Accurate practice/training ammunition?

Handguns » Ammunition

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Accurate practice/training ammunition?

Posted: 1/7/2017 3:42:07 AM EDT

What have y'all found to be the most accurate as far as training/practice ammo goes?

Posted: 1/7/2017 4:02:18 AM EDT

[#1]

It's all more accurate than I am.

I practice hitting 4" plates at 15 yds..... and all the practice ammo I use does that with ease. If I miss.... it's me.

Posted: 1/7/2017 1:01:23 PM EDT

[#2]

Loading my own. Factory ammo has been kinda spotty lately.

Posted: 1/7/2017 11:22:39 PM EDT

[#3]

Depends on caliber I shoot whatever 115 grain ball I can find for 9mm. My glocks will shoot garden variety ball into sub 3" groups at 25 yards. Closer than that anything will do.
My 38's are sub two inch groupers with my reloads at 25 yards
My only 45 ( colt m45a1) one ragged hole with my reloads or even cheap wal mart federal 230 aluminum cased ball at fifty feet ( longest distance at my indoor practice range)

Posted: 1/8/2017 2:52:45 PM EDT

[#4]

How much do want to spend to practice ammo.

I see better results with 124 grain vs 115

My Glocks really like Federal 147 FMJ-FP

I reload and my practice ammo is easily exceeds the performance of Walmart grade fodder.

Best way for savings is either reload or buy in bulk. Try a few different boxes to see what your gun prefers and then buy on the case level.

Posted: 1/8/2017 6:44:06 PM EDT

[#5]

I typically have the best luck with ATK products(Federal/Speer/Blazer Brass), PPU, and S&B.

Posted: 1/8/2017 7:03:59 PM EDT

[#6]

I load my own. That way I shoot nothing but match ammo all the time.

Posted: 1/9/2017 12:39:14 AM EDT

[#7]

I shoot a lot of Silver Bear ammo. In several calibers.

Posted: 1/10/2017 10:24:15 PM EDT

[#8]

I've had good results with 115 grain 9mm Fiocchi, Blazer Brass, and PMC in my X-Fives.

Fiocchi has been good to me in .45ACP as well as S&B, Blazer Brass, and PMC.

I shoot a lot so I try to find non premium priced ammunition that is reliable and accurate; my preferred ammunition is Fiocchi.

Posted: 1/11/2017 7:46:34 PM EDT

[#9]

Blazer aluminum . I know it does not get a lot of love from some. I have shot over 10,000 rounds of the stuff with no issues . It shoots good enough a friend of mine has won pistol matches with it

Posted: 1/11/2017 9:41:33 PM EDT

[#10]

I shoot wolf in 9 and 45.... it's been fine for me!

Posted: 1/12/2017 12:51:14 AM EDT

[#11]

Quote History

Quoted:
Blazer aluminum . I know it does not get a lot of love from some. I have shot over 10,000 rounds of the stuff with no issues . It shoots good enough a friend of mine has won pistol matches with it

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Hands down this is my favorite practice ammo. Of course I mostly buy it these days as Federal Aluminum case (repackaged CCI Blazer) from Walmart..... unless they have perfecta which is cheaper.

I used to buy blazer at academy for $3.86 a box. It was insane how much cheaper it was than the next cheapest option - winchester white box. I'd buy 5,000 rounds at a time from Academy, I bet I have shot over 25,000 rounds of it. The only issue I ever had was in my AR15 9mm carbine, which are known not to like aluminum case.

Posted: 1/12/2017 9:26:20 AM EDT

[#12]

WWB, Federal Champion and Blazer Brass have worked pretty good for me in 9MM and 45.

Posted: 1/12/2017 10:33:30 PM EDT

[#13]

My two favorites are either Winchester or Federal.

However for 9mm I recently found IMI to be really good and cheap. They have duty grade ammo for a fraction of the price.

My worse seems to be with Hornady. Every one of them seems to swell up and get sticky in the chamber.

Posted: 1/13/2017 2:23:06 PM EDT

[#14]

Blazer Brass shoots very well for me.

Posted: 1/22/2017 3:49:59 PM EDT

[#15]

Learn how to reload.

In the long run it is far less expensive.

The most expensive part of ammunition is that fancy brass case.

They are good for a lot of loadings at 'target' type power levels.

Posted: 1/22/2017 5:52:56 PM EDT

[#16]

Quote History

Quoted:
How much do want to spend to practice ammo.

I see better results with 124 grain vs 115

My Glocks really like Federal 147 FMJ-FP

I reload and my practice ammo is easily exceeds the performance of Walmart grade fodder.

Best way for savings is either reload or buy in bulk. Try a few different boxes to see what your gun prefers and then buy on the case level.

View Quote

How do you handle space requirements? I don't have enough room in my place to fit cases. I put most of it in a shed in the back because I don't have a garage, then realized without climate control, it might ruin the ammo over time or am I being too paranoid? Re-loading requires even more space right? I have less than 1,000 sq ft of space to work with.

Posted: 1/22/2017 6:02:11 PM EDT

[#17]

I don't think a case of handgun ammo takes up even a square foot does it?

Posted: 1/22/2017 6:19:18 PM EDT

[#18]

Quote History

Quoted:
I don't think a case of handgun ammo takes up even a square foot does it?

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CCI 1000 round cases are 6x6x14.

You can put 2000 rounds in just over a single sq foot. (12" x 14")
It would be easy to stack them at least 6 high (36" high) especially in the corner of a closet.

That's 12,000 rounds of 9mm ammo 3 feet high, occupying a single sq foot in a closet.

But yeah, I can see how people would say they don't have room.

Posted: 1/23/2017 4:31:53 PM EDT

[#19]

Quote History

Quoted:

CCI 1000 round cases are 6x6x14.

You can put 2000 rounds in just over a single sq foot. (12" x 14")
It would be easy to stack them at least 6 high (36" high) especially in the corner of a closet.

That's 12,000 rounds of 9mm ammo 3 feet high, occupying a single sq foot in a closet.

But yeah, I can see how people would say they don't have room.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
I don't think a case of handgun ammo takes up even a square foot does it?

CCI 1000 round cases are 6x6x14.

You can put 2000 rounds in just over a single sq foot. (12" x 14")
It would be easy to stack them at least 6 high (36" high) especially in the corner of a closet.

That's 12,000 rounds of 9mm ammo 3 feet high, occupying a single sq foot in a closet.

But yeah, I can see how people would say they don't have room.

Stand them on end and you can fit 4 cases in 1 square foot with 14 inches of vertical.
That would be 8,000 rounds in one square foot of floor space.

Posted: 2/24/2017 6:34:52 PM EDT

[#20]

Given that the barrel itself, throat, crown, etc. is good to go... I find Speer Lawman to be very accurate when shooting heavy for caliber loads. I.E., if shooting .45acp shoot 230gr ammo. If shooting 9mm then 147gr ammo, and so on. Of course if you roll your own, are good at it, and use quality reloading components; these are going to make for the most accurate plinking ammo. This has been my experience. YMMV.

ETA: The most accurate handgun ammo I've ever shot, be it hand loaded or commercial... hands down is Buffalo Bores LSWCHC 255grain pills in .45Super. I've never shot anything else like it. It is almost like cheating.

Posted: 3/6/2017 2:33:50 PM EDT

[#21]

I like Speer Lawman 124gr 9mm.

Posted: 3/7/2017 12:33:14 AM EDT

[#22]

The last few months I've pretty much been sticking to a Glock 22 and P226R .40. I had been using Speer Lawman 180gr but the last case I bought was S&B .40 and I will definitely keep buying it. With my Glock 22 an average 5 shot 25 yard group is 4 to 5 inches. With the S&B I've shot several 2.5 to 3 inch groups at the same distance with the same pistol. It would be awesome if the gun didn't shoot 4" left at the same distance but it's a Glock thing. Reality is 4" is not a big deal in a fight pistol.

The SIG is always an easy 3" gun and I suspect in the hands of someone really good would be a 2" gun.

I've found 25 yards to be a rewarding distance to shoot at. Practicing drawing and firing at 25 really requires the fundamentals compared to blasting holes in paper at 7 to 10.

Posted: 3/12/2017 11:27:22 PM EDT

[#23]

Speer Lawman has been very consistent for me in all my pistols.

Pricing is much better these days, with the Speer selling for lower than WWB or CCI Blazer brass at the places I buy from.

My carry ammo is Gold Dot, so the Lawman is perfect training ammo for me. Very similar ballistics, and accuracy, IMO.

Posted: 3/13/2017 2:16:29 AM EDT

[#24]

Depends on your gun / sights more then the quality of the ammo for most users. Some rounds / weights tend to shoot right where the sights are, some may hit a bit high or low.

Case in point, I'm shooting "Novosibirsk Cartridge Plant" brand Russian Steelcase 115gr, that was about $0.15 per shot back when Wolf was $0.20, to give a sense of quality. Every 50th round or so produces an incredible, basketball sized flash...

And I'll be damned if my CZ's and Glock's don't love this load, shooting dead on with the sights / 5 rounds in a quarter sized, bullseye accurate group at 7 yards.

Meanwhile, the most accurate load in my buddy's Sphinx SDP is not his hand crafted reloads using premium bullets, which tend to shoot a bit low relative to his sights, but some 124gr Privi I lent him.

It's weird!

Posted: 3/13/2017 1:09:16 PM EDT

[#25]

My Beretta 92 and H&K VP9, and 16 Carbine love the Swiss GECO...the only problem is the copper coated mild steel jacket.

Most ranges frown on steel jacketed handgun ammo.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Accurate practice/training ammunition?

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