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Smith & Wesson M&P Pistols All Variants of the Smith & Wesson M&P Auto Pistols


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Old 05-02-2018, 12:20 PM
TerryM TerryM is offline
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Default 115 gr FMJ Service Grade?

Been hitting the range the past several weeks. I've noticed they change up the range ammo. First switched from Federal to Winchester. Winchester is slightly more expensive but both 115gr FMJ with a normal shaped bullet.

Recently switched to Winchester Service Grade? Is 9mm 115gr FMJ but the bullet has a flat nose.

Any insight into the difference? Seems like it would be less stable (aerodynamic) than the rounded profile.

Any benefit to the shooter? To the range (I assume it's higher margin?).

Last edited by TerryM; 05-02-2018 at 12:24 PM.
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Old 05-02-2018, 12:39 PM
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Some of the most accurate handgun bullets are semi-wadcutters and full wadcutters with blunt profiles. There are things that determine accuracy in handgun projectiles, nose shape has little to do with it.

The range is probably going with what they can get.
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Old 05-08-2018, 12:08 PM
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Semi Wad Cutter helped point me in the right direction. This article really increased my understanding. Thanks!

MultiBrief: Pros and cons of the wadcutter bullet
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Old 05-08-2018, 12:17 PM
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Are the primers crimped? As a reloader, this would be a deal breaker, if so. Is it loaded to military specifications? If, so that might mean that it is a little hotter than their normal plinking ammo, like Winchester White Box.
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Old 05-08-2018, 02:20 PM
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Not to split hairs, but if the projectile is jacketed, it's a Round Nose Flat Point (RNFP). Just like the typical .40 cal, but only 9mm. When buying ammo, you can usually read the type of bullet on the box. It might say FMJ RN (Round Nose), or FMJ FP (flat point).

Naturally, there a whole lot of "alphabet soup" when it comes to ammo.

LRN
WC
SWC
TMJ
SJ
JHP
Blah-Blah

Regarding specs, the few sites I found show it about the same as WWB.

Let us know how it shoots!
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Old 05-08-2018, 06:16 PM
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@Saudade here is the ammo. I do t see anything indicating the flat head etc., but I admit to being a newbie. That is the 10 th box of ammo I've ever bought?

Winchester Military Service Grade 9mm Luger Ammunition 50 Rounds 9mm Luger 115 Grain Full Metal Jacket Flat Nose 1190fps - SG9W - 020892225190
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Old 05-08-2018, 06:17 PM
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I guess it says flat nose right in the link! But I did t see that on the box.
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Old 05-08-2018, 06:28 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TerryM View Post
@Saudade here is the ammo. I do t see anything indicating the flat head etc., but I admit to being a newbie. That is the 10 th box of ammo I've ever bought?

Winchester Military Service Grade 9mm Luger Ammunition 50 Rounds 9mm Luger 115 Grain Full Metal Jacket Flat Nose 1190fps - SG9W - 020892225190
I've found that the 115 gr. jacketed round will shoot more accurately at higher velocities, like the advertised 1190 fps. Having said that, I still have a problem with Cheaper Than Dirt, with their overcharging during times of ammo crunches. They still don't get any of my business.
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Old 05-08-2018, 06:48 PM
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No worries. For semi-autos, the round nose helps feeding while the flat point makes cleaner holes in the paper.
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Old 05-08-2018, 07:44 PM
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I have been shooting the Win service grade in the plain brown box , It has been fine shoots great from my Glock gen 5 guns .
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Old 05-08-2018, 08:18 PM
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I've not shot Win Service Grade 9mm, but I've shot well over 1,000 rounds of Service Grade .45 acp, and it is excellent ammunition. LAX Ammunition currently has Service Grade 9mm for sale at $9 for a box of 50, or $89.50 for a case of 500. Way cheaper than Cheaper Than Dirt!
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Old 05-09-2018, 02:15 AM
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Cheaper Than Dirt.
Ain’t
Don’t forget to add shipping which is a major profit center for these cheats. You can buy good quality 9mm fmj almost anywhere locally, and definitely online in bulk, for less than .20/round.
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Old 05-09-2018, 02:35 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TerryM View Post
@Saudade here is the ammo. I do t see anything indicating the flat head etc., but I admit to being a newbie. That is the 10 th box of ammo I've ever bought?

Winchester Military Service Grade 9mm Luger Ammunition 50 Rounds 9mm Luger 115 Grain Full Metal Jacket Flat Nose 1190fps - SG9W - 020892225190
Oh yeaaaah. that stuff. Now I know what you're talking about. yeah I tried these in my M&P 9mm. They run fine! They're FMJ round nose bullets. Other than the packaging they look identical in appearance to winchester white box ammo except I felt that these were a little bit more hotter. It's possible that they might be NATO spec but I might be wrong. Like I said, I felt they were slightly hotter than WWB ammo.
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Old 07-08-2023, 09:31 AM
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I bought 6 boxes of it at Shooter's World for $13 each. Seems to have same recoil as 124 grain. Had one dud in 50 rounds. Also seems to be dirtier than CCI Blazer I was using.
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Old 07-08-2023, 09:47 AM
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There is no such critter as service grade 115gr 9mm ammo. 124gr has been the service round for as long as I can remember.
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Old 07-08-2023, 09:53 AM
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I find that Winchester (white box) leaves quite a bit more residue than Federal ammo does. That said, I have not any FTF or other defect modes using Winchester ammo. I normally run Federal Syntec ammo which is slightly less toxic (to me). It is pricey at about $20/50 at my local Sportsman's. YOLO
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Old 07-08-2023, 01:20 PM
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Quote:
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There is no such critter as service grade 115gr 9mm ammo. 124gr has been the service round for as long as I can remember.
Where've you been lately? Issue 9mm has been M1152 for years.

Here It Is: This Ammo Could Make the Army Even More Deadly | The National Interest
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Old 07-08-2023, 02:40 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by swsig View Post
I've not shot Win Service Grade 9mm, but I've shot well over 1,000 rounds of Service Grade .45 acp, and it is excellent ammunition. LAX Ammunition currently has Service Grade 9mm for sale at $9 for a box of 50, or $89.50 for a case of 500. Way cheaper than Cheaper Than Dirt!
I live 15 minutes from LAX in Orange County. They won't ship in state, even to an FFL and will not offer locals the internet prices. Their "deal" for In-Store purchases right now is 9mm New 115gr- $170 for 500 and $320/1000. Every once in a while, they do have a real In-store deal for locals but Turners can actually have better pricing with name brand ammo. Kind of sux.
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Old 07-08-2023, 04:58 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by biku324 View Post
Where've you been lately? Issue 9mm has been M1152 for years.

Here It Is: This Ammo Could Make the Army Even More Deadly | The National Interest
Retired. I guess when we went to the inferior handgun we had to go to the 115gr. At least they loaded it hot.
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Old 07-08-2023, 07:07 PM
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Back in the late 70s, I think it ws, the military did some experimenting with bullet shapes that worked better than RN (anything is better than RN, as a rule)but still fed ok and complied with what was then the interpretation of acceptable bullet construction under the applicable laws of land war. They found that by going to something closer to this shape (RNFP), the delivered ballistics were far better. One could wonder if that is the reason for calling this load "Service Grade".
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Old 07-10-2023, 01:54 PM
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Every other site I clicked on labeled that load as 1315 or 1320 fps, a little hotter than wwb.
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Old 07-10-2023, 02:11 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by James K View Post
I live 15 minutes from LAX in Orange County. They won't ship in state, even to an FFL and will not offer locals the internet prices. Their "deal" for In-Store purchases right now is 9mm New 115gr- $170 for 500 and $320/1000. Every once in a while, they do have a real In-store deal for locals but Turners can actually have better pricing with name brand ammo. Kind of sux.
Note the date of my post. It was over five years ago, so the info I provided about LAX is long out of date. Somehow this zombie thread has risen again. However, I still like Win Service Grade .45 acp.
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