Author Topic: Best all around ammunition.  (Read 22993 times)

Offline GhostWarrior

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Best all around ammunition.
« on: April 24, 2012, 04:32:58 PM »
          I'm posting this in a couple places one here one on the Ammunition Board and one or 2 more places so I can get the widest range of answers. I think it would benifit ALL our members if there was some sort of answer for a question like this.
 
         My question is: Say you have a 9mm and 3 or 4 different 9mm CZ's or possibly even a mix of brands (if that doesn't mess up the answer), And you wanted to stock up on one  round for all the 9's, that would meet pretty much every purpose, things, animals, people, (I hope I Never have to do that), what would you get? 116 grain, 124 grain Sub sonic or sonic, and is there an overall particular manufacture that pretty much something you can count on. I'm looking a ball/FMJ since the only way HP's will work in all my 9's is if I have the ramps polished and I couldn't afford to have that done on a bet. So FMJ is pretty much all I'm interested in.



        I actually have that same question for .380, .40's, .45's. .308's. I figure the Mak and Tok rounds I'm just going to have to go with surplus unless there is an American and or non-corrosive answer for those.



     Is there a single manufacture that anyone would buy all their ammo from if they could get a good price for case lots, and what is a decent price on case lots for any of those. Be advised I just got a letter from Federal telling me they not only can't/won't sell to me at even retail let alone a discount for testing purposes, but the Federal literally cannot meet its current demand for product. Keep that in mind if you like Federal. It could get ugly trying to find any or at a reasonable price. I don't think this is going to be an easy thing to answer even the 9mm part let alone the others. And if anyone has a better way to set up the question to get the answers, I would love it.
 
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b5.5dan

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Re: Best all around ammunition.
« Reply #1 on: April 24, 2012, 04:59:20 PM »
I really like Winchester. I have never had any problems with anything they sell, from teh White Box up to the nicer Home/Self defense stuff. If I were going to get 5000 rounds of any ammo, it would be the 124 grain JHP. Cheap enough for plinking, but reliable enough for me to feel safe carying every day.
« Last Edit: April 24, 2012, 05:41:24 PM by b5.5dan »

norcal616

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Re: Best all around ammunition.
« Reply #2 on: April 24, 2012, 05:28:18 PM »
I get the fmj 124gr in any good brand that isnt steel cased and i tend to stay away from winchester( leaves red powder all over gun and my hand)...i alway try to buy sellier and bellot when they are priced right...

Offline GhostWarrior

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Re: Best all around ammunition.
« Reply #3 on: April 25, 2012, 09:27:28 AM »
Great! Thanks both of you, every bit of info I can get is important. I just hope I find out enouhg to make a decent all around choice before it gets to be to late to afford ammo.
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CZ04FT

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Re: Best all around ammunition.
« Reply #4 on: April 25, 2012, 09:45:31 AM »
I like Federal. It is carried at the stores I go to for ammo, Walmart, for example. It is usually in stock and inexpensive compared to some other brands. Bottom line: cost, availability, and reasonable quality.

Offline DeeDubya

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Re: Best all around ammunition.
« Reply #5 on: April 25, 2012, 11:26:22 AM »
We have a lot of bullet manufacturers to choose from these days. I'm so old that I remember when it was Remington-Peters or Winchester-Western and Federal was the new boy on the block. I've probably shot more Winchester (the famous white box) than any other. I lean toward the heavier bullets in FMJ's. I shoot 147gr in my 9mm's and 180gr in my 40's and 230gr in 45. Rifles would be totally determined by their purpose.
 
I think everyone should decide for him/herself by trying everything. Buy a box and try it before buying a case (no matter how good the price). As with most things, lower prices are sometimes lower for a reason (like slow sales). Then there are overstocks (not likely with ammo currently) and also promotional specials. And don't forget reloading (it's my thing, I sometimes have more rounds loaded than I can get around to shooting.) :shocked:
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Offline GhostWarrior

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Re: Best all around ammunition.
« Reply #6 on: April 25, 2012, 05:49:24 PM »
       I keep thinking about reloading but I have noticed that I "drift" when doing the same thing over and over and doing that with Powder strikes be as a Nonlinear idea, health and safety wise.  :grin: I used to reload way back in the day, right down to casting my own rounds. But that was yesterday. :embarrassed: :sad:
« Last Edit: April 26, 2012, 09:04:27 AM by GhostWarrior »
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Offline DeeDubya

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Re: Best all around ammunition.
« Reply #7 on: April 26, 2012, 07:52:42 AM »
A progressive press (a must for handgun ammo) will keep you pretty busy because every pull of the lever drops a round and you still have to manually place the bullet over the case. And you have to routinely check the primer feeder (some have a warning buzzer), watch the powder checker (some have a buzzer), watch for a dented or split case before and after seating the bullet. So if you do it right you won't fall asleep. The only 2 things you cannot do while loading is drink alcohol or smoke. Both can get you blown up.
DW
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Offline GhostWarrior

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Re: Best all around ammunition.
« Reply #8 on: April 26, 2012, 09:03:48 AM »
       Thanks. I'll go back and check on prices. I guess being anal retentive with a touch of ADD and being scared I'll screw up should keep me fairly well focused on checking stuff.
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Offline DeeDubya

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Re: Best all around ammunition.
« Reply #9 on: April 26, 2012, 09:23:31 AM »
Many companies offer reloading "kits" where you get the press, one set of dies, scales, loading block, powder funnel, loading manual, etc. Makes it easy to get started. I have a Dillon 650 (nearly 20 years now) and my son uses a Hornady, but RCBS, Redding, Lyman, Pacific, Lee, all viable choices. I think auto-indexing is a must for pistol ammo though. Get on Dillon's website and order a catalog. You can browse all cool reloading stuff to spend money on. I know you are aware of much of this GW, just throwing it out for other members too.
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Offline GhostWarrior

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Re: Best all around ammunition.
« Reply #10 on: April 26, 2012, 10:35:10 AM »
        Thanks for doing so. If you can find or make the space for it. Then reloading is I think the single cheapest way to get ammo that you know will be the same every single time, No more finding the store is out of your favorite brand and you have to settle for a different kind  or drive looking for your brand.  And the price of gas makes that most counter productive cost wise.
 
        And if you take the time to finesse the amount of powder to the Grain of your projectile, then you will have very accurate match worthy ammo for a fraction of what buying it made costs. There are so many advantages to it, But like Dee says, you can't smoke, drink, and I'll add have distractions when you are reloading, Radio is fine but I would not recommend you watch a movie or TV since you will not have your eyes on the equipment every step of the way, and that could turn out less than well for you and your family.
 
       I quit when I realised that reloading by myself, I was to easily distrated. Having someone with you helping and talking about what's going on, helps keep you focused. and with someone there with you checking things as you go along is extremely helpfull. But that's me, I would rather have the help than not. But thousands of people reload by themselves all the time, and some if not most of the process can actually be done watching TV, Like tumbling the brass, necking them and micing every 20th one to check, inserting primers, and when it comes to putting them all together that's the time NOT to be distracted.
 
        And back then progressive re-loaders were either not available or too expensive. They are now a lot easier to find and cheaper, so I'm going to take another run at reloading. But indexing loaders are not any more forgiving of inattention than the one at a time loaders. I don't think I would want to be doing or watching anything with an auto loader working, strictly alone time or someone helping and not playing. Thanks for the suggestion/idea [/color]Dee. Hopefully I haven't said anything particularly stupid here and if I have someone tell me.
« Last Edit: April 26, 2012, 02:36:00 PM by GhostWarrior »
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Offline Rodolfo Fierro

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Re: Best all around ammunition.
« Reply #11 on: April 26, 2012, 02:28:33 PM »
The worst thing that can happen is a double charge.  If you choose the right powder you can eliminate that possibility with most semi-auto ammo.  The 9mm and 380 reloads that I make are at about 90% of the case's capacity.  A double charge on them will cause powder to spill out of the case. 
In order to double charge a case you need to stop in mid-cycle and raise the case again.  This only happens when you are tinkering, trying to clear something else that has all of your attention.  Just make it a habit to check the case at the charge station if you have any kind of problem. 
 
« Last Edit: April 26, 2012, 03:16:21 PM by Rodolfo Fierro »

Offline DeeDubya

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Re: Best all around ammunition.
« Reply #12 on: April 26, 2012, 02:49:01 PM »
That's right although I've never been able to get a double charge on my Dillon, but then I never back-stroked either. You'd have to come half way down and back up and down again. I think other things would jam up too, like the primer feed.
I think there is a greater possibility of a squib load or no powder at all due to caked powder in the hopper. Squibs can be dangerous too especially in revolvers. A squib in a semiauto would probably cause a FTE or FTF and you'd know something was wrong. But double-action shooting in a revolver could blow things up if a bullet got stuck in the barrel.
« Last Edit: April 26, 2012, 03:31:35 PM by DeeDubya »
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Offline GhostWarrior

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Re: Best all around ammunition.
« Reply #13 on: April 26, 2012, 03:27:27 PM »
All great stuff I should have remembered thanks.
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awerner

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Re: Best all around ammunition.
« Reply #14 on: April 11, 2013, 09:15:04 AM »
Dear GWarrior,  This might be to late to help with your question about ammo,  But, here's my 2 cents worth....First, since your going with FMJ's  you'd want the heaviest ammo that you can get...Since the round won't expand ie, solids the heavier rounds would do the most damage since it would hit harder with the added weight...Think,  a stick vs a bat scenario..Obviously since the bat will be larger and heavier it will do more damage, when striking an assailant.....Second,  polishing the feed ramps isn't that hard...I use about 150 grit paper roll a small piece up to the size of a pencil and go up and down on the ramp untill it looks smooth then do it again with 220 and again with 320 then top it off with a rubbing compound and then with a polish compound clean off the compound then a little oil and wipe dry and your good to go....If you have a Dremel use a buffing wheel with your compounds..Don't use the Dremel for the sanding part...As you will cut to much off the ramp...By polishing the ramp you should be able to use Hollow Points...Then my suggestion of ammo would be the Hornady Critical Defense or Critical Duty...Or Corbon Pow'r Ball ammo...I use The Hornady's and also used the Pow'r ball and there nasty..Hope that help's with you ammo questions...