Target Practice Ammo: UMC vs. WWB vs. Federal

Doc Maker · January 10, 2011, 04:44 PM

I have noticed, as well as many of you may have also, a difference in the characteristics as the trigger is pressed. I put a couple hundred rounds a week through my Beretta 92F at my local club range. Outdoor. We all want to save money so I have been trying different types of 9mm to find the right combination of value, cleanliness and ballistics.

So far, I'm liking the UMC. I find the Federal is louder and dirty. The WWB is OK but, there's this gold finish that covered my fingers after loading only two magazines.

Input? Other brands? I think I'll try BVAC next...

overkill0084 · January 10, 2011, 05:12 PM

Before I started reloading it, I found the PMC bronze 9mm to be pretty decent ammo. It was on sale at the time. $11 or $12 per box at the Local Gun Shop.

proxpilot · January 10, 2011, 05:38 PM

Federal hasnt done me wrong yet.

Ozzieman · January 10, 2011, 06:51 PM

I like Federal the best for the quality of the brass for reloading, seems to last longer for me in the calibers that I reload. I have some Federal 44 specials cases that have been reloaded more than 10 times and they are still working well.
But I also like WWB, for its price. Around here it always seems to be the lowest price. Don’t know anything about the gold finish on your hands. I have shot over 7 cases of 9mm Winchester hard ball in the green and white box, I would agree that the loaded rounds are dirty but never had the gold problem.
My only problem with PMC is that you just can’t find it at a sale price.
When buying plinking ammo I don’t care about quality as much as price as long as it’s not steel cases.

TacticalDefense1911 · January 10, 2011, 07:27 PM

Federal or WWB. I've never been a big fan of UMC's quality control.

mes227 · January 10, 2011, 07:32 PM

I've had great experience with BVAC and that's my "go to" ammo when I can get it at the right price. But I don't reload and thus can't speak to the brass question.

luis luevanos · January 10, 2011, 07:34 PM

i would agree federal is good stuff i have never had a problem with federal

tang75081 · January 10, 2011, 08:57 PM

I started to feel comfortable shooting federals now, especially my para ordnance 14-45 limited. Really affordable too.

Vermonter · January 10, 2011, 09:00 PM

This was 28 rounds seven mags plus one each out of my ruger LCP. I like the umc stuff just fine in 380

Vermonter

reloader-1 · January 11, 2011, 01:14 AM

Ozzieman,

Question for ya - did you mean Remington 9mm in the green & white box?

Around here Winchester is either a white box, or a white & red box. Green is Remington's color.

Kreyzhorse · January 11, 2011, 12:28 PM

Quote:

So far, I'm liking the UMC. I find the Federal is louder and dirty. The WWB is OK but, there's this gold finish that covered my fingers after loading only two magazines.

Interesting. Out of those, I always found UMC to be the dirtiest around. With that said, I'm not picky. If UMC was the cheapest, it's what I'll shoot. Overall I've had no issues with any of them.

insolentshrew · January 11, 2011, 12:44 PM

I haven't had any issues with wwb in 9mm and 40, but some guns have issues with wwb in 45, so some of it may depend on caliber.

I tend to lean towards federal personally, but I will just get whatever is cheaper. Have had no issues with all 3 of those brands at least in 9mm and 40.

S_Constitutionist · January 11, 2011, 02:39 PM

Federal 9mm is 10.47 a box and WWB is about 11.50 for a box of 50. I prefer the WWB (not as loud, doesnt seem as dirty), but either works for.

About to start reloading so I am saving what I can. MAN is it difficult chasing those cases around a crowded public range!

dogngun · January 11, 2011, 10:52 PM

over the years. I have not had any problems with Federal, ever. I will shoot WWB, but I really prefer the other 2.

mark

scorpion_tyr · January 11, 2011, 11:12 PM

Some call me crazy, but for just target shooting I use Monarch. Never had a single problem with any in .380, 9mm, .40, or .45. It's the cheapest, and in my FNP-40 it's the most accurate.

cougar gt-e · January 11, 2011, 11:28 PM

"louder"????

You are using quality hearing protection, please tell me that you are!

If not, you will become like me (and others) that say huh?, what? and "I didn't catch that" very frequently. Not to mention the constant ringing of tinnitus. Get 2 or 3 loud computer fans and put them next to you head for a week and see how you like it. That's what we put up with 7/24 for life.

You would have to set off a freak'n nuke for me to tell "louder" with the hearing protection I use. And that's mandatory or I fear what's left of my hearing will be gone.

Ozzieman · January 12, 2011, 07:23 PM

Woops!
Yea your right.

Doc Maker · January 13, 2011, 05:35 AM

Next time I'm at the range I'll take pics to show you guys what my fingers look like after loading mags with the WWB.

Yes, My range ears are quality.

"Louder" meaning I shot one box (50) of Federal and one box of WWB and there was a noticeably louder report from the Federal than the WWB or the UMC I usually use.

Doc Maker · January 15, 2011, 04:56 PM

810wmb · January 15, 2011, 05:25 PM

befroe i started reloading, i shot wwb 99% of the time.

i got the goldfinger all the time. you are the first person i have seen to ever bring it up!

i had forgotten all about it

January 10, 2011, 04:44 PM	#1
Doc Maker Member Join Date: December 11, 2010 Location: Kent, WA Posts: 67	Target Practice Ammo: UMC vs. WWB vs. Federal I have noticed, as well as many of you may have also, a difference in the characteristics as the trigger is pressed. I put a couple hundred rounds a week through my Beretta 92F at my local club range. Outdoor. We all want to save money so I have been trying different types of 9mm to find the right combination of value, cleanliness and ballistics. So far, I'm liking the UMC. I find the Federal is louder and dirty. The WWB is OK but, there's this gold finish that covered my fingers after loading only two magazines. Input? Other brands? I think I'll try BVAC next...

January 10, 2011, 05:12 PM	#2
overkill0084 Senior Member Join Date: August 7, 2010 Location: Northern, UT Posts: 1,162	Before I started reloading it, I found the PMC bronze 9mm to be pretty decent ammo. It was on sale at the time. $11 or $12 per box at the Local Gun Shop. __________________ Cheers, Greg “At the core of liberalism is the spoiled child – miserable, as all spoiled children are, unsatisfied, demanding, ill-disciplined, despotic and useless. Liberalism is a philosophy of sniveling brats.” — P.J. O’Rourke

January 10, 2011, 05:38 PM	#3
proxpilot Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2010 Location: High Point, NC Posts: 588	Federal hasnt done me wrong yet. __________________ W. German SIG Sauer p226 W. German SIG Sauer P6 Springfield Armory XD-S

January 10, 2011, 09:00 PM	#9
Vermonter Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2010 Posts: 962	UMC This was 28 rounds seven mags plus one each out of my ruger LCP. I like the umc stuff just fine in 380 Vermonter

January 11, 2011, 10:52 PM	#14
dogngun Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2002 Location: South east PA Posts: 570	UMC used to be terrible ammo, but it is vastly improved over the years. I have not had any problems with Federal, ever. I will shoot WWB, but I really prefer the other 2. mark __________________ I am another gun-carrying liberal veteran.

January 10, 2011, 06:51 PM	#4
Ozzieman Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2004 Location: Northern Indiana Posts: 6,117	I like Federal the best for the quality of the brass for reloading, seems to last longer for me in the calibers that I reload. I have some Federal 44 specials cases that have been reloaded more than 10 times and they are still working well. But I also like WWB, for its price. Around here it always seems to be the lowest price. Don’t know anything about the gold finish on your hands. I have shot over 7 cases of 9mm Winchester hard ball in the green and white box, I would agree that the loaded rounds are dirty but never had the gold problem. My only problem with PMC is that you just can’t find it at a sale price. When buying plinking ammo I don’t care about quality as much as price as long as it’s not steel cases.

January 10, 2011, 07:27 PM	#5
TacticalDefense1911 Senior Member Join Date: April 4, 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,277	Federal or WWB. I've never been a big fan of UMC's quality control.

January 10, 2011, 07:32 PM	#6
mes227 Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2010 Location: Incline Village, NV Posts: 535	I've had great experience with BVAC and that's my "go to" ammo when I can get it at the right price. But I don't reload and thus can't speak to the brass question.

January 10, 2011, 07:34 PM	#7
luis luevanos Junior Member Join Date: November 29, 2010 Location: Phoenix, Az Posts: 5	i would agree federal is good stuff i have never had a problem with federal

January 10, 2011, 08:57 PM	#8
tang75081 Member Join Date: October 3, 2010 Location: Texas Posts: 36	I started to feel comfortable shooting federals now, especially my para ordnance 14-45 limited. Really affordable too.

January 11, 2011, 01:14 AM	#10
reloader-1 Senior Member Join Date: April 22, 2009 Posts: 123	Ozzieman, Question for ya - did you mean Remington 9mm in the green & white box? Around here Winchester is either a white box, or a white & red box. Green is Remington's color.

January 11, 2011, 12:44 PM	#12
insolentshrew Senior Member Join Date: July 16, 2010 Posts: 270	I haven't had any issues with wwb in 9mm and 40, but some guns have issues with wwb in 45, so some of it may depend on caliber. I tend to lean towards federal personally, but I will just get whatever is cheaper. Have had no issues with all 3 of those brands at least in 9mm and 40.

January 11, 2011, 02:39 PM	#13
S_Constitutionist Senior Member Join Date: April 21, 2009 Posts: 325	Federal 9mm is 10.47 a box and WWB is about 11.50 for a box of 50. I prefer the WWB (not as loud, doesnt seem as dirty), but either works for. About to start reloading so I am saving what I can. MAN is it difficult chasing those cases around a crowded public range!

January 11, 2011, 11:12 PM	#15
scorpion_tyr Senior Member Join Date: November 10, 2008 Location: East Texas Posts: 1,326	Some call me crazy, but for just target shooting I use Monarch. Never had a single problem with any in .380, 9mm, .40, or .45. It's the cheapest, and in my FNP-40 it's the most accurate. __________________ “Nature intended me for the tranquil pursuits of science, by rendering them my supreme delight.” - Thomas Jefferson

January 11, 2011, 11:28 PM	#16
cougar gt-e Senior Member Join Date: July 25, 2009 Posts: 1,003	"louder"???? You are using quality hearing protection, please tell me that you are! If not, you will become like me (and others) that say huh?, what? and "I didn't catch that" very frequently. Not to mention the constant ringing of tinnitus. Get 2 or 3 loud computer fans and put them next to you head for a week and see how you like it. That's what we put up with 7/24 for life. You would have to set off a freak'n nuke for me to tell "louder" with the hearing protection I use. And that's mandatory or I fear what's left of my hearing will be gone.

January 12, 2011, 07:23 PM	#17
Ozzieman Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2004 Location: Northern Indiana Posts: 6,117	Woops! Yea your right. Last edited by Ozzieman; October 1, 2016 at 05:19 PM.

January 13, 2011, 05:35 AM	#18
Doc Maker Member Join Date: December 11, 2010 Location: Kent, WA Posts: 67	Next time I'm at the range I'll take pics to show you guys what my fingers look like after loading mags with the WWB. Yes, My range ears are quality. "Louder" meaning I shot one box (50) of Federal and one box of WWB and there was a noticeably louder report from the Federal than the WWB or the UMC I usually use.

January 15, 2011, 05:25 PM	#20
810wmb Senior Member Join Date: July 25, 2009 Posts: 114	befroe i started reloading, i shot wwb 99% of the time. i got the goldfinger all the time. you are the first person i have seen to ever bring it up! i had forgotten all about it

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