Bullet type for practice rounds

[bigmyk2k]

So, for pistols and for rifles, I have an opinion question.

Pistols: I know there are 1500 different variations, but for the sake of simplicity, let's focus on FMJ v. JHP. Certainly the former is less expensive. I also know a lot of people that practice with the latter. I can't find any discernible difference in performance when punching holes in paper. Am I missing something?

Rifles: Basically the same question, along with, are there particular brands that are extremely good value for practice (consistent quality, low price)?

[Teufelhund]

I can't think of any good reason to punch holes in paper with anything but the cheapest rounds you can get your hands on. Make sure the better (more effective) stuff functions properly in your weapons and then keep plenty of it on hand for when you need it. For rifles, I practice with the same stuff I stockpile because it is both the most effective and the cheapest.

[NightCat]

Cheapest shit you can find without causing damage to your weapon or excessive malfunctions.

I personally dont shoot steel case..so the cheapest brass I can find that meets the above characteristics

[sellersm]

Generally speaking, I believe the theory is to practice with rounds that duplicate the 'feel' of your defensive rounds: recoil, POA/POI, bullet weight, velocity, etc. If you take a look at the Speer Lawman ammo, for example, it's made to (supposedly) mimic all of the characteristics of the Speer Gold Dot Hollow Points, so you can practice with the cheaper, FMJ Lawman ammo, and get the same 'experience' as shooting with the GDHP.

As for rifle, I'm not familiar with a particular brand that does the similar idea as the Speer Lawman mentioned above, but it seems the same principle could apply.

Hope that made sense...

[Great-Kazoo]

So, for pistols and for rifles, I have an opinion question.

Pistols: I know there are 1500 different variations, but for the sake of simplicity, let's focus on FMJ v. JHP. Certainly the former is less expensive. I also know a lot of people that practice with the latter. I can't find any discernible difference in performance when punching holes in paper. Am I missing something?

Rifles: Basically the same question, along with, are there particular brands that are extremely good value for practice (consistent quality, low price)?

Probably because they are not shooting back at you.
I run moderate reloads for plinking. When i road test a new gun i duplicate, OR buy fmj that is close to PD rounds.
Better to practice with affordable fmj than not practice at all.

[TFOGGER]

For practice, I use FMJ rounds in the same bullet weight and velocity as my defensive ammo. Before I'll load up any defensive ammo to actually carry, I'll run a hundred rounds or so through my pistol to ensure both that it will function reliably AND that the POI hasn't changed significantly from my practice ammo.

[Bailey Guns]

Along with your "Semi or Revolver" thread:

Don't over-think this whole shooting thing. Properly learn the basics from a competent teacher. Properly practice the basics with ammunition that works in your gun.

Under most circumstances having the coolest gun with the latest high-tech, zombie-slaying ammo won't save you in a gunfight. Proper mindset and solid fundamentals will.

[bigmyk2k]

Along with your "Semi or Revolver" thread:

Don't over-think this whole shooting thing. Properly learn the basics from a competent teacher. Properly practice the basics with ammunition that works in your gun.

Under most circumstances having the coolest gun with the latest high-tech, zombie-slaying ammo won't save you in a gunfight. Proper mindset and solid fundamentals will.

Yeah, this is just a lot more along the lines of, Curious about something I don't understand. I have maybe fired a JHP 2 times. Like I said, my hands aren't sophisticated enough to feel the difference, and if I am going to shoot, I don't want to be adding prices in my head as I pull the trigger. I generally shoot whatever is cheapest, and works.

[Bailey Guns]

Fair enough. Most HP (not all, though) ammo will feel slightly "hotter" than most FMJ practice stuff. Shouldn't be a big deal, though. As someone else said, find what you like and what works in your gun for practice and carry. Usually the cheapest stuff available is more than adequate for practice (in all truthfulness it's probably adequate for carry, too).

Good luck.

[birddog]

Along with your "Semi or Revolver" thread:

Don't over-think this whole shooting thing. Properly learn the basics from a competent teacher. Properly practice the basics with ammunition that works in your gun.

Under most circumstances having the coolest gun with the latest high-tech, zombie-slaying ammo won't save you in a gunfight. Proper mindset and solid fundamentals will.

The last paragraph is key. You cannot buy your way out of the situation so you had better be good.

[Ronin13]

Take a trip to bass pro for pistol rounds- big, yellow, UMC box of 250 rounds (depending on caliber) ranges from $60-something to $80-something... Just good quality, inexpensive target rounds. For rifles, Cheaperthandirt.com usually has some pretty good deals on ammo. [Beer]

[IShouldDoThisAllTheTime]

Cheapest shit you can find without causing damage to your weapon or excessive malfunctions.


+1

There's even an argument out there that cheaper ammo provides a better training experience; with the increased failures you get to practice clearance drills more often. I guess this has merit as long as those failures aren't squibs or detonations.

PMC Bronze, Remington UMC, Federal AE, and Winchester White Box are all reasonably priced, reasonably reliable, reasonably consistent, and very easy to find. I consider these interchangeable. Magtech gives me more failures than these, but is generally okay. I won't buy A-MERC again.

Freedom Munitions is a commercial reloader that has a good reputation and is really cheap, I picked up a half case of their 9mm this summer but haven't fired any yet.

Military Surplus can be a good bargain, but not always. Know whether it uses a corrosive primer and clean accordingly. Check for corroded or damaged rounds. Don't count on it being all that accurate.

Aluminum- and steel-cased ammo tends to be pretty cheap, but the wisdom of shooting it, particularly in non-commie weapons, is pretty hotly debated. Google it, try it, make your own decision!

You'll generally get better deals ordering bulk online than buying small amounts retail, but there are exceptions. For big box stores, Murdoch's and JAX have much better prices than Sportsman's Warehouse or Dick's, and they don't get cleared out as fast.

[IShouldDoThisAllTheTime]

Cheaperthandirt.com usually has some pretty good deals on ammo. [Beer]

Then your mailbox will suddenly overflow with mail order catalogs for beef jerky, cigars, milsurp junk, political candidates....CTD sells your information to EVERYBODY.

SGAmmo is my current favorite for mail order. Not just for their prices, but for their non-shitty business practices. They ship FAST.

[DCFGuns]

This is just my personal opinion on this subject, make sure to get inexpensive ammo and get some good practice with the firearm you will be carrying. After you know your firearm and have a good grasp on the way it handles etc, get the defensive ammunition you will be carrying and take 25-50 rounds to the range just to get acquainted with it. I think its always a good idea to see how you like that ammunition since you will be carrying it. I tried out 185 grain 45 ACP defense rounds and just didn't like them, went back to the 230 grain. Its a personal preference but trying them out influenced my decision a lot. I replace my carry rounds every year and take the old ones to the range to get some practice with them.
Jason

[cstone]

Reload for what you shoot the most.

http://www.gun-deals.com/ when shopping for ammunition. You will see http://www.sgammo.com pop up time and time again as one of the lowest price per round vendors. If the price is close, I will normally go with SGAmmo because of their fast shipping and good business practices.

Be safe.

[centrarchidae]

For pistol practice: I run a full magazine of my chosen carry ammunition through every single magazine, once when I buy the magazine, to ensure that the pistol-magazine-ammunition combination is reliable. ANY stoppages are a cause for concern. Money permitting, 200 rounds of carry ammo in a single session is probably optimal to ensure reliability.

After that reliability stress test, I practice with the cheapest that I can find.

As for what to carry: Google "DocGKR" to find the articles by Dr. Gary K. Roberts, and read them very carefully. You could do a lot worse than to follow his advice.

I do almost the same thing with AR-15's, but I'll use my TEOTWAWKI ammo for practice beyond 100 yards, since the accuracy and performance difference between that and the dirty nastyass Russian stuff becomes important.

Along with SG Ammo and AIM Surplus, I also like ammotogo.com and Palmetto State Arms for bulk purchases.

[muddywings]

+1

There's even an argument out there that cheaper ammo provides a better training experience; with the increased failures you get to practice clearance drills more often. I guess this has merit as long as those failures aren't squibs or detonations.

PMC Bronze, Remington UMC, Federal AE, and Winchester White Box are all reasonably priced, reasonably reliable, reasonably consistent, and very easy to find. I consider these interchangeable. Magtech gives me more failures than these, but is generally okay. I won't buy A-MERC again.

Freedom Munitions is a commercial reloader that has a good reputation and is really cheap, I picked up a half case of their 9mm this summer but haven't fired any yet.

Military Surplus can be a good bargain, but not always. Know whether it uses a corrosive primer and clean accordingly. Check for corroded or damaged rounds. Don't count on it being all that accurate.

Aluminum- and steel-cased ammo tends to be pretty cheap, but the wisdom of shooting it, particularly in non-commie weapons, is pretty hotly debated. Google it, try it, make your own decision!

You'll generally get better deals ordering bulk online than buying small amounts retail, but there are exceptions. For big box stores, Murdoch's and JAX have much better prices than Sportsman's Warehouse or Dick's, and they don't get cleared out as fast.

Was wondering if you have shot that Freedom Munitions stuff yet? Any opinions? I was looking to get some in .223 or 5.56 and see how it runs for practice rounds? I'm new to the game so more I can shoot the better. Cheaper the better too.

[hatidua]

$$$$$ = no
$ = yes

[SA Friday]

DCF has a good point and I will expand on it to say that even practicing with different ammo than you carry for defense isn't going to make any difference. If you have to actually use the gun in defense the physical and psychological effects going on are going to be so extreme, your body is going to switch over and do exactly what it was trained to do regardless of the recoil difference. This is why the ammo is so irrelevant and the training is.

Shoot the cheapest stuff that runs.

Just for the record though, a lot of competition shooters prefer the JHP target bullets like from MT Gold and Zero for two reasons, they have no exposed lead to the powder and because they are a little longer for the same weight. The length gives better/longer contact with the rifling and keeps the bullet from developing wobble. If you're shooting a target at 140 feet from a pistol, it can make a little difference. No exposed lead means less smoke with the cheap and easy double based powders.