High quality bulk 9mm FMJ?

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Warp

Warp

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I'm shopping around for a case or two of good, quality, reliable, not-weak 9mm ammunition. Not run of the mill inconsistent plinking stuff but not top-end JHP prices either.

A 124gr FMJ bullet loaded at least moderately warm (or hot) would be great.

I think my top considerations are:
-IMI 124gr FMJ, $280/1k shipped from Wideners
-Speer Lawman 124gr (not in stock at any of my usual places I don't think)
-Fiocchi 124gr FMJ, $260/1k shipped from Target Sports
-RWS Geco 124gr FMJ, $246/1k shipped from Target Sports

Right now I figure IMI is the best bet. Is there anything exactly as good for less money, or is there anything better for that price/a little more?


Anything less-than-great to say about the IMI?
 
Interesting. I didn't realize they had a 124gr round listed at 1150 fps.

Anybody use much of it? Impressions?
 
In the end most of what you have listed is pretty much the same. What it really boils down to is what kind of shooting are you doing that it would make a difference between these brands. For general plinking I personally do not think it matters all that much.

Of the ones you listed I like these which I can get cheaper than target sports.

Fiocchi 124gr FMJ, $260/1k shipped from Target Sports
RWS Geco 124gr FMJ, $246/1k shipped from Target Sports

If you really want to up the accuracy and performance IMHO you need to reload and match the load to the gun. I don't do it because I don't demand that level of accuracy from my plinking ammo but I understand a lot of people do. Also a lot of people love the process of developing that perfect load for a particular gun.

Good Luck.
 
Where would you get those two?

For clarification this is not intended to be random plinking ammo. I have that and am not picky with it. Wolf, Tulammo, WWB, Federal bulk, Rem/UMC, ___ Bear, whatever is least expensive I get, although I sometimes spend a little more for brass vs steel.

I am more concerned with reliability than anything else. I have premium JHP that I load for carry and maybe a spare magazine or two, but it's too expensive for me to buy a lot of. What I'm looking for now I would shoot a little of, load some ready-mags with, and then stash the rest, but we don't really "do" that topic on THR if you catch my drift.

I do have a reloading setup, only done .38spl so far, but 9mm is next on the list. That particular bug hasn't grabbed hold of me at this point though, I'm just reloading not handloading you might say.
 
I use RWS, Fiocchi, Speer, PRVI Partizan, Winchester, Sellior and Bellot, and have never had a reliablilty issue. I consider them all to be reliable and decent ammo.
9 fingers
 
+1 for Georgia arms, I've shot some of their "Canned Heat" 9mm both the 124 and the 115 grain and the 124 is running about at NATO spec's. It all shot, was accurate and fairly clean.
 
try jack ross ammo, I haven't shot their 9mm stuff but their 45ACP is pretty darned good.
 
I bought 500 rounds of Georgia Arms 38spl about 8 years ago. Of the 500, 50 of them failed to fire or hang fired. I have never given them another chance.
 
I normally reload everything except SD ammo, but have had good luck and no issues with S+B before I started reloading. Shot 1000s of rounds of it.
 
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Its been a few years, but I've used canned heat. It didn't seem hot, but definitely warmer than WWB. In reference to recoil was comparable to Magtech (also warm) in my Kahr P9.

Seemed to be right in the middle of cheap FMJ and cheap JHP +p.
 
I think my top considerations are:
-IMI 124gr FMJ
-Fiocchi 124gr FMJ
-RWS Geco 124gr FMJ
Click to expand...
Of what you have listed...that is available...I'd go with the Fiocchi. I've always found it to be reliable, accurate, and pretty clean shooting. Fiocchi (also stamped as GFL) manufactures NATO standard ammo...I doubt their commercial ammo is to a lower standard.

If you aren't reloading 9mm, it doesn't make much difference, but IMI cases have reloading issues
 
Of the imports: Prvi makes great ammo, and if you can get it at a similar price I'd jump on that. They usually load to NATO spec.

I have fired a TON of WW White box, Federal American Eagle and Rem/UMC.. they are all about the same in quality/reliability. None of them are 'hot', but they are reliable.
 
SGAmmo is my go-to source online for ammo. I can find plinking stuff locally so mostly I just buy premium stuff there. But they have a good stock of everything and the best shipping rates I've ever found. No padding/ripping-you-off, just fair costs.

Speer Lawman is good stuff and seems to be loaded hot for inexpensive FMJ. $246/1000 shipped, at least 15 x 1000rnd cases in stock.

American Eagle isn't bad IMO. The 124gr stuff is $256/1000 shipped. Seems a little dirty compared to the best stuff but not bad. I prefer the 147gr myself which they also have in bulk.

I really like Aguila ammo. Seems to be good stuff, works in all my guns. About $251/1000 shipped.
 
Having only recently started shooting 9mm in an LC9s, I've used WWB, Freedom, Blazer alum and brass, Magtech, and Armscor in 115 and 124 gr. I can't feel any difference in recoil.

My question is, what is the definition of plinker ammo and better stuff? I have a chrono but its too cold to set up right now.
 
ulflyer said:
My question is, what is the definition of plinker ammo and better stuff? I have a chrono but its too cold to set up right now.
Click to expand...

That's a good question.

I think that for most people, most of the time, whatever is least expensive is what they go with since FMJ pistol ammo (9mm especially) is typically just plinking/training/practice where anything that functions reasonably well will do the trick.

Everybody tends to agree that the bottom tier is cheap steel case Russian/etc ammo like Wolf, Brown Bear, Tulammo, etc. Above that you get into the cheapest brass case stuff which tends to be US production like Winchester White Box, Remington/UMC, CCI Blazer (Al case) and Blazer Brass (brass case), and Federal. These generally work well, though individual people end up preferring one or two and disliking one or maybe two, sometimes these can be dirty or seem overly weak.

Above that is the "category" I am asking about. Stuff that tends to be better made all the way around, I think. Accuracy, cleanliness, warm/hot velocity, reliability...some of them have niceties like a TMJ, sealed primers, etc.

What many of us wish was readily available is NATO spec/surplus 9mm ball. But that stuff is rare.
 
If you aren't reloading 9mm, it doesn't make much difference, but IMI cases have reloading issues
Click to expand...

Other than crimped in primers, what are the issues with IMI?

Lots of Winchester "white box" WCC ammo on the ground at our range has crimped in primers. Annoying when a few get mixed in but if you shoot them, you can process them all in a batch as you only need to deal with the primer crimp once.

Everybody tends to agree that the bottom tier is cheap steel case Russian/etc ammo like Wolf, Brown Bear, Tulammo, etc. Above that you get into the cheapest brass case stuff which tends to be US production like Winchester White Box, Remington/UMC, CCI Blazer (Al case) and Blazer Brass (brass case), and Federal.
Click to expand...

From the box of truth website: http://www.theboxotruth.com/educational-zone-6-cheap-9mm-ammo-accuracy/

"Our general opinion as to accuracy is that they were good. Wolf was best, next Winchester White Box, and then Blazer. But all were accurate.2. All ammo functioned 100%"
 
I've always had great experiences with Federal American Eagle. Good experiences with Winchester White Box. Iffy experiences with PMC Bronze. Prvi brass is nice and clean as well and I've had no issues with them. I'm preparing to try Speer Lawman and given my stellar experiences with ATK's defense ammo (Federal/Speer) I am expecting good things. Of what you listed, I like Prvi Partisan the best. For my personal use, I tend to go American Eagle.
 
Thanks for the feedback. I planned to get a couple cases but money is tighter than I hoped and I could only partially make up my mind so for now I ordered 1 case ($246 shipped for 1k) of the RWS Geco 124gr FMJ from Target Sports.

I'll check back with range impressions after I get a chance to shoot it, hopefully next week/weekend.

For the next case, when I get around to it, I can't decide if I'll double down or wait it out for Lawman 124gr to come available at a good price, or maybe the Fiocchi. Or maybe just go with cheap plinking Wolf at $200/1k shipped. Decisions Decisions.
 
wally said:
Other than crimped in primers, what are the issues with IMI?

Lots of Winchester "white box" WCC ammo on the ground at our range has crimped in primers. Annoying when a few get mixed in but if you shoot them, you can process them all in a batch as you only need to deal with the primer crimp once.



From the box of truth website: http://www.theboxotruth.com/educational-zone-6-cheap-9mm-ammo-accuracy/

"Our general opinion as to accuracy is that they were good. Wolf was best, next Winchester White Box, and then Blazer. But all were accurate.2. All ammo functioned 100%"
Click to expand...

The IMI currently available at Wideners is said to be without crimps to help reloaders, FWIW.

Thanks for the link to the Wolf. I see it was dated almost a decade ago. I wonder if that holds true today? At $200/1k delivered I might have to get a case of the Wolf later.
 
Other than crimped in primers, what are the issues with IMI?
Click to expand...
Next time you pick up a IMI case, take a look inside and see the "ledge". If you seat further than the manufacturer intended, you'll bulge the case.

Also, since the case walls are thicker below that ledge, the is reduced volume...which coulds result in increased pressure.

I know guys who like IMI for loading 9mm Major. The thicker walls are stronger and they aren't loading "short"(like the CZ guys)
 
boricua9mm said:
In this very specific category, it has been my experience that Speer Lawman is loaded so as to be a close facsimile of their Duty/Defense loads, albeit in FMJ trim.

I have plenty of sacrificial lamb 9mm firearms, so I'll shoot just about anything, but if you're looking for something that is not light in the loafers, then I think the Lawman is where it's at.

http://sgammo.com/product/speer/1000-round-case-9mm-luger-speer-lawman-115-grain-tmj-ammo-53650
Click to expand...

I don't suppose you know of a reputable retailer that currently has a decent price on (in stock) Lawman of the 124gr variety?

I've fired about a case worth of the Lawman 124 through a G17 in the past and it was pretty darn good. I would have had a hell of a time deciding which one to buy a case of today if not for the fact that I couldn't find well priced 124 Lawman (I went with the RWS Geco). But as soon as I pony up for another case, if I can find Lawman 124 for, say $260 or less per 1k (shipped), it shall be mine
 
~

Warp, I've used most of the major manufacturer's ammo mentioned. No particular complaints with any of it. I don't use reloads I didn't create, even if "factory remanufactured" or whatever. Given your initial criteria of not weak or inconsistent,124 grain, moderately warm, I'll mention a couple of types I have used and chronographed that I think meet your criteria. Those are the Winchester and IMI 124 grain NATO ball. I've used several thousand rounds of the Winchester Q4318 NATO ball over the last 15 years or so, and a lesser amount of the IMI NATO ball. I have found both types to be excellent where ball ammo is desired, with flawless reliability. Both have sealed primers and case mouths. Both have crimped in primers, though the IMI primers are much more lightly crimped. I most always have to remove the crimps from the Winchester NATO cases when reloading, the much more lightly crimped IMI, infrequently. Both display velocities in the "not weak" range and produce consistent shot to shot velocities. I've chronograped both the Winchester and IMI NATO in various semi auto pistols, revolvers and carbines. The IMI NATO is the more energetic of the two. Three examples: In a pistol with ~4.6" barrel the Winchester averaged 1186 fps, the IMI 1239 fps. In a 4 5/8" revolver the Winchester averaged 1266 fps, the IMI 1305 fps. In a Marlin carbine with ~16" barrel, the Winchester averaged 1319 fps, the IMI 1344 fps. I know we all like to save a buck, but I never try to buy the cheapest ammo to shoot in not inexpensive guns.....ymmv
 
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