Which 9mm 124 Ball ammo?

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sirgilligan

sirgilligan

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Which 9mm 124 Ball ammo:
1) has good brass for reloading that doesn't have crimped primers?
2) is good quality and is reliable?

I am shooting up my 115 grain ammo that I have and want to replace it with 124 grain ammo.
I am going to buy in bulk and use it over the next few years.

I have tracked all of my failures in my CZ 85B and there are only three different brands involved malfunctions. HSM reloads when ammo was hard to find. UMC and WWB. The HSM had 10% issues. 5 failures in 900 rounds of shooting UMC, WWB, PMC, Magtech, so it is not really a concern.

Any recommendations? If not, I will look for PMC or Magtech.
But if there is something that is identifiably better for reloading, quality, and reliability, please let me know. I am thinking of a price range no higher than say $17.00 for 50.
 
My experience with Magtech/CBC brass - It will load OK, but feels 'weird' in the process, and has very thick case mouth walls. I won't use it for most cast bullet loads, because I size the bullets mostly to .358", and it can make for rounds that don't chamber as easily as they should. Can't speak to how factory ammo shoots, as I have never fired any. Of all the 9mm headstamps I have tried, I like WW best. Loads nice and smooth, length is good, capacity good, primer pockets seem OK, and it lasts a long while. Obviously I like it best w/o crimped primers, and that can be hit or miss on what you get.

Can't recall any issues with PMC brass, Rem is just OK, don't like Federal in pistol or rifle cals. Good luck.
 
Speer Lawman (if you can find it?)
It is in a navy blue box( easy to spot on the shelves)
It feeds and shoots real nice!
 
The Winchester brass (WIN) headstamp is good for my reloads with jacketed/plated bullets. When using lead bullets I like to use Rem/UMC due to the thinner necks. However I load most any headstamp in a mixed group with jacketed or plated and they all shoot better than I can. The notable exception is the brass from anyone that has the step inside the case. I do not shoot them due to having to work up a load due to smaller internal volume. It's easier to recycle them IMO.
 
If you're buying it for the brass why does it need to be Ball ammo? (which I just googled and it said ball was FMJ. I didn't know that) You can get most any 9mm for much cheaper than $17 per 50.
As far as that goes if you're reloading why buy ammo at all, unless you have NO brass at all. I reload for $6 to 6.50 per 50 using FMJ RN bullets from Rocky Mountain Reloading. I just use mixed range brass which is easy enough to find.
If you don't have your press, etc. yet buy cheaper ammo and put that money toward getting the press sooner. IMO
 
https://www.foundryoutdoors.com/pro...etal-jacket-50-bx20-cs?variant=21244845949012 This. RUAG, GECO manufacture (Germany) Quality ammo, top notch brass, not crimped, price can't be beaten

I am also a big fan of Fiocchi brass in this caliber, they make a 124 gr NATO spec load that has sealed but not crimped primers. American brass has been hit or miss for me, with Win probably being the most consistent. Some of the Win 124 ball is crimped, some not.
 
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Before I was loading my own ammo I used a lot of Remington ammo without issues. Some people don't like Rem brass, I think it's fine.

Speer Lawman ammo is also very good stuff and the Speer brass is top shelf IMO.
There aren't many commercial brass cases that are not good for reloading. Amerc is one of them to stay away from.
 
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If all you need is the brass, damn, someone here/local can't hook you up? I literally have tons of unprocessed, unsorted pistol brass.

I've bought a 1000 case lot from capital cartridge. Mixed headstamp, unprocessed is like $35. Most of the lot I got was PPU and starline, with some PMC, Blaser and Win mixed in.
 
RandyP said:
"I am shooting up my 115 grain ammo that I have and want to replace it with 124 grain ammo."

To the OP - can we assume that you are saving that brass to re-use making 124gr ammo?
Click to expand...

Yes. While supplies are good and prices are low I want to buy better. I bought the least expensive Ammo for a long while. If the time comes again that it is hard to get Ammo I would like to be conserving Ammo that could serve as good defensive rounds. I feel 124 is better than 115 in general.

I save everything and have components to reload but not the time right now.
 
Thanks for the update - Personally, knowing it is VERY unlikely I'll ever actually 'need' to use many rounds of it, I just buy a box or two of hollow-point SD ammo. I confirm it functions in my carry handguns of choice with a mag or two, and practice with my jacketed/plated RN reloads.
 
I settled on Federal's American Eagle brand. Not the cheapest, but you can catch sales and rebates which make it reasonably priced.
 
I use Winchester and Federal, never had any problems with either. If I'm going to buy virgin brass I go with Starline.
I don't mix them up either.
 
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