What range ammo do you guys prefer?

Just wondering what ammo do you guys prefer and why? I am looking to stock up but want to choose not just a brass cased ammo but one that is accurate on the range as well.
Which online retailer has the best deal on your favorite brand?
Have you done any side by side accuracy testing?

Is there a hollow point that you buy in bulk that is affordable? Who sells it?


Thank you very much

All my range ammo is handloaded lead these days. However before I reloaded my own, my favorite factory ball loads were Federal's American Eagle (I like federal brass the most), with Blazer Brass (especially at only $1 more than Blazer) a close second. Both brands were accurate out of my guns. Winchester White box and Remington UMC were both very dirty to shoot and had mediocre accuracy. S&B also made some accurate hardball ammo.

As for hollowpoints, I buy whatever the local/state LEOs carry for my CCW. Federal HST, Speer Gold Dot, Winchester RangerT, etc.. I only reload hollowpoints for hunting purposes and wouldn't carry handloaded HPs for SD reasons. I prefer to buy the LEO packaged SD ammo... you get 50rd ct boxes for the same price as 20-25rd civilian packaged ammo.

The Remington 230gr Golden Sabers have the closest nose olgive as standard 230FMJs and feed in guns that typically have issues feeding hollow points ( two friends' Hi-Points)

ETA: Ammoseek.com (price comparisons), Ammunition to Go, Ammoman, CTD, LuckyGunner.com

you need to define your accuracy standard- ammo useful and acceptable for close range (in my mind anything inside 25 yards) defensive type range blasting- just about anything will do. Even cheap white box,blazer and federal will give under 2 inch groups at 25 yards out of a good gun. If you want extreme accuracy ammo like effective for shooting bullseye groups capable of shooting a clean score on an NRA 50 yard bullseye target that is a whole different story!
where in NY are you?

I roll my own... But from the factory, CCI Blazer Brass was good.

WWB from Walmart is clean burning, but you can't buy by the case
Federal American Eagle is filthy

Caveat: this was all experience from years ago...

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile

always handloaded .45, with 200 or 230 cast...over the years WW231, WW452AA, WST, and and with Montana Gold 230s... Clays

.40SW fmj with WSF

I currently shoot a G34 so ...if you are shooting a 9mm, go with the 147grain stuff....Federal American Eagle 147grain from SGAmmo is my choice for large match like Ft Benning 3 gun... I handload Delta Precision 147s, WSF, for local matches... the white box promo 115grain stuff suffers from accuracy past 25yards

for 5.56 my 16" RRA likes Sellier & Bellot 55grain M193, and will shoot 4" overall 5 shot group at 400meters, but gets blown around almost 2x compared to a 69grain bullet...55grain Wolf will hold about 5" at 400meters, and I shoot it for local matches

12 gauge... my Benelli shoots 7/8oz Fiocchi Aero slugs and Federal Premium LE reduced recoil 1oz slugs to the same point... will shoot about 3" at 50meters

Before the check was completely written for my first 1911. I was told to find a reloading press. Good advice then, even better today with white box Winchester costing over .35 cents a round to shoot. My hand loads shoot better than factory at half the price.

Anyway, you asked what range ammo and handloads are my answer.

where in NY are you?[/quote]

Was in Manhattan. Moved to SC a month ago. Couldn't order ammo online in NYC but now its a different story and I intend to take advantage. :)

Thanks for the replies guys. I appreciate your input. If it hasn't been done then maybe it's time someone does a shootout of the brass cased .45 ball range ammo most of us are buying. I know I seem to shoot a lot of the Sellier & Bellot, Speer Lawman and Winchester White Box. Generally I have high opinion of Federal Ammo. But we have two contradicting comments above in reference to the American Eagle line.

Usually, I go with the cheapest brass cased ammo I can find. But if the choice is there and one of them is going to be more accurate, more reliable and cleaner burning- we should know. When it comes to stocking up and ordering online we can be a little more selective.

Anything but Winchester White Box!

Remington UMC has always treated me well along with PMC. I too am not a fan of the Winchester white box ammo. I have had more issues with that stuff than I can count. Hand/re-loading is a great option too.

If you don't reload your own stuff, buy S&B from luckygunner.com. It's a little dirty, but it always goes bang and it's accurate. I like it and the Remington UMC because it's cheap and effective.

For SD/CCW I use Hornaday Critical Defense. My Kimber Pro Carry Crimson Trace eats that stuff like Pacman.

in all honesty all of the bargain brand ball is going to perform roughly the same- the you get what you pay for cliche is here. if you want better than say 2 inch at 25 yard accuracy out of your match grade 1911 at 25 yards expect to spend more money on ammo or reload.

About a year ago I decided to get 1000 rds of Magtech .45acp because of the good reviews,
And price was also good. I havent had any regrets yet. It's cleaner than WWB and have not had any FTF or FTEs with it.
I used it as range ammo for my colt 1911s and Hk Usp tactical. In fact it's time for me to order another batch.

I don't think there is a major commercial brand in 45 ACP that I haven't tried at this point. I have done accuracy testing out to 25 yards and haven't found a brand that shot poorly. When Wolf steel cased ammo was much cheaper than the brass cased stuff I shot a bunch of it with no issues. I think it held about 5" at 25 yards, which was more than good enough for range work. When Wolf jacked up their price I went to CCI Blazer alluminum. Now I shoot whatever is cheapest as long as it's reliable through the intended firearm.

Wwb is my go-to range ammo. It gets the job done and its cheap.
Self defense ammo of choice is hornady. Its ran perfectly through my 1911s.

I haven't gotten into reloading yet although I do collect my brass each range trip in preparation for reloads

WWB 230 Grain FMJ.

I got hooked on the aguilla, its clean an acurate.

Reloads are all I shoot, generally. When forced to buy factory ammo, it's the cheapest thing I can find, which is Blazer Brass more often than not.

Another vote for Magtech 230gr ball. Shot tons of it. Never an issue, relatively clean, always available and priced reasonably.

Carry ammo....Win Ranger-T series 230gr HP.

I like it too. I'll also shoot Blazer Brass.

Cast lead hand rolled

Blazer Brass works fine for me. It's affordable and not overly dirty.

200gr lead swc reloads using titegroup powder. Smoky, but cheap.

I'm gonna do an ammo test and see what I come up with. I'm thinking of using both my Kimber SIS 5" and my Nighthawk GRP recon side by side.
So far I see Blazer, Winchester White Box, PMC Bronze, Federal...?
I don't reload so none of that. Suggestions on how to run the test?

Copyright © 1996 - 2013 :: AR15.Com LLC :: All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.