# Ammo mfg options



## Cuthahotha (Dec 14, 2015)

Hi all,

I don't know which is more confusing. Which pistol to buy or which ammo to feed it. Which pistol is being covered in another thread.

Lots of threads out there about issues/problems with various brands, but didn't see a definitive list of good, better, best.

I'd like to compile a list of ammo mfg recommendations. 9mm if it makes a difference. CZ-75 if that makes a difference.

Interested in 2 types. Home defense, and practice.

If you can recommend and add pros/cons that would be GREAT!!!

OH if you have any negative recommendations and are not comfortable posting here, please PM me.

THANKS,
Steve


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## denner (Jun 3, 2011)

Well, you will probably get alot of personal preferences. I'm not too picky with target ammo, nor are the pistols I shoot it with. WWB, Remington, Federal, S&B, Fiochii, etc........ and I buy bulk reloads from Freedom Munitions, but of course there are many, many, others.

You should do some research on any reloads you may purchase, however, you shouldn't go wrong with any top name ammo manufacturers if you decide to go that route. 

9mm in my mind is a little more load specific concerning good or better in defensive ammunition. A very good way to determine what may work for you is to watch ammo tests in ballistic gel following FBI protocol on good ole youtube .


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## BackyardCowboy (Aug 27, 2014)

I would recommend against a brand called Norinco. It's (I believe) of Chinese manufacture and the time I tried it, it was slightly oversized, so could not put a normal full load in a magazine. When I put the magazine in (taurus PT 92 ) the first few rounds jammed when I racked the slide. also not sure what kind (quality wise) powder was used.


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## TAPnRACK (Jan 30, 2013)

Agree with Denner...

I like Hornady for my factory ammo, but also use Federal, Winchester and PMC. Finding a good source of reloads will save you money and allow you to have a steady source of ammo locally.


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## Smitty79 (Oct 19, 2012)

I also liked Freedom Munitions for practice. I load my own now.

Good to see you bought a CZ.


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## Cait43 (Apr 4, 2013)

A firearm is like a human being(when it comes to food) when it comes to ammunition... Feed it what makes it happy(ammunition that does not fail to fire or eject.........


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## Spike12 (Dec 10, 2008)

Here's my general rule(s) of thumb, of course others will have their own. Mine is based on reading the Ruger forum and this one a lot plus I reload but I used to buy. I still do buy 9mm and speciality ammo for self defense...

1) I never buy any ammo from Russia. WAY too many quality problems, forum stories, blown cases, stuck in the barrel.... Ya, it's cheap and ya, it's cheap. Some guys shoot tons of it w/o problems. Me, I like my guns.

2) Euro brands are generally ok too. Some guys bitch that it's too hot or too cold. Reloaders have mixed reviews about the brass. I'm one of them. S&B brass is usually left behind.

3) Buying reloads at a gun show is generally considered to be a HUGE NO NO. Buying reloads from some guy's brother is another NO NO.

4) Buying reloads from a commercial, well established reloader is usually OK, but not a sure thing.

5) American ammo, to make a generality, is good. One of the constants is Winchester White Box or WWB. When discussing a problem, if you say you were shooting WWB, then everbody knows what you're talking about. It's just cheap range fodder but good for breaking in and/or teaching somebody to shoot and/or learning your trigger.

6) The well known brands like Hornady, Remington, Winchester, etc., will have lower class/cost stuff and then their upper class stuff. The upper class stuff will be made more accurately/consistently and obviously cost more. It is this class that you should use to zero your rifle as it will group the best. Using junk ammo, like the combloc stuff above, is a waste of time and I've read about guys trying to use it to zero then bitching about how the gun is junk and they never should have bought that gun, blah, blah, blah. Shop quality stores and usually price vs. quality will be a good indicator once you get some experience.

7) ALL rifles are individuals and they all have ONE ammo that they will perform best with. Take the next one in line, next SN, and it won't be the same. It maybe close, but not the same.

8) As far as self-defense ammo goes - there is NO ONE BEST. Deal with it. Their maker will MAKE them look all special and magic but it's up to YOU to do your own studying and pick. Reliability in YOUR pistol _trumps_ all their hype. PRactice and bullet placement trumps everything else. Expect quality self-defense ammo to cost around $1/round. There are NO shortcuts. Many are each hand inspected.


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## denner (Jun 3, 2011)

I have always had good fortune and very good accuracy with Silver Bear 762x39(my preferred) and generally Barnaul ammunition as a whole,

but I've only shot it out of AK's with chrome lined barrels. It's good stuff for steel cased Russian Ammo, but no reloading.

Likewise, Wolf has served me well, smells like strong ammonia and burns a tad dirty, but it has always gone bang.

I remember when it was $73.00 for a 1000 rds and I use to burn through that stuff like Rambo and besides that strong smell of ammonia keeps you alert while on the trigger.

Who knows, CZ's may like that steel cased stuff...., but probably best to stick with Spikes advice.

In my experience S&B is a tad hotter than your average fodder and why I like it, never an issue shooting it.


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## pblanc (Mar 3, 2015)

I do not have a CZ75 but I do have a Beretta 92FS, a similar-sized, all-metal DA/SA pistol, as well as a Beretta Cougar 8000D.

For range use I generally stick to brass case ammo although I have occasionally shot steel case Russian ammo out of my 92 FS and it does work. I usually buy FMJ in whatever is cheapest, which usually turns out to be 115 grain. I have used a wide variety including Monarch (as sold by Academy), Selier & Bellot, Aquilla, CCI Blazer Brass, Sumbro, Federal UMC, Winchester white box, Federal American Eagle, Prvi partizan (Serbian), Magtech, Speer Lawman and others and I have not had any issues. I do not reload. If the price differential is not too great I will go with 124 grain as it seems a bit more accurate and consistent in my hands. 

For self-defense ammo I usually look for Federal Premium HST or Speer Gold Dot as they seem to test very consistently and well over all calibers. i have also used both Hornady Critical Duty and Critical Defense but I would avoid Critical Duty for a compact 3" barrel gun. The short barrel does not allow it to achieve sufficient muzzle velocity to expand reliably and it then over-penetrates. The Critical Defense 115 grain projectile is a bit light for my tastes in a SD round.

I can sometimes find the Winchester 124 grain Nato FMJ at a decent price in 150rd "value packs" and when I do I pick it up. It has a muzzle velocity and muzzle energy very close the the Federal HST 124gr JHP SD ammo that I prefer and it has a POA/POI and recoil characteristics that are very similar as a result.


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## Heckler (May 13, 2015)

I have a question about Remington UMC ammo, I have many boxes of Remington UMC 45ACP ammo, 230 grain Round nose that was purchased between 1992 and 1998, the cases (Remember BRAND new NEVER fired brass cases) have roughly 20 cartridges PER BOX of split cases. The boxes are a sort of yellow color. I can see and feel hairline cracks in the cases and I have NEVER had this happen before. I emailed Remington last week and no answer, can I actually shoot this ammo at least one time? Or, am I headed for major trouble? If they were reloads, I could understand, but factory ammo????? Thanks.
Terry.


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## denner (Jun 3, 2011)

Heckler said:


> I have a question about Remington UMC ammo, I have many boxes of Remington UMC 45ACP ammo, 230 grain Round nose that was purchased between 1992 and 1998, the cases (Remember BRAND new NEVER fired brass cases) have roughly 20 cartridges PER BOX of split cases. The boxes are a sort of yellow color. I can see and feel hairline cracks in the cases and I have NEVER had this happen before. I emailed Remington last week and no answer, can I actually shoot this ammo at least one time? Or, am I headed for major trouble? If they were reloads, I could understand, but factory ammo????? Thanks.
> Terry.


Unfortunately, it sounds like you need to get rid of it or risk a kaboom in my opinion. Was the ammo stored under extreme conditions such as hot, cold, humid, salty wet conditions for long periods of time? Ammo stored properly can last for decades with no ill effects but it sounds like either you got bad batches or the ammo was exposed to extreme conditions for long periods of time. I assume it's 50 round boxes and half have split or hairline craked cases? I don't like the odds.


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## AZdave (Oct 23, 2015)

Heckler said:


> I have a question about Remington UMC ammo, I have many boxes of Remington UMC 45ACP ammo, 230 grain Round nose that was purchased between 1992 and 1998, the cases (Remember BRAND new NEVER fired brass cases) have roughly 20 cartridges PER BOX of split cases. The boxes are a sort of yellow color. I can see and feel hairline cracks in the cases and I have NEVER had this happen before. I emailed Remington last week and no answer, can I actually shoot this ammo at least one time? Or, am I headed for major trouble? If they were reloads, I could understand, but factory ammo????? Thanks.
> Terry.


@Heckler Check out
http://www.handgunforum.net/new-handguns-area/51000-ammo-cans.html
DJ Niner also says never store ammo around cleaning supply chemicals (ammonia). It can lead to split cases.


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