# New to shooting, need ammo advice



## dru (Mar 26, 2008)

Hello all,

I've been to the range a few times shooting other people guns, but I finally broke down to enjoy the sport with my own gun. I just bought a HK P30 and it's great gun for me. I went to my local academy and bought the cheapest brass shells, Monarchs. I had numerous (10+) jams where the shell would get stuck in the slider during ejection. I also had 1 misfeed(?) where on live bullet was in the barrel as another bullet was in the chamber, but not seated correctly. This was all in 300 rounds.

I have been reading as much as I can and a lot of people say dont cheap out on the ammo. Is the gun jamming because the cheap ammo isnt kicking the slider back enough, or is this a common 9mm problem?

My local store has the bulk boxes of Remington UMC for a slightly higher price. Would anyone suggest a specific brand or cost per 50 rds to spend for range shooting, or is my new gun just, twitchy? Should I be looking a specific grain count, if so, what exactly does the grain count mean? more velocity, less mass? Im a complete noob to guns and ammo.

Thanks all

Thanks for helping a newbie out.


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## hawcer (Feb 22, 2008)

Try some Winchester White box ammo first...the Rem UMC seems a little weaker and you might end up with the same problem.

Since your new at this....Be shure you are not limp wristing while firing....that could lead to extraction/feeding problems.

I hope this helps some!


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## DrunkenEngineer (Apr 7, 2008)

Wow, you are in the same boat as me. I just bought an HK P30 the other day, but I haven't gotten the chance to shoot it yet. As hawcer said, stick with Winchester White Box FMJ for you target practice ammo, should be pretty cheap at the local Wal-Mart.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

*To get a complete answer, you need to submit more information.*
1) What gun, exactly?
2) Are you shooting with one hand? Two hands?
3) Exactly what ammunition are you using that jams the gun? (Indicate manufacturer, bullet type and weight, and "grain count" of propellant -- or velocity.)

*FYI:*
Ammunition is classified, first, by cartridge caliber: .22, 9mm, .38 Special, .45 ACP, etc.
Then, there's bullet type: round nose, wadcutter or semi-wadcutter (flat nose), hollow-point (there's a hole in it), etc.
Finally, there's what you called "grain count." In this case, "grain" is a measure of weight, not of particles. The powder charge *weighs* a certain number of grains. Further, there's also the type of powder...but in a factory-made cartridge, you won't know that; what you might know is the velocity (speed) at which the bullet comes out of the pistol's barrel.


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