I'm new to shooting and I want to start buying ammo for target practice. Sorry if this post, I get into details. I've been watching over the last few weeks and have a good lay of the land based on what is a good vs high price. What I don't know is what brands to buy, and how many?

Looking for 9MM 115gr or 124gr FMJ. I don't own my own gun yet, but it will likely be a M&P Shield 9MM, or a Glock 43 (But I'm not fully settled yet, still rent shooting and researching).

Should I buy a bunch of different brands, say 100-200 of each and go shoot and see how they do? Or is it better to just stick to 1 or 2 types? I figure buying 500 or 1000 rounds of 1 type and not being happy has to suck, so I want to mix it up.

I bought some Blazer Brass 9MM 124 grain and it shot through a M&P Shield and a Glock 43 without any hiccups. I've heard this is lower end ammo, but so far its hit the target every time I pulled the trigger with no issues.

I did some math and can basically buy 2-4 (50 bullet) boxes of a bunch of different brands and still come out to about what 1000 rounds of 1 brand cost. Would it make sense to mix it up and buy 4-5 different brand ammo's to try? Or do most find one brand they like, match that to price, and buy that?

I paid about .22 per round on the Blazer Brass shipped.

Brands I was considering include:
-American Eagle
-PRVI Partizan
-Fiocchi
-Wincherster USA (White Box with red lettering)
-Aguila
-Remington UMC
I know some of these brands are bargain barrel, some with better reviews than others, but they are all brass which is the minimum criteria. I don't mind where it is made as long as it shoots ok. I've never cleaned a gun yet though, but plan to after every shooting so if an ammo is slightly more dirty that won't matter.

20 boxes of a mix of the ones I listed above will be around .23 per round shipped. I'm in CT so some of the cheapest sites won't ship to me so I know price wise there is some better deals to be had, but I'm blocked because of the State. Locally, other than Walmart most shops want $15-$18 for the same brands per 50.

Help a newbie figure out what to do.

I've used all of the brands you mentioned in my 9mm pistols. Of that list, I wouldn't give one priority over another.

But I do stay with 124g FMJ for range ammo, as that is what the S&W factory (not CS) guys told me was the preferred weight. I do have 147g that I shoot on occasion to keep my senses set to the muzzle flip and recoil. For carry, I use 147g JHP (in several varieties, although some do not work for my gun, and came off the list).

I would suggest you get a box of the different varieties, and shoot them, keeping notes on how well they do / do not work. Then go back for larger quantities of what works best for you.

The one type that is on my absolute NO list for additional purchase is the early white-boxed ZQI Nato (123g FMJ), which has very hard primers, and does not always fire on the first strike with (only) one gun. Pity that is one of my preferred.

Thanks for the insight, its very helpful so I know if i'm on the right track. So I'm thinking I might grab anywhere from 1-4 boxes of each brand, this way I can go to the range and lay down a solid 100-200 rounds of any type, and then as you said take notes, clean the gun, and see what is worth buying again and what is not.

About the 124g weight, so you do not shoot 115g at all? When searching around the web, it seems people will buy either 115g/124g and most just base it on what's cheaper. Is there that much of a difference that I should only be shooting 1 or the next?

How many rounds does one typically shoot to get a good idea of an ammo brand? 1 or 2 boxes worth usually give enough experience to make an informed decision?

I used to bring four different boxes and shoot at a quad target to compare groups. Most brands were good enough, but a couple make looser groups from a particular gun or are really dirty.

Just have fun experimenting.

Shoot whatever is cheapest and buy a couple boxes of Federal HST in 124 or 147 for self defense.

No need to overthink it

Buying the lowest price ammo frequently has unintended consequences. Products made to a price point aren't necessarily the best choice.

Of those mentioned, I'd personally replace WWB (WinUSA) with Blazer. I've fired thousands of rounds of Blazer (both brass and aluminum) and found it quality ammo. Same with American Eagle. I can't say the same for WWB. Once upon a time I was short of ammo and bought a couple boxes of WWB 115 gr on the way to a match. They didn't make minor, clocking less than 1000 fps at 15 feet. There have been other issues.

There's minimal difference between 115 gr and 124 gr in FMJ practice ammo. You may sometimes find bargins in 124 gr. A couple of years ago I was able to buy Blazer aluminum cased 124 gr for less than I could reload ammo.

Pick up a couple boxes of each you want to try and see what happens.

As has been stated, I don't think you will find any great difference. I like Blazer or Federal aluminum due to cost.

Neither the Glock or the M&P will know the difference with any of the rounds you've listed. Either 115 or 124gr. ball ammo will do and should function well. I doubt that you'll find any significant difference in accuracy between any of them. Just buy, based on the best $deal you can find.

I shoot the hell out of Remington UMC in my Shield 9mm. Never a problem. My local Dunham Sports runs a special/coupon here and there for around $10/box so I stock up then. I've shot Blazer Brass and a couple others, but I'm not experienced enough for it to matter from a performance point of view. If it goes bang and is as accurate as I am, I'm happy with it.

Don't overlook the Perfecta brand in 9mm at Walmart. It is brass cased, 115g, and is made in Italy. I believe Fiocchi manufactures it. They sell it for $9.78 per box of 50. Yeah, you have to pay tax, but there is no shipping charge, and I have yet to find a Walmart that limits your purchase like they do with .22 ammo.

I have shot at least a dozen boxes with nary a hitch. I've heard good comments from other customers also. That's less than $0.20 a round before tax.

I've shot all those, and they are all good to go with one exception.

I do not like Winchester white box. It is very weak and in some pistols is unreliable.

If I had to pick a best of that bunch it would be the PPU. Fiocchi and Aguila come next in my experience.

I've tried various brands and have settled in with American Eagle and Fiocchi 115 gr. My stash is 90% Fiocchi tho. Mainly because it is cheaper than AE and also has a bit more punch, which is closer to the 124 gr SD ammo that I use, Federal HST.

I do shoot 115g in the Perfecta (which others have mentioned), but it is a little lighter in my perception (no special tools to evaluate it). But in general, I've found 124g at the same price as 115g in my preferred mail order, S&W advised 124, and it runs well, so I've used that for the last couple of years.

BTW, Blazer is good range ammo as mentioned by others here.

My favorite WAS Remington UMC 115g JHP, but Wal Mart jacked up the price. If you find it cheap, it seems more of a +P load (no evidence other than better groups).

I usually pick the brass case, FMJ for my practice and plinking times. True there are low priced ammo and some higher but the higher priced has is good points.

The 115gr Blazer ammo starts out at 1125fps while the Fiocchi
115gr FMJ reaches 1200fps, if needed.

The 124gr Blazer starts out at 1090fps a nice medium loading
where the Sellier is almost 100 foot faster at 1170fps.

Your weapon might like target ammo in the middle speed range
but there is also the faster loads if you need 9mm standard speeds or a little more.

Usually the only sub-sonic loads with slow enough fps start with
the heavy 147gr bullets with factory ammo, if you want to go that way.

Have fun.

I reload but also keep a good stock of factory ammo on hand. I only shoot USA made ammo-Remington, Blazer Brass, Winchester, CCI Lawman, Federal-you get the idea. The Federal Champion Aluminum case ammo shoots very well/accurately in all my guns as well. Unlike others, I've never had an issue with WWB ammo in any caliber. I buy what is cheapest/on sale, regardless what bullet weight it is. Some may be a little dirtier, but you have to keep the firearm clean anyway, so I don't take that into consideration-unless it's SO dirty it keeps the gun from functioning after 50-100 rounds; I've never had that happen yet.

Good luck, have fun, be safe and enjoy yourself! :-)

The idea is just to shoot it. A lot. You can decide what you want to pay for your practice ammo. I tend to go inexpensive but I do prefer brass casings.

I never scrimp on my actual carry ammo, and I am really only concerned with what I can do, and do quickly and accurately, inside of 9 or 10 yards. I carry 124g HST standard velocity, so for me either 115g or 124g is interchangeable for practice.

All that ammo you listed is fine. It's not bargain barrel it's simply range ammo. Blazer is good quality range ammo. They are all fine.

Look online for deals in Bulk. Right now Target Sports USA has Blazer and Geco for under $200 a case with free shipping

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

You won't go horribly wrong with any of your candidates. The gun you settle on will have preferences, but that will come later. You're still new at this, so I suggest you work on your technique and hone your ability. For these reasons, it's too early for you to distinguish the best choice of ammo.

As for "clean" vs. "dirty" ammo, it's much ado about nothing, IMHO. Lot of people put way too much emphasis on cleanliness. Shooting can be a dirty sport, sort of like working on cars. It's part of the game and not a significant issue. Clean your gun and wash your hands and you'll be as good as new!

I reload 9mm these days but when I bought 9mm I would look for quality 124 gr brass cased ammo at the cheapest price I could find delivered to my home in case lots.

I almost never bought ammo in a brick and mortal store except for Walmart and some big box sporting good stores on sale as loss leaders with coupons etc... Think Cabelas black Friday type pricing. I agree with others the ammo you have mentioned should function fine in a Glock or M&P.

I like to shoot 124 or these days some 147 because that is what I load my defensive guns with and ideally you want the recoil impulse and the bullet trajectory to be the same when it counts as when you practice but in reality shooting 115 would be fine too.

It seems like these days any decent 9mm brass cased ammo you can find for $.20 delivered or out the door is a buy in bulk price. Like right now 115gr Aguilia is $8.99 before shipping at PSA.

Aguila 9mm 115gr FMJ Ammunition 50rds - 1E097704

Fiocchi 9mm Luger 115 Gr. FMJ Ammunition can behad at $18.99 plus shipping.

250 Rd Lot - Fiocchi 9mm Luger 115 Gr FMJ [9AP] - $45.00 : Ammomen, LLC, - Affordable Ammunition

The Perecta stuff at Walmart is packaged by Tula but manufactured by Fiocchi. You can tell by the color of the brass and the primer. It is a little weak but when you can find it on the shelf for $8.99 even with tax its a buy!

Geco is good stuff in 124gr but some people will not let you shoot it indoors because it has a bi-metal jacket. It will attract a magnet. It used to be my go to plinking ammo after WWB. There was a time you could get this or RWS for $5.99 a box and Walmart. It is made by RAUG.

Geco 9mm Luger Ammo 124 Grain FMJ Swiss Made

If you want to step up a bit look at the German made MEN which is $219+ shipping at SGammo. German NATO ammo similar to M882 but primers are not crimped and it is not +p.

1000 round case - 9mm NATO 124 grain FMJ Ammo - made by MEN in Germany - MEN9B | SGAmmo.com

In genera it is best to buy in 1000 round case lots from guys like SGammo. Buy early and buy often!

__________________
Use should dictate gear!

I'd just pick 3 or 4 different brands that you are looking at and go for it. Anymore than that and you'll have a hard time keeping track of what's what. Figure out what you like the best and then next time buy a couple different brands and see if any are better.

Are you looking for a carry gun? Both your selections mentioned are pretty small. For a first gun I'd typically go for something a little bigger. A full size handgun is going to be easier handle. If you've shot the shield and G43 and think they're are good than you should be OK but I'd at least rent something a little bigger to see the differences.

I like Freedom Munitions FMJ for range. My Kimber shoots best groups w 124gr. I prefer brass case for range, various brands. FM often offers free shipping usually around ANY holiday.

__________________
Mike, AmVets Member, Navy Vet

Not to overthink this ammo issue. If the range where I sometimes rent a handgun sells me ammo that works then I go with it and buy more online. If I buy some real cheap stuff or have some questionable 10+ year-old ammo then I might save it for a rental to sort of test out the semi-auto I'm thinking about buying.

My M&Ps and G17 have functioned well with any brass cased ammo I've bought on sale. No difference between the 115 and 124 grain ammo. Recommend using some decent priced reliable ammo with any new semi-auto for the first 100 rounds or so just to be sure it's functioning properly.

When it comes to practice ammo, I just get whatever is available wherever I happen to be. The only 9mm pistol I've ever had that cared about ammo was a Walther P-38...it was quite picky.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

__________________
"I'm your huckleberry."

Thanks again EVERYONE for all the feedback. I already bought and shot the Blazer Brass, have some PMC Bronze showing up, and think i'll order another 2 or 3 brands just for fun. Palmetto has decent pricing all around so that's my go-to spot for now that ships to CT.

I've only used 115 fmj for range ammo in my MP's (compact, full size, and PC Shield), several thousand rounds fired with zero issues. The high % of the ammo ran is about split between Blazer Brass and Remington UMC, occasionally with some Herters (Cabelas) mixed in when i see it cheap.
I shoot at an indoor range, which goes up to 10 yds and dont see any diff between the rounds as far as accuracy goes; they hit where I aim (well close enough, considering my skills and eyesight lol).
I will say I've been leaning more to the Remington lately, for one they've had some nice rebates in the past few months, plus the Blazer Brass line isn't to be used in a ported barrel. So when I see a sale and am gonna stock up, more than likely it now will be the Rem ammo just so i can keep my stock usable for any 9 i grab from the safe to play with.

Check Target Sports USA. They are in Southington CT and do free shipping on cases

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

You don't say but if carrying is in your future, once you have the fundamentals down, spend much more time selecting your carry ammo-there's where research and experimenting will pay off. For those purposes it has to run all day long. Feed, fire, eject, repeat.

Then find some practice offerings that are close to your carry ammo without breaking the banks and practice. You will likely find the heavier bullets group better out of the short barrel.

Good luck.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk