View Full Version : AR Ammo is more abundant…but what’s good?
.
Now that .223 Remington and 5.56 NATO ammo is more plentiful, what is the good stuff to stock and shoot? Maybe it’s just me, but to load a 30-round mag with 60¢ ammo means that mag will cost me $18. I can handle that if I’m shooting coyotes or something but to poof it away doing drills… just makes me feel ...broke.
The bulk of my AR ammo is Federal XM193 55g Bulk 1000-round cases. I’ve shot a fair amount (1000-1500) of it without a problem but I read the other day that it “has been attributed to gun failures more than any other ammo”…oh great! I wonder if it because there is more of it than any other ammo??? I hate that it might not be “good stuff” because it is everywhere for about 30¢/rnd, it is hard to pass up.
So, to diversify a little, I tried PMC Bronze .223. 55g. Shot a hundred or so rounds and IT seemed fine, especially at 31¢/rnd. then I read this morning, that “it is well known that PMC ammo is on the low end quality.” …oh great!
I’ve tried Remington UMC 55g but I could tell it was on the weak side, dirty, and accuracy was "fido". I like Winchester 5.56 stuff but it is a little pricey around 55+¢/rnd.
So far, my favorites for accuracy are Fiocchi 77g Match King and the Blackhills Blue Box 75g Match HP. The best I’ve found the Fiocchi is about 80¢/round on sale and the best on the BH Blue Box has been about 65¢/rnd on sale. Those two rounds sure group nicely. I have several hundred round of each but to me, they aren't "practice" ammos.
I really, really, really can’t make myself shoot steel case stuff. I might try the Hornady Training ammo if I can get it cheap enough but it seems a little scarce. I’ve shot the Wolf Gold Match and was pleased with it but I’d rather spend a little more and just get the Fiocchi. I just have a hard time buying the $3.50/box Russian steel cased stuff and shooting it in my guns. It’s just me.
I shoot a 1-7” twist and generally shoot “tactically” varying from 15 yds. to 225yds. I’d imagine I’ll end up shooting 55g to 62g bullets, if I can find quality stuff. I’m thinking I need to stock and start shooting some M855 but some ranges don’t let you shoot AP ammo. Oh well…
So, for a guy on a budget, that wants to shoot as much as possible, what ammo have y’all had good luck with and recommend?
.
18 cent steel case ammo makes the same noise on my steel gong as my 37 cent M193. What issues have you had?
...So, for a guy on a budget, that wants to shoot as much as possible, what ammo have y’all had good luck with and recommend?
.
Reloaded ammo.
You can shoot the "good stuff" for around half the price of what you pay for it retail. Plus, you can tailor your rounds for a particular gun/application. The best of both worlds if you ask me.
It is a fairly steep initial investment, but well worth the cost if you shoot even a moderate amount over a years time.
ETA: M855 is not armor piercing, FYI. I don't doubt that some douchebag out there somewhere considers it such, but in the real world, not so much.
18 cent steel case ammo makes the same noise on my steel gong as my 37 cent M193 - Dave43 is right.
Dont get caught up in that "no steel case ammo in my gun" stuff. worst it will be is on your $3.00 extractor or demonstrate you are not using a quality upper, cleaninger your weapon or using enough lube.
I just finished a 3 day course at Blackwater where we went through a decent amount of ammo and I shot steel cased brown bear exclusively - no issues! This is a reoccuring story.
In days past some South African surplus ammo was known for ftf. Use it as a training opportunity to practice malfuntion drills or trainsitions. ;)
I am not sure you will run into inssues with any newly produced ammo today. You might hear about what is light, accurate, etc. but honestly home in on you want in your SHTF bag and what you want to train with. Know the differences so you can appropriately dial-in.
Past that, roll your own. Its a great hobby within the hobby.
You can read some accurate stuff on the Internet, and a lot of crap.
I don't know about the Federal, but I've put over 3000
rounds of the 55 gr PMC through both my Stag and my Noveske without a hiccup. And it's clean. And very pretty.
PMC is good to go.
I noticed the PMC brass does not have annealed case mouths. Is that a big deal in AR ammo? Figured there must be some reason milspec ammo is annealed???
I noticed the PMC brass does not have annealed case mouths. Is that a big deal in AR ammo? Figured there must be some reason milspec ammo is annealed???
I confess I am paying more attention to the way the ammo functions rather than anything about its esoteric credentials.
My experience with PMC ammo is that annealed case mouths must be absolutely not a big deal.
A store in town is putting Winchester USA 55g 5.56 NATO on sale for $6.99/box of 20. I've got a coupon that will make 18 boxes cost less than $6/box.
Same store has PMC Bronze 55g for $6.49/box of 20 and with the coupon I can get them for less than $5.50/box.
Is it worth 50¢/box to get the WInchester's that have sealed primers, annealed cases, and is US made?
A store in town is putting Winchester USA 55g 5.56 NATO on sale for $6.99/box of 20. I've got a coupon that will make 18 boxes cost less than $6/box.
Same store has PMC Bronze 55g for $6.49/box of 20 and with the coupon I can get them for less than $5.50/box.
Is it worth 50¢/box to get the WInchester's that have sealed primers, annealed cases, and is US made?
Mind sending me a PM with the store's name and location?
Thanks,
NB.
I have noticed at the wally world in my area the ammo is coming back strong a lot of 55 gr hell they even had PMC 250rd boxes of 45 and 380 is showing back up to.LC is showing up on the Internet in 300 rd cases for 129.00 55 gr and M855 62 gr
Is it worth 50¢/box to get the WInchester's that have sealed primers, annealed cases, and is US made?
I'm sure the PMC is annealed too. They probably just polish off the iris for cosmetic purposes.
Win ammo will be hotter. The sealed primers aren't a big deal. If it's just practice ammo, I'd get the milder stuff. For stash ammo, get the WIN.
For range practice ammo, I use Brown Bear steel case ammo in my middy carbine upper. That stuff is around $.22/shot. This way I can order a few 500 round cases without guilt. I haven't had a single problem with it in my DSA upper w/ LMT bolt.
From the varmint upper I shoot Prvi 77 grain match that's around $.45/shot.
I just got a box of Black Hills Gold SMK 69 grain, and that's going to be for hopefully shooting a couple of "glory groups" and that's about it. I can't afford to shoot this regularly.
I like the steel cased Brown Bear and Silver Bear a lot, and Hornady is making a line of steel cased ammo that seems very good, IMHO.
From the varmint upper I shoot Prvi 77 grain match that's around $.45/shot.
I just got a box of Black Hills Gold SMK 69 grain, and that's going to be for hopefully shooting a couple of "glory groups" and that's about it. I can't afford to shoot this regularly.
MTechnik,
How does the Prvi77g stuff shoot for you?
Did you get a chance to shoot the BH SMK 69g this weekend?
to the OP: did you get an answer you were looking for?
to everyone else: i have seen Fiocchi all over the place for sale... i haven't heard anything too bad about it, and its a good price when i see it. all i would use it for is target stuff. any advice?
sorry to jack the thread, but i feel like this will help out the OP if he didn't get an answer that helped him a lot...
Fiochi is indeed all over. Cabelas has shit tons of the stuff as well as PMC bronze by the pallet.
I was hoping to have some other recommendations besides Federal XM193, Fiocchi 77g, PMC 55g, etc.
Since I posted, I've come across Winchester 55g for $7/bx and I put everything Cabelas had in my store on lay-away.
I saw today that Fiocchi makes a 62g that is going for $325/1000 w/ free shipping. Since most "calibrated" quality optics are for M855, I wonder how the Fiocchi 62g compares?
Since I posted, I've come across Winchester 55g for $7/bx and I put everything Cabelas had in my store on lay-away.
If it's the Q3131a1, then you got some good ammo. My damned cabelas has it at $10.99 still. I'd buy more of it at $7 if I found it. It's one of my favorite loads since it's hotter than .223, but a touch under full powered M193.
Thus, it's more reliable in carbine gas systems in my opinion.
I used to reload 9mm years ago. I am thinking of trying again, but doing .223 this time. I would have to buy a press, et.al. and was wondering what some of you guys might be seeing as your "end cost" per round for 55-62 grain.
Thanks
If it's the Q3131a1, then you got some good ammo. My damned cabelas has it at $10.99 still. I'd buy more of it at $7 if I found it. It's one of my favorite loads since it's hotter than .223, but a touch under full powered M193.
Thus, it's more reliable in carbine gas systems in my opinion.
=======================
MarkM, Sounds like you have a local Cabelas. If you do, periodically search on their website for 223 and/or 5.56 ammo, it'll bring up everything including what they have "on sale" listed in 'red print'. That is how I found the Winchester 3131A ammo.
I go ask the local Cabelas if they will match the online price (knowing they do), then I bring them a box of what I want and ask how many they have in stock. I'm just a poor guy, so I generally take what I want and put it on lay away.
If the local store doesn't have the ammo, you can order it shipped to the store without shipping costs.
If you have a Cabelas card, or sign up online for e-mails, you'll get coupons ($20 off of $120; $30 off of $150, etc.) You can then throw the coupon in to get an even better deal.
I've gotten some really good deals on quality ammo from Cabelas, you just have to stay on top of their sales, get the coupons, and understand how to get the best deals.
From my experience, my local Cabelas really seems to try for Customer Satisfaction, in spite of what a few bad apples at the store may make you think.
.
Yep. I bought a box Friday since it was only $8.99. :p
I'll watch for the internet specials, and get some that way next time.
I absolutely LOVE 3131a1. If I could get it at a good price, I'd make it my stash ammo.
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/trixiebud/hudson081.jpg?t=1280675093
If it's the Q3131a1, then you got some good ammo. My damned cabelas has it at $10.99 still. I'd buy more of it at $7 if I found it. It's one of my favorite loads since it's hotter than .223, but a touch under full powered M193.
Thus, it's more reliable in carbine gas systems in my opinion.
Widener's has IMI M193, for what I think is a decent price. Thought you might be interested.
My cabelas still has the PMC 55 FMJ for $6.49 a box, I have had good luck with it in my M&P MOE. Shoots very clean and good groups, the M&P barrels are 1/9.
Our local Academy is running Prvi for $6/box under the brand name Monarch.
I haven't shot thousands of rounds of the stuff, but have had no problem with the 500 or so I've fired. It's brass cased, boxer primed and fully reloadable.
ForTehNguyen
08-09-10, 13:48
running wolf in my BCM ARs and Bushy ACR, they eat whatever, goes bang everytime.
IMI is some of the, if not the best 5.56 ammo I have ever put through my rifle. Israel must have some very good QC procedures in ammo production. A huge plus with the IMI is the resulting brass. It is some top notch brass for reloading. I personally use my IMI brass with my V-Max loads for long distance shooting.
IMI is some of the, if not the best 5.56 ammo I have ever put through my rifle. Israel must have some very good QC procedures in ammo production. A huge plus with the IMI is the resulting brass. It is some top notch brass for reloading. I personally use my IMI brass with my V-Max loads for long distance shooting.
I wish I lived as close to Widener's as you. I haven't seen any other dealer offering IMI.
Wideners must have an exclusive on the IMI. I'm going to get some soon. I don't see ammo getting harder to find in the immediate future though.... so I'm not in a big hurry to buy.
I just bought 1000 rounds of PMC M855 62 gr green-tip for $331 including shipping from Palmetto State Armory.
/
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.