I need some advice on the use of some cheap yet reliable ammo for the range. I am currently looking at Aguila, and Sellier and Bellot. I am also looking at Wolf, but am worried about the steel cases damaging my chambers and feed ramps, etc. I am just looking for some of your advice what you guys use. Thanks for your help.
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Looking for good practice ammo
- Thread starter 03roushs1
- Start date
I use whatever is cheapest, usually Walmart stuff.
Use what you want, I wouldn't worry about the steel cased stuff, that's about all the mil used in it's 1911 series for 50+ years. I've never heard of anyone having problems with it, people just say they won;t use it because they think it might hurt the gun.
MHO
Use what you want, I wouldn't worry about the steel cased stuff, that's about all the mil used in it's 1911 series for 50+ years. I've never heard of anyone having problems with it, people just say they won;t use it because they think it might hurt the gun.
MHO
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I had some trouble with Wolf .223 cases sticking in my AR15 after it fired, but I think it might have been the older stuff, the newer Wolf seems to have less gloop on it. I can get reloaded .223 for close to the price of Wolf these days though, so I prefer that.
You don't tell us what gun/caliber, so I'll give you some "generics"!
- In most cases for common pistol rounds, best price and quality for the money (plinking ammo) is found at Wal-Mart and sometimes Dicks when they run their "buy one, get the second for 50%" sales (frequently).
As for Wolf:
- I've used LOTS of it (>2K and still have probably 3K left) of OLD style .223 in my mil-spec-chambered AR15s (and a WA friend's ARs as well) with absolutely NO problems at all.
- I have found the Wolf pistol ammo to be great for only one thing . . . "failure drills" and will NO longer use it at all in any pistol that I own/shoot!
- I had 2K of 9mm . . . it did consistent FTFs in my S&W 39-2 (S&W confirmed that the narrow feedramp made this problematic for that model gun), H&P P7M8 (only a few FTFs, but only ran maybe 25 rds thru it) and at least one other 9mm that also did FTFs. Wolf sent me their new polymer stuff to try to solve the problem . . . same problem. [Note: In all cases the guns were cleaned after every range session so this wasn't "build up" causing a problem.]
- Bought 500 rds of Wolf .45. Had FTFs with my S&W 1911! Sold the remaining 400 rds to Howie, who likes the stuff. Never again. No other ammo gives me problems with my 1911.
YMMV
- In most cases for common pistol rounds, best price and quality for the money (plinking ammo) is found at Wal-Mart and sometimes Dicks when they run their "buy one, get the second for 50%" sales (frequently).
As for Wolf:
- I've used LOTS of it (>2K and still have probably 3K left) of OLD style .223 in my mil-spec-chambered AR15s (and a WA friend's ARs as well) with absolutely NO problems at all.
- I have found the Wolf pistol ammo to be great for only one thing . . . "failure drills" and will NO longer use it at all in any pistol that I own/shoot!
- I had 2K of 9mm . . . it did consistent FTFs in my S&W 39-2 (S&W confirmed that the narrow feedramp made this problematic for that model gun), H&P P7M8 (only a few FTFs, but only ran maybe 25 rds thru it) and at least one other 9mm that also did FTFs. Wolf sent me their new polymer stuff to try to solve the problem . . . same problem. [Note: In all cases the guns were cleaned after every range session so this wasn't "build up" causing a problem.]
- Bought 500 rds of Wolf .45. Had FTFs with my S&W 1911! Sold the remaining 400 rds to Howie, who likes the stuff. Never again. No other ammo gives me problems with my 1911.
YMMV
CCI Blazer is good stuff, for the money, for handguns at least. Both the
brass and the AL cased stuff work great for me. Do not believe the myths
of chamber erosion or some other BS with Blazer AL... My Kimber CCT
has had at least a couple thousand rounds of blazer AL rammed down its
gullet and the accuracy level of the pistol is still the same as it was when
I got it.
I don't really like wolf pistol ammo, but I will say that it has come a
long way from what it used to be. Their rifle ammo isnt too bad,
although the value proposition on Wolf .223 is starting to suck compared
to what it used to be. (The problem is that its really only worth like $180
a case but most vendors are getting more than that for it. )
S+B used to be good cheap ammo, but now it is overpriced for what
it isn't. A reject rate of 1 or 2 misshapen rounds in a case is unacceptable
for what it costs. I used to use S+B, and win white box a lot, but both
of those brands are overpriced in general nowadays. The WWB 9mm
val packs are good, if you can find enough of them. I stopped buying
ammo at walmart because they never seem to have enough in
stock.
About the only thing I use S+B for now is to test firing pin springs
on handguns, because the primers they use seem to be extremely
hard.
-Mike
brass and the AL cased stuff work great for me. Do not believe the myths
of chamber erosion or some other BS with Blazer AL... My Kimber CCT
has had at least a couple thousand rounds of blazer AL rammed down its
gullet and the accuracy level of the pistol is still the same as it was when
I got it.
I don't really like wolf pistol ammo, but I will say that it has come a
long way from what it used to be. Their rifle ammo isnt too bad,
although the value proposition on Wolf .223 is starting to suck compared
to what it used to be. (The problem is that its really only worth like $180
a case but most vendors are getting more than that for it. )
S+B used to be good cheap ammo, but now it is overpriced for what
it isn't. A reject rate of 1 or 2 misshapen rounds in a case is unacceptable
for what it costs. I used to use S+B, and win white box a lot, but both
of those brands are overpriced in general nowadays. The WWB 9mm
val packs are good, if you can find enough of them. I stopped buying
ammo at walmart because they never seem to have enough in
stock.
About the only thing I use S+B for now is to test firing pin springs
on handguns, because the primers they use seem to be extremely
hard.
-Mike
S&B is good stuff, but if you're planning on reloading it, you'll find that it has tight primer pockets. WWB at Walmart usually can't be beat for price. A couple of other less expensive brands that are good include Independence and Magtech.
I too am a "No Wolf In My Pistols" guy - rifles for that matter either. I had 2 major failures of the "old school" laquer .223 in both my AR and HK, so even though it's new and improved, I won't touch it. The pistol ammo is just horrible. I had to stop shooting and disassemble my Colt Defender after 75-rounds of .45ACP, as it was filthy and the slide would not catch on the last round. In .40 S&W I had no failures, but a shooting experience that went a little like this: bang, bang, pop, bang, BANG, BOOM, bang, BANG, bang, BOOM, bang, pop, bang, bang, BANG...My Glock was so full of crud and unfired propellant that it defied logic....I'm all set - I'll pay a few extra bucks for WWB, or even S&B in a pinch.
I also have a hard time supporting Wolf, who lists a US Address, but is essentially a Russian company. The Russians are not our friends - their arms and ammunition are finding their way into the hands of terrorists in Iraq and purchasing their ammunition does not enrich the lives of their workers, but rather stuffs the pockets of corrupt fat cats....This is my personal opinion and I hold judgement toward no one - it's just my personal choice.
I also have a hard time supporting Wolf, who lists a US Address, but is essentially a Russian company. The Russians are not our friends - their arms and ammunition are finding their way into the hands of terrorists in Iraq and purchasing their ammunition does not enrich the lives of their workers, but rather stuffs the pockets of corrupt fat cats....This is my personal opinion and I hold judgement toward no one - it's just my personal choice.
