Ammo

Post by **Dano** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 1:46 pm

Again, i'm a noob. Looking for what you experts recommend for both indoor range and home use. I'd also like to know about everything from steel jackets to hollow points to snap-caps. In the great words of # Johnny 5, "NEED INPUT!"

-Dan

Post by **Mr1der** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 3:04 pm

snap caps are commonly used to describe the plastic spring loaded cartridges used to dry fire a gun to prevent added stress on the firing pin.

as far as jackets go...FMJ is good for basic target practice and CAN be used to defense but best if done as a last resort kinda thing.

Jacketed hollowpoints or JHP's are used for defensive or hunting purposes for the slight edge in energy upon impact and lessened potential for over penetration.

Total Metal Jackets (TMJ) aren't encountered often but are used to indoor ranges where ventilation is insufficient to filter all of the lead residue from the air that might build up.

Expanding Metal Jackets...a relatively new bullet design, blends the aspects of an snag free, easy loading FMJ with the ballistics of a JHP. looking at one of the bullets, you can usually see very fine cuts in the jacket to help the expansion.

Soft Points and Lead Wadcutters - these were the earliest designs of bullets due to the low temperature in which lead melts made it easy to mold as it was also soft enough to not damage rifling in early barrels. both still see use in period style competitions (think cowboy) or for cheap target rounds.

then we have Hardcast. Hardcaste are leadbullets that are harder than usual...I really don't know much about the process but they're a preferred load in big game hunting due to the higher penetration and heavy weight compared to more conventional types.

Post by **Dano** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 3:26 pm

Explain a little more on snap caps, I guess i'm just ignorant, I've got it vaugely...

-Dan

Post by **Mr1der** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 3:47 pm

http://www.pistoleer.com/azoom/

they're used to dry fire a pistol and not cause undue stress to a firing pin.

it's either a platic or metal replica of a cartridge that has a spring loaded primer cap for the firing pin to strike.

Post by **Dano** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 4:20 pm

Awesome, it just clicked.

What about brands... Like, I know there's gotta be good and bad stuff, not just to shoot, but for the gun? I'm assuming it's like different brands of gas for a car... In which case I probly just have to try different stuff until I find stuff I like huh?

-Dan

Post by **Mr1der** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 5:00 pm

yup.

there's also higher pressure loads too, the boxes will be marked with +P or +p+

check the owner's manual of the gun before buying these though as some won't handle it.

Post by **Dano** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 9:31 pm

K, also good to know!

-Dan

Post by **Repo Man** » Sat Jul 07, 2007 4:24 am

As far as brands go, there are many good brands. To coattail on what James said, you have to try different rounds in whatever pistol you have and see what is the most accurate and if any are not reliable.

I've had excellent results with Cor-Bon ammo. This is carry ammo and it is quite powerful, albeit expensive. The Federal Hydra Shok is a highly proven JHP and would serve you well in both .40 and .45 loads. For practice ammo I have had good experience with PMC and Remington. I had some trouble with Winchester white box in .45, but none in .40 or 9mm. I think it was probably the pistol with the .45, but a buddy had trouble with it too in a Kimber, so who knows.

Some people get hung up on a magic bullet. Guess what? There isn't one. Pick a quality JHP that is accurate and feeds well and then work on shot placement. Over and over and over...

Post by **Mr1der** » Sat Jul 07, 2007 6:17 am

Winchester SXT's are also a good one to try.

right now, I've got just regular whitebox Winchester JHP's in the Taurus I keep loaded.

not one of the cool super ultra high tech rounds, but I keep them because I can hit within 6 inches at 40 yds with them.

Post by **Repo Man** » Sat Jul 07, 2007 7:57 am

And that is exactly my point. You don't need a "super cool ultra high tech" bullet to get the job done.

Post by **Cold_Zero** » Sat Jul 07, 2007 3:01 pm

I have snap-caps for my Taurus .357 Mag. They just let you dry fire the weapon with out hurting it. Listen to what Andy and James have said. Good advice, as always.

I just shot an IDPA competition with the standard target Winchester Target/Range Ammo 9mm 115 grain FMJ. No problems. A few guys firing the same caliber had problems with their Blazer Ammo. A few dudes and one that mis-feed in the clip. I like the Winchester Target Range Ammo for that application. Its super cheap (I usually buy it from WalMart) and pretty reliable.

Stuff I have used with no problems:

Winchester:Cowboy Action Loads 45 Colt 250 grain Lead Flat Nose Super X 45 Colt 225 grain Silvertip HallowpointsSuper X 454 Casull 250 grain JHPPartition Gold 454 Casull 260 grain JHPGeorgia Arms 454 Casull 300 grain JHP- currently what I am using, great stuffPersonal Protection .357 Mag 110 grain JHPTarget/Range 40 S&W 165 grain FMJTarget/Range 9mm 115 grain FMJ

Fiocchi:38 S&W Special 158 grain FMJ

Corbon (My personal defense ammunition).357 Mag 125 grain JHP9mm 115 JHP

I in by no way advocating that these are the paradigms that you must follow. I am just indicating that these brands have given me successful ammunition when shooting my handguns. I tend to buy my ammunition in bulk and need to do so next gun show.bud

Post by **Dano** » Sat Jul 07, 2007 4:30 pm

Yeah, I gotcha, I was just looking for for some good, cheap ammo for the range. .40 cal.

-Dan

Post by **Mr1der** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 6:02 am

try them all.

just use FMJ's. Sellior and Bellot is usually cheap and a clean burning and generally accurate brand.

Wolf isn't bad if the gun doesn't mind a steel casing and a little dirt.

CCI Blazer too, the cases are aluminum, and like steel, can't be reloaded, but you probably don't care about that right now. UMC/Remington makes good target stuff....just about any FMJ you can find will be a good target load to try.

god...if I could make good money owning a gun store I'd be all over it....

Post by **auditech10** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 3:17 pm

Ranger SXTs for home defense. They are the newer design of the Black Talons, from what Ive heard...

Post by **Mr1der** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 3:01 pm

they're actually just the Talon without the teflon coating.

good stopper, it comes with a proven track record.

if the guns shoots it well and you can handle it, I don't give a crap what it is, load it.

Post by **fayceoff** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 3:12 pm

Mr1der wrote:CCI Blazer too, the cases are aluminum, and like steel, can't be reloaded, but you probably don't care about that right now.

This is pretty much all I use for target shooting. For carry, I like the the HydraShocks, but they're far too expensive for the range... Pretty much anything Mr1der and repo-man says as far as guns goes is gold.

Post by **Mr1der** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 2:08 pm

for reals....Hydrashock's about a dollar a shot...it's good to shoot it occasionally to know where the gun's gonna put it...but everytime is crazy.

I still need to go to an actual range and check out the 240gr I've got for my XD and see how well it likes it.

Post by **bobotech** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 9:44 am

My son and I use HSM reloads in our guns for cheap plinking ammo. HSM usually comes in a bright yellow box and is brass and quite cheap compared to the brand name stuff.

My son's 40 smith and wesson has zero problems gobbling it up and our other guns have no issues with the 9mm and 45 stuff as well.

I'm now reloading and saving most of my brass from the HSM and its working out quite nicely. HSM (Hunting Shack Munitions) brass is cheaper than steel/aluminum cased Blazer.

Post by **fayceoff** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 2:06 pm

bobotech wrote:cheaper than... Blazer.

Don't think I've ever heard that phrase before. I'll have to look for HSM.

Post by **bobotech** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 2:15 pm

fayceoff wrote:
Don't think I've ever heard that phrase before. I'll have to look for HSM.

I was at Sportsmans Warehouse this past weekend and it was 6.99 for a box of brass 9mm, 7.99 or 8.99 for .40 brass and 10.99 for 45acp. Its either the same price or a tiny bit cheaper than blazer. I like it because it brass and not steel or aluminum cased and I'm reloading now.

Post by **Mr1der** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 1:43 pm

how accurate is it?

I've shot reloaded stuff from a local place and found that it's inconsistant as hell.

Post by **bobotech** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 2:04 pm

We plink. We shoot at these old metal oxy/acetylene tanks at the pistol range. They are perfect for that.

The HSM has been around a long time and the police force here uses it for practice ammo. The practical/tactical shooting team uses that ammo for their events and they are happy with it.

I have been reloading myself lately.

Post by **Repo Man** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 12:46 pm

I need to get a press again. I had a single stage Lee press in college, but now that I'm a citizen I should just get a Dillon progressive.

Post by **Mr1der** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 2:48 pm

I too would enjoy hand loading.

I wish my backyard were bigger though...it's nice to not have to worry about going to a range.

Post by **bobotech** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 9:58 pm

repo man wrote:I need to get a press again. I had a single stage Lee press in college, but now that I'm a citizen I should just get a Dillon progressive.

I want a dillon 650 with all the options like the auto case feeder and stuff. Around 1200 bux but reloads several hundred rounds an hour.

Post by **4cefed** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 2:29 pm

I have to say if you are going to keep something loaded for home defence or for general carry, try Magsafes or Glasser safety slugs. They are the epoxy/metal composites. They are the most effective thing against flesh, and the will also disintegrate if they miss the mark. So if you miss the bad guy it won't go through six walls and kill your neighbor.

They are pricey though, and I'll have to second cor-bons if you don't like either of the two I mentioned.

Post by **Mr1der** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 3:18 pm

magsafe has always been hailed as a good load.

some prefer heavier bullets with more kinetic energy though.

and they're usually cheaper...magsafe and glazer are freakin' high...

Post by **Repo Man** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 5:32 am

Cor Bon has long been my choice in defensive loads. Hehe, I used to load up mags for some of my buddies with mostly standard pressure ball ammo and then BAM! Slip in a Cor Bon +P+ and watch the reaction.

Post by **JimmyMethod** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:29 pm

I have a kind of strange question.

How much force does it take to ignite a primer in, say, a 9mm round?

Post by **Mr1der** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 12:17 pm

depends on the rounds...

not all primers are the same...

sometimes surplus ammo won't work good at all in guns that have had action/trigger work because they just don't have the force to pop the primer hard enough.

I dunno if the shooter's bible would have something like that in it or not...

Ammo

Ammo

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