Total noob here. Could you please educate me on the quality differences between ammunition? More specifically, I am wondering whether it matters what type (or brand) of 9mm cartridges for my Glock 19. Is it similar to a fancy sports car whereby putting in crummy gas can hurt the engine? Will cheap ammo screw up my Glock? Could you please explain differences in 9mm ammunition? What type of ammunition for practice at range versus home defense? Does it matter at all? Apologies for the pretty basic question, but I couldn't find anything searching in this forum.
...and my prior reply to you wasn't trying to insult you about doing your own research. It was a VERY broad question. There are many options for firearms AND many options for ammo. If you do research and then ask more focused questions it will help the community better answer them.
if you're not having luck so far on google, search whatever ammo and "ballistic reports"
my short version is with a glock any common ammo is fine w/ it. FMJ is typical "target" ammo and JHP is typical "defensive" ammo. As with defensive ammo I want the heaviest load I can (esp on a smaller sized round). Review basic physics of force. If we have a very fast round, but its not that big, if we add more mass to it we can get a bigger impact and mimic a larger caliber. Lots of people play around w/ +, +P, +P+...I just go w/ straight 147gr JHP and I have yet to have the opportunity to see its real result (124gr federal JHP's I've seen in action...which is why I'm a 10mm guy to begin with)...but thats enough out of me.
No insult taken. I've been on other forums and understand how annoying it can be to get questions from a noob. Appreciate the feedback. The reality is that I also am not knowledge enough to understand everything I am reading so it is a learning process, e.g. do not know all of the acronyms but am learning. Thanks.
[1] That's kinda funny. You have concerns about what you read on the internet, but came here (to the internet) to verify, or refute, what you read.
[2] If your range is reloading their own for sale. They should be licensed to do so. I do "stay away" from small re-manufacturers (ie. commercial reloaders). I've seen some of these reloads that would not pass a chamber check gauge (at a fairly high rate) and enough squib** loads that gave me cause for concern.
**A squib load is a load that has little, or no, powder; and when fired, lodges the bullet in the barrel. It is not a problem unless another normal power load is fired while the bullet is still lodged in the barrel. In this case, it is unlikely that you will be injured, but it is possible - but almost certain you will have to replace the barrel. To remove a squib (lodged bullet) you should [1] insure the gun is not loaded, [2] use a wooden dowel or brass rod to drive the bullet out of the barrel at the nearest end - usually the rod in inserted into the muzzle, and the bullet is driven out through the chamber.
Good observation on point #1. LOL. I guess my thinking is that if I get multiple opinions from a more informed population like this forum, I'm hoping to take away common themes in the posts or get different ideas for further research on my own. I really have been enjoying reading everyone's posts and opinions. I know that it is very general and like asking someone what their favorite car is, but I do enjoy reading differing thoughts and opinions and the reasons for it. Also, I appreciate the education from everyone in the process. This is a great forum.
Like anything else, you get what you pay for. Aquire quality factory loaded ammunition. No need to shoot expensive JHP a lot just enough to make sure the gun eats it without issue. Enjoy and be safe.
The good news with Glocks is that the default setting is 'it works', tho' autopistols in general have become more reliable as they have become more common. For the OP, you've seen here what you need to know; FMJ for practice (good brands are listed above), and I can't see running steel case in a quality gun. For carry, find something that a good shop stocks and recommends, or get what the local cops carry. The 'stocks' aspect is a pain; after you find a load you know works and that you like, sometimes it's hard to find more. Save those brass cases and squirrel them away; someday you may want to start reloading.
Moon
OP, at the risk of giving information that is too basic . . . . Your G19 (a good choice, by the way) should eat just about any ammunition of the proper caliber that you choose to feed it. You already know that it's chambered in "9mm." I haven't seen this mentioned in this thread, but please be aware that the 9mm which it will feed is known as:
9mm
9x19
9mm Luger or
9mm Parabellum.
Please do not confuse that with:
9x18
9mm Makarov
9x25
9mm kurz
or any of the other chamberings that start with "9."
As others have noted, full metal jacket (FMJ) for practice, jacketed hollow points (JHP) for carry. Buy factory new for now, and save your brass as you may want to reload later.
I shoot anything except Tula. I like Freedom Munitions bulk 9mm in my Glocks and have always had good luck (buy in bulk online when they offer free shipping). For SD I prefer Remington GS 124-gr +P only because it's available and I shoot it well but like others have stated, any current mfg ammo will be fine.
I find that different receipes (primarily powder influenced) give different impulses of target acquisition. I'm not just talking about recoil but the timing of the powder burning, the explosion and ability to get the sights back on target. I find commercial Federal ammo and Vihtavouri powder matches my demeanor and allows me the fastest acquisition .
Rocky makes a good point, tho' it is frequently less noticeable in handguns than in precision rifles. But burn rate, recoil impulse, velocity, bullet type, moon phase and the infield fly rule can all affect handgun accuracy. I changed a handload by 0.2 grain, and the loads went from 'ok' to simply awful.
So, as always, don't be afraid to experiment, and maybe shoot some benched groups to see what really shoots straight. Keep your targets for future reference. Btw, when benching a handgun, it's okay to support the barrel/dust shield and your wrists, but don't rest the gun on its butt.
Moon
For practice ammo just go to FreedomMunitions.com and buy their remanufactured 9mm ammo. Affordable, quality stuff.
For defensive ammo, keep at least a couple boxes of 124 grain or 147 grain Speer Gold Dots on hand. No need for +P (although it's fine too) standard pressure ammo will be just fine.
Like anything else, you get what you pay for. Aquire quality factory loaded ammunition. No need to shoot expensive JHP a lot just enough to make sure the gun eats it without issue. Enjoy and be safe.
Probably also good to occasionally shoot carry ammo to make sure that you understand the handling characteristics of the pistol as well. Too often, people never shoot their carry ammo, even if they did when they first started carrying. Cheapie 115 gr target stuff isn't going to feel the same as +P 124 gr JHP or whatever you're using. Plus it can't hurt to cycle in fresh stuff from time to time.
Being new myself to 9mm I read a bunch of testing reports and reviews before buying in bulk the Federal P9HST2. Its their standard loading (pretty hot though w/147gr bullet doing 1000fps out of my 3.9" barrel). In testing it was the BEST even compared to their +p loadings. 1000 rounds delivered can be had for $500 and maybe less with patience. At .50 per round for one of the best defensive rounds out there I could not find anything else even close without paying WAY more.
For a practice round the Winchester Nato 124gr doing 1120fps out of my 3.9" barrel is not quite as powerful as the Federal load but much stouter than the average 115gr cheap loads available which makes it great for practice as its not a whimp load. Some say its +p but my chrony does not put it there for sure. It can be had for $12.29 a box of 50 from SGAmmo delivered buying 1000 rounds. I have seen it on sale for even less. Being a FMJ bullet would allow for excellent penetration if that is needed.
And to extend on Fixed Sights' remarks about carry ammo, it's also a good idea to shoot away ammo that has been in and out of the gun too often. Glocks aren't really hard on cycled ammo, but some others are. Watch the overall length of the cartridge, and battering of the bullet nose. A bullet pushed too much into the case may not feed when needed, and will raise chamber pressures.
Moon
Yeah, I take a lesson once a month and use 9mm NATO for a more realistic recoil impulse. Although I learned yesterday that Lawman is supposed to be loaded the same as non +P Gold Dots with the intent of making it a practice round for Gold Dot carriers.
OP, at the risk of giving information that is too basic . . . . Your G19 (a good choice, by the way) should eat just about any ammunition of the proper caliber that you choose to feed it. You already know that it's chambered in "9mm." I haven't seen this mentioned in this thread, but please be aware that the 9mm which it will feed is known as:
9mm
9x19
9mm Luger or
9mm Parabellum.
Please do not confuse that with:
9x18
9mm Makarov
9x25
9mm kurz
or any of the other chamberings that start with "9."
As others have noted, full metal jacket (FMJ) for practice, jacketed hollow points (JHP) for carry. Buy factory new for now, and save your brass as you may want to reload later.
At this point, no information is too basic so really appreciate the patience and information. I literally know nothing and am just trying to get educated reading everything I can.
It means over-pressure (up to 10%). SAAMI defines pressure limits for different calibers. While calibers like 9mm, .38 special, and .45 acp will have +P loadings, a majority of calibers do not.
I have had my G43 for about a month now and fired over a 1,000 rounds of 9mm thru it. 115gr, 124gr, 135gr, 147gr both fmj & HP's.
All different brands. The cheapest is Perfecta at Walmart less than $10 box of 50. I have also shot many Lead reloads, all work great. I like the new Fed Syntech polymer coated bullets, will fire the last mag with it when I'm thru for the practice. I use all these ammos in My G19 3rd gen, G34 3rd , G17 3rd, & the G19 MOS 4th gen.
purchase a bunch of different brands and type of ammo. Shoot it all and see what your gun likes.
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