What type of ammunition do you prefer?

What kind of ammo do you prefer?

  • Whatever is cheapest (no real preference)

    Votes: 20 17.4%
  • light ammo

    Votes: 20 17.4%
  • normal ammo

    Votes: 65 56.5%
  • hot ammo

    Votes: 10 8.7%

  • Total voters
    115
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I tend to buy factory loads that are a reasonable value for the cost/round relative to the caliber. Normal is fine though the slightly warmer loads are fun too. The loads that I may not enjoy are those from the .357 depending how warm they are. Some Remington or Federal JHP stuff from the early 90's seemed like sizzlers to me. Those brought a flinch when shooting those due to a reaction from the bang and flame flash.

Speer Lawman in the 9's and 45 ACP I like. Normally Blazer Brass is the mainstream due to cost for plinkers.
 
I recently made a batch of reloads using 185gr Berry's plated hbrn bullets. I used 6.2 gr of Unique powder. This isn't a hot nuclear annhilation load but it runs fine in my 45 acp Glock mod 41 and is perfect for punching paper targets or shooting steel plates. I'm going to try these loads in my 1911 next. I've been to a few IPSC matches and I've seen people using STI 1911's in 38 super. From the sound and muzzleblast I'm guessing these guy's are using Max loads to ensure that it's generating Major power.
 
I tend to load low to midrange. This way my cases last longer and I can get some additional uses out of them. When I load for .357 or .44 magnum most of my range loads are usually cast bullets at around 900-1000 fps. My favorite powder to use for revolvers is Unique.
 
Normally light handloads for range practice, but my 9mm 1911 seems to give best accuracy with full power ammo, so that's what I'm working up to now.
The 45 auto still gets light handloads because they're accurate and I'm a recoil wimp.

I used to like it on the warm side, but arthritis snuck into my hands. Happens fast, protect your hands fellas.
 
Maturity in ammo choices can have a different appearance depending on the purpose for which a person is shooting. Economy is going to be a factor in any endeavor that calls for a high volume of fire, but plinking is different than competition with power factor rules. Terminal effectiveness is important to hunting and self-defense but the ranges and type of target can vary significantly. I can't prescribe what maturity looks like for any one person's purposes, but there are certain to be a few people here that are examples. I don't consider myself one -- haven't been around long enough.

One description of what a mature choice in ammo might look like would be a cartridge that's just enough to make sure the job gets done. Note that phrase includes the words, "just enough" and it also includes, "make sure." In off-road driving, we say "as slow as possible, but as fast as necessary."

If one's purpose takes terminal effectiveness of handgun ammunition into consideration, they should consider the following. It is evident from research on the subject that velocity, bullet energy, or momentum in excess of what is necessary for expansion and sufficient penetration of the target, including any barriers, isn't productive. I won't thoroughly rehash handgun effectiveness theory in this thread, but I'll point to another recent one on the matter and leave you with the question: does your hot ammo really do anything meaningful that normal ammo wouldn't do just as well? https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...eos-ive-seen-on-ballistic-gel-testing.850256/
Or you could just answer the question.
 
I prefer light to medium loads for range use; full power for self-defense training and hunting. And I look for accuracy across the range.
 
I usually go for whatever's cheapest, but depending on the gun I may prefer lighter loads, for example my Winchester 94 kicks like a mule with 150gr hunting ammo, so I go lighter when possible.
 
[ X ] Other

The cheapest specific things. 9mm, always 124s, so they are similar to the hollowpoints, etc. 5.56 is always 62 gr, for the same reason. Match the ballistics and get close to identical recoil, but then the cheapest.

How cheap? I did blems (really: just dirty) for the class last weekend. 100% worked, but looked ugly and made my hands dirty. I should get a tumbler :)
 
When I was prepping for IPSC, I shot mostly a handload of 185 gr LSWC over (I believe)* 4.8 gr Bullseye for practice in my pin gun. I loaded literally thousands of these over a two year period. The gun loved it, it was supremely accurate and quite mild. To make "major" I changed it up to a 200 gr SWC over (I believe)* 5.2 gr Bullseye, which was just as accurate, but hotter, giving the compensator some work. I haven't done that in years, but since it involved far more shooting than I've ever done before, or since, I elected to choose cheapest, since it was all my own reloads, and you can't get any cheaper than that.

* Have to consult my notes. Will edit later.
 
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Stevie-Ray:
Ive been loading my 1911/45 ACP with 4.7 gr of Win 231 (or HP38) behind a 200 gr LSWC w/good results. It's comfortable & accurate. Some of my fellow shooters take it up to 5 gr for 50 yards. I would not hesitate to use that same load (mine) for self or HD.
 
Depends on the round.
I shoot 9mm, for the most part. Some need a little extra velocity to expand, and some--like Golden Saber or Gold Dot--might not need it, but enjoy it.
My preferred HST seems to work however they feel like loading it, and 124gr or 147gr standard-pressure HST is a peach to shoot.
I'd load my .38 with +P, but I've had a couple lockups from that. I assume they're jumping crimp in the little M85 UltraLight. Never had an issue with standard, so initial trumps terminal performance. If I need anything deeper, my handloaded 158gr SWC are a gentle pleasure to shoot at the range, and I trust them to pass right by the 16" mark.
And my LCP isn't supposed to use +P, so there we are.
 
I'm not sold on Hornady for defensive ammo, but for hunting I've had great luck with their stuff.
Contender Super 14 today put em at an inch at 50 yards, w just a 2X scope.
Leverevolution .35 rem. Same stuff my 760 rifle loves.

My Python loved the 140 gr .357 stuff.

Defensive I ran the hot 185gr +P in my 1911. Winchester SXT.
Had a Smith 629 4" and 6" and a Ruger 3 screw SBH that LOVED the 210 gr WW Silvertip.
Dunno if they even make that anymore.
 
I ran a box of cheap PMC 9mm through the P30L.
Will buy a couple K and keep that in reserve.
For just plinking, I look for PMC on sale.
Seems decent in my AR and 1911.
Kids blast it into dirt.......don't need premium for that LOL.
I do keep the brass, when I get a ton of it and a blizzard comes, will sit down and reload em.
 
I go normal for shooting paper targets, hot if I am shooting stuff up like watermelons, water jugs etc. and then for my SD carry rounds I go with a “+p+“ rounds that are factory.

There is a legal reason why I use factory ammo for SD rounds against humans. Check out Spats McGee’s post about why you shouldn’t from a legal standpoint.

I only shoot handloads when at the range, hunting, or for SD rounds against dangerous animals (hiking, camping etc)
 
I shoot the cheapest handloads that I can make (barring having to mess with pure lead) for most range sessions. That means using range brass, buying plated bullets and primers by the thousands when they are on sale, and powder in 8 lb. jugs. That gets 9mm down to 11-12 cpr and .45 to 15-16 cpr. Occassionally, I'll find an amazing price on bullets that gets them cheaper. I still buy brass cased factory ammo, too, when I can combine a sale and factory rebate. The last 2,500 rounds of 9mm Blazer Brass I bought cost exactly the same as reloading, after the rebate. Right now, I only stockpile factory ammo to get through eventual droughts.
 
It's horses for courses.
It depends on what you're shooting for---targets? Defense? Hunting? Training?
 
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