Practice ammo accuracy?

[iMagUdspEllr]

I was wondering what kind of accuracy do you guys normally experience with cheap practice ammo from your semi-autos? I normally shoot federal champion at the range for practice. I haven't shot match ammo because I don't believe I am good enough to warrant shooting match grade ammo, yet.

Has anyone found that even though they are shooting cheap practice ammo that their guns simply print larger groups on the paper? Or is cheap ammo so inconsistent that you will tend to have several stray shots anyway?

Also, has anyone found that they get more stray shots as their barrels become fouled throughout the shooting session?

I know I tend to get tired and shaky towords the end of a long shooting session. But, aside from that, do you guys tend to notice anything like this with your guns?

[SWglockmagnum]

All i can say is stay away from monarch. I bought 2 boxes of 50.. honestly i don't remember the exact number now, but i had between something like 5-7 dead fires per box, and they weren't loaded with enough powder to stick the slide in the open position on my taurus when the last round ejected most of the time. we shot 5 rounds per clip and traded several weapons back and forth. most of the time, the slide wouldn't stay... and i never have that problem with other ammo on that pistol.

and it leaves a horrible residue.

so.... stay away from monarch, and DEFINITELY don't keep your home protection weapons loaded with it.... that could be disastrous.

[poortrader]

It's kinda like golf balls to me. I can hit a Titlest Pro V-1 the same distance as a cheap range ball.

Ammo is ammo, it all hits center mass no matter if it's range ammo or match grade out of my pistols.

[rodfac]

Looks like you've got some quality firearms from those listed in your signature line, so the inherent accuracy of the gun is a given...that said...

I've found Walmarts 9mm Federal 115 gr FMJ to be very accurate in my Glock 19...groups run less than 3" at 25 yds from a rest and I can keep a full 15 round magazine in less than an inch and a half at 10 yds from a two handed weaver stance. And best of all, Walmart has it for $19.97 for a 100 count box!!! That's within 2 cents of what I'm able to hand load it with jacketed bullets...and it's brass cased!

In the 1911, Walmart has 100 count .45 ACP Winchester White Box, 230 gr FMJ's for $37 per 100 count box...again very accurate in all my .45's...my Ruger SR1911 especially likes it to the tune of 1-1/4" gps at 25 yds! I can reload that cheaper, if you discount the cost of the case...about 26 cents a shot for jacketed ammo.

Match ammunition is loaded to more critical specs..usually the quality of the bullet is the critical component...but it is hard to see the difference sometimes unless you're shooting from a rest. 22 lr's in particular can be very picky about the ammo they're fed...I buy several brands of 50 count boxes to determine which is best for the gun involved and have always found a bulk buy type that fulfilled my target punching needs...short of NRA Bullseye competition, it's good enough, ie. <2" at 25 yds from rest.

As a general rule, I've found no tendency among domestic brands of centerfire handgun ammunition with a tendency to throw "flyers" out of a group, but for the most part I shoot hand loaded ammunition of my own testing and culling. The cheaper practice type of ammo, at least in my experience, is evident in the overall group size, not in "flyers".

As to the fouling issues...unless I switch from jacketed to lead alloy based bullets without scrubbing out the bore, the groups do not get appreciably larger as the round count goes up...ie within say 100 rounds. With lead alloy bullets, you might see leading issues that will definitely open up groups...also, shooting lead alloy after shooting jacketed bullets results in lower accuracy...gotta clean that copper fouling out to some extent, tho it does not have to be a pristine barrel to shoot lead accurately. The reverse is not true...ie shooting jacketed following lead, at least after the first shot or two...the first jacketed rounds seem to clean out the leading or they are not so sensitive to the barrel's cleanliness.

JMHO, HTH's Rod

[iMagUdspEllr]

@rodfac: I find that hard to believe considering pretty much every gun I have ever seen range tested in a gun rag never dips below 3" @ 25 yards without match ammo.

[DBLAction454]

I think that this would be more of a question for a rifle/long range shooting thread.

Handguns are for close range shooting. (Not saying I havent tried a few long range shots ;) ) But in most cases the farthest most of us are shooting is maybe 25 yards... Most cases a firearm is used at 7 yards or less.

I highly doubt your going to see a significant measurable difference in accuracy at anything 25 yards or less. And that's if you put the gun in a vice and fire it truly in the same position repeatedly. Only then and at around 25 yards or more may you notice a difference. But unless its OBVIOUS that its really crappy, bottom of the barrel, bought out of some guys trunk in an alley ammo. I wouldn't worry about it...

Worry more about reliable feeding and firing and brass quality in handguns...

[rodfac]

Imag...can't speak for others...but here's a sample...Ruger SR1911 at 20 yds, Winchester White Box 230 FMJ's, from a brand new gun, heck I even made it offhand! ....and another..a Ruger .41 Magnum this time with handloads at 25, sitting with a back rest support...but as you know, each gun is a law unto itself, ...but I'd be surprised if that Python of yours wouldn't shoot into just about an inch with Remington's offerings of one size or another...the two factory loads I mentioned earlier have worked extremely well in my guns...Rod

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii64/Rodfac/Targets/P1020788.jpg

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii64/Rodfac/Targets/P2111038.jpg

[BrittB]

I think you just need to try the cheap brand your considering and draw your own conclusions. As my pistols get more time on them, they seem to not care what you throw at them.

[Misssissippi Dave]

I'm not sure how many cases of Federal Champion from Walmart I have shot to date. It works for range practice at 25 yards and less. I can load rounds in those Federal cases that are more accurate. I don't shoot competition and only for my own pleasure. The accuracy is good enough. It seems that the Federal Champion have been more reliable and cleaner burning the Winchester White Box from Walmart have been lately. I only load Federal Champion cases with loads up to mid range and they have been holding up pretty well. Ocassionally I do come across some cases with primer pocket issues and they just get tossed. The same goes for Winchester brass.

[bossman]

That cheap practice ammo would be good enough to work in my carry guns, if I didn't reload. I guess I'm ole school but just don't buy into the $2.50 a round self defense loads.:rolleyes: