New to ammo

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So I finally bought my CZ 75. I went straight to Walmart for “cheap ammo” on my way to shooting range. I purchased Federal Brass 9mm based on a guess and it was on sale. Had NO ISSUES at all, but wanted to ask are there any differences in Steel, Brass, Aluminum ammo that I should be aware of for range work? Does one get the gun dirtier or is harder on barrel?

I know that “self defense” ammo has a lot more variables, but I am only shooting targets.

Re: New to ammo

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AFAIK, only brass can be reloaded.
steel case is usually russian, and i don't buy russian*.
aluminum, seems to work just fine, don't think it can be reloaded.

if i just want a quickie range-trip, i'm good with aluminum, but if i'm looking for a long-term relationship with my ammo, brass is the way to go.

* i have no quarrel with the russian people, but their oligarchs and/or govt are teh suck.
Last edited by lurker on Sun Dec 09, 2018 10:48 am, edited 1 time in total.
i'm retired. what's your excuse?

Re: New to ammo

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Yes, there are differences in the quality and usability of various types of ammunition, however, you may or may not ever notice them.

I am going to speak in generalities, there are exceptions.

Steel cased ammo depending on make can leave a residue in the chamber that should be cleaned before shooting brass cased ammo.
Steel cased ammo (the Russian stuff anyway) is often somewhat underpowered. This can cause reliability problems in some pistols (others are fine with it)
Aluminum cased ammo is also slightly underpowered
Ultra cheap brass cased ammo tends to use a slower burning powder, this can cause excessive muzzle flash, and fouling.

One of these days, I am going to compile my notes from all the 9mm ammo validation testing I did over the past year and post it up.
Pompous, with a touch of elitism.

Re: New to ammo

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Nato wrote:Yes, there are differences in the quality and usability of various types of ammunition, however, you may or may not ever notice them.

I am going to speak in generalities, there are exceptions.

Steel cased ammo depending on make can leave a residue in the chamber that should be cleaned before shooting brass cased ammo.
Steel cased ammo (the Russian stuff anyway) is often somewhat underpowered. This can cause reliability problems in some pistols (others are fine with it)
Aluminum cased ammo is also slightly underpowered
Ultra cheap brass cased ammo tends to use a slower burning powder, this can cause excessive muzzle flash, and fouling.

One of these days, I am going to compile my notes from all the 9mm ammo validation testing I did over the past year and post it up.
Will read when posted....

Re: New to ammo

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lurker wrote:AFAIK, only brass can be reloaded.
steel case is usually russian, and i don't buy russian*.
aluminum, seems to work just fine, don't think it can be reloaded.

if i just want a quickie range-trip, i'm good with aluminum, but if i'm looking for a long-term relationship with my ammo, brass is the way to go.

* i have no quarrel with the russian people, but their oligarchs and/or govt are teh suck.
WWB and Federal Brass are both Brass? I have seen some people calling “full metal jackets” steel. That is not correct, right?

Re: New to ammo

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full metal jacket refers to the bullet, not the case. most modern bullets have a lead core with a copper jacket. if the copper jacket covers the entire bullet (sometimes excluding the base), it's FMJ. militaries are prohibited from using anything other than fmj by the geneva convention iirc. i believe jacketing is for 2 reasons, 1 to minimize lead deposits in the barrel, and 2 to help hold the bullet together as it spins downrange and when it hits. pre-1900, just about everything was pure lead, no jackets at all. most of your modern self-defense rounds are soft- (lead) or even hollow-pointed to improve expansion (more tissue damage) when it hits.

i could be totally wrong, there's a lot of history and technological development behind all this, and it's still changing. lately we're seeing a trend for environmental reasons away from lead, and more and more bullets are copper with no lead at all, and they will behave somewhat differently in the barrel and downrange.
i'm retired. what's your excuse?

Re: New to ammo

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Luker pretty much nailed it, I will add to it that one of the other advantages in FMJ projectiles is that they tend to feed better is semi and full autos due to the hardness of the copper being avle to be banged around on feed ramps and the like without deforming. Also FMJs usually have the lead exposed in the back, projectiles that are completely encased in lead are often call TMJs (total metal jacket). Generally speaking you will want to use FMJ or TMJ for your range ammo, and some sort of hollow point for your defensive ammo when it comes to send I automatics (revolvers are a little different).
Pompous, with a touch of elitism.

Re: New to ammo

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Some ranges don't allow shooting steel cases because it messes up their brass disposal (recycling?) program. One of the indoor ranges I frequent prohibits it. I can't remember if they allow aluminum cases.

Ask your favorite range for their policy before you buy any!
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Re: New to ammo

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Congratulations on getting at CZ 75. Excellent choice
Everyone is correct. I’ll just add that I don’t care about the casing of the 9mm round (unless i planned to reload the brass casing). The only thing I look for these days is the bullet jacket since that has the greatest potential to wear out the barrel. But even that won’t be measurable for tens of thousands of rounds.

Best jackets are copper. It is a softest metal to rub across your barrel’s lands (and grooves). Some say it aids in loading the gun too.

Next is brass jackets. It is a bit harder than pure copper but since it is a thin jacket, probably negligible. Many aluminum and steel cased ammo made in the States (Federal, Winchester) these days also use brass jackets to reduce costs.

Then there are mild steel jacketed bullets. Yes, steel rubbing against steel in your barrel. These would be the Russian made steel cased ammo (Tula). -You decide.

So again, look at both the case material and the bullet jacket. If you happen accross ammo that is un-jacketed, just plain coated lead, that is the softest, nicest material to go through your barrel. Uncommon in factory ammo though.
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Re: New to ammo

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I tend to look for brass ammo that’s on sale, PPU, Sellier & Bellot, Aguila and so on. I try to save the brass. I avoid steel core and steel case. Not too interested in aluminum either. It’s probably fine, but I doubt it’s reloadable.
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Re: New to ammo

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sikacz wrote: Tue Dec 11, 2018 7:55 am I tend to look for brass ammo that’s on sale, PPU, Sellier & Bellot, Aguila and so on. I try to save the brass. I avoid steel core and steel case. Not too interested in aluminum either. It’s probably fine, but I doubt it’s reloadable.
LIkewise. Big Box stores tend to have sales on Winchester White Box and Remington UMC, which also happen to be the two most common brands you'll see me shoot at the range. The only ammo I won't use is aluminum cased as it tends to be incredibly dirty and hard to get out of the revolver cylinders as aluminum does not expand like steel and definitely not like brass.

In the past year or so, Winchester started boxing up their own steel cased stuff. It's 100% reliable and cheap, but not terribly accurate past 10 yards.

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