that can cause cartridge deterioration and malfunctions.
- Wipe fingerprints off cartridges to avoid corrosion due to salty residue.
So with your skills utilizing the basics of shooting, and your knowledge of what kind of ammunition to use in your Zombie hunting firearms, your family, friends and neighbors will look to you when the dead start walking down your street. Good hunting!