Ammo Manufacturers: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

[Mark 40]

the last one is sad, as I'm still looking for a very soft shooting factory load out of a pocket revolver chambered in .38spl, for my Father-in-law.

I've been on a similar quest for awhile. Had always been using WIN Super Match 148g LWC.But it's kinda pricey and not always available.

Last year I purchased 1000 rounds of Freedom Munitions copper plated wadcutters. They were ok, but they aren't available all that often.

Gave Precision ONe a try recently. They had the copper plated wadcutter available so that appealed to me. Ordered a couple of boxes. But they inadvertently sent me LWC. I emailed them and they asked me to send a pic of the product I received. Then they sent me the correct product, no issues. The customer service mgr even called me on the phone to apologize for the error, she was super nice. Just ordered 1000 rounds. of the CPWC.

 

[Madcap_Magician]

I consider Winchester, Remington, and Federal to be "the big three" in American ammo manufacturing. Out of those three Federal (and their associated brands) has by far been the best for me, from cheap plinking ammo (American Eagle and Blazer) to premium hunting or self defense. Even with rimfire ammo Federal has always been the best for me. Their cheap bulk loose-pack boxes have the fewest duds, and Auto Match is a good performer for something more accurate and better cycling than the regular Federal. And as far as I'm concerned their CCI rimfire ammo is the gold standard for rimfire. You can get better than CCI but you typically are going to pay much more.

This is my experience as well. American Eagle is my favorite factory practice ammunition, and prices are pretty good these days. I also experience the fewest duds per box with Federal rimfire bulk packs compared to Winchester or Remington.

 

[Riomouse911]

I also shoot the copper plated WC bullets indoors because some of my loads are a tad smoky with my short barreled revolvers as well.

The worst was a couple weeks back when I was shooting some off-brand 125 gr LTC (truncated cone) bullets that had some iffy lube. Man, the cloud of smoke that billowed out of my shooting stall after every shot made me feel like I was shooting a BP revolver!

Luckily the barrel and cylinder weren’t all leaded when I cleaned the gun that afternoon.
I’m saving these smoke bombs for outdoor shooting from now on.

Stay safe!

 

[boom boom]

add another never again for Rem GB.
Magtech 124gr 9mm is just some NASTY DIRTY stuff.
Precision Delta .38spl HBWC creates target obscuring smoke out of my 442.
the last one is sad, as I'm still looking for a very soft shooting factory load out of a pocket revolver chambered in .38spl, for my Father-in-law.

Federal made a special run of their .38 SPC 125gr Nyclad hollowpoints a few years back. You might still be able to find a box or two online, in an old line lgs, or on the auction websites. These have a decent track record when revolvers ruled the street and very tame recoil.
https://jamesazacharyjr.blogspot.com/2009/01/federal-nyclad-38-special.html

 

[giggitygiggity]

I've found that Remington green and white box pistol ammo is pretty good. Speer makes excellent pistol ammo.

Wolf ammo has been very reliable for me.

Brown Bear has been good in my 7.62x39 and 9x18mm guns and seems fairly accurate.

The worst ammo and components that I have experienced were Tulammo. I was shooting a friend's M-1A with Tulammo and the majority of the primers failed to ignite despite the ammo being new and stored in controlled conditions. When making pistol reloads and using Tulammo primers, I would experience 1-2% primer failures to ignite on the first strike and about half as many would fail to ignite after the second strike; and yes the primers were fully seated (not a reloading technique issue) and the ammo was fired from a variety of guns (not a striker/hammer issue).

Federal makes good ammo overall. Their entry level ammo is plenty accurate. However, I think they load a lot of their offerings on the lighter end. In fact, I watched a Paul Harrel's video in which he showed that Federal's 10mm was loaded at .40SW levels (can't remember which loading it was, but I believe it was a self-defense load).

Remington Core Locks and Winchester Power Points provide good performance on soft-tissue. They're not exceptionally accurate. The Winchesters are slightly more accurate than the Remingtons. The Winchester Silvertip ammo is outstanding and I have shot it in .270WSM.

I think Hornady probably takes the cake overall. It is good ammo, reasonably prices, and my observations are that Hornady does not cut corners. The ammo is priced appropriately according to its intended performance. Hornady does not load self defense rounds at practice ammo levels and market it as self defense ammo. I have found that Hornady's components seems to be more uniformed and carefully manufactured in comparison to Remington and Winchester.

These are just my observations.

 

[IdaD]

I've always had good luck with Federal and Remington with all types of ammunition. I haven't shot much Winchester in rifles but I've had decent luck with their pistol ammo. Honestly I've had good luck with Wolf ammo in 9mm too although I don't really shoot it much because I've read some negative opinions about steel cased ammo and it doesn't really save that much compared to brass or aluminum range ammo.

Really the only stuff I'd go out of my way to avoid is Tulammo and the cheap steel cased Winchester ammo.

 

[George P]

Or Rem. 'Golden bullets'
I hate the fact that shotgun shell manufacturers have gone (almost) universally to steel bases. There have been numerous threads on THR about that, and I have said a few choice words in some of them. From those few of us that actually reload shotgun shells, this means "one and done", or not reloading steel based hulls and sticking to the few brass based hulls still available. (Win. AA, Rem. STS, and Rem. Nitro 27) The steel based hulls usually have a 6 point crimp, too, requiring a crimp starter change if used.

I will completely disagree with this. I have reloaded Rem Gun Clubs for decades and get more reloads from them than any Win AA or even the STS Gun Clubs. They have an 8 point crimp and I can reload a 3/4oz 12 gauge load in them that is flawless in my Beretta semi gas guns. I have reloaded over 200,000 rounds of shotgun in the last few decades; NEVER an issue with GC steel hulls. And I get 12-15 reloads out of every one of them. They are also my preferred hulls in 20 gauge.

 

[brewer12345]

If you reload, get a box of Berry's plated DEWCs. With COAL of 1.24" and 4 grains of HP38, these are accurate in all my guns that will chamber a 38.

 

[Zerodefect]

Federal is by far my favorite choice for pistol.

Winchester for 12g shotguns.

S&B, Blazer, and American Eagle are fine for plinking and training. I'm withholding my opinion on factory precision rifle ammo for now. But for 5.56 close up plinking, Federal is my favorite.

 

[entropy]

I will completely disagree with this. I have reloaded Rem Gun Clubs for decades and get more reloads from them than any Win AA or even the STS Gun Clubs. They have an 8 point crimp and I can reload a 3/4oz 12 gauge load in them that is flawless in my Beretta semi gas guns. I have reloaded over 200,000 rounds of shotgun in the last few decades; NEVER an issue with GC steel hulls. And I get 12-15 reloads out of every one of them. They are also my preferred hulls in 20 gauge.

Well, I did say usually. Yes, I know Gun Clubs are as I put it, "the best of the rest", but they are still steel based. If the club I shoot at sold them, I'd possibly consider reloading them once I have a different gun besides the 870; I had to 'mortar' out many a steel hull, from my 870 and many different guns for the kids in 4-H, and last summer I ripped my RH ring finger tip open when mortaring one out of my 870 on the second station of a practice round. (Thankfully it was a practice round, because I lost about 8 birds because of it!) My club sells Rios, I'll pass on those.

I will amend my statement to say 'For some of us that reload'.

 

[hdwhit]

So far, I have bought about 230 rounds of factory ammunition. Winchester, Remington/Peters, Federal and Aguila. I reload pretty much everything I shoot. The only exception is that I do buy factory ammunition for the first few rounds through a new gun. This is because if there is a problem, I don't want anyone to be able to blame my reloads.

Of that roughly 230 rounds I have bought (I say roughly because I can't entirely vouch for the records from my teenage years), 210 have been cosmetically and functionally perfect.

The last 20 rounds I bought were Federal American Eagle 223 rounds. When I opened the box, I thought they had adopted a leopard skin pattern for their brass. They were so far from "normal" factory ammunition that I was afraid to shoot them. I contacted Federal and after they looked at the pictures I sent them, they paid to have the box shipped back to them. They later sent me another box that was cosmetically perfects and I used them. No problem.

Other than that, I have never had a problem with factory ammunition, but my sample size is, admittedly, microscopic.

 

[George P]

I will amend my statement to say 'For some of us that reload'

Was I not clear enough? 200K of GC reloads without a hitch...........what have you got?

 

[blue32]

Hornady and Barnaul Brown Bear (guess I'm lucky) run great in my AR. I really like Remington's UMC standard HP line for 45 auto and have begun carrying it because its just cheap enough that I can practice with it regularly. I prefer Remington brass for 45 auto as well. Fiocchi makes the best factory 32 auto I've ever seen. I'll give Hornady a nod for 9mm. Blazer brass gets it for 40 S&W, though Remington high end loads have been great. Winchester makes the most consistent 28 ga 3/4 oz load and their AA hulls will go 8-9 reloads on average. For 357 mag I have to nominate myself.
S&B would be my choice for worst ammo. It has failed to fire in numerous cartridges.

 

[giggitygiggity]

I forgot to mention, I really like Geco pistol ammo for practice ammo. It’s cheap, the brass is nice, and it’s pretty clean.

I also think PPU/PRVI is outstanding. It’s cheap, available in more obscure calibers, and the brass and bullets are nice and it burns cleanly. I use it for hunting ammo and in a lot of my C&R guns with weird chamberings or when other brands are super expensive.

I think those two brands get overshadowed by the American mainstay ammo manufacturers, but they are just as good, if not better, in most respects.

 

[John Joseph]

add another never again for Rem GB.
Magtech 124gr 9mm is just some NASTY DIRTY stuff.
Precision Delta .38spl HBWC creates target obscuring smoke out of my 442.
the last one is sad, as I'm still looking for a very soft shooting factory load out of a pocket revolver chambered in .38spl, for my Father-in-law.

Give 158 gr SWC HSM---Hunters Shack Munitions--- a try. Also 148 gr HBWC from any of the usual suspects.

 

[captmoto]

I tried one box of 9mm 115gr. WWB and had a primer blow out on a S&W 469. It blew back and and a piece jammed the firing pin. I think it is pretty hot causing the primer to blow like that. Have heard a few other people complain of similar issues. That is the only ammo line I have ever had problems with. Blazer brass cased ammo is good stuff.

 

[Jeb Stuart]

Or Rem. 'Golden bullets'
I hate the fact that shotgun shell manufacturers have gone (almost) universally to steel bases. There have been numerous threads on THR about that, and I have said a few choice words in some of them. From those few of us that actually reload shotgun shells, this means "one and done", or not reloading steel based hulls and sticking to the few brass based hulls still available. (Win. AA, Rem. STS, and Rem. Nitro 27) The steel based hulls usually have a 6 point crimp, too, requiring a crimp starter change if used.

And My 22's all love Remington Goldens.
From reading all the post, it appears it will depend a lot on the gun, Too bad guns don't talk. Un less of course you are a gun whisperer. I listen to my guns, fondle them and name them. I love them, they love me.

 

[entropy]

And My 22's all love Remington Goldens.
From reading all the post, it appears it will depend a lot on the gun, Too bad guns don't talk. Un less of course you are a gun whisperer. I listen to my guns, fondle them and name them. I love them, they love me.

Yeah, some guns do, and you're right, it'd be nice if they would let us know what they like.

Remember the old Federal commercial with the duck whispering in the sleeping hunter's ear? "When you're out in the blind tomorrow, don't use Federal shells"

Picture your .22 leaning over your pillow, "When you go to the range tomorrow, bring Remington Golden Bullets!"

 

[Jeb Stuart]

Yeah, some guns do, and you're right, it'd be nice if they would let us know what they like.

Remember the old Federal commercial with the duck whispering in the sleeping hunter's ear? "When you're out in the blind tomorrow, don't use Federal shells"

Picture your .22 leaning over your pillow, "When you go to the range tomorrow, bring Remington Golden Bullets!"

Yes, One night, my LCR22 told me to get him some Aguila Interceptors. I listened and yep, the loud, noise and high Velocity became a like a new toy for him. I have spoiled him. I even ordered a thousand more rounds.

 

[Storm1969]

Had a squib in a WWB 40 2 months ago. Over the last 2 years have had two FTF in Rem 30-30 core loks.

I reload mostly, but when I don't I prefer Fiocci in 223 and 300blk. Have no preference in 45-70, Winchester in 30-30.

 

[John Joseph]

PMC .45acp ball sure impresses me as being good stuff.

 

[SSN Vet]

With the exception of rimfire, the only ammo manufacturer I use is...... me

 

[Archie]

I reload most of my centerfire ammo. However, I tend toward PPU ("Privi Partizan Uzice" in Uzice, Serbia) for ready to shoot. Seems to be uniform (as good as any), loaded to 'advertised' velocities generally and they make a number of odd calibers. I collect odd guns.

American manufacturers: Hornady makes a good swath of calibers. I mostly reload and Hornady makes excellent brass and bullets.

 

[paulsj]

PMC .45acp ball sure impresses me as being good stuff.

When I owned few G20s I used to buy their 10mm ammo. Fun to shoot stuff with tremendous ammount of muzzle flash.

 

[John Joseph]

And My 22's all love Remington Goldens.
From reading all the post, it appears it will depend a lot on the gun, Too bad guns don't talk. Un less of course you are a gun whisperer. I listen to my guns, fondle them and name them. I love them, they love me.