OK, I get the picture...what 9x18M ammo is best?
Best for what? We make (i.e. reload) the best 9x18M...for us and our Makarovs, but we don't sell it.
If you don't feel like reloading (can we talk you into it?), Norinco, Sellier & Bellot, B-West (now defunct), Fiocchi, and CCI Blazer (aluminum case), Tiger, RAM, Barnaul, Novosibirsk, etc. are perfectly OK for normal target shooting and "plinking."
Please see the Load Data page for some chronograph tests on CorBon and Blazers. Some shooters have reported problems extracting Blazers, but they work fine for others. Note that Norinco and some other surplus rounds have steel jacketed bullets and thus are often prohibited at indoor ranges.
Some of the Russian TCW is pretty hot and we recommend changing to a 19# recoil spring. Choices for self-defense include CorBon (discontinued), Barnaul JHP, RAM, Tiger, Novosibirsk JHP, Hornady XTP, CCI-Speer Gold Dot, Fiocchi, and MagSafes. The new Silver Bear has promise, but many people report feeding problems. "Your mileage may vary." Try different loads in your gun and see how they work for you.
Again, with any of these high-performance rounds, you might want to consider a stronger 19# recoil spring (the original is 17#).