[Reconvic]

I feel all just have different diets that they prefer over others.
Example Fed. Ammo has the lightest primers and almost will always go off. S&B seem to have one of the hardest primers out there.
My choice is My 1911's will eat everything but shoot acurately with
Black Hills Ammo in .230 grain
Self Defense Loads i like a .230 grain Win. Ranger T ammo.

 

[Shooters Plus]

I really don't have a preference on plinking/range ammo as I load my own but as far as SD/carry ammo, like Vic I carry the 230gn Win. Ranger T series.

I did some "back yard" waterjug tests a couple of years using different SD ammo and while waterjug tests are no comparison to real-time street proven tests or gelatin for that matter, it was fun and I think I learned a lot about how different bullets performed. The one that impressed me the most was the 230gn Federal HST round. Lots of expansion but I want to see some more street proven ballistics before I can feel comfortable using them as a carry round.

I'll try and find the pic of the different rounds I used on the waterjugs and post it.

 

[Shooters Plus]

Found it.
Keep in mind this was moreless just for fun but does simulate some of the bullets expansion characteristics.

 

[Reconvic]

I use to like the old Speers

They were nicknamed the " Flying Ashtray's" because of the expansion they produced. Yet the G/D are not bad at all. Goldern Sabers that are bonded are the FBI choice becuse they configeration is closest to ball ammo and it will go thru car windows without much problem

 

[ZeroTA]

For ball range ammo,I get Blazer by the case from Natchez,and Winchester from Wal-Mart. I'm really not particular about range ammo. I've used all brands with good success,but PMC is some dirty stuff...it still worked though.

For SD I use 230 gr. Hydra-Shok. While their may be newer and supposedly better rounds out there,this round has been the most reliable of all the premium HP's I've tried. Gold Dots buggered up with my Kimber TLE and my PM1.

 

[Reconvic]

.230 gr. Hydra-Shok are the choice of the F.B.I also. I try to stick with the same ammo as much as possible as not to expect any surprises. I do like Win. the White box and Lawman ammo also. The old Gold Dots were better then the new ones. The Ranger T is equal to the old Black. talons. I have found PMC or independence ammo to be a light load and my point of impact will be different then when I use the same ammo. My hand-loads are what I use for matches mostly but I avg. around a case of .45's a month and with the price of ammo climbing I may also reload more but never more then once fired brass. Sorry to hear what the Gold Dots did to your pistol , may I suggest you polish the feed ramp since it probably left some unwanted deposits of copper there.

 

[Guest]

I'm a big fan of Federal American Eagle for practice, mostly because I know a friend that owns a gun shop, and he sells it to me for $11/box. For competition it's all Hornady and Black Hills. For protection I use Hornady TAP FPD 230g and any of the old Black Talon ammo that I can get my hands on.

 

[Reconvic]

You pay alot for the old Black Talons I bet. I also use Wilson's STX ammo that I buy from Gunsite which is about a 2 hour drive from me. It is a hot S/D load but very accurate. Fed. ammo will almost always go bang because they have one of the lightest primers around, I like them myself. Mostly everything I shoot is .230 grain except for Bulls-eye shooting then I hand load using .200 grain.

 

[KeithB]

for factory 45ACP target ammo i buy Walmart Winchester white box 230 gr rd fmc $28.98 , per 100 box same stuff for my 40S&W at $21.88 per 100 box

Good way to get some brass too

 

[tsp45acp]

Only factory I buy is (wally world) WW 230 JHP and Rem UMC 230 JHP. An occasional WW 230 FMJ to compare my handloads to. Handloads are 255 lswc 5.0 Unique 1.175-1.190 oal HOT PIN LOADS! Tracy

 

[KeithB]

don't ever buy Wolf ammo it is filthy :frown:

 

[Guest]

Agreed. That stuff is just AWFUL, and the prices aren't that much better than American Eagle anyway. And the money you save on ammo, you'll just turn right around and spend on Hoppes anyway.

 

[Reconvic]

I fully agree it would be like feeding pamela Anderson a Big Mac, The stuff is too dirty for any guns of mine.

 

[Barry in IN]

I carry CCI 230 Gold Dot....
practice with my handloads (usually W231 and 230 FMJ)...
and use Winchester USA in classes

 

[Reconvic]

For the Range Win. White box is easy on the pockets and work well.
I actually like shooting always a .230 graijn bullet unless I am handloaded for Bullseye Matches. CCI Gold dots are really good S/D Rounds, just don't always feed in all 1911, in mind they do but I have other with feeding problems using them.

 

[msjdgman]

So far the only factory I`m using is Blazer Brass from Wally World. I don`t think it`s too dirty, and the price is better than anything else around here. I`m not into reloading yet. I know I may get flamed about my SD ammo...but I do like the +P 185 gr Gold Dots from Georgia Arms. Again...reasonable when compared to other choices.

 

[Frenchy]

I shoot Georgia Arms 200gr. Plated SWC's through my RIA. Don't have a defense load for it!

 

[Ridgerunner665]

WWB for just plinking...
Golden Sabre for the serious work...always 230 grain.
Heres a 230 Golden Saber after it penetrated 18 inches of deer...
It came apart in the last 2 inches of penetration...but did its job nicely.
I wish I had saved a few HST's to deer hunt with...I'd like to see if they look so pretty after 16 - 18 inches of meat and bone. By the way folks...I have a MAJOR ballistics fetish:gun1:

 

[Reconvic]

Goldern Sabre's are the FBI choice becausee they can penetrate glass good and the configeration of the bullet is close to ball ammo then any other H.P

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Goldern Sabre's are the FBI choice becausee they can penetrate glass good and the configeration of the bullet is close to ball ammo then any other H.P

Yep...I believe they like the bonded version. I've not been able to get my hands on any of the bonded Golden Sabres. Probably havent tried hard enough though, I like ammo I can get without waiting 3 months, which is what I did for the 300 rounds of HST's.

The HST seemed to be everything it is advertised to be in my backyard tests and I would carry them if I could get them easier.

Those plain old Golden Sabres do penetrate though...the one in that pic went through a shoulder blade, a rib, lungs, and busted the far shoulder and upper portion of the front leg bone all to peices. Pretty steep shot angle...he was about 15 yards away and 40 feet below me. Shot with my Baer Stinger.