Only buying 50 round boxes of hollow points from here on out

[defjon]

Browsing the ammo aisle the other day, and shaking my head, I've decided I'm only buying 50 round boxes of (reasonably priced) jhp from here on out.

It seems like these top of the line boutique ammo boxes keep getting smaller and smaller. Probably be selling one round at a time soon.

I'm of a mind that actually being able to practice with what you plan to use for self defense is more important than any perceived gains in the latest greatest wonder ammo.

When I first got into handguns, there were many options for 50 round boxes of jhp. Usually, a few bucks more than fmj or practice . Now it's pretty rare to find a 50 round box of jhp.

Funny thing is, these cheaper Remington or Winchester or federal loads of jhp actually seem to do pretty dang good in various tests (Remington 230 gr jhp in 45, Remington 115 gr jhp in 9mm etc).

Just one man's musings. We might see more options and better pricing if we push back on these little 20 round boxes.

 

[Sistema1927]

Fortunately, I stocked up on lots of 50 round boxes of Federal HST 9mm, in both 124 and 147, back before the "panic".

I can't imagine paying the going rate for those 20 round boxes today. I reload for practice/plinking ammo, but keep the self defense pistols stoked with the HST.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

Agree, 20rds doesn't go far with a semi. Load one mag to test fire it and you are just about done with that box in many pistols. Revolver is a bit better at least.

25rd boxes were a hair better, cheesed me off as many kept that box size but dropped it down to 20rds instead.

I'm not sold that the latest and greatest HP is that much of an improvement over good designs of the past.

 

[CDW4ME]

I don't like buying 20 round boxes of HP either.
Shopping online is how I usually get my ammo; for example, this price is not as cheap as it once was, but its not as high as when it peaked either:
https://www.luckygunner.com/9mm-147-grain-jhp-hst-federal-premium-le-50-rounds

 

[Rule3]

Buy online

 

[mcb]

By online and product lines intended for LEO. It's often the same round as the commercial 20rd box but in 50 rds boxes.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

If ya don't handload, ya ain't right. And add casting to that.

A man who casts and handloads can still shoot all he wants.

 

[trackskippy]

Buying by the case online (especially with places that offer free shipping) and reloading are really the most economical way to go if you want to shoot a lot.

Those 20 /25 round boxes you see in the shops are just a moneymaker for the dealers. You can usually buy the 50 round boxes online for about the same price as the 25 round boxes.

You dont have to buy a ton of the specialty/premium ammo either, just enough to have a decent amount put back for perceived use. The rest can be whatever you can find cheap that mimics the stuff you might be using for practice.

I shoot a ton of my reloads that mimic what I carry in practice each week. I only shoot the ammo in the guns I carry and use a couple of times a year, and then replace it with fresh, and replace that in the queue when I find a deal on it.

This is something that is a forever ongoing thing too. You stock up when times are good and ride through the bad times the best you can. Usually, you can make it through without too many interruptions, if any. This time around has been a little different, but it too well likely shake back out at some point.

Walmart used to have a good deal on those 100 round Winchester Value Packs. They were selling them at basically case lot pricing, and you didnt have to pay shipping. For a good while there, Id just buy a box or two each week when we were there shopping. That adds up pretty quick if you just put it back. I was mainly just buying them for the brass, and its what I use when I need to rotate an old batch of brass out and replace it. And its still loaded ammo if I get in a pinch. I still have a few cases worth of just that sitting in the old ammo locker.

 

[defjon]

Walmart stacked me deep as well.

For self defense jhp loads I stick to new manufacture.

 

[halfmoonclip]

If your gun is a reliable eater, it is a non-issue. A long-ago Walther PPK had a terrible reputation for not running on hollow points, and it would have been a fortune to test hop it with factory.
I tried to work up a handload...never did find something that would run 100 straight.
Moon

 

[sgt127]

I loaded up on this when it was $13 a box at Targetsports. I’ve got about 2000 rounds. If I carry a 9mm, that’s what’s in it.

The price of designer ammo in dainty little boxes is ridiculous.

 

[herrwalther]

It seems like these top of the line boutique ammo boxes keep getting smaller and smaller. Probably be selling one round at a time soon.

We hit that point a little bit ago. The gun store I worked at was so low on ammo he was selling it by the round. It was painful to watch people come in, show their carry gun needing ammo, and him dishing it out for 2 or 3 bucks a round. I hope we never go back to that, but it wouldn't surprise me.

I went to 50 round boxes awhile ago. I got tired of needing 2 boxes to fill up a service size firearm and the spare magazine I carry. That method left no ammo in the box to see how it fed or how that ammo in that particular lot patterned on target.

 

[defjon]

We hit that point a little bit ago. The gun store I worked at was so low on ammo he was selling it by the round. It was painful to watch people come in, show their carry gun needing ammo, and him dishing it out for 2 or 3 bucks a round. I hope we never go back to that, but it wouldn't surprise me.

I went to 50 round boxes awhile ago. I got tired of needing 2 boxes to fill up a service size firearm and the spare magazine I carry. That method left no ammo in the box to see how it fed or how that ammo in that particular lot patterned on target.

Exactly. I need to not only test function but practice with what I intend to keep loaded.

It complicates things for me being in illinois. I know I haven't been able to order direct from federal. Other retailers let me send my foid and will then ship. Some say nuts to that, and ship regardless.

 

[defjon]

I don't like buying 20 round boxes of HP either.
Shopping online is how I usually get my ammo; for example, this price is not as cheap as it once was, but its not as high as when it peaked either:
https://www.luckygunner.com/9mm-147-grain-jhp-hst-federal-premium-le-50-rounds

Oof, almost a buck a shot. Still couldn't afford to practice and load. I've been finding 50 round boxes of 147 jhp and 115 gr jhp here and there for 20-25 bucks. Still sucks comparatively, but i can afford to stack that, practice, and keep it in my mags.

I'm sure hst does better than those loads, but the Winchester or Remington loads have always gone bang and shot to the sights. I can study recoil impulse, point of impact, low light shoots etc so I know what to expect and for me that makes more sense than only having a round or two to fire and loading the rest. Practice with what you carry I say.

 

[.38 Special]

When gearing up with a new carry gun, I will break the bank on a hundred "boutique" rounds to ensure reliability. I also chronograph them so that I can duplicate the ballistics with a handload.

After that, the gun will rarely if ever see another factory round.

 

[redcon1]

I'm of a mind that actually being able to practice with what you plan to use for self defense is more important than any perceived gains in the latest greatest wonder ammo.

Start carrying .45 hardball. I only carry JHPs to prevent over penetration anyways, not because I feel like it's critically important that my rounds expand. I would feel just fine with a magazine full of hardball and, in fact, that's what I carry in my 1911 even though I have tons of various JHPs. I'm not saying that JHPs aren't effective, I'm just saying that money doesn't grow on trees around here and hardball works just fine.

 

[Ranger99]

Oof, almost a buck a shot. . . .

An acquaintance sent me a message
the other day bragging about some new
kind of ammunition he'd latch onto
and when I checked the site, it was
over 3 dollar a round, not including
shipping
Triple Oof

Used to be very economical and
practical to reload when I first
started. Not so anymore in any
way. If I live long enough to use
up what I have, I'll find a load
that works and buy a few cases
and call it done

 

[Old Dog]

Selling twenty round boxes of handgun ammunition is stupid. I think the manufacturers took a page from the dogfood makers -- incremental increases in price while concurrently decreasing the size of the bags. I'm paying more now for 26 lb bags of premium dog food than I was just a few years ago when it came in 40 lb bags.

This trend was exactly why (well, that and some scary elections coming up) I started ordering defensive ammo by the case online. SGAmmo had been selling Federal HST in 9mm for pretty good prices, so I cleaned 'em out and now am stocked for a while. Piled it on to my big stash of Gold Dot 9mm +P that Surplus Ammo & Arms (Tacoma) was selling for a phenomenal price by the case.

I refuse on principle to buy the little bitty boxes...

 

[Sistema1927]

PSA actually has some Sierra 9mm JHP in 50 round boxes on sale for $10, and a $5 rebate. I don't know anything about the effectiveness of this particular round, but if I was low I would be looking at it seriously.

 

[Bugster]

I have only ever bought one 20 round box of defense ammo, and that was for comparison. I have bought some 50 round boxes of FMJ for target use but that was when prices were very reasonable. Everything else we shoot is either my cast reloads or jacketed hollow points I reloaded. I found a great source for COWW's and I'm his only customer for them.

 

[eddiememphis]

I'm of a mind that actually being able to practice with what you plan to use for self defense is more important than any perceived gains in the latest greatest wonder ammo.

Funny thing is, these cheaper Remington or Winchester or federal loads of jhp actually seem to do pretty dang good in various tests (Remington 230 gr jhp in 45, Remington 115 gr jhp in 9mm etc).

Just one man's musings. We might see more options and better pricing if we push back on these little 20 round boxes.

It's most important to hit what you aim at so buy cheap, practice cheap and carry cheap. There is plenty of less expensive ammo that functions well and performs well.

But don't think you not buying it will see the price drop. Most of us didn't buy a new Porsche GT3 RS this year. I doubt Stuttgart will drop the price because of it.

 

[sparkyv]

WOW, just Wow! I had not heard of this.
Since the obummer ammo shortages, I made darned sure not to be in this situation.

The gun store I worked at was so low on ammo he was selling it by the round. It was painful to watch people come in, show their carry gun needing ammo, and him dishing it out for 2 or 3 bucks a round

Sierra is running a nice rebate, $50 max. I got 10 x 20 round boxes of 124gr HPs for $100, "free" shipping at PSA. Comes out to $0.25/rnd after rebate. Awesome deal. Interesting, it's SIG brass.

PSA actually has some Sierra 9mm JHP in 50 round boxes on sale for $10, and a $5 rebate. I don't know anything about the effectiveness of this particular round, but if I was low I would be looking at it seriously.

 

[JTHunter]

Make your own 50 round boxes and reload.

 

[JB111]

I prefer to buy most of my ammo by the case. A thousand rounds of 9mm jhp can be had for around 400/450 dollars. I dont mind shooting pmc or S&B or the like. I buy up fmj for shtf and practice and keep a few thousand of the hollowpoints for carry. Ive also been saving most of my spent brass the past few years, planning to get into reloading for the handgun calibers I shoot the most of (9mm and 45 auto) one of these days. The dillion 750 is looking more and more tempting.

 

[WisBorn]

I prefer buying fifty round boxes of reasonably priced JHP for personal defense and practice with the same loads that I carry.
I do buy boxes of 20 of specialty ammo for my 41mag, 44mag, and 45acp +p such as hardcast bear/wilderness loads. And have for my 380 when the per round price is the same as the 50 round boxes.
I like Paul Harrell's take on Hyper Ammo.