Hello All, I am a new CCW carrier and I have a Glock 19 and a S&W M&P Shield 2.0. What ammo do you recommend for practice? And what is the best place online to buy bulk? I have read tons of reviews but the more I read the more confused I seem to get. Looking for ammo that would run through both handguns.
1 Like
Check these threads:
1 Like
I recently bought from SGAmmo.com and was pleased. My prior go to places were Ammotogo.com and cheaperthandirt.com.
My favorite range ammo is American Eagle but can be pricey. I have run almost everything through my glocks and often buy Blazer Brass, Fiocchi, Sellier Bellot which I can often find at .16-.17 a round.
2 Likes
Typically when I use personal protection ammo vs. Practice ammo. practice ammo tends to shoot in a different location sometimes higher sometimes lower than the ammo that you intend to protect yourself with. This is just my recommendation, you don’t have to take it to heart butt practice with the same protection ammo so you know exactly where your target of impact will be.
1 Like
Fenixammo.com is another good one. I have yet to hear anything negative about their ammo and they also do self defense ammo and frangible.
If you can afford it they ship in pallets too.
1 Like
For general practice, anything that goes bang is fine. I don’t even worry about how reliable it is as long as the misfires and failures to fire aren’t too frequent as real malfunctions give you the best chance to practice dealing with malfunctions.
I’ve shot a lot of the federal solid brass for practice and have been very happy with it.
There are several sources for cheap ammo but I usually use Ammoseek particularly when looking to make bulk purchases.
1 Like
I’ll echo some of the other comments… Federal American Eagle, Fiocchi, Speer Lawman, CCI Blazer Brass (make sure the brass version, not aluminum). @Jerzees’s post above has many other good links with suggestions and places to buy.
For the most part, you just want something that regular goes bang and is reasonably accurate. Depending on a lot of variables, there is a good chance that the Point-of-Aim/Point-of-Impact (POA/POI) will be different from your practice ammo compared to your defensive ammo. Its worth checking the difference in your particular firearm, but its worth noting that the difference is probably very minor especially at typical ranges for defensive encounters. Just be aware of it, but dont worry about it 
2 Likes
Good point.
I’ve shot maybe 10 different ammos and to be honest the difference I’ve found - failures and how much does it dirt your gun.
In my case the very best ammo - FIOCCHI.
1 Like
We shoot AngelFire Ammo for practice, and Golden Sabers for carry. The only issue we’ve had is the Glock G43 doesn’t like Remington’s Black Belt hollow point ammo.
@Harvey - we don’t worry too much about precision differences in ammo as long as the firearm functions as expected - that is to say, if it’s WAY off, we’d care, but in defensive shooting the typical distances you’re talking about are arms-length to 9 ft, so a small variation in shot position isn’t going to make a lot of difference. Of course, we want to know what to expect, and the gun needs to function perfectly with the defensive loads.
That said, we try to match bullet weight and power between the practice ammo and the defensive ammo so as little changes as possible.
Thanks for all the replies. I looked at Angel Fire and they have great prices. I will be ordering some to try at the range.
1 Like
I buy Magtech 115 gr 9mm luger ammo from Target Sports USA. My order consists of 1000 rounds (20 boxes of 50 rnds) per month with free shipping and no tax; so the actual cost per round is really .17 per round. I mention this because I’ve check the other suggested sites for pricing and the cost per round is really higher than you think once you add in the shipping costs.
Lastly, I joined their Prime Ammo Club which lowers my cost per round even more and will pay for itself in less than a year.
1 Like
I appreciate @Tuan1 advice with respect to shooting the ammo you carry but, for most of us, that is cost prohibitive. .16 -.25 a round for FMJ or ball ammo to .60 to 1.00 a round for JHP ammo is a considerable difference and buying in bulk helps but less than $200 for 1000 rounds encourages me to practice a lot more that would $600 to $1000 a carton would.
I do recommend that you replace your carry ammo regularly (your definition of regularly here) and you use what is being replaced on the range. If you are selecting ammo to carry, it is also a good idea to run through a box of it before you make your purchase decision.
3 Likes
For training rounds I love Blazer Brass. Economical, and reliable.
3 Likes
Cheap ammo means 15c per round.
Hard to find it with free shipping, so the deal is to make good math.
In my case:
15c per round x 1000 rounds + shipping, no tax.
If I’m between $170 and $180 that’s a cheap training ammo.
Fiocchi, Magtech, Blazer Brass can be found in this range (both 115 and 124)
1 Like
I have it hard on my side. I just bought the FN five-seven and ammunition for that is extremely expensive. Trying to use practice ammo versus carry ammo the prices are a few dollars a piece off. Spending 30 to 35 bucks a box is hard on the pocket book. Shooting the two different ammo types I do realize a big difference and grouping depending on the distance I shoot.
2 Likes
I replace my carry ammo every 6 months .
1 Like
Today I’ve come through the worst scenario with practice ammo I could imagine.
Because of lack of brand ammo I decided to purchase “reloaded” cheap ammo online. After reviewing other buyers opinion I made a purchase.
I’ve driven to my range with 400 rounds, ready to practice fast shooting under the stress (I do stress with distracting music). I haven’t use the music to create the stress 
, my ammo made the stress for me.
First time in my life I’ve got malfunctions in every magazine. Sometimes one malfunction, sometimes two… After 400 rounds I’ve counted 39 
I “always look on the bright side of life” so I’m a happy owner of great ammo for “malfunctions drill” (100% guaranteed effect) 
Anyway, always be sure what do you use for practice 
3 Likes
Do you mind sharing the brand?
1 Like
Is it OK to do “negative campaigning” here?
PM sent
2 Likes
Lot of good advice already given. Personally I shoot Fiocchi FMJ On the range the vast majority of the time. I’ve found it to be clean, reliable, and reasonably priced. I typically buy 1k round bulk. I carry Sig V-Crown and sometimes do shoot Sig Elite FMJ as they (Sig) say it’s configured to shoot similarly to the V-Crown, but it’s pricey. I rotate my carry ammo about every 6 months.
I also shoot Blazer and American Eagle occasionally as well if I find a good deal in bulk.
2 Likes