*Performance Data:
Some companies may add a bit of performance data on a label to keep things interesting. For example, some pistol ammunition is marked with a "+P". This indicates the cartridge inside generates more pressure than some handguns are designed to handle. You might also see bullet velocity (1,050 fps) and bullet energy (269 ft./lbs.) information listed on the label. Velocity and energy information are not usually needed to identify a correct cartridge for your gun, but it’s helpful to know what the extra numbers and markings mean.

The Black Hills ammunition label below is from a center-fire handgun ammunition box. The same information presentation is used for center-fire rifle ammunition as well:

Earlier it was mentioned that ammunition companies like to have their boxes stand out, so one of the things they do is move around and change the abbreviations for the information on the labels. Here is the Black Hills Ammunition .38 Spl. box again, but shown with other brands as well:

Each of these labels display the manufacturer, caliber and cartridge name, bullet weight and bullet style, but with some variations. Most read from the top down, but HPR places their name and the cartridge information side-by-side. The Black Hills box shows the bullet caliber with a decimal point, the others delete the decimal and rely on the word Special to let buyers know what the cartridge is. The Hornady boxes abbreviate the cartridge name (SPCL) while the others spell it out completely. The blue and white box in the lower left corner is from Cor-Bon, but they chose to let their label colors do the talking and emphasized the DPX bullet style instead of their company name. The Cor-Bon box is the only one with velocity and energy data, but four boxes are marked as +P.

Take a look at the two Hornady boxes on the right. At first glance, they look nearly identical. However, subtle differences in the labeling provide important information. The top box, with the yellow Hornady Custom label bar, is from a different line of ammunition than the black bar Critical Defense line, which means they use different bullet styles. The Custom box does not have a +P mark, while the Critical Defense load does. This means the Custom load should be safe to fire in most well maintained .38 Special revolvers, while the Critical Defense load is limited to those guns rated for P+ ammunition. The Custom round has a heavier 125-grain XTP bullet style, while the other is a lighter 110-grain FTX. In other words, the two Hornady loads are the same in the sense that two cups of coffee are both filled with coffee, but one is a Latte while the other is an Espresso.

When I was working at a sporting goods store in college, I sometimes met with customers who arrived with partial ammunition information, which made filling their needs a challenge. They would say, "I'm looking for some Magnum ammunition," or "I'm trying to find some .45 ammunition." It's important to know the complete name of the cartridge because different cartridges can share the same bullet diameter or naming elements. Take a look at the following photo:

On the left are two cartridge boxes labeled with .357 bullet diameters, with two .44s in the middle, and two .45s on the right. The boxes are also similar in size and labeling. Now take a look at the cartridges each contains:

Despite their similar name elements, these cartridges have little in common with each other. The .357 Mag. and the .44 Mag. have different diameters. The term "Magnum" is an indicator that these cartridges are larger than, or derived from, a similar cartridge. This is the relationship between the .44 Mag. and .44 Spl. The .44 Spl. was developed first, and then the cartridge was lengthened a bit and packed with more powder to form the more powerful .44 Mag. load. The .357 Mag. is a revolver cartridge, while the .357 Sig is what's known as a "bottle neck" semi-auto cartridge. The .45 ACP is a semi-auto cartridge commonly fired in 1911-style semi-auto pistols, while the venerable .45 Colt can be found in old fashioned, cowboy-action shooting revolvers.

If you are buying a gift for a shooter, and all of this ammunition box label information is a bit too much to take in or remember, then talk to the person for whom you're buying ammunition. Ask them to write down exactly what they want (manufacturer, cartridge name, bullet weight, bullet style). Or, use that snazzy cell phone camera to take a picture of the labels on the boxes of ammunition they already have. That way you can just show it to the clerk and avoid any confusion.

If you are new to shooting, then now is the time to get to know your firearm better. You can begin the process of exploring how different ammunition brands, bullet weights, and bullet styles perform in your gun. When breaking in a new gun, it’s best to buy just one box each of several different brands until you find the brands that are the most accurate and reliable in your firearm.