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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sequins

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Oct 14, 2014
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Hello friends,

I was at the range today shooting my 1911 with some particularly warm hand loads (in fact the batch of 20 I made at the highest end of my load up were too warm imo, I'm going with position 4 of my workup) and a gentleman at the adjacent lane commented that I sure seemed to be shooting hot ammo. He didn't seem to approve.

I told him I guess I didn't really think of any 45acp as particularly hot, but that for the range of loadings I guess mine was at the top end- and that generally I went that direction. 44 especially i want my blackhawk to be to cooking. We discussed loading a bit and he was very polite and pleasant but he wasn't shy about saying he thought I was on the wrong path by trying to load at the very top end.

It got me thinking, what kind of ammo do most people like to shoot?
 
I prefer two types of hand loads. For SD a proven, premium SD bullet (like Gold Dots) loaded as warm as recommended.

For range just enough powder to be accurate and reliably eject.

I do have a less expensive brand of bullet than Gold Dots that I practice with also.

Sorry, no single answer for me.
 
Hi...
I typically do not load at the top end of the reloading manuals recommendations.
I don't think it is prudent to push the envelope.
I work up to a load that is reasonably powerful and accurate. In my opinion, an inaccurate load is a waste of time and components.
I will go close to maximum book loads for a load that is intended for hunting, if that is what is required to get acceptable accuraccy, but I rarely need to do that.
I see no reason to damage a gun to force an additional 25 or 50 fps of velocity.
 
Standard plinking ammo’s fine, but I load warm stuff too. I try to match the recoil impulse of my loads to the SD ammo I carry. Makes for more realistic practice.
 
Most of my shooting is done with my reloads at the bottom end of the power scale. I'm cheap, if I can squeak 100 more loads out of a lb of powder I'll do it.
 
I load something that reasonably matches my carry ammo in impulse and accuracy.

So warm to hot usually.

Unless it's my woods .357 or 10mm, then I load it pretty hot.

Rifle is usually tailored to accuracy, so it depends.
 
1911 with ... hand loads

which one do you prefer for pleasure at the range?
For "pleasure at the range" with my Sig 1911, accurate light target loads - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...omo-reloading-range-test.578444/#post-9415802

MBC 200 gr SWC with 4.0 gr of Red Dot/Promo or 4.8 gr W231/HP-38.

index.php
 
I'm all over the place depending on what I am doing and why. Most range ammo is mild. When loading for hunting reasons or magnums I tend to go to the top end to get as much as I can from that round with solid accuracy. I load stout stuff but all within parameters of the manuals, not going over board.
 
For training, I use the cheapest ammo that will function. That means I can shoot anything in 9mm- even Tula because I have a dedicated G17 that eats whatever you feed it. For my 45's, I generally use the cheap Federal ball with the aluminum cases.
 
I voted normal, but most my shooting is with 9mm & .38spl loaded to 130pf.

I've test a couple dozen brands of ammo and have narrowed down what is accurate and makes power factor. So for commercial ammo I only buy that brand. I don't succumb to whatever is on sale.
 
Most of my autoloading handgun stuff is loaded to factory level... i.e. 45ACP 230grn cruising along at 850fps or so, etc. I do have a midrange .41 load that I shoot 99% of the time... I don't beat myself... or my guns... up with constant full-house Magnums. Rifle stuff is about the same... sorta. Anything jacketed is typically just off the factory levels, but my cast bullets are throttled back quite a bit.
 
I carry what I like best, with little rhyme or reason. For example my 9mm carry round is 147gr HST. My 40 carry round is nearly any hollow point that is 165gr. Right now that is a couple partial boxes of Remington and Winchester with HST after that.
 
As already mentioned- you missed the “most accurate” category.
I personally only shoot handloads and lubed boolits my handguns!
Each reload is designed from the bottom up to work with a particular handgun to produce the most accuracy and no leading!
Lots of testing- yes, but that’s the joy of reloading!
 
In pistols and revolvers I prefer mid range stuff loaded with my own cast bullet. My cast bullets shoot as well as factory jacketed bullets. I load a few hot loads for self defense and hunting loads but 95+% of my stuff is mid range.
 
Most of the ammo I run through my handguns is whatever I can get the best deal on that's not steel case. Currently I'm running through some Federal aluminum stuff. In 22LR I seem to mostly get bulk pack Federal.
 
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