Federal Champion vs Federal American Eagle

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jawman

jawman

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I usually buy Federal Champion 115gr FMJ from Walmart as my range ammo. I can get them here in the Chicago suburbs for $11.97 for a 50 round box at Walmart. I went there yesterday and they were sold out of the Champion, and I usually get the Winchester White Box when that happens, which I don't like to do as I think is dirtier than the Federal Champion - just looking at the cases of the Winchester there are black marks and black spots/dirt in the engravings on the back of the casing.
Interestingly enough they had Federal American Eagle 147gr for $15.97. I've never seen Walmart carry the Federal American Eagle before, so I picked up a couple boxes in lieu of the WWB. I'm sure the rest of you can find them cheaper since Illinois probably has higher taxes, but I'm curious as to the difference between the Federal Champion and their American Eagle line and why the AE was $4 more per box. For a much higher price, the AE better be a lot better than the Federal Champion to be worth a 33% increase in price. What's everyone's take on the Federal Champion vs Federal American Eagle?
 
Haha Chicago suburbs. I know, Illinois is a corrupt left wing state and I am voting with my feet as soon as I am able to and there is nothing left to keep me tied down out here. My home state of Michigan looks nice. Or possibly North Carolina/Georgia where most of my family lives. Who knows where I'll end up. But back to the topic at hand...Federal Champion vs American Eagle...anyone?
 
The American Eagle has less flash and leaves less residue in the gun. The iron jacketed Swiss-made Ruag Ammotec is only $12.97/50 at Walmart therefore there is no point in buying WWB or Federal 'Champion' ammo unless one enjoys cleaning their gun more then they have to. It's nice to know that knowledge gained by the Swiss in making ammo for Wehrmacht during WWII did not go to waste.
 
Federal Champion is about the lowest powered ammo you can buy.

I have used quite a bit of it without issue but it could cause some failures in a newer pistol until it is broken in (say 500 rounds fired) but then again it is practice ammo. If it works well for you then I woud not worry about it. I have read a lot about it being blamed for problems with Gen 4 Glocks because of it's low power factor but I don't have any personal experience with it in that regard.

For instance in 115 grain the muzzle velocity stated by the manufacturer for Federal Champion is 1120 FPS and for American Eagle it is 1180 FPS.

I have used it in several of my SIGs and never had an issue.

I also live not to far from Chicago but generally buy my ammo online and get better prices for brands such as Brazer Brass and Lawman cheaper than what I would pay for Federal Champion at Walmart. Any shipping charges are still less then sales tax I would have to pay buying at Walmart.

If you are ever near GAT Guns in Dundee stop buy as they have some pretty decent prices on ammo. Not too long ago they had pallets of Winchester Ranger NATO 124 grain FMJ for $117 per 500 rounds if you paid cash/check and that is terrific ammo for that price.
 
sigarms228 said:
Federal Champion is about the lowest powered ammo you can buy.

I have used quite a bit of it without issue but it could cause some failures in a newer pistol until it is broken in (say 500 rounds fired) but then again it is practice ammo. If it works well for you then I woud not worry about it. I have read a lot about it being blamed for problems with Gen 4 Glocks because of it's low power factor but I don't have any personal experience with it in that regard.

For instance in 115 grain the muzzle velocity stated by the manufacturer for Federal Champion is 1120 FPS and for American Eagle it is 1180 FPS.

I have used it in several of my SIGs and never had an issue.

I also live not to far from Chicago but generally buy my ammo online and get better prices for brands such as Brazer Brass and Lawman cheaper than what I would pay for Federal Champion at Walmart. Any shipping charges are still less then sales tax I would have to pay buying at Walmart.

If you are ever near GAT Guns in Dundee stop buy as they have some pretty decent prices on ammo. Not too long ago they had pallets of Winchester Ranger NATO 124 grain FMJ for $117 per 500 rounds if you paid cash/check and that is terrific ammo for that price.
Click to expand...
It is the best gun test ball ammo one can use. Only best pistols will function w/o issues with it. If the gun does not cycle that ammo it is no good. $117/500 is excellent price for military grade +P ball ammo.
 
PabloJ said:
It is the best gun test ball ammo one can use. Only best pistols will function w/o issues with it. If the gun does not cycle that ammo it is no good. $117/500 is excellent price for military grade +P ball ammo.
Click to expand...
Good to know. I have been using it in my 1911s, Sigs, and M&Ps for years without issue. And my new M&P shield ran it just fine as well. Guess I have been lucky thus far.
 
PabloJ said:
The American Eagle has less flash and leaves less residue in the gun. The iron jacketed Swiss-made Ruag Ammotec is only $12.97/50 at Walmart therefore there is no point in buying WWB or Federal 'Champion' ammo unless one enjoys cleaning their gun more then they have to. It's nice to know that knowledge gained by the Swiss in making ammo for Wehrmacht during WWII did not go to waste.
Click to expand...

What is this Ruag Ammotec you speak of? I've never heard of it or seen it on a Walmart shelf before. So you're saying it is cleaner than Federal Champion or WWB? What makes it so good, just its Swiss engineering?

PabloJ said:
It is the best gun test ball ammo one can use. Only best pistols will function w/o issues with it. If the gun does not cycle that ammo it is no good.
Click to expand...
Well that's good to know. I've put over 2000 rounds of Federal Champion through my new P226, along with some WWB, HydraShok, HST, Tula, and not a single FTF or FTE. Every round I've ever put in the gun has fired. I always clean and lube my gun after I use it too.
 
I avoid Federal Champion for my Glocks. American Eagle is better.

RWS Sport is Swiss made, loaded to NATO pressures and is excellent.

M
 

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Hello jawmwn, one difference is: Federal Champion 9MM uses a less expensive plated bullet. Federal American Eagle 9MM uses a traditional jacketed bullet. I have used all kinds of 9mm factory practice ammo and my own reloads,but my most used factory practice ammo is the Winchester 124 grain NATO ball. I buy the stuff by the case. Win. Q4318 NATO ball has enough energy to properly function in any properly maintained, quality 9MM, IMHO. The only real issue I have had with the economy practice type ammo the major manufacturers produce, is that some of it is very low energy/velocity. Within my humble experience, this is noticed most in full sized guns with heavier slides, like 9MM 1911s, etc. You may see owners of some 9MMs posting about slides not locking back on empty,erratic or lazy ejection, stove piping,etc. when using some of the less expensive practice ammo,e.g. WWB, AE and Champion, Rem-Umc yellow box, etc. The Hi Power and CZ75,etc. have slides light enough that the lower powered stuff works just fine... ymmv
 
So what's the difference between the FMJ of the Fed Champion and Fed AE? And why is one better than (or the pros and cons) the other?

I never knew that not all FMJs were created equal.
 
Man, M1key do I agree on the RWS. I bought out the local Walmart at $10 a box as they couldn't give it away to the locals. They said it was foreign so it had to be inferior. Well I had 2000 rounds of it and about a 1000 rounds left. Some of the best ammo I've ever shot loaded or bought.

Now as for the Federal ammo. You couldn't give me a box of the Champion however I do like the America Eagle in 45 ACP. I also not a fan of Winchester White Box or for that matter any ammo Walmart sells right now. The difference I've found is the quality as the AE is just better ammo and has a bit more power. The champion seems to be weak in both 9mm and 45 acp at least to me. The 45 acp by the way has small pistol primer while the AE still uses large pistol primers.
 
Well I really want to try this RWS/Ruag ammo, unfortunately my Walmart doesn't sell it. Could I make a request to the store manager or will that just be a waste of time?
 
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M1key said:
I avoid Federal Champion for my Glocks. American Eagle is better.

RWS Sport is Swiss made, loaded to NATO pressures and is excellent.

M
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Only 9x19 seems to be Swiss-made. The .380, 9x18, .38, and .45ACP is made in Hungary.
On the other hand 124gr Geco-boxed 9x19 comes from same factory in Thun Switzerland.
 
Got this off another forum:

This is the question I E-Mailed to Federal Ammunition, along with their reply concerning their "warning" on Federal Champion Ammo stating, "NOT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT USE".

Question:

I noticed on the box of Federal Champion 115 Gr. FMJ 9 MM ammunition I
purchased, it says, "NOT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT USE". I wondered why that
was? This doesn't appear on the Federal American Eagle brand. Thank you.

Answer:

Sir,

The copper jacket on the Champion round is thinner than the American
Eagle. Due to the thinner jacket there is a potential for the jacket to
come apart during some LE training scenarios.

Thanks,

Federal Ammunition
 
RWS Sport is Swiss made, loaded to NATO pressures and is excellent.
Click to expand...

I can't speak to the 9mm RWS Sport ammo, but the .45ACP RWS Sport ammo I have on hand most definitely says "Made in Hungary" on the box.
 
RWS is a Swiss company and is suppossed to be quite good ammo.

Ammo companies frequently contract with other firms to produce ammo for them with their headstamp. During the previous ammo crisis I had just bought a Bersa 380 and was trying different brands. Some of the "Winchester" I bought had "Made in the Czech Republic" printed in small print on the box. Also the little plastic tray the rounds are stored in and the dimenstions of the box itself were identical to S&B ammo. I'm all but certain this "Winchester" was re-branded S&B.

It is like your Ford being made in Mexico and a Honda in Ohio!

The proof is in the shooting. If it goes bang and makes holes where you pointed there isn't too much to complain about.

Good Luck.

Dan
 
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