[inthefork]

What ball ammo(45acp) do you guys recommend? I use alot of PMC in my Kimber, but it seems to stovepipe from time to time. My favorite is Federal XM1911, but it is nearly impossible to find.

inthefork

[Nightcrawler]

I use S&B 230grn. It's cheaper than American stuff and just as good.

Though...if your pistol is jamming with ball ammunition, that's not good.

[CWL]

Federal is hard to find right now in .45 & 9mm because it's all going to Afghanistan & the Middle East.

S&B is decent alternative, so is Fiocchi.

[ruger357]

I also use S&B 230.grain. Have good luck with it out of my Kimber Ultra Carry and Colt 1991a1.

[Double Naught Spy]

Stovepiping is either going to be a problem between the power of your round and your recoil spring, or how you are holding the gun. It may be that your spring is overdue to be replaced as it may not be cycling properly, hence not allowing enough dwell (open breech) time for the spent case to eject. Or, it may be a limp wrist issue.

[El Tejon]

S&B is good stuff, very low flash at night and fairly inexpensive. However, it is weaker than some others. This may slow you down if doing drills up close and personal.

I prefer Remington, but I carry 1911s so I clean and lube the pistol and each session anywho.:)

[FPrice]

"S&B is good stuff, very low flash at night and fairly inexpensive. However, it is weaker than some others."

I have heard S&S described in many different terms but weaker has never been one of them. I was under the impression that it tends to be a little warmer than other brands. Yiu have me curious now. I wonder if anyone has any references to check this out.

[El Tejon]

FP, really? I've never put it on a graph so my perceptions may just be a confirmation of speculation--people see what they want to see and all. However, I have noticed that it impacts retention drills and other up close stuff.

[moxie]

For practice, whatever is cheapest. It all should run through your gun flawlessly. If not, get it checked. Something's not right.

The CCI Blazer round is also good, and often on sale at various places like Sports Authority. the S&B round often sells very cheaply at various on-line sites.

Moxie

[Kahr carrier]

I use Fiocchi 230 Ball ammo it seems on the hotter side.

[foghornl]

I have had good performance with both the S&B and PMC brands of "ball" ammo my Ruger KP-90 and Springfield Champion. I have occasionally shot Blazer, but it is not my favorite. Works OK, but as the name inplies, well....it does seem to have more muzzle flash than most other ammo I have tried.

If your Kimber is choking on the PMC, then I would say that something is "...'bout half a bubble off level" Try another brand of ammo, and/or have your Kimber checked out.

[inthefork]

Thanks for the input folks. The hangups Ive had with the Kimber are fairly rare. It very well could have been that I wasnt holding the gun just right at the time. That being conceded, the PMC ammo does seem less powerful than the Federal. Every shot w/ the Federal seems to be consistant and I am sure its a little on the hot side. When I find it again, Im going to buy bulk. Meanwhile, Ive got a lot of PMC to shoot and Ill try the S&B.

Thanks, inthefork

[Gearhead Jim]

I've never measured any, but folks on another forum said that S&B ammo has a lot of variations in cartridge case dimensions from one round to another, or from one lot to another. Someone might check that out, improper rim dimensions could cause stovepiping.

[sm]

Winchester USA 230 gr FMJ usually , when not using Re-loads.

Just ran 200 rds of Fiocchi 230 gr FMJ today, Through a Pro-Carry, A Kimber Target Series I , Colt Mil-Spec, SA Mil-Spec and a Old Colt Combat Commander...No problems with any guns and loads...Paper plates and post it notes soggy...rain.

Fiocchi been a good load in This and other stuff (rifle and shotguns) Just not always readily avail. Burned clean and perhaps a bit hotter than the USA...haven't chrono'd.

[Mannlicher]

I have had very good luck with the CCI Blazer 230 grain ball. I find it a little dirty, but since I use it as range ammo, it makes little difference.

I have, in the past, carried ball as CCW ammo. I have complete faith in the Remington, and Winchester brands. Federal is my favorite, but it is in short supply.


I shoot a Series 70 Combat Commander and a Springfield 1911A-1

[.45Ruger]

Cheap, and available and my Springfield 1911 eats it all.

[seeker_two]

I like 'em both when I don't load my own.

From my experience, I've found the S&B loads much warmer than any American brand. In fact, the only SD load I'd carry in my Titan .25ACP is S&B b/c it's the only brand that will punch completely through a 2x4 treated wood target brace & still bury itself in the berm 10' behind it...:what:

[Double Naught Spy]

Something to keep in mind here is that whether an ammo is actually hotter or more powerful is something that most of us can't determine by simply shooting the gun. We make that assessment based on perceived recoil. Someone above mentioned that Fiocchi seemed to be hotter ammo. Well, it is, sort of, but not really. It is chrono'd at 875 fps, only 25 fps over what was submitted as the standard for the 1911 using .45 acp ammo. PMC ammo is actually shown to be 895 fps, a full 20 fps hotter than Fiocchi.

Part of what comes into play here is the amount and burn rate of the powder being used. A faster burn rate may bring the slug up to speed more quickly and the result can be a sharper or more pronounced felt recoil. For example, Blazer ammo feels hotter to me than the Fiocchi. The Blazer has a sharper sort of slap recoil whereas the Fiocchi seems to have a more dampened or push sort of recoil, but the Blazer is about 50 fps slower. The Fiocchi apparently has a slightly slower burning powder that brings the bullet up to speed just a little slower and the result is that the recoil is actually experienced for a slightly longer amount of time, resulting in the sensation of a push instead of a slap.

The bottom line is that felt recoil as a means of assessment of whether a buttet is hotter or not is not an accurate means of assessment when comparing comparable products such as 230 gr .45 acp loads. The only way to do it is to chrono the results.

[hansolo]

I occasionally shoot S&B 115g 9mm. Subjectively, it seems a little hotter than most domestic factory non +P 9mm. I have looked at ballistic tables on S&B's webpage, as well as a couple of Gun Mags....the 115 9mm FMJ comes in at approx. 1280 fps and 423 Ft. lbs.: that is faster and higher power than many +P loads.

[VHinch]

For factory ammo I go with Winchester or UMC 230 gr. They both shoot the same for me, so I buy whichever is cheaper.

Vance