# Blazer Brass, fiocchi, American eagle, Magtech 9mm, Differences?



## smakmauz (Jun 18, 2014)

So most of the 9mm "target" rounds available near me for an average price of $15.99 for a 50 count box are the ones I listed up above. All of these are 115gr slugs with slightly varying muzzle velocities with the fiocchi being the highest at 1200.

My question is about the slug itself. all of these have a copper jacket that are fairly smooth but the fiocchi has a really smooth brass jacketed slug.

It would seem to me that the smoother jacket in brass would be superior to the copper because brass would seem to me to leave less fouling because its harder than copper.

I haven't shot enough since buying my own guns to really be able to compare or have enough experience so I wanted to put it out there to you guys and see what you all thought. Personally I'm leaning toward the fiocchi but what do you guys think? They are all in the same price point in my area.


----------



## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

The general rule I use is: try them all, use the one that works best for YOU, in your pistol.

Pistols vary from unit to unit, just like any other manufactured item, and the load that is most accurate in my pistol, might be the least accurate in your pistol. Highest velocity may be best for reliable functioning, but it may not be best for accuracy, and it DEFINITELY is not the best when it comes to finding a load with the least recoil (for fast combat-style shooting competitions). I have shot two different pistols of the same maker and model, side-by-side, with several different loads, and had one pistol shoot much better with load #1, and the second pistol shoot best with load #2 or #3.

I recommend buying a box of each brand of ammo (put them aside for a while if you have to), and then sitting down and shooting them (from a rested position, if possible) on the same style target, at the same distance, on the same day, so you can directly compare the results. It will also let you load one or two cartridges of each load into the same magazine, and then shoot them all one-after-the-other, so you can get a feel for the comparative recoil characteristics. I pick the one that is (first) most reliable, then (secondly) most accurate, and finally, I take recoil into account (more as a tie-breaker). I don't worry too much about the amount of fouling unless it is so bad that I think I couldn't finish a 200-shot competition without cleaning the pistol (and with my Glocks, this has never been a problem).

Good luck, and enjoy the testing; it can tell you a lot about your pistol, and it will give you a lot of confidence in your ultimate choice of target/practice ammo.


----------



## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

And as for your specific question about the loads you listed; I've used the Blazer Brass and American Eagle 9mm loads with good results, although neither is my first choice for any use. I generally avoid imported stuff, and never use any of the steel-case crap. I do use occasionally Fiocchi in .32 ACP as it has a significantly higher velocity and energy than most domestic .32 ACP FMJ ammo, so I'm not avoiding that brand for any unexplained reasons; it just hasn't shown any similar benefits in my 9mm pistols.


----------

