I have a Octane 9HD in NFA jail and need to get some ammo for it. Eventually I will probably start reloading but in the mean time I would like to pick up a case or 2 of subsonic 9mm ammo to get started with?

Initial hosts will be a G17 w/SiCo barrel and 9mm AR SBR with 4.5" barrel.

Target Sports USA seems to have the price prices shipped if you buy by the case. They have the following in stock

Speer Lawman 147gr TMJ (#53620)  = $250/1k shipped
American Eagle 147gr FMJ (Flat Nose #AE9FP) = $250/1k shipped
Fiocchi 158gr FMJ (#9APE) = $300/1k shipped

I've read comments about the AE being dirty and both the AE and Lawman being loud through some hosts? Both my hosts have short barrels (<5") so I'm basically wondering is the Fiocchi 158gr worth the added expense and/or other then cost, is there any downside to the 158gr loads?

Thanks

I have had good luck with Speer ammo for as long as I have been shooting handguns (over 15 years now).


I bought several thousand rounds of Speer Lawman 147gr. specifically to use with my 9mm suppressor. I just got the suppressor and I've only put 50 rounds through it so far, but it ran fine and was nice and quiet.




Fiocchi ammo is high quality too. I have shot a lot of the 115 gr. FMJ and it is GTG.




I've never had a problem with American Eagle, but some people have said that they have had issues recently with the 5.56 AR loads. I haven't, and it probably doesn't necessarily mean that IF there are problems then those problems apply to the AE pistol rounds, or the AE red box stuff.




I guess what I'm saying is that I wouldn't have an issue shooting any of that ammo.


 

For the quality/price though, I wold probably go with the Speer. Best pop for your buck.

Stay with the speed 147. While IT IS a plated bullet, it has a "double plating" on it. Shoots well and is somewhat clean.I shoot it in my Osprey without issues.

Eta: Typing on a phone sucks...speer 147.

I really like Speer Lawman ammo too and that was originally the way I planned to go but then I read some posts claiming they were loud (but without any host/suppressor info?) and then read a lot of recommendations for the Fiocchi 158gr load so I started to second guess myself and wonder if the Fiocchi was worth the extra $?

I have used the Speer and Fiocchi with similar results and haven't noticed one being louder than the other in my Glock 17/Osprey9.  Personally, the extra cost of the Fiocchi would be better spent on more Speer.  Having said that, I do keep an eye out for the Fiocchi or Privi Partizan 158gr to go on sale. Earlier this year, PSA had the the Fiocchi on close out sale for around $10/box.

SG Ammo has the Speer Lawman a few dollars less (SG). I have bought from both companies with excellent results, but SG ships faster.

Speer Lawman 147 is my go-to, other than my reloads.

The AE 147 seems louder to me.

Speer's excellent Gold Dot is also an electroplated bullet and it has a fantastic reputation for accuracy.

For suppressor use, Speer's electroplated LawMan 147 is actually an advantage.  Electroplating means there is no exposed lead on the base of the bullet.  Thus, no lead is deposited in your supressor.

With other brands, small amounts of lead are vaporized with each shot, and they do accumulate on baffles over time; especially the blast baffle.

OK - Lawman it is!


Thanks for the heads up. Been shopping for a lot of ammo lately and for just about everything I've looked at (that they both had in stock), TS-USA was cheaper with shipping included but SG is cheaper in this case.

 
DOH!


That's $50 less per case than I paid.

Does anyone know if the HUSH line offered by Freedom Munitions is loaded with a plated or jacketed projectile?  

165GR HUSH

147GR HUSH

I am assuming plated. I noticed that X-treme bullets offers similar projectiles for sale. I believe the 2 companies are affiliated. Could be wrong.

X-Treme 165GR

X-Treme 147GR RN


Is it ok to shoot plated bullets thru a suppressor?

I've shot the freedom munitions HUSH ammo alongside both the American Eagle and Speer Lawman.


Other than $6, i saw no difference.

Good to know - I went ahead and ordered the Speer Lawman from SG

The sad part is, even if they don't ship the ammo out for a month, it will still get here much sooner then my suppressor will

There is a little difference imo. But very very negligible.

*edit* 9mm ar15

What bolt, buffer and spring is in your AR SBR? My 5" SBR with an octane won't cycle 158. Using a cmmg bolt, standard carbine spring and slash 9QT buffer. Now with a 8" barrel and all other parts the same the 158 runs flawless and is quieter than 147 lawman to my ear.

I'm sure you've heard this before, and I don't mean to derail your path.  Buy yourself a Dillon 650 and get started reloading. It's extremely satisfying and you can tune the rounds to be as quiet as possible yet still cycling all your guns.  

By saving at least $120 per thousand you will pay for your press in no time and not be at the whims of the ammunition market.  I load x-treme 147 grain, using Vihtavouri N series powders, and I can reload my brass 10 to 20 times.  Plated bullets have no lead exposed to the flame front, and the vihtvpowder is clean burning, so my cans stay clean after many thousands of rounds.  My Dillon press will last a lifetime, and if I ever choose to sell it I can get back three quarters of what I paid. If it ever breaks they will send me parts for free.  

Again, I apologize if I derailed your thread, but please consider this path.   I used to shoot lawman, AE9N2, Winchester BEB, and a few other 147's when they were $200/1000 preObummer 1st term.   but since buying the press 8+ years ago I've not bought commercial ammo other than HST  I love shooting my preferred load, cleanly, soft recoiling, for half of today's prices.  

My most accurate load to date is using Hornady XTP 147 bullets.  the 650 is overkill I know, but it's not much more thanks a Square Deal, and I have flexibility later.  It's a progressive press so every pull the handle yields a round.  

The only time it makes a bad round when I forget to keep feeding it.  Compared to my old Lee that yielded a lot of scrap, glad I dumped that mess and upgraded.

HUSH is noticeably quieter in a carbine, but it's borderline reliable in a handgun.

I would go Fiocchi. I hate shooting Speer Lawman with my Octane 9. When I use Lawman with my G19 I get peppered in the face every shot. It's terrible. It is a significantly more enjoyable experience with Fiocchi. I have no experience shooting American Eagle with the Octane.

This has been my experience as well. 45octane here though. To me the Ficocchi 158s are a good deal quieter than the 147 american eagle, 147 lawman, and 124 ae suppressor I have shot. Also much cleaner.





I have some 158g imi subs on the way to compare.

















 

100% reliable in my Glocks with or without silencers. It my MP5 it is noticeably quieter. It seems to run 50-100 fps slower than most other brands.

My USP ejects very weakly with it. The difference in sound isn't worth it to me.

On an MP5, I totally agree with you.

Haven't tried the hush... but the regular freedom munitions 147s, my USP does the same thing.. ejects very weak. Some times, looks like they just kinda fall out.

I like their 124s though, they stay subsonic for me out of my USP9T + Osprey45

ABSOLUTELY!  

The Gold Dot is plated.  Lawman is plated.  Even 3,000FPS + Fusion rifle bullets are plated. They are all fine through a suppressor.  Preferable actually.

last year i bought 980 rounds or so of Federal 147gr (i think it is the precurser to the HST) for $340 including shipping.
The guy that had it said it was in storage for a while and probably thought I was a sucker.. it's ok because I thought he was a sucker for selling it...



eta found image of the box..

From my experience, HUSH 165 gr will not cycle MP9 nor a VP9.  It will also not lock the bolt back on empty on an MPX and I've had some FTEs on the MPX with HUSH 165 gr.

4.5" ADCO barrel, RRA bolt (new style w/factory ramp), Sprinco "Red" XP spring, Colt 9mm buffer w/NFA buffer spacer.


That sir, is the plan. Just getting 1k of factory stuff now to hold me over until I'm setup to roll my own.


Well the Lawman is already on the way and I plan to start reloading soon but if happen to see some Ficocchi 158 locally for a decent price I'll probably pick up a few boxes just to compare?

Have had no issues running Freedom Munitions 147gr HP (new or reloads).
Reloads are around $.21/rd.
Hard to beat for target shooting.

I've tried a lot of different subsonic 9mm rounds over the years and my personal favorite is still 158gr Fiocchi.
....when you can find it.  During the last ammo buying panic it was rare as unicorn tears.  I bought 2,000 rounds earlier this year when it became available again.  

It cycles reliably in my pistols and in my 9mm SBR.  It's also the quietest round I've used.  



You should at least buy a couple of boxes and try it for yourself.  

I've loaded up a magazine with mixed rounds to get a side-by-side comparison of volume and the Fiocchi always comes out on top.

That is what I like for my brass to do, fall at me feet so I do not have to crawl around the yard looking for it.

I run nothing but Freedom Munitions 147 grain reloads. Cheap and has yet to fail me.

+1, Same experience.

PPU 158 is probably a close second though. Everything else I've tried is noticeably louder.

Well I went ahead and ordered 300rds for the Fiocchi 158gr so I can compare for myself (some day when I finally get my suppressor! )

Where did you find the best price?

I just ordered some last week, Target Sports USA had the best price that I could find at the time. Come out to about $304 shipped for 1k rounds.

IIRC, TargetSportsUSA did have the best price, especially if you are buying a case (free shipping). I just wanted a few boxes to try and was actually looking for some Federal Fusion MSR to try out for SD in my SBR and Selway Armory had the best price on that. Their price on the Fiocchi 158gr was $15.99 which was only $1/box more than TS-USA and it didn't bump up the shipping cost much so I just ordered 6 boxes along with the Fusion MSR ammo to try them both out.