A hypothetical question: If you could launch your own line of ammunition, what would you do? Considering the sheer number of ammo lines out there and their varied applications, is there really anything that can be improved upon? Or if not improved upon, perhaps simply manufactured and sold in a different way.

There are studies and polls out there supplying endless information about sales and trends. For example, 9mm is now overtaking the .380 ACP trend we saw in recent years. Also, the majority of gun owners would rather buy inexpensive target rounds than shell out the cash necessary to train using defense rounds – even if their only reason for having a gun is self-defense. Even many hunters refuse to buy enough hunting-specific ammo to properly zero rifles prior to a hunt, let alone to consider practicing in advance. Market trends matter and are absolutely taken into consideration when planning the launch of a new ammunition line, but I’d like to hear your thoughts. What would you do?

Keep in mind that any fledgling ammo company needs to take the cost of designing and manufacturing that very first round into consideration, and then there’s packaging…it’s not a small endeavor. When shooters complain about the rising cost of ammunition it’s understandable, but inflation doesn’t only increase the cost of your burgers and beer. It hits ammunition and firearms manufacturers, too. So start small. Choose one specific goal, whether target rounds, hunting rounds, defense rounds…whatever it is, pick one. Maybe a quirky or trending theme should surround the new line (hence the creation of zombie and drone ammo as a great way to pull in the “wow that’s cool” buyer). Maybe it should just be target rounds, and if so, where would you start? What caliber, what brass – would you insist on American-made? (If so, prepare for higher costs all around.)

We’ve probably all become frustrated with the rising cost of ammo. I’ve cringed on more than one occasion while grabbing boxes at my local gun store, wishing for the prices of 20 years ago (Yes, I said 20 years). How many of you have actually put detailed thought into what you’d want out of an ammo line? TFB readers as a whole have put a mind-boggling number of rounds down-range, so I believe you’re the ones to ask.

If you could launch an ammo line, what would you start with?