ammo question

[rayg5102]

Being new and reading up on things, I have a question regarding ammo.
I am leaning toward the purchase of the XDM 9mm.( (actually just waiting for the supplier to get some in) If and when I do buy, it appears from the threads that I should also buy as much ammo as I can carry (or sneak in past the wife). Besides being 9mm, what should I be lookng for in ammo? I can assume like anything else, cheap is not always good.

I tried to google the internet but can't seem to find any good "learning about ammo sites", so I figured this was as good a place as any.

In advance, thanks for any pointers

 

[MauiWowie]

I would stay away from factory reloads my Sigs don't eat the stuff very well..... too dirty

 

[Jimbob2.0]

Its all about what you want it for.

115 Full Metal Jacket prime plinking

124 FMJ closer to HD ammo

124 HP probably one of your better defensive optiosn

147 HP some issues, proabably not much more effective than the above.

Steel case is fine it just wears extractors faster (and very minorly the chamber but you are talking the difference between 50,000 and 55,000 rounds).

Rule of thumb in general buy as much of the most reliable range ammo you can afford and reasonable quanties of HD ammo.

 

[newmike2]

Buy as much as you can when you see it. I've been able to purchase the Blazer Brass from WalMart in reasonable quantities over the past few months to use at the range.
9MM is still cheap enough and readily available, you just need to take advantage of the opportunities to purchase it when they arise.

 

[rayg5102]

Guess what I am saying, is for practice do I just go ask for 9mm? Is there something special ?

 

[mikec]

You should look for 115 grain full metal jacket also known as "FMJ" ammo. Depending on where you buy it, you may find 100 round boxes at WalMart but at most gun shops they tend to get 50 round boxes.

Now something that you may or may not know, 9mm means bullet diameter, it is NOT a specific cartridge. Since you mention an XDm, it will be chambered for what is known as 9x19 by NATO or commercially most commonly known as 9mm Luger.

There is 9x18 ammo around and it is NOT the same.

Also, check the range where you plan on shooting to see if they have any special rules on ammo.

 

[novus collectus]

You should look for 115 grain full metal jacket also known as "FMJ" ammo. Depending on where you buy it, you may find 100 round boxes at WalMart but at most gun shops they tend to get 50 round boxes.

Now something that you may or may not know, 9mm means bullet diameter, it is NOT a specific cartridge. Since you mention an XDm, it will be chambered for what is known as 9x19 by NATO or commercially most commonly known as 9mm Luger.

There is 9x18 ammo around and it is NOT the same.

Also, check the range where you plan on shooting to see if they have any special rules on ammo.

To make things more confusing.....9x18 is not the same caliber as 9x19, but 9x17 is......but this is depending on which terminology of "caliber you are using.

(most) 9x17 and 9x19 are the same diameter bullet, but the 9x18 (at least the Makarov) is bigger in diameter but the case is smaller in length. But when people say "caliber" it may be either bullet diameter, or rifling diamater, or the overall cartridge name designation whick could be whatever the creator or manufacturer wants to name it.

 

[rayg5102]

Didn't know having all this fun was gonna be so confusing.

 

[newmike2]

Didn't know having all this fun was gonna be so confusing.

remember 9mm Luger and you'll be fine.

If you shoot outside, you should be fine with regular 9mm luger. Some indoor ranges have requirements like "Ballisticlean" which contains no lead and others, like Gliberts require you to buy their ammo, which is overpriced, as you can imagine.

I go to the indoor NRA range in Fairfax and they're not picky. They just ask that you have a knowledge of basic gun safety.

The hobby of shooting is fun, you just need to find our what works best for you and go with it.

 

[JKrew]

I go to the indoor NRA range in Fairfax and they're not picky. They just ask that you have a knowledge of basic gun safety.

They don't allow steel core or armor piercing ammo, but I don't think that would be easy to get for 9mm anyway.

Even though there are some different 9mm cartriges, normally when someone mentions 9mm it refers to 9mm Luger, and would be something else if specified. That's just my experience, but if you say 9mm, most people should assume you mean 9mm Luger, so it shouldn't be too confusing.

 

[mikec]

To make things more confusing.....9x18 is not the same caliber as 9x19, but 9x17 is......but this is depending on which terminology of "caliber you are using.

(most) 9x17 and 9x19 are the same diameter bullet, but the 9x18 (at least the Makarov) is bigger in diameter but the case is smaller in length. But when people say "caliber" it may be either bullet diameter, or rifling diamater, or the overall cartridge name designation whick could be whatever the creator or manufacturer wants to name it.

In Europe the .380 auto cartridge is called 9mm short, which it technically is. It is 9x17. The bullet is 9mm in diameter and the casing is 17mm long. BUT the Brit's had a revolver round that they called the .380 as well and it is a different critter.

remember 9mm Luger and you'll be fine.

Unless you find some ammo marked 9mm Parabellum, which according to a quick search is the technically correct name for what is called 9mm Luger.

 

[novus collectus]

In Europe the .380 auto cartridge is called 9mm short, which it technically is. It is 9x17. The bullet is 9mm in diameter and the casing is 17mm long. BUT the Brit's had a revolver round that they called the .380 as well and it is a different critter.
....

Actually, according to the Cartridges of the World book the 9mm Short was a shorter version of the 9mm Browning Long and not a actually a shortened version of the 9mm Parrabellum.

 

[lx1x]

here's what you need to understand.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9x19mm_Parabellum

i have xdm 9mm.. you'll enjoy it. i've been using wwb for the ammo and no issues so far.. shot pmc once and didnt like it..

for hd either use 124 hp (either hst or hydro's).. they shoot well on my xdm.

 

[rayg5102]

I understand about Gilberts. Went there with my step son and it cost us $189 bucks to shoot the first time. Of course $60 of it was the Trial Membership, about $15 was rental and rest of it was ammo. After I get the XDM I hope to be hitting the range in Liganore. Sounds a whole heck of lot cheaper.

 

[mikec]

Don't look at the $$ spent, once you start buying your own guns and stuff you will not have any money. Seriously, as long as the two of you had a good time and it sounds like you found a new hobby, it was money well spent.

Heck, you could have bought a bottle of wine and then found out it wasn't stored correctly and you poured the $$ down the drain.

 

[JKrew]

I understand about Gilberts. Went there with my step son and it cost us $189 bucks to shoot the first time. Of course $60 of it was the Trial Membership, about $15 was rental and rest of it was ammo. After I get the XDM I hope to be hitting the range in Liganore. Sounds a whole heck of lot cheaper.

When you say the range in Linganore, I guess you mean Cresap? (I know it's off of Linganore road, but I don't really know much about the Frederick area.) Cresap is a great range, and is really cheap like you thought. I go up there almost every weekend, normally with some friends. Maybe we'll see you there.

 

[INMY01TA]

Steel case is fine it just wears extractors faster (and very minorly the chamber but you are talking the difference between 50,000 and 55,000 rounds).

Is this like the Remington "MC" (metal case I believe) 45 I picked up at Bass Pro the other day?

 

[Splitter]

You probably picked up Remington UMC....green and white box? Should be a brass case. If that's the case, it is standard plinking ammo. Nothing special, nothing bad.

Splitter

 

[JKrew]

Is this like the Remington "MC" (metal case I believe) 45 I picked up at Bass Pro the other day?

I don't know of any steel cased ammo made by Remington. Are you thinking of Remington UMC? I'm pretty sure that would be brass cased. An example of something that is steel cased would be Wolf.

 

[rayg5102]

JKrew
Yes I was talking about Cresap. Stopped there one Saturday, but it was so busy, I just chatted with someone who was leaving. They said it was great, I've seen alot of post about it. Look foward to running into you guys there some day. Maybe pick up some pointers. That is, once I get this gun.

Step son called tonight. Waiting on me and the new gun. He just picked up a new pistol and is waiting for me to get mine. So I guess I've gotta move it