Best bulk 9mm ammo?

[mikerault]

This is for a class that will require up to 900 rounds. There will be three from my family going so we are talking about near 3000 rounds. As far as price, Wolf and Sellier and Bellot seem to be the cheapest. However, I worry about the reliability and the steel cases (on the Wolf). Has anyone tried these out? What range experience does everyone have? I figured I can reload at about $270.00 per 2000 so about $400.00 for 3000, including the plastic ammo boxes, bullets, powder and primers (I have the brass already).

Also, if I get solid hard cast lead bullets verses jacketed or plated it is cheaper, but with 900 rounds in 4 days of class would we need to worry barrel leading? I shoot and XD and my son-in-law a Glock, not sure about the third handgun yet but probably another XD (for my daughter). I want to maximize feed reliability and minimize jamming.

Mike

 

[nosmr2]

I have shot plenty of steel cased Wolf and Tula in my Glock with no problems. I wouldn't worry about shooting 900 of those. Can't comment on the other 2 guns.

 

[LKB3rd]

I believe Glock recommends not shooting lead through their special rifling.

 

[gunnutery]

I'm not sure what type of gun you're going to shoot, but if you've shot steel cases before without problems, I'd say go for it. I've shot a lot of wolf through my Glock. It's not the most accurate stuff, but for the price it's good training ammo.

It looks like reloading is going to be your cheapest option after looking at luckygunner.com and sportsmansguide.com.

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/tula-ammo-900-rds-9-mm-115-gr-fmj-ammo-with-tin.aspx?a=692171

http://www.luckygunner.com/9mm-115-gr-fmj-wolf-wpa-50-rounds

Maybe you've had a different experience, but if you're shooting a Sig Sauer, I have yet to see one cycle reloads.

 

[gunnutery]

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/AMM4700-1.html

Just found this one for Tula steel cases for $480 for 3000.

 

[Onward Allusion]

Wolf and Sellier and Bellot seem to be the cheapest

There's no comparison between Wolf and Sellier and Bellot. S&B wins hands down and is some of the best range ammo out there. It is slightly hotter than your WWB range ammo and is more along the lines of Fiocchi. You can get S&B for between $10 - $11 per box of 50 so it really doesn't make sense to reload 9mm when you factor in the brass that you can get back from S&B brass cartridges.

 

[chris in va]

See if this helps.

http://www.handloads.com/calc/loadingCosts.asp

Just plugging in some numbers from local prices, I could reload 3000 FMJ for about $350, much less if I use my own cast bullets.

That amount in S&B would cost you $600.

The only gun I have that shoots steel cased ammo reliably is my Saiga. My CZ75 chokes on it, the CZ carbine doesn't like the hard primers and I haven't bothered trying it in my Glock.

On a side note, my Glock 21SF loves my cast 'boolits'. Zero leading, barrel looks like a mirror if I run a mop through it. Not sure how the 9mm versions would do.

 

[mikerault]

Since this is a fairly intense class, I doubt they will let me harvest the brass between runs. $11*20*3=$660.00, I can still reload for about half that. Again, I am not worried about the brass, 9mm is cheap and plentiful in single shot brass.

 

[docnyt]

I've had a positive experience with both the steel and brass cased Monarch 9 mm from Academy. When it's on sale I jump on it.

 

[Snowdog]

There's no comparison between Wolf and Sellier and Bellot. S&B wins hands down and is some of the best range ammo out there.

I've got to second this. S&B is top notch stuff.

Another decent option is Speer Lawman. 1000 rounds of brass case 115gr or 124gr FMJ will cost around $220 at various places such as Aim Surplus or Natchez.

 

[karlsgunbunker]

Shipping might be to high depending on where you are located, but AIM Surplus has 9mm for $8.50 per box.
http://www.aimsurplus.com/catalog.aspx?groupid=46&name=9mm

I think I got the last of the $7.75 Russian 9mm.

 

[chanroc]

You might want to check with the instructor if the range is indoors. A lot of indoor ranges won't let you shoot S&B and such cause of the steel content in the FMJ alloy, e.g. if it sticks to magnets.

 

[Maia007]

I think that S & B is about the best cheap stuff I've used in quite a while. It goes on sale around here for about $9.95 every now and then.

I agree that it seems a bit hotter than Rem/UMC, WWB, Blazer Brass and similar cheap stuff under $12, but it also seems more accurate than these in the dozen or so 9's I own.

 

[FatPants]

I really like the Federal Champion 9mm from Wal-mart. I've shot 10,000+ rounds of it without a single issue. Its really good stuff, for cheap ammo.

 

[rhodco]

I get all my ammo from http://www.georgia-arms.com

Good quality, low prices, and free shipping on orders over a certain amount depending on what zone of the country you live in. Check out the website. (I am not affiliated with them in any way. Just a long time customer).

I recommend the 124gr. FMJ NATO for the best value in a target round.
For serious defense carry, I recommend the 124gr. +P JHP Speer Gold Dot.

 

[Onward Allusion]

mikerault
Since this is a fairly intense class, I doubt they will let me harvest the brass between runs. $11*20*3=$660.00, I can still reload for about half that. Again, I am not worried about the brass, 9mm is cheap and plentiful in single shot brass.

If you can't reclaim your brass then cheap steel cased ammo is the only way to go. I mean why reload and then lose the cases ~ $150 in brass.

One thing to consider when using steel cased ammo is the dirty factor. Steel cased ammo is not inherently more dirty but they will cause carbon build-up faster. Also, before spending close to $500 on steel cased ammo, make sure it'll work in your guns. Not all guns like steel cased ammo. Heck, not all guns like all brands of ammo, period.

 

[Jimineer]

I just ordered 2000 rounds of American Eagle 9mm FMJ from ammunitiontogo.com. Without tax and shipping it worked out to about $10 per box of 50. Just under an additional buck for shipping and tax (I live in same state so you may not have to pay tax). This is less $ than I've paid for Federal Champion at Walmart in recent history - can't find it on shelves now. Good Luck.

 

[Iftrue]

I like Prvi Partisan and Nobel when it's on aimsurplus.com. American Eagle is usually the next best bet online. Avoid Brown Bear and "bulk Russian ammo". It's dirty as hell and not so consistent. I actually had a better experience with silver bear, but at that price point you should probably just opt for American eagle.

 

[greg531mi]

Try Geco, it's Swiss and cheap $199 case of 1000 J and G out of AZ

 

[btg3]

I get all my ammo from http://www.georgia-arms.com

^^^ +1.

They also will take your brass as credit against your next purchase which further reduces your cost.
Are you nearby in Georgia?

 

[kda]

In one of my Glock 26s, I've now fired around 7,500 rounds almost equally divided between Federal Champion (Walmart) and PMC (S. Korea) Federal is the "weakest" retail ammo on the market and is easy to shoot. PMC is also relatively soft shooting too and is accurate and clean.

Recently I found a great deal on S&B and have now fired a bit over 1,000 rounds of that ammo through my Glocks. Very much a "fully loaded" ammo and most can feel it when they fire. But deadly accurate and very reliable.

Still, I think if I wanted an ammunition that is most likely to fire in any make or brand of pistol, I'd go with PMC Bronze. Federal Champion has been reported (GlockTalk mostly) to not always have enough "power" to cycle well in select Generation 4 9mm pistols with the new double coil spring. I've seen a few reports form Sig owners that they had problems with S&B. But my Glocks eat S&B like it was candy. I know of zero Glock owners that have any issues with S&B.

Something you may find useful. Go to Cabela's.com and find your ammo brand and caliber. Then click on "reviews" and see what you can learn from other shooters there. There will likely be hundreds of "reviews". Of course you cannot believe everyone who writes a review but when enough folks are reporting a similar experience ... it seems to match what I've experienced and if they are kind enough to mention the pistol brand they were using, the report becomes all the more valuable.

 

[exavid]

I might be old fashioned but I can't stand the idea of using steel cased ammo. I don't like the idea of shells that are as hard as the metal in the pistol. A brass case isn't going to wear an ejector claw but can you say that for sure with steel? Likewise a brass case isn't going to wear the chamber or much of anything in a gun; but steel? If it were me I'd be out in the garage loading 9mm. Luckily for me there are a lot of guys in the Medford Rifle and Pistol club who don't keep their brass.

 

[W.E.G.]

I don't like the idea of shells that are as hard as the metal in the pistol.

I hope the steel in your pistol is harder than the monkey-metal used for steel case ammo.

A brass case isn't going to wear an ejector claw but can you say that for sure with steel?

Can you show us any evidence that steel cases wear extractors at any rate appreciably greater than brass?

Likewise a brass case isn't going to wear the chamber or much of anything in a gun; but steel?

Wear out the chamber?... Are you serious?... You will wear out the BORE with any type of ammo you can pick long before you wear out the chamber.

 

[FatPants]

You really should take the time to read the manual for your rifle.

Steel cases are very soft steel. My Glock uses very high quality steel. I'm not concerned.

If I do wear out my G17 from shooting steel (Wont happen), I will have saved more than enough money to buy another G17.

Steel ammo is not a concern.

 

[exavid]

I told you I'm old school, just don't like steel cases. What do you know about the quality of the steel in your firearm compared to the steel cartridge case? Got a Brinell or Rockwell figure for either? I didn't say anyone else shouldn't use them, just that I don't like the idea.