Cheap reliable 40 S&W range ammo?

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Legendsedge

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Does anyone have any recommendations for cheap reliable 40 S&W ammo for the range/training (I know I should be training with what I carry, but I just can't afford it)?
Are any of these rounds safe and reliable:
1) CCI Blazer Brass (5220) FMJ 180gr $10.99 per 50
2) PMC (PM40D) FMJ 165gr. $10.28/50
3) Federal American Eagle (AE40R2) FMJ 180gr $10.45/50
4) Aquila FMJ 180gr $10.95/50
Also:
The best defensive rounds have been discussed, but is there an inexpensive bulk round in 40 S&W that anyone can recommend for defense (the XM193 is the standard for 5.56, but is there an equivalent for 40 S&W)?
Are any of the following worth considering?
1) Remington (R40SW2C) 180gr JHP $11.45/50
2) Federal Hi-Shok (40SWB) 155gr JHP $12.99/50
3) Winchester Ranger 155gr JHP $13.99/50 (This is NOT the new R40T, unfortunately)
4) Winchester Ranger 180gr JHP $13.29/50 (This is NOT the new R40T, unfortunately)
Thanks a ton, any help here is greatly appreciated!
 
Does anyone have any recommendations for cheap reliable 40 S&W ammo for the range/training (I know I should be training with what I carry, but I just can't afford it)?
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Well that's what range ammo is for. No sense spending good money to punch holes with premium JHPs.

First find a carry load you like which, more importantly, your gun is also totally reliable with.

Next go to the range with a box each of your carry ammo and several of the widely available FMJ target rounds loaded with the same weight bullet as your carry ammo. Shoot a few groups with your carry ammo. Shoot a few groups with each of the target loads. Whichever target loads most closely match the POA/POI (point of aim / point of impact) of your carry ammo are the ones to make a note of. Of those, weigh groupings and price into your preference of target ammo. If the preferred ammo isn't available you'll hopefully at least have one alternate load you buy which matches the POA/POI of your carry load.

Last but not least a warm welcome The High Road. Please enjoy your time here, and please keep asking questions and learning.

Most of the major name stuff is fine. The only one I'd avoid is Wolf or any other steel cased ammo. Remington UMC, Atlanta Arms, Georgia Arms, Winchester White Box, Fiocchi, Speer Lawman, and CCI Blazer Brass amongst others have all worked well for me. I've no experience with Aguila. If you don't reload brass cases aren't a necessity. If that's the case then CCI's aluminium cased Blazer line is worth trying too. I've had good results with it in the past, and the aluminium cases make it quite economical when you can catch it on sale. The only reason I don't currently shoot it is that I reload.
 
I've used CCI Blazer Brass almost exclusively, though I do have a box of Winchester floating around here somewhere. I did get a few bad boxes of PMC once. A lot of fail to fires, maybe hard primers? They fired on the second hit. Maybe the primers weren't seated all the way. Anyway, you list looks pretty average on prices. The Blazer brass reloads just fine. I have 6-8 loads on some of mine.

BTW, Welcome!!! Also, if you find the 180gr loads to be a bit hard on the arms like I did, Remington UMC's come in 165gr, and so do Speer Gold Dots, so you can train with a similar weight and velocity to a carry ammo. Recoil managment is one of the big reasons they say to train with your carry ammo, but for some of us, this is just not economicaly feasible. Run a few boxes of carry ammo through to make sure they feed okay, but you can train with a similar weight target ammo.
 
You could try the Miwall reloads from www.outdoormarksman.com -I've had very good results with that ammo.As far as carry ammo goes,CDNN has Winchester Ranger JHP for $13/50,if you buy 10 boxes they pay shipping...
 
A big thanks to everyone for such a warm welcome, and some GREAT information. I just picked up a case of Blazer Brass from the local WalMart for 7.57 per 50. It looks like decent ammo and the price is the best I've found for any 180gr JHP. Has anyone had any problems with Blazer Brass, it sounds too good to be true?
 
I agree, Blazer Brass will do the job, good range ammo, and it's cheap, what more could ya want?
 
If you must shop Wal-Mart...

$7.97 is a very good price for Blazer Brass. Buy more.

I have had no problems whatsoever with WWB in my USPc.
 
When I had a .40, I never had a problem with Blazer Brass. I also used some Independence (in 165-gr.) and Blazer aluminum with good results. I never found any meaningful difference in perceived or felt recoil between 165- and 180-grain bullet weights.
 
I dunno if there is any Academy Sports stores where you live but they carry a brand I have only seen in their stores called "Monarch". Its cheap, its clean, and is perfect for range ammo.
 
Has anyone had any problems with Blazer Brass, it sounds too good to be true?
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It's a volume thing. Blazer is CCI's range ammo line. CCI/Speer are the same people who make the exceptional Speer Gold Dot defensive ammo line. CCI also makes some great .22 rim fire ammo, and Speer bullets makes one of the best lines of component bullets out there. They were recently purchased by munitions mega corporation ATK who also owns Federal Ammunition and Estate Cartride Company. The Fusion brand of Federal cases loaded with Speer bullets is ATK's answer to Olin Corp's Winchester/Nosler Combined Technologies line. ATK also operates both the Radford and Lake City Army Ammunition Plants.

Long answer made short is that Blazer Brass is a great buy on ammo made by the biggest munitions manufacturer out there.

More info here - http://www.atk.com/CorporateOverview/corpover_ammogroup.asp
 
If you want reliable and cheap you can always roll your own.

If you must buy then you should at least use the same weight bullet for practice as you will be carrying. Different weight bullets will have a different POI so you want to shoot the same weight bullet in practice as you will have loaded for carry.
 
Where the heck are you getting ammo that cheap the CCI Blazer is about 14.99 a box up here
 
Blazer Brass...

Is just under $10/box here in NVA and in PA. I do think that the Al stuff is hotter.
 
The WWWB (Walmart Winchester White Box) 100 round value pack. I have been through thousands upon thousands of these rounds in .40 and 9mm with 2 misfires due to slightly crumpled 9mm cases that I didn't pick up when loading the mags and Winchester made it right.
 
Blazer Brass

Legendsedge-First i would like to say Welcome to the HighRoad! Here in Omaha I get Blazer in the .40 cal 180gr for 8.79 a box. I have been shooting the Blazer Brass in my .45's and .40's for well over a year now and never one issue. Because the 180gr is cheaper and that is what I practice with. I have also switched to 180gr SD ammo. The absolute best 180gr Ammo, in my opinion is the new version of the Winchester Ranger T. This stuff really expands and is deadly accurate.:eek: I cannot get any in Omaha so far. [I have asked a couple of places to start carrying it, so we will see] So I get it from MAH supplies. http://www.mahsupplies.net/ When I am not using the Ranger T -I use the Winchester 180gr SXT which I have found to be a very reliable and accurate load. I hope you have a Safe and Happy Holiday!

The Best to You and Yours!

Frank
 
The Monarch ammo mentioned from Academy is steel cased. Its been OK for me but lots of folks don't like steel cased ammo and its not reloadable.

For cheap practice reload your own. Costs me about $75/1000 for the components to reload "free" brass I pick up at the range using "Bushwacker" hard cast 180gr bullets from Power Valley with Winchester primers and 5.2 gr Unique.

Shooting steel plates at ten yards mixing these in the mag with Winchester Ranger T 180gr JHP I find its hard to tell which is which when shooting.

You'll break even on the cost of reloading tools after a case or three depending on how elaborate you start out with in your tools. The relaoding forum here can get you started. Just be very careful if starting out with .40S&W for your first reloading attempts as its the handgun caliber with about the smallest margins for error in reloading.

--wally.
 
I usually use 180gr Blazer Brass or 180gr Remington UMC. I get marginally better accuracy out of my XD with the Remington, but not enough to make much difference. My gun flat-out hates MagTech, which actually costs more. Go figure.
 
Not all the Monarch is steel cased. The green boxes are brass, while the blue is laquered steel. You pay about $1 more for the brass, but it's still cheap.

For 9mm, they have steel cased for ~$6, and brass for around $7. In .40, the brass is $10.87 (but they hadn't gotten any in yet, just had the price tag).
 
Not all the Monarch is steel cased. The green boxes are brass, while the blue is laquered steel.
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DOH! you are correct, Don't know how I'd forgot to mention this as I've shot up a case of the green box Monarch 9mm and still have probably ten or so boxes left from the second case I got back when it was still $6/50.

Good ammo in my experience. If you don't plan to reload and if your gun is fine with the steel cased ammo you can save $0.02 or maybe a bit more per shot. So I'd suggest its worth buying a box to try.

--wally.
 
You didn't mention what gun you'd be shooting this in.

I've had good luck with PMC and Blazer. Haven't tried the Federal or Aguila so I can't comment on those.

For a defensive round I prefer Remington Golden Sabre, Speer Gold Dot, and Hornaday XTP. Have shot lots of others but these three are readily available at my local shops. They aren't cheap but they have better reputations and test results than some of the budget JHP ammo.
 
I just bought a box of TFMJ non toxic Sellier & Bellot - 50 rds for $13. Not bad. I haven't heard much about them...I don't think they are steel cased.
 
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