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Call 858-987-0509

Kearny Mesa · San Diego

San Diego's no-BS ammo house.

Pistol, rifle, rimfire and shotgun ammunition sold over the counter in Kearny Mesa. No online checkout, no shipping, and nobody talking you into a box you don't need.

Ammunition & accessories only · No firearms · No range at this location · Se habla español

Call for PricingGet DirectionsSee In-Store Deals

4411 Mercury St, Suite 103 · Kearny Mesa, San Diego, CA 92111

Mon – Fri 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM · Sat – Sun 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Call 858-987-0509 · Text 310-499-3499

How we run the counter

  • In and out

    Pick your ammunition, run the eligibility check, pay, done. Most visits take a few minutes, because we know you have somewhere else to be.

  • Fair prices, said out loud

    We stay competitive with what else is in town, and we will tell you when a cheaper box does the same job. Call and we will quote you over the phone.

  • Real help, no BS

    Ask anything. First handgun, first box of rimfire, first time hearing about the eligibility check — you get a straight answer, not attitude.

  • Locally owned

    One store, San Diego owned, and the owner is usually the one behind the counter. Se habla español.

In-store only

A New Deal Every Week

We pick the Deal of the Week on Sunday evening and it runs Monday through Sunday close. Sometimes it is a caliber we went deep on, sometimes it is an accessory nobody expects to see marked down.

  • Deals are redeemable at the Kearny Mesa counter only — never online, never shipped.
  • Deal prices are published on the deals page, because a deal is a fixed price for a fixed week. The rest of the catalog is call-for-pricing, because that moves with the market.
  • Deals run while supplies last, with no rain checks. Call first if you are driving out for one specific thing.
See this week's in-store deals
Winchester ballistics chart on the wall above the counter at LAX Ammo San Diego in Kearny Mesa

Deal of the Week

This week's deal is on the board

The same board is on the deals page, prices and quantity tiers included, so you can read it before you leave the house. Whatever is running this week started Monday morning and ends Sunday at close, or sells out first, and there is a fresh one behind it.

Runs through Sunday at close, or until it sells out

In-store only

Deals run at the Kearny Mesa counter only — there is no online checkout and we don't ship ammunition. Call to confirm what's on the shelf before you drive out.

See this week's pricesCall 858-987-0509

Catalog

Ammo We Stock

Four categories, and inside each one we carry both new factory ammunition and remanufactured. Everything here is call-for-pricing and buy-in-store — this is a catalog, not a checkout.

New versus remanufactured. New factory ammunition is loaded with fresh brass and consistent components — it is what you want for anything you are trusting, and what most people buy for defense. Remanufactured is built on once-fired brass, inspected and reloaded to spec. It is the budget-friendly way to do a high-volume range day, and for punching paper it does the same job. We stock both so you can pick on purpose instead of being sold up.

Range, defense or hunting. Range ammunition is plain full metal jacket built to be shot in quantity. Self-defense loads are engineered to expand and built to a tighter standard, which is why nobody should be burning through them at the range all afternoon. Hunting loads come with California's own requirements attached — call us before you drive out and we will talk through what you actually need for the season and the zone.

A bed of loose 9mm Luger cartridges, brass cases with copper full metal jacket bullets

Pistol Ammo

Range · Self-Defense · Match

The calibers San Diego shooters actually run. 9mm gets the most shelf space because it is what most people bring to the range, and we carry both new and remanufactured so you can pick by budget instead of being talked into one.

  • 9mm Luger
  • .45 ACP
  • .40 S&W
  • .380 Auto
  • .38 Special
  • .357 Magnum
  • 10mm
  • .44 Magnum
See what we stock
A bed of loose bottlenecked rifle cartridges, brass cases with copper jacketed bullets

Rifle Ammo

Range · Match · Hunting

.223 and 5.56 stay in stock because that is what moves. Beyond the staples we carry .308, 7.62x39 and .300 Blackout, plus hunting loads when California season comes around — ask us about lead-free requirements before you drive out.

  • .223 Remington
  • 5.56 NATO
  • .308 Winchester
  • 7.62x39
  • .300 Blackout
See what we stock
A pile of loose .22 LR rimfire cartridges, plain brass heads and knurled lead bullets

Rimfire Ammo

Range · Training · Match · Small game

.22 LR is the cheapest way to put rounds downrange and the best way to teach somebody new. We keep standard and high velocity on hand, match ammunition for anyone shooting for a score, and .17 HMR for small game.

  • .22 LR
  • .17 HMR
See what we stock
A pile of loose 12 gauge shotshells in red, green and yellow hulls, brass heads up

Shotgun Ammo

Clays / Target · Home Defense · Hunting

12 gauge split clearly into bird, buck and slug so you are not guessing at the shelf — target loads for clays, buckshot and slugs for defense and hunting. We also stock 10, 16, 20 and 28 gauge, so the odd-gauge guns are covered.

  • 10 Gauge
  • 12 Gauge
  • 16 Gauge
  • 20 Gauge
  • 28 Gauge
See what we stock

Hearing protection, targets, cleaning kits, ammo cans and range bags are on the wall too. Browse the full ammo and accessory catalog to see every caliber and brand we carry, including what is currently marked back in stock soon.

No judgment, ever

First Time Buying Ammo in California?

It is a short process and nobody here is going to make you feel stupid for asking about it. Here is the whole thing in four points, so you know what to bring and what happens at the counter.

If you have seen headlines saying a court struck California's ammunition background check down: that ruling never took effect, it was set aside when the Ninth Circuit agreed to rehear the case, and the case is still undecided. Checks are required at every California counter today.

Read our California ammo law guide

This is general information, not legal advice, and the rules do change — fees are set by regulation and the litigation is live. Last reviewed . Confirm current requirements with the California Department of Justice, and speak to a California firearms attorney about anything unusual or about a rejection you believe is a records error.

  • Bring the right ID

    A current California driver's license or state ID. If it reads FEDERAL LIMITS APPLY it is not a REAL ID, so bring proof of lawful presence too — a passport or certified birth certificate. If the address on it is out of date, bring something official that shows where you live now.

  • We run an eligibility check at the counter

    Every ammunition sale in California goes through a Department of Justice check. If your details match the state's Automated Firearms System record it usually clears in a minute or two. If there is no match — you moved, you changed your name, or you have never bought a firearm through a California dealer — it becomes a manual review that can take several days.

  • The check fee is the state's, not ours

    California sets that fee and we collect it at the counter on the state's behalf. It is a government charge, not ours, and we do not mark it up. It is charged per attempt and it is cheaper when your record already matches, which is why fixing your record first is the single best thing you can do before driving out. Correcting it is free, through a CFARS account at cfars.doj.ca.gov. See the current state fee amounts on our California ammo law page.

  • Age rules, and no doorstep delivery

    18 and over for rifle and shotgun ammunition, 21 and over for handgun ammunition. Call ahead if you are 18 to 20 and after a caliber that works in both. Every transfer in California happens face to face at a licensed vendor, so nobody can lawfully ship ammunition to your door here.

Straight about stock

The Store on Mercury Street

We are building up our inventory over the next few months, and we would rather say that out loud than let you drive out here and find an empty shelf.

What that means in practice: the staples get the deepest shelf space — 9mm Luger · .223 Remington · .22 LR · 10 Gauge — and the long tail fills in week by week as orders land. If something is not in yet, we will tell you, and we will tell you roughly when we expect it instead of being vague about it.

Nothing gets hidden for being out of stock. Anything we are between shipments on stays listed as back in stock soon, because a catalog that quietly drops items is a catalog you cannot plan around. Call before you drive out and we will check the actual shelf, not a spreadsheet.

More about who runs LAX Ammo San Diego and how the shop got started.

The LAX Ammo San Diego storefront on Mercury St in Kearny Mesa — a red AMMO sign above the glass doors
The main aisle at LAX Ammo San Diego, with counters on both sides and apparel toward the backLAX tees and caps on the merchandise counter at LAX Ammo San Diego in Kearny Mesa

What people say

128 Reviews, and We Didn't Pick These

Straight from our Google Business Profile — the five Google chooses to show, good and bad, exactly as they were written.

4.6 out of 5

128 reviews on Google

  • Based on some recent reviews, apparently this place is under new ownership. Clearly some kinks need to be ironed out, and hopefully things improve in the future. This used to be my go-to spot for anything bulk in SoCal, but more often it’s been disappointing for myself or friends. -Stock is low variety and quantity. Going to guess the ownership change is causing some supply issues, since I see stock elsewhere. - Prices are rough. .308 is already expensive enough, but seems prices are double here than I’ve found elsewhere (In-store, not online). -Website never lines up with what they have in-store. This has always been a thing with this location, since brick & mortar spots can’t offer the same as online pricing. But whatever is going on with the ownership swap has their website all screwed up. I’m seeing what looks like super good deals, listed for this location, only to be told it’s not them/they’re not affiliated with LAX/FM. ??? The site literally points to this place. Oh well. My mistake, I guess. May as well just take a day trip and hang out in OC to grab bulk from Rifle Gear. Seems to be my only option to get anything reasonable Hoping things swing back to normal. Really was the only place I told people to buy ammo lol. Can’t say that now

    K M
    6 months ago

    Read on Google

  • Wow! I walked in to check it out and maybe get some ammo. The ustomer before me was obviously a happy repeat customer and I saw why. Omar was super professional, informative, and patient. He took the time to look things up and explain a few things. 100% this is my go to place for ammo now.

    Jonathan
    7 months ago

    Read on Google

  • The crew at LAX AMMO are solid people, helping you out with all your ammo needs. From 22 to 50bmg weather you spend $20 or $2000 on ammo they treat all customers with respect and will bend over backwards to make sure you get what you want. They also have cases (really nice cases) target's, cleaning gear, it's all there. The only place I will purchase my ammo Stephen Henderson

    Stephen Henderson
    3 years ago

    Read on Google

  • Just left.. awesome experience. Dealt with Chris- extremely knowledgeable and easy to talk to. Great experience!! Left with 500 rounds of range and a box of home defense.

    Brian Fuchs
    7 months ago

    Read on Google

  • This place has the best selection and best pricing. Staff was super cool and took care of us

    Sean Coughlin
    8 months ago

    Read on Google

Reviews and ratings from Google. We do not choose which appear here, edit them, or remove them — this is what the Google Business Profile returns.

Buying Ammo in Kearny Mesa

Mercury Street is a few minutes off the 163 and the 805, and honestly that is half the reason people end up here. Somebody drives down from Poway or Escondido before a Saturday morning at the range. Somebody comes up from Chula Vista or National City after a shift. Marines out of Miramar and Pendleton stop in for a box of 9mm Luger on the way home rather than losing an hour to the detour. The location does a lot of the work.

The people who walk in are not one crowd. Range shooters buying in volume. Someone who just bought a first handgun and genuinely does not know what to feed it. A hunter picking up loads before the season opens. A person who keeps one shotgun in the closet, buys a box every couple of years, and is a little uneasy about the whole errand. All of that is normal here, and none of it gets a different tone of voice.

What actually makes the place different is what happens at the counter. You get asked what you are shooting and what you are shooting it for, and you get a straight answer back — including “that is more ammunition than you need” when it is. We will say when the remanufactured stuff is perfectly fine for what you are doing, and we will say when it is not. Common questions get answered on the FAQ, and if you would rather just ask a person, call or text the store — that is what the numbers are for.

Stock & deal questions

Know before you drive out

Stock moves week to week, and no web page can tell you what sold this morning. One call tells you whether your caliber is on the shelf right now, what it costs today, and whether this week's deal is still there.

Se habla español

  • Ask if your caliber is in stock today, and what it runs.
  • Ask what the in-store Deal of the Week is before you drive out.
  • Ask what to bring for the California eligibility check.
  • Ask anything about a load, a caliber, or your gun. No pressure, no attitude.
Call 858-987-0509Text 310-499-3499
Phone
immediate during business hours
Text
anytime — immediate during business hours, forwarded after hours
Hours
Mon – Fri 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM · Sat – Sun 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Where We Are

LAX Ammo San Diego4411 Mercury St, Suite 103
San Diego, CA 92111
Kearny Mesa, San Diego
Open in Google Maps

Hours

Mon – Fri
10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sat – Sun
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

Call or Text

858-987-0509

Calls only

310-499-3499

Text only

Text anytime. Anytime — immediate during business hours, forwarded after hours.

info@laxammosd.com

Before You Visit

  • Bring your California ID — every ammo purchase needs an eligibility check.
  • Purchases happen at the counter. No online checkout, and we don't ship ammo.
  • Ammunition and accessories only. No firearms, no range at this location.

Se habla español

How California's ammo law works