Why NATO Cartridges Are Best for Your Ammo Stockpile

Why NATO Cartridges Are Best for Your Ammo Stockpile

When people begin stocking up on ammunition for preparedness purposes, the big question is generally, “What kind should I be stockpiling?”. This is a reasonable question, considering there are an almost infinite number of options regarding ammunition cartridges. If you were to start searching for the right answer, you’ll generally find that NATO cartridges are suggested most often. And even though that might not include your favorite caliber or cartridge of choice, I would say that it is, in fact, good advice. So why should you choose NATO cartridges for your ammunition stockpile?

First Off, Why Stockpile Ammunition in The First Place?

In order to move forward in this conversation, I want to address the elephant in the room. Many people will ask, “What are you stockpiling ammunition for?”. And some will say that it’s a pointless endeavor. But let me give you some reasons why I keep extra ammunition on hand. There are three in particular that I feel explain the need for it rather well;

• In order to maintain a level of training and proficiency during times of ammunition scarcity due to supply chain issues, excessive rise in cost, or government regulation.
• To allow for self-defense or hunting during a long-term emergency scenario where acquiring additional ammunition may not be possible.
• To provide an additional resource to others within your community who may not have been able to properly stock up before an emergency or have lost their supplies due to a sudden displacement.

Although some may think that these reasons are reaching or just fantastical justifications to hoard ammunition, it seems to me that it would fall under the same thought process of why we carry a pistol for self-defense. I would rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

What Are NATO Cartridges?

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) cartridges are different types of ammunition that have been standardized for use between allied countries that are part of NATO. This creates a logistical safety net for countries that are involved in the conflict. If the United States of America has to aid a NATO ally such as Germany, both countries will share a majority of ammunition types for small arms and larger munitions such as artillery or tank guns. This allows for an easier-to-sustain logistics supply chain, which would be extremely beneficial in a large-scale conflict scenario. The most commonly available NATO cartridges on the commercial market in the United States of America include:

• 9x19mm NATO (9mm NATO)
• 5.7x28mm NATO
• 5.56x45 NATO
• 7.62x51 NATO (.308 Winchester *sort of)
• 12.7x99mm NATO (.50 BMG)

Why Stockpile the Aforementioned NATO Cartridges Over Anything Else?

Now that you understand why stockpiling ammunition has sensible reasons behind it and which cartridges are considered NATO cartridges, let’s discuss why you should choose those cartridges for your stockpile.

What should be rather obvious but is also the most important reason for choosing NATO cartridges is the robust supply chain that has been put into place by the military-industrial complex. Since so many countries use the same exact ammunition types, the production capacity for these cartridges far surpasses that of other commercial ammunition options. NATO currently has 31 members, which means there are 31 countries that all either produce or stock these ammunition types in addition to whatever else they may be currently using. That level of demand ensures a large supply for it to be met. Luckily for us, much of the surplus produced by ammunition factories is sold to the commercial market to help offset the costs of production. This helps keep NATO cartridges more affordable and generally in good supply compared to other commercial ammunition types. Availability is key during any type of emergency scenario. As overused as this concept may be, the proverbial “battlefield pickup” idea would likely apply to these cartridges more so than others.

Another consideration to make regarding NATO cartridges is that they were developed, tested, and fielded by militaries worldwide. That gives you the benefit of decades of ballistic data and firearm design based on those cartridges. For example, the 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge used by the M16 has improved and evolved significantly over the decades due to military demand and testing. The same can be said for the M16 itself, which has become an incredibly more reliable and functional service rifle in the form of the M4A1. Most commercial ammunition cartridges will never benefit from years of field testing and billions of dollars of research, much less the weapons systems designed specifically to work with said cartridge. It definitely takes the guesswork out for the average gun owner.

Lastly, to reference the first point, affordability is a huge benefit to stocking up on NATO cartridges. 9mm NATO (which is interchangeable with 9mm Luger) is generally the most affordable defensive handgun ammunition you can find. 5.56x45mm NATO is often the most affordable centerfire rifle ammunition available. 7.62x51mm NATO (or .308 Winchester, which is not exactly the same but often interchangeable) is likely the most affordable high-powered rifle cartridge you can find that can still reach out reliably to 1000 yards. 5.7x28mm NATO and 12.7x99mm NATO (.50 BMG) are more niche, and I wouldn’t refer to either one as affordable, but they are available. But, for the first 3 mentions, it’s hard to beat the price per round, and when you’re stockpiling, every cent counts.

NATO Cartridge Stockpile Considerations

So now that you have the why figured out, let’s talk about some considerations when selecting your specific NATO cartridges to load up on. You may want to be aware of some things since there are variations within many of the most popular ammunition types. Most of these considerations are based on my personal experience and mistakes that I’ve made when first starting out. Hopefully, by sharing this, you can avoid those same issues.

First, even though some of the nomenclature is different, many of the following rounds are either interchangeable or have slight differences you should be aware of.

For example, 5.56x45mm NATO is not the same as .223 Remington. 5.56x45mm NATO has slightly different dimensions than the .223 Remington. It also operates at higher pressures, which increases velocity and puts more demand on your rifle's chamber. So, a general rule of thumb is that if your rifle is chambered in 5.56 NATO, you can fire 5.56 NATO or .223 Remington out of it. However, if your rifle is chambered in .223 Remington, you can fire .223 Remington but you cannot fire 5.56 NATO through it.

Similarly, 7.62x51mm NATO and .308 Winchester are not identical but they are dimensionally the same. The main difference is that 7.62 NATO operates at lower pressures and has a slightly different case size regarding thickness. Rifles also have slightly different chamber sizes when it comes to 7.62x51mm NATO and .308 Winchester. So, the rule of thumb here is that a .308 Winchester chambered rifle can shoot both, but a 7.62 NATO chambered rifle should only shoot 7.62 NATO. However, with modern firearms, if you reach out to the manufacturer of your firearm, they may tell you that .308 Winchester is fine in your particular firearm.

9x19mm NATO is effectively the same as 9mm Luger but standardized to a certain loading and projectile type. 9mm NATO is a higher-pressure load (akin to +P) with a 124-grain full metal jacket projectile. That said, any 9mm pistol SHOULD (your mileage may vary) be able to shoot 9x19mm NATO or 9mm Luger loadings. Of course, there are so many variations between manufacturers and tolerances that you must test any ammo you plan on stocking. For example, My Sig Sauer M18 does not reliably cycle 147-grain Federal HST jacketed hollow points. So, if I were to stock ammunition for that firearm, I would not choose that cartridge.

Another thing to keep in mind is that military-grade ammunition is not always the most accurate or effective. It has to meet certain guidelines regarding the rule of war. So, more effective bullet designs like hollow points or soft points are generally not allowed. Combat accuracy is considered acceptable when achieving 4 MOA in our M4A1 rifles, which might not be good enough for your standards. But there are some things you can do to improve the lethality and accuracy of NATO cartridges by choosing the right variations for your particular firearm. For example, 5.56 NATO M193 uses a 55-grain full metal jacket projectile traveling at 3,250 fps. A minimum barrel length of 16” with a 1 in 8 or 1 in 9 twist rate is optimal to stabilize that bullet and get reliable fragmentation on impact. Let’s say you want more accuracy or to get more effectiveness out of your short-barreled AR-15. Then the MK 262 (or something similar such as the IMI Ammunition 5.56x45mm 77 grain Razor Core Sierra MatchKing Hollow Point is the better choice. It takes advantage of longer barrels with a 1 in 7 twist rate for better accuracy at longer ranges while also working well out of shorter barrels with the 1 in 7 twist rate since the projectile no longer relies on velocity for fragmentation. These examples are just for you to get an idea of what to research when it comes to the rifles you are trying to keep well-fed while also getting the most effectiveness you can out of these more affordable cartridges.

Conclusion

Regardless of your reasoning for building an ammunition stockpile, it is sensible to supply it with ammunition that is affordable, effective, and available. Thanks to a robust military supply chain, NATO cartridges fit all of those criteria. They’re proven in the field, have been modernized and improved over decades of testing, and are still getting the job done to this day. As someone who has firearms chambered in 300 Blackout, 7.62x39, 10mm, and more, I can tell you that there is a distinct reason why I only actually stockpile NATO cartridges.

--Magic Prepper