9mm ammo

[SeaCat]

So I know that at least some of you are shooters. I know that one or two of you use a 9mm. For those of you that do, what do you load?

I'm looking for a reasonably priced FMJ for target shooting. (I use Hydroshocks for carry rounds.)

Any opinions for a fairly cheap round that loads well?

Cat

 

[The_Fool]

So I know that at least some of you are shooters. I know that one or two of you use a 9mm. For those of you that do, what do you load?

I'm looking for a reasonably priced FMJ for target shooting. (I use Hydroshocks for carry rounds.)

Any opinions for a fairly cheap round that loads well?

Cat

When I can get them, Winchester makes a target load they package in a 100 rd. pack. 115gr FMJ. Here is a link for different sellers. I buy them at Walmart for $20-$21, but that might be location specific. The picture shown is actually 45 auto (which I also buy at walmart for $30) but the box is identical. The only issue I have with the product as packaged is that it is a loose pack. The 45 auto is actually layered in 20 round layers with paper in between. No missfires, shoots relatively clean.

 

[Weird Harold]

So I know that at least some of you are shooters. I know that one or two of you use a 9mm. For those of you that do, what do you load?

I'm looking for a reasonably priced FMJ for target shooting. (I use Hydroshocks for carry rounds.)

Any opinions for a fairly cheap round that loads well?

Cat

I don't have a 9mm myself, but the experience of a friend who owned two might be relevant:

I don't recall the makes or models of his two pistols, but I do know they were not the same. He had to buy two different sets of ammunition because each pistol would not function right with the other's ammo. There were accuracy issues involved as well with finding the ammo he chose for each pistol.

Generic military surplus did work in both pistols but accuracy was nothing to write home about and both pistols occasionally jammed with the surplus.

The point here is that finding the "right" ammo is a matter of trial and error that is dependent on the individual weapon.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

I don't have a 9mm myself, but the experience of a friend who owned two might be relevant:

I don't recall the makes or models of his two pistols, but I do know they were not the same. He had to buy two different sets of ammunition because each pistol would not function right with the other's ammo. There were accuracy issues involved as well with finding the ammo he chose for each pistol.

Generic military surplus did work in both pistols but accuracy was nothing to write home about and both pistols occasionally jammed with the surplus.

The point here is that finding the "right" ammo is a matter of trial and error that is dependent on the individual weapon.

But there's nothing unusual about that. Any given barrel is as unlike the one next to it as you and I are from each other. Accuracy freaks spend mucho dinero and hours at the range fine tuning their loads. I don't have that kind of patience but then, I'm not a bench rest competitor and I don't really have any desire to snipe ground squirrels in the next time zone.

 

[Weird Harold]

But there's nothing unusual about that. Any given barrel is as unlike the one next to it as you and I are from each other. Accuracy freaks spend mucho dinero and hours at the range fine tuning their loads. I don't have that kind of patience but then, I'm not a bench rest competitor and I don't really have any desire to snipe ground squirrels in the next time zone.

The accuracy problems with the military surplus ammo had more to do with the number of "fliers" than the accuracy of the barrel.

The reliability problems were also pretty much barrel independent also -- they had to do more with feed reliability and ejector function.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

All of which is due to the process of putting out the order to the lowest bid. Of course, milspec ammo doesn't have to be MOA to do in the bad guys . . .

 

[Weird Harold]

All of which is due to the process of putting out the order to the lowest bid. Of course, milspec ammo doesn't have to be MOA to do in the bad guys . . .

No, but Milspec does have to feed and eject relatively reliably over a broad range of different weapons -- which is probably why both of my friend's pistols worked better with milspec surplus than with the "best" ammo for the other gun not as well as with their own "best" ammo.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Absolutely! In combat as in hunting dangerous game, reliability is everything.

 

[O2]

Not knowing where you are specifically you might look for a gun show and see if there is a vendor that sells reloads.

Buying 500 rounds at a time might be cheaper in the long run. I've done this to get a large quantity of brass for my .45 acp.

I reload rifle and handgun and I used to scour the range after the various Police Departments used them and grabbed their brass.

Other than that, I'd say Blazer....but they aren't re-loadable. (aluminum cases)

 

[SeaCat]

Well I hit the local Wally world and picked up some of the Winchester White Box. (2x100 round boxes)

At the range I loaded these into the magazines and started shooting.

Now this are my observations.

My handgun has been modified slightly. The feed ramp has been rebeveled and polished. The ejection port has been opened up slightly. (Hell the slide is a nice new slide with Tritium Sights.)

The first 100 rounds went smoothly. I was firing slow fire single shots. After 50 rounds I paused to reload the magazines and then continued. (I have five ten shot mags.)

The next 50 rounds were double taps and they fed as nice as ever. I was happy.

Then I got down to nasty shooting. I loaded the magazines as the Range Master got things ready. This was going to be stress shooting with me dropping rounds down the already hot barrel quickly.

We're talking fifty rounds rapid fire while Fireworks were going off around me and targets popped up at different ranges. We'e talking shoot as fast as you can under adverse conditions while moving from cover to cover. (I do this once a week.)

The Winchesters worked well. No feed problems or ejections problems. AT $22.00 a box of 100 I might have to liek these.

Cat

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

I would never switch from my Colt 1911 45 Auto. I've been using Remington Golden Saber HPJ ammo. The gun was actually manufactured in 1962 by Aethica Arms, not Colt in 1964 for the military in Viet Nam. It was carried by my father. Now it's mine. It's killer.

The 9mm doesn't kick nearly as much as the Colt 45, but it doesn't have to punch either. One hit says it all.

 

[JackLuis]

I would never switch from my Colt 1911 45 Auto. I've been using Remington Golden Saber HPJ ammo. The gun was actually manufactured in 1962 by Aethica Arms, not Colt in 1964 for the military in Viet Nam. It was carried by my father. Now it's mine. It's killer.

The 9mm doesn't kick nearly as much as the Colt 45, but it doesn't have to punch either. One hit says it all.

All hail John Moses Browning!

 

[voluptuary_manque]

I would never switch from my Colt 1911 45 Auto. I've been using Remington Golden Saber HPJ ammo. The gun was actually manufactured in 1962 by Aethica Arms, not Colt in 1964 for the military in Viet Nam. It was carried by my father. Now it's mine. It's killer.

The 9mm doesn't kick nearly as much as the Colt 45, but it doesn't have to punch either. One hit says it all.

Yup. That's the caliber the Texans reserve for what they call "serious social shootin'"! While for aesthetics I prefer revolvers, there's a Government .45 in the bedroom of the den in case I ever need to do some serious social shooting.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

All hail John Moses Browning!

Amen and again I say, Amen!

 

[Size13]

I was going to say Winchester White Box, but it looks like you have already discovered it. The 250 round boxes of Remington seem to feed well too in my .45. I would imagine they would be the same in 9MM...

KYPD...