These Are the Most and Least Expensive Rifle Rounds

Special Report

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Published: March 15, 2024 11:50 am

Amid supply chain constraints and soaring demand, ammunition prices soared in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the summer of 2021, some gun store owners reported selling ammunition at prices more than four times higher than they were pre-pandemic.

In the years since, ammo prices have come back down in the United States — but many industry experts predict that low prices will not last long. With heightened geopolitical tensions and conflicts raging in Europe and the Middle East, ammunition manufacturers are predicting a looming global gunpowder shortage.

While ammo prices will not likely rise to pandemic-era highs anytime soon, hunters and recreational shooters may soon feel the pinch. Still, shooting sports do not necessarily need to break the bank. Depending on the caliber, rifle ammunition varies considerably in cost. A single round of some of the priciest ammunition can cost more than an entire day at the range with some less expensive calibers.

Using data from Ammo Prices Now, an ammunition price tracking website, 24/7 Wall St. identified the price of 26 different rifle calibers and ranked them by price per round, from lowest to highest. It is important to note that ammo prices can vary by brand, cartridge ballistics, retailer, and geographic area. The prices on this list represent the lowest available as of mid-March 2024. Date ranges for average prices over a given time period vary by caliber, based on available data.

Among the rifle calibers on this list, prices range from as low as $0.02 per round to over $3.00. The cheapest rifle round, by a wide margin, is the .22 Long Rifle, or .22 LR. Unlike most other rifle cartridges, the .22 LR is rimfire round, which are much cheaper to manufacture than centerfire ammunition, partially because they are relatively low pressure and can use thin-walled cartridge casings. (Here is a look at the 30 most powerful rifles you can buy.)

While affordable, .22 LR ammunition is far less capable than other common rifle rounds, and its usage is largely limited to target shooting and small game and varmint hunting. For most hunters, larger, more expensive, centerfire rounds are a necessity. (Here is a look at the 30 most versatile hunting rifle cartridges.)

These are the most and least expensive rifle rounds.

26. 22 LR

Source: capcase / Flickr

Lowest price currently available: $0.02 per round
Avg. low-price between June 2020 and March 2024: $0.08 per round
Rifle models chambered for ammunition include: Ruger 10/22

25. 22 WMR

Rimfire 22 Family (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Arthurrh

Lowest price currently available: $0.19 per round
Avg. low-price between June 2020 and March 2024: $0.28 per round
Rifle models chambered for ammunition include: Ruger Precision Rimfire

24. 17 HMR

CZ 452 A silencer large (CC BY-SA 3.0) by GMan552

Lowest price currently available: $0.20 per round
Avg. low-price between May 2021 and March 2024: $0.29 per round
Rifle models chambered for ammunition include: CZ-USA Model 457

23. 5.56 NATO

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Lowest price currently available: $0.40 per round
Avg. low-price between March 2021 and March 2024: $0.43 per round
Rifle models chambered for ammunition include: Colt M4 Carbine

22. 223 Rem

Source: michailPopov / iStock via Getty Images

Lowest price currently available: $0.41 per round
Avg. low-price between June 2020 and March 2024: $0.46 per round
Rifle models chambered for ammunition include: Savage Axis

21. 7.62×39

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Lowest price currently available: $0.43 per round
Avg. low-price between June 2020 and March 2024: $0.45 per round
Rifle models chambered for ammunition include: Sig Sauer MCX

20. 300 BLK

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Lowest price currently available: $0.55 per round
Avg. low-price between June 2020 and March 2024: $0.72 per round
Rifle models chambered for ammunition include: Ruger Mini-14

19. 7.62x54R

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Lowest price currently available: $0.65 per round
Avg. low-price between June 2020 and March 2024: $0.67 per round
Rifle models chambered for ammunition include: Zastava M91

18. 308 Win

Source: Sturm, Ruger & Co. Firearms / Wikimedia Commons

Lowest price currently available: $0.67 per round
Avg. low-price between June 2020 and March 2024: $0.68 per round
Rifle models chambered for ammunition include: Ruger American

17. 5.45×39

Source: AliveFreeHappy / Wikimedia Commons

Lowest price currently available: $0.71 per round
Avg. low-price between June 2020 and March 2024: $0.52 per round
Rifle models chambered for ammunition include: PSAK-74 Classic

16. 22-250

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Lowest price currently available: $0.72 per round
Avg. low-price between Feb. 2024 and March 2024: $0.74 per round
Rifle models chambered for ammunition include: Savage Arms Axis II XP

15. 30-06

Source: MichaelRothPhotography / iStock via Getty Images

Lowest price currently available: $0.76 per round
Avg. low-price between April 2021 and March 2024: $0.99 per round
Rifle models chambered for ammunition include: Remington Model 700

14. 6.5mm Creedmoor

User:Everett_Walker&action=edit&redlink=1","authorName":"Everett

Source: Everett Walker / Wikimedia Commons

Lowest price currently available: $0.77 per round
Avg. low-price between March 2021 and March 2024: $1.23 per round
Rifle models chambered for ammunition include: Weatherby Vanguard

13. 17 WSM

17 caliber rifle (CC BY 2.0) by Andrew Magill

Lowest price currently available: $0.80 per round
Avg. low-price between June 2020 and March 2024: $0.64 per round
Rifle models chambered for ammunition include: Winchester Xpert 17 WSM

12. 6.5mm Grendel

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Lowest price currently available: $0.81 per round
Avg. low-price between Feb. 2024 and March 2024: $0.81 per round
Rifle models chambered for ammunition include: Ruger American Ranch Rifle

11. 6.8mm Remington

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Lowest price currently available: $0.82 per round
Avg. low-price between Feb. 2024 and March 2024: $0.82 per round
Rifle models chambered for ammunition include: Armalite M-15 Light Tactical Carbine