NATO Small Arms Ammunition

NATO Small Arms Ammunition is firearms ammunition used within NATO. The list below is by no means comprehensive.

• .22 cartridge: The smallest round in common use within NATO countries. Used in training and cadet forces. Not an operational round.
• 9 mm cartridge: A low velocity round used in pistols and sub-machine guns. Probably the most familiar round to the public.
• 5.56 cartridge; The most used round in NATO Armed Forces. A relatively new round introduced in the 1960's with the M-16, itself the second most produced assault rifle after the Kalashnikov AK 47.
• 7.62 cartridge "Full Metal Jacket": An older far more powerful assault rife - Light/medium/general purpose machine gun round. Was largely replaced with the 5.56 during the 1980s/90s, but still the most common round for medium and GP machine guns.
• 0.5 cal cartridge. The largest small arms round commonly used in NATO Armed Forces. Used in the M2 Browning heavy machine gun and similar weapons.