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Jdan05

9mm Ammo suggestions!!!

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Yea i was at GFH. The whole total ended up at 170 in change. Since it was my first time they made pay $25 for explaining of rules and training for the first 15 mins inside the range plus i bought the the earplugs and glasses for like $30 since im planing to go more often might as well have my own. The ammo was $29 for a box of 50. But it was my first time and i got caught up in the moment and said f.. it i just wanna have fun. After i was out i realize that i need to figure out a way to make more affordable. Next time i'll be coming more prepare

Ouch.... Those prices are a bit.......... High..

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Yea i got caught up in the moment and didn't bother asking if the have different and cheaper ammo

Most ranges will charge a premium for their ammo. It's just could business sense to do that. 

 

As others have said buy in bulk from SGAmmo or Freedom. Stick with the new and not re-manufactured and you should be fine. I have never had an issue and have gone through thousands of rounds. Freedom's American Steel is cheap and dirty but functions fine for me.

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Seems like whenever an ammunition question comes up here folks like to talk about how freedom munitions sucks.  But I've gotta say that I've been shooting their 9mm and 38 reman for about three years now and after about 3k rounds or so I've had zero problems.  I guess I could have just been lucky or maybe some of the issues you guys are talking about happened a few years ago and have since been corrected?

 

I do agree with everyone though that OP should try a number of different brands and see what shoots best for him.

 

Just my 2 cents.

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Seems like whenever an ammunition question comes up here folks like to talk about how freedom munitions sucks.  But I've gotta say that I've been shooting their 9mm and 38 reman for about three years now and after about 3k rounds or so I've had zero problems.  I guess I could have just been lucky or maybe some of the issues you guys are talking about happened a few years ago and have since been corrected?

 

I do agree with everyone though that OP should try a number of different brands and see what shoots best for him.

 

Just my 2 cents.

ive heard of the issues but never seen any. but the price difference from buying a good sale with free shipping isnt worth the risk in my eyes.

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Don't overthink it.. its all the same crap IMO especially for range use just buy the cheapest ammo that you can find and shoot as much as you can. When sandy went down I was using anything from Russian steel cased to some herters crap that had aluminum cases and some sort of plastic jacketed bullets. They all went bang and worked.

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Seems like whenever an ammunition question comes up here folks like to talk about how freedom munitions sucks.  But I've gotta say that I've been shooting their 9mm and 38 reman for about three years now and after about 3k rounds or so I've had zero problems.  I guess I could have just been lucky or maybe some of the issues you guys are talking about happened a few years ago and have since been corrected?

 

I do agree with everyone though that OP should try a number of different brands and see what shoots best for him.

 

Just my 2 cents.

This is my experience also with freedom. I buy it, my son in law, brother in law, fellow workers, friends,......... so far no one has had any issues or complaints. This is all remand stuff. Do I have it in my handgun while it is performing HD duty in my house? No. But, putting holes in paper and practice work its more than fine. I always wait for free shipping.

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I have shot through perhaps 15,000 rounds of freedom remanufactured ammo over the years without any real complaints. 9mm, .45, and .223 from FM used in many types of pistols and rifles. I can remember 2 times when FM reman 9mm ammo casing was stuck in the chamber, probably because it was resized to large but I was able to free the casing at the range and went on shooting the same ammo without issue. 2 failures from an estimated 15,000 rounds is pretty good for me. 

 

I happily continue to buy Freedom reman ammo, can't beat the price for brass practice ammo at the range. Typically purchase bulk during sales and free shipping specials. I do keep a few thousand rounds of new retail ammo for each caliber at home for any real situations that may arise. Hornady critical defense rounds are in my home defense mags. 

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Ive gotten a couple thousand rounds from freedom in 9 and 45. within that ive only had MABY 3 not go bang, only 1 round of 45 was a bad round. OAL was way to short.

 

Ive ordered a few cases of LAX remains in the plastic ammo boxes. No problems there

 

I generally order whichever has what i need at the time for cheaper or on sale

 

One thing i notice with the reman ammo is alot of the problems that ive heard about seem to be on the rifle stuff more so then the pistol

 

Ive gotten from Sga as well.

Tend to get defense ammo from tactical defense solutions.

 

I use federal hst or speer gold dot for the good stuff

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Ive gotten a couple thousand rounds from freedom in 9 and 45. within that ive only had MABY 3 not go bang, only 1 round of 45 was a bad round. OAL was way to short.

 

Ive ordered a few cases of LAX remains in the plastic ammo boxes. No problems there

 

I generally order whichever has what i need at the time for cheaper or on sale

 

One thing i notice with the reman ammo is alot of the problems that ive heard about seem to be on the rifle stuff more so then the pistol

 

Ive gotten from Sga as well.

Tend to get defense ammo from tactical defense solutions.

 

I use federal hst or speer gold dot for the good stuff

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Freedom munitions...   - Starting at $0.18/round for the reman stuff and $0.20/round for new (115gr RN)

 

I feel like I should support them more.  I ordered a bunch of 45acp REMAN and was instead pleasantly surprised with brand new ammo.

 

 

Like others have suggested - SGammo.com and targetsportsusa.com are great sources for cheap plinking ammo

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^^^^Winner!  I've actually ordered from Sportsmans Guide a ton in the past year - you actually can get a free Buyers Club 1 month membership too every 3 months, sort of like Amazon always giving you a 30 day free trial every few months.

 

With that free month you get 5% off on ammo (although its already cheap), and 10% off on guns.  So if you had a valid P2P and wanted something your LGS didnt have in stock that discount would help get you back the FFL transfer fee. 

 

I used it about 3-4 months back and bought about 1000 rounds of assorted (.45ACP, .357Mag, and 12 Gauge buckshot) and got a smoking deal.  I usually order from BulkAmmo since their service and selection is great but their shipping is $16 or so each order.  With Sportsmans Guide if I want until a promo I can get free shipping over $49, and the free trial makes them cheaper than BA too.

 

They also have a nice 4-installment option too on gun purchases if you want to order a firearm and just pay it in 4 equal installments -

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I get still get alotta my ammo from them, but it pisses me off that they refuse to sell almost anything AR related to NJ. And they have some pretty good deals. I told them its pretty bad that I have to go to Amazon. They didn't care. Said its policy... :rtfm:

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Yeah I mean I don't have much complaints - BulkAmmo has my FPID on file, SG never asked for it lol - the savings in shipping and obviously no sales tax saves me at least $20 each time I order ammo from them, and I usually get an extra pair of Plano Ammo boxes on my orders too to fill up - I've heard some bad things like people getting knocked for commercial charges if they are ordered excessive amounts of ammo in a years time it gets flagged, but I don't have that problem, I usually order probably $200 worth each order and like I said I wait for a free shipping promotion or use a month free trial of Buyers Club to get additional discount.

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I carry guns as well as use them at the range. Most of us who uses a gun for even just home defense will use different ammo for HD and range us. I personally carry Speer Gold Dots or Federal HST. There are others like Hornady FTX, Golden Sabers. The Golden Sabers and FTX's give you 25 rounds instead of the usual 20 and are cheaper. 

For range use I buy the cheapest ammo I can find online and buy it in bulk. Winchester White Box is cheaper than carry ammo but is on the high end of range ammo. I have had good luck with PMC who is from a Korean company that supplies the South Korean military. Also Federal American Eagle, my personal favorite, is priced well. More good foreign ammo can be found from Fiocci and a few other overseas ammo makers. Wolf ammo is dirty and not all guns feed it reliably. 

 

I have been shooting for 47 years and my rule of thumb is to find the cheapest ammo I can that shoots well in my gun. I am OK if it jams once per 50 rounds since it is just range ammo. Each gun has a favorite ammo brand. Some ammo is weaker than others and will not reliably cycle your slide. I just kept buying ammo and once I found a brand that worked for a gun, I bought it. For range use, 115 gr, is fine. One gun will not reliably feed a heavier 9mm while other guns have no problem with any ammo weight. Trail and error. 

 

I do advise you buy good defensive ammo if you are going to use the gun for home defense. Remington Golden Saber and Hornady FTX with the flex tip or even their XTP bullent are inexpensive compared to other high quality defensive ammo.  I tend to buy ammo that has proven street results so any ammo used by LEO is fine for me as long as they are satisfied with it and get good results. A box of these two brands can be had for $17 online. I never buy from a store but if you buy online you need to buy a lot to spread the shipping cost over the ammo or else you can end up spending $27 for a $17 box of ammo. For home use I would go with the FTX since it does not penetrate hard barriers well and that is good in a home. I use them in my home defense revolvers and used to use them in HD guns as well but went with Federal HST and Gold Dots because they have a track record and I have seen them perform well in Gel tests.

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Ouch.... Those prices are a bit.......... High..

 

Not for a range they're not. I don't know who the distributor is for gun ranges, but they all charge like the FMJs are made of gold. It's the thing I dislike most about renting firearms—you have to buy the ammo there. 

 

 

 

Yea i got caught up in the moment and didn't bother asking if the have different and cheaper ammo

 

That probably was the "cheaper" ammo…

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For the past couple of years I have been educating myself on the various wide variety of hand gun ammunition available and the pros and cons of each.  From my research online, asking opinions of long time shooters, instructors and staff members of the ranges that I am a member of, for their opinions based on their experiences.  This has enlightened me to be some of the best 9mm ammunition to use in my semi-automatic handguns, (both hammer and striker styles), for range practice, as well as for personal-home defense, if ever necessary, that I will also occasionally practice with.  I have purchased and fired the following home-defense ammo in all of my 9mm handguns: Hornady FTX Critical Defense; Federal Premium Personal Defense Hydra-Shok; Sig Sauter Elite Performance V-Crown JHP and Speer Gold Dot LE Hollow Point ammunition. All worked flawlessly with no FTF or jams.

Currently, I do not think there is one 9mm ammo that is far and above better than all the others.  The ammo I have tested is from a small group of very good, time and field-tested, consistent performing, high quality factory made rounds from selected manufacturers, (Speer, Hornady, Federal, Sig Sauer), any of which would serve adequately and dependably for HD ammo.  One caveat, I want to support American made ammunition manufacturers and their factory workers, as well as for its more consistent quality control.  Therefore, I  only purchase and use American made ammo these reasons.   My attitude also is that I am willing to spend more money to get a higher quality ammunition that is the most consistent and dependable to fire as intended, burn cleaner than average to reduce carbon buildup inside my handgun, be more accurate if possible.  In the case of the personal-home defense ammo, I want to use ammo that has been tested and proven to provide sufficiently adequate “stopping power” of an intruder/bad guy. From these inquiries and research, I decided to use the following ammo in my 9mm hand guns and have been very pleased with the results to date:

Speer

Speer Lawman – 9mm Luger 124 grain TMJ Ammo (53651) - for general training at the range.
Speer Gold Dot – 9mm +P 124 Grain LE Hollow Point Ammo (53617) - for personal-home defense.

Both have long term proven track records for high-performance and consistently reliable production quality control.  I like the idea that they use cleaner-burning propellants and more reliable CCI primers and users and reviewers stating that they have not had much, if any problems with these ammo lines.  Also, I like the idea of using a training round from the same manufacturer that has a similar velocity and bullet weight to what I would use for my personal/home defense rounds. That way, my practice is more meaningfully realistic and appropriate.
By now, I have put over 1,000 rounds of these Lawman and Gold Dots through my HD handgun, as well as over 3,000 rounds through my other 9mm handguns to ensure that this ammo feeds properly, without any jams or FTF issues.  Thankfully, I have not had any HD-PD situations where I have had that last resort of having to shoot at another person.

Speer Lawman 124 grain ball ammo is my regular range practice ammo.  Lawman ammo has a total metal jacket (TMJ) design where the copper jacket covers the entire lead core, which reduces the levels of airborne lead, which is an especially good thing when you are shooting at an indoor gun range. The Speer Lawman also has similar ballistic characteristics to Speer GD's and is therefore a good practice compliment to the GD’s.

I have seen ammunition prices I am in the market for, drop 10-15% after the Presidential election.  My last bulk purchase of Speer Lawman 124 grain TMJ 9mm Luger - (53651) via the online SGAmmo.com web site, cost me $10.95 per 50 round box, plus shipping, or approx. $0.22 per round.  Here is the link:  http://www.sgammo.com/product/speer/50-round-box-9mm-luger-speer-lawman-124-grain-tmj-ammo-53616-or-53651

Speer Gold Dot +P 124 grain which is a jacketed hollow point (JHP) design, is recommended by many shooters to be an excellent home-personal defense ammo.  The 124 grain is considered an “intermediate” weight ammo, that is a good compromise for an all year ammo, that is between a light 115 grain and a heavy 147 grain bullet.  The Speer GD’s are bonded core bullets, which tend to hold together better and result in a distinct large diameter expansion upon impact, more so than jacketed bullets, therefore causing more internal tissue damage and resulting in the desired “stopping power” that one seeks in a HD ammo round.  As a hollow point, it should penetrate enough to provide the desired “stopping power”, while not “over penetrating”, compared to a round head / ball ammo design, so concern about continued collateral damage is minimized. Gold Dots are standard the ammo used by the NYC Police Department.

The Speer Gold Dot +P 124 Grain LE hollow point ammo – (53617), from the online vendor SGAmmo.com, cost me $22.95 per 50 round box, plus shipping, or approx. $0.46 per round.  Here is the link:  http://www.sgammo.com/product/speer/50-round-box-9mm-p-speer-gold-dot-124-grain-le-hollow-point-ammo-53617

Knowing that others have tested and highly rate both the range and HD ammo I have chosen, provides me with peace of mind that those more knowledgeable than me approve of it and that my research has confirmed it.  Good luck…

AVB-AMG

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Old Dog:

You make some excellent suggestions for the OP who is new to guns. I will add the following regarding home defense, and to point out that it is not just purchasing what any of us consider the most appropriate HD ammo, but to also do the following:

- Have the proper mindset and plan on dealing with an intruder and practicing it.

- Practice shooting your HD handgun, both stationary at the range, as well as moving in a tactical way in a controlled safe training environment.

- Continued regular practice firing both your HD ammo and range ball ammo for more consistent and accurate marksmanship.

- Understanding and committing to only fire your weapon at a person as a last resort to protect and defend yourself and family inside your home.

AVB-AMG

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Any commercial ammo will work if your hand gun have no issues with it. Just be aware of steel core bullets in some ammo especially russian. Most ranges do not allow steel core. If you buy CZ75 you don't have to worry about brand of the ammo. I had never had a single issue with any junk ammo I used in my cz. It is more important that you practice dry fire and go once a week to the range shooting a box or 2 rather than wasting hundreds rounds of ammo acquiring bad shooting habits. For home defense though buy frangible bullets ammo. You don't want to shoot your next door neighbor with a missed shot.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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here you go

 

http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/browse/ammo-sale/_/N-1110627+4294756016/Ne-4294756016/Ns-CATEGORY_SEQ_436748580?WTz_st=GuidedNav&WTz_stype=GNU

 

You should be able to get a box of 50 FMJ for less than 14 bucks

 

No tax, and shipping is free (use coupon code) if you spend $100 (act fast)

 

I got in on this free shipping deal! Picked up 500 rounds of American Eagle Syntech 9mm in March when there were double rebates ($30 total plus a free t-shirt).  Price ended up at 24-cents per round or $12 per box - Not Tax/ No Shipping  :sungum: .

 

http://www.cabelas.com/product/American-Eagle-Syntech-Handgun-Ammo/2286626.uts?productVariantId=4657508

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I got in on this free shipping deal! Picked up 500 rounds of American Eagle Syntech 9mm in March when there were double rebates ($30 total plus a free t-shirt).  Price ended up at 24-cents per round or $12 per box - Not Tax/ No Shipping  :sungum: .

 

http://www.cabelas.com/product/American-Eagle-Syntech-Handgun-Ammo/2286626.uts?productVariantId=4657508

That plastic coated stuff looks pretty cool

 

how does it work?

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On sale, you should be able to find brass cased 9mm for ~20 cents delivered per round, for a case of 1,000. Last time i bought a case was a few months ago from Cabelas. Blazer brass cased ammo for 20 cents/rd. 

Buy from out of state so you dont pay taxes; Cabelas, not bass pro.

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