9mm practice/training ammo?

[RadioActivity]

So, what of it? Does steel cased ammo run in guns like M&P's or no?

Seem S&B/Barnual/Wolf is the cheap stuff. Is it worthwhile or not? What are you high round count shooters using that is fairly reliable to stockpile/buy in bulk.

I'm too leery of the IMI stuff that was loosely packed since its offered by Rguns. After reading of debacles with the IMI 308, 5.56, I don't expect the 9mm to be any better.

Thanks for the replies!

[ToddG]

Blazer (aluminum cased).

[RadioActivity]

Todd, do you know if the steel cased stuff runs okay in M&P's?

The reason I ask is it seems blazer is a walmart phenominon (at least at good prices) and they dont ship....

Need something I can order in bulk. 10k rounds or so.

[natdm]

http://www.the-armory.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/product175.html

Seems to work pretty well for me. Cheap and easy to find around here.

[ToddG]

Closet -- In the past, I've had really good results ordering Blazer from Natchez Shooters Supplies, natchezss.com ...

I've never shot any steel-cased ammo through my M&Ps. Given the denser than normal steel Smith uses, I'd guess it would be fine. But I'd still opt for Blazer even if it was a little bit more per box just from a reliability (and liability) standpoint.

[Blake]

Blazer (aluminum cased).

Todd I was going to send you a PM concerning this very issue in reference to our PM conversation the other day. Question answered. Thanks.

[skyugo]

if you look on gun-deals.com there's not a lot of cost difference between steel case stuff and winchester white box from walmart lately. plus you can save the WWB brass for reloading/selling for scrap/trading for stuff later. so i've just been shooting that. plus there's no primer sealant to gunk up the works.

[high888]

I too have been using the 100 round box of the Winchester (white box) from Walmart. About $20 a box. Not bad, and I have used a ton of it with not one problem. The aluminum casing stuff seems good, but I have noticed this problem when using the .44 special in my snub nose. The ejector rod only pushes them out about half way. They stick. Brass always falls out without a problem. I can only assume that the aluminum expands ever so slightly more than brass, thus the sticking. In a semi-auto most likely this would never be an issue. But for fast reloads in a revolver, picking each casing out one at a time is not a good thing.
So for the revolver, I am staying with good old brass.

[vaglocker]

124 gr Hornady JHP over 4 grains of titegroup equals cheap practice round

[skyugo]

I too have been using the 100 round box of the Winchester (white box) from Walmart. About $20 a box. Not bad, and I have used a ton of it with not one problem. The aluminum casing stuff seems good, but I have noticed this problem when using the .44 special in my snub nose. The ejector rod only pushes them out about half way. They stick. Brass always falls out without a problem. I can only assume that the aluminum expands ever so slightly more than brass, thus the sticking. In a semi-auto most likely this would never be an issue. But for fast reloads in a revolver, picking each casing out one at a time is not a good thing.
So for the revolver, I am staying with good old brass.

the wal mart here has blazer brass for 8.97 a box for the 9mm. slightly cheaper than the bulk packs of WWB. functionally i can't say i notice a difference.

i wish the gun shop would get some more wolf 9mm in though. 8 bucks a box. :D
my glock likes it just fine.

[Paulinski]

Reload your own?

[rob_s]

I've found that the Blazer, ironically for "cheap" ammo, is actually a relatively hot load. Anyone else?

I've been shooting mostly American Eagle 147 grain which has a little less felt recoil.

[RWK]

If you're near a Dick's Sporting Goods, you can sometimes get good deals on Remington 115-gr. 9mm. I've picked up case loads for about $8/box.

[ToddG]

I've found that the Blazer, ironically for "cheap" ammo, is actually a relatively hot load. Anyone else?

Yes. Most (though not all) Blazer loads are on the warm side. If I had to speculate -- and it's just that -- I'd say the extra little oomph helps overcome the increased friction of aluminum as opposed to brass.

Since I carry +p in my gun for JHPs, it just makes the standard-to-+p jump that much less important.

If you like incredibly light factory loads and don't mind spending the money for them, try the 124gr American Eagle Indoor Range lead-free ammo. It's amazing it cycles a gun, but it always does somehow.

[WitchDoctor02]

What do you guys run in courses? I'm stocking up for LAV and Magpul Dynamics courses and trying to decide on what to take for handgun portions -- are Winchester white box or American Eagle decent enough for this kind of training?

I'll be running XM193 for carbine, but I don't have enough Speer Lawman 9mm ammo (my usual training ammo) on hand to cover the courses right now.

[Chooie]

I've never had a failure to fire from WWB, and as a bonus, you can get it pretty much anywhere - meaning you don't need to haul it from home to the class (but the other students may have the same idea, so YMMV).

[tjcoker]

I've used WWB, Blazer Brass, Blazer Aluminum, and Winchester Winclean (Department training ammo) in high round count courses. None of the above has given me any noted issues. Glocks are what I and my father shoot, and my training partner uses his Beretta 92FS. Courses were 2-6 days in length and usually had round counts of 500 per day. (CSAT, LAV, ITTS, Surefire, Etc.)

I was given 10-15 year old Black Talons to shoot at one course. It ran just fine.

I don't have a preference on any of the above.

Buy what you can get cheaply that is factory loaded has been what has worked for me and my partners. (my reloads also do just fine when the instructor allows for them)

[Medicine Calf]

Been using American Eagle 115 gr FMJ. Seems like it might be pretty hot, but its hard to tell. Switching off between the AE 115 and Gold Dot +P 124 gr HP, feels like there's less muzzle jump with the GDs, and the latter seems to cycle the action quicker for faster follow ups.

[achildofthesky]

I have been stroking out as my practice stash of Win whitebox is down to about 1000 now... I bought tons of that stuff from ammoman 5 years ago and am considering getting a progressive press to load now (my single stage would be WAY too slow). Friggin prices are near triple of what I last paid.

Patty

[THT]

WWB or Speer Lawman

I've been cleaning out my local walmart every time I go but there seems to be progressively fewer boxes of 9mm and .45. I think I have an illness since two of the sporting goods guys unlock the door and start grabbing the boxes when they see me approach

[LOKNLOD]

I really like the Blazer aluminum but about the only place around here with it is Academy and it's not as cheap there as it used to be...

I usually shoot WWB value pack from Wally world.

[An Undocumented Worker]

I had just run about 200 rnds of Remington UMC 9mm luger through my CZ and about 100 rnds of Blazer Brass through it, The UMC stuff appears to be crap, I noticed some failure to feeds when stripping the first round off a mag with the UMC.

When I got back home I tried it out some more, and found that the bullets in the UMC would actually get pushed further into the case while chambering a round.:eek:

I have not had any such problem with the Blazer.:)

Take it for what it's worth, but my experience with the Remington UMC stuff was pretty bad, however wally world was selling it for 48 dollars for a 250 rnd box.


I also noticed an issue with Remington .223 in that I've noticed several times rounds with the bullets set back too far, and with their 22lr I get a 10% dud rate.

So far, remington pistol, and rifle ammo, in my experience has been consistently worse than all other competitors including wolf and silver bear.

[tpd223]

I've bought Blazer from Ultramax and Nachez as well.

We run Blazer here as practice ammo, and have used the 124gr Blazer for many years. Last year the Lawman got the bid, which I thought was weird since brass coasts more than aluminum, but it's the same ammo except for the case material so I didn't care.

We literally shoot tons of Blazer 9mm here yearly, no issues.

[Iraqgunz]

Last week I bought 1000rds. of Federal 115gr. ball ammo from Natchez shipped to the house for 231.00.

[ToddG]

Last week I bought 1000rds. of Federal 115gr. ball ammo from Natchez shipped to the house for 231.00.

TARFU

[Iraqgunz]

Todd,

Why do you say that? Did I get gang-raped by the Hells Angels? It seemed like a good price.


TARFU

[ToddG]

IG -- No, nothing against you or your shopping skills. It's just the concept of paying >$200 for a case of 9mm FMJ ammo. I still remember buying 30k+ rounds of Blazer from ATK and paying less than $80 per case delivered. And that was probably only five or so years ago.

At $231 a case even I would start reloading. And I frakking hate reloading.

[Iraqgunz]

So, yes I got gang-banged by a group of bikers. Thanks. :(


IG -- No, nothing against you or your shopping skills. It's just the concept of paying >$200 for a case of 9mm FMJ ammo. I still remember buying 30k+ rounds of Blazer from ATK and paying less than $80 per case delivered. And that was probably only five or so years ago.

At $231 a case even I would start reloading. And I frakking hate reloading.

[ToddG]

So, yes I got gang-banged by a group of bikers. Thanks. :(

I think you paid a pretty common price given market conditions at the moment. If you needed the ammo RFN then you had to pay what you had to pay.

[RWK]

TARFU

TARFU...?

[ToddG]

Level II problem.

SNAFU -> TARFU -> FUBAR

[decodeddiesel]

Well this is crap, the only damn thing I can find online for 9mm Ball is freaking Ultramax. :rolleyes:

[Heavy Metal]

SNAFU=Situation Normal, All F****d Up

TARFU=Things Are Really F****d Up!

FUBAR=F****d Up Beyond All Repair