civilian

Service ammunition is any commercially available general use ammunition.

military

Service ammunition is any ammunition intended for combat rather than for training purposes.

uniformed duty

Service ammunition is any general use ammunition carried while on duty by uniformed agents of the government (law enforcement, etc.).

Generally speaking, any ammunition with a specific special purpose (target, match, armor-piercing, etc.) is not considered service ammunition.

 

Footnotes / Sources:

“Glossary ⇒.” Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute. Ed. SAAMI’s Technical Committee. Web. 15-18 Jan. 2011.

“DOD Dictionary of Military Terms ⇒.” Defense Technical Information Center. Joint Education and Doctrine Division, J-7, Joint Staff, n.d. Web. 7 May 2014.