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Poll - Cheap 9mm Range Ammo

Survey 9mm Cheap Target Ammo

75K views 77 replies 63 participants last post by  CW 
#1 ·
Most people either use or have used the cheaper Target ammo. Of the many kinds, these 5 seem to be the most used: Federal Champion 115 gr, Winchester White Box 115 gr, Remington UMC 115 gr, Tula Ammo 115gr & Blazer 115 gr. Tell me what you use and specifically don't use and why.
 
#29 ·
I voted other since I just bought 200 rounds from freedom munitions and it was about the same price as TulAmmo (which nearly got me run off the range) they had some silly idea it caused fires. Anyway it's steel cased and all the freedom munitions stuff I saw was brass. Even the reman 40S&W I bought looks like new man.
 
#30 ·
I voted other since I just bought 200 rounds from freedom munitions and it was about the same price as TulAmmo (which nearly got me run off the range) they had some silly idea it caused fires. Anyway it's steel cased and all the freedom munitions stuff I saw was brass. Even the reman 40S&W I bought looks like new man.
I've tried all three of their products - new, reman and "Blaster" (described as "blemished" or otherwise just not suitable for selling as new) and it all shot fine. Both in 9mm and .45acp. Seems like a pretty good deal, though their prices have been creeping up a little and aren't quite as good a deal as they used to be compared to what I can often find by careful sale-hunting.
 
#35 ·
Like Berattatoter,I use silver bear exclusively though.I never had a FTF or any ammo problem,but Wolf wont work in my cz-82.When my fingers came away filthy from handling the ammo I quit.The silver bear is so close to my main carry of hornady critical defense I see no reason to change.I stay away from wally world as much as possible and support my local GS who gives me a good deal.
 
#38 · (Edited)
I'd stay away from Tula

I would not recommend Tula in any caliber... They are extremely hot loads that spew fire like a dragon and run horrendously dirty.... :smt074

Personally I prefer Winchester white box because it's been the most consistent out of any of the 9mm target rounds that I've shot. I'm thinking of trying my own loads with 125gr Montana Gold JHP for target and comp loads. They are useless for defense but from what i've heard consistent and reliable as hell for target and competition loads, and $120.00 for 1k bullets. I plan on using CCI primers, winchester brass and I'm still experimenting with powders. I want to run a hot powder but at relatively low pressure to try and gain an edge in competition as far as lesser recoil for quicker target acquisition..... and now that i read it all it looks like im trying to hijack the thread :( sry....
 
#40 ·
If I could get it, I'd shoot the Remmington UMC all the time, it's the cheapest where I live and I've had no issues at all- 2nd choice would be Federal Champion, it's $2 more / 100a, but has also been flawless for me.....

The only Winchesterr I've shot was "white box" that was labeled "9mm NATO" and I had a few FTP's, but I'd give it another shot (pun intended)...

In my experience, Blazer Brass is the worst of the ones thati'very shot; lots of FTP's & FTP's; I won't buy it again!
 
#43 ·
If you have to buy ammo, it's hard to be able to afford to shoot enough to stay accurate and proficient (and don't forget the fun factor!). Even if you reload, the cost of jacketed or cast bullets can get expensive, and you really don't save very much. I cast my own bullets and recycle the lead from my sand trap on my pistol range. So my only recurring costs are powder and primers. Cost me approximately $2.00 to reload a box of 38's. If you can't recover your lead, buying scrap lead is still way cheaper than buying jacketed or cast bullets. I just bought 500 pounds of wheel weights at $0.68 a pound. I was able to recover 350 pounds of good bullet casting lead from that. So the actual price per pound of my $340 investment in lead was $0.97 per pound ($340/350=$0.97). I shoot 148 grain wadcutters. So 1000 wadcutters cost me approximately $20.50 (((148/7000) X .97) X 1000 = $20.50) That's about 1/3 the cost of buying cast bullets, and way, way cheaper than buying jacketed bullets. Now here's the kicker. You really don't save anything. Ya just shoot a heck of a lot more ! That's what makes it worth my time. And time is one thing I have plenty of now that I retired on April 24th. I shoot around 500 rounds a week or approximately 26,000 rounds per year, at a cost of just over $1000. That's pretty cheap for that much FUN! Heck, some peoples phone bill is greater than that. So if you have the time and inclination, try bullet casting and reloading.

Don <><
 
#44 ·
I did the reload numbers last month, reloading my own ammo, 9mm FMJ 115g box of 50, re-using my brass, $6.97. And that cost if for components bought locally after tax. Compared to $9.99+tax (10.97 otd) IF you can find it at wallmart. Thats $4.00/box saved or 40%. That is considerable savings. I have been shooting 350rnds/month, after a year reloading would save $336, that is quite a ways towards paying off a reloading set-up. Of if you already have a set-up, it means instead of buying 4200rounds of factory, you could make 6600rounds yourself for the same price..

I dooo like the lead casting pricing, however my local indoor ranges do not allow lead rounds :-/
 
#45 ·
I have a couple of reloading presses, including a progressive one, but I rarely use them nowadays. I find I have less time available to do recreational things, and factory 9mm ammo is cheap enough that the only way you can get the price comparison to work-out is if you value your time at $0. Even if I figure my time at minimum-wage price, the factory ammo is cheaper, and then I can more productively use the time previously spent loading ammo (by going to the range and shooting it). :mrgreen:

I still save most of my brass, and the presses aren't for sale yet, but reloading jacketed bullets for 9mm and .38 just doesn't make financial sense right now. Now the .44 Magnum is another story; if I didn't reload for my .44, I couldn't afford to shoot it more than a couple of times a year. I usually stock-up on components a little bit at a time, wait until winter, and some weekend when I get snowed-in, I fire-up the Dillon press and put out 400-500 rounds of .44 JHPs and another 500 cast-lead target loads. That much .44 ammo used to last me a couple of years, but ever since the local indoor range opened, I find myself shooting a lot more often. Sometimes I run out before winter sets in again...
 
#50 ·
Even most bulk in my area can't touch the per round cost for the Federal @ WallyWorld - its $19.47 per 100 around here and fortunately I've got 2 within about 5 miles of each other - usually get in at least weekly to see what's in stock. 100 round boxes go in about once a month usually about 10 per store and when the do whatever is left on the shelves goes home with me!
 
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