Ammunition

Got my CCL Day before yesterday!
I still haven't bought a gun because I haden't thought of ammunition. Any advice on cost effective yet plenty of poert ammo?:question:

.22lr.

When you are comfortable with your skill and training you can move on to something else. By that time you will have been exposed to multiple firearms and calibers. You will then be able to answer your own question.

Law abider said:

Got my CCL Day before yesterday!
I still haven't bought a gun because I haden't thought of ammunition. Any advice on cost effective yet plenty of poert ammo?:question:

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I'll echo the suggestion of the previous poster and recommend .22LR, if you simply want a gun for target practice.

However, if you're looking for a better defensive weapon caliber, I'd recommend 9mm or .40 cal. If you want gun advice, check with any gun dealer or gun show. Personally, I have the Glock 27 Gen4 (subcompact .40 cal) and thoroughly enjoy it.

9mm or 38spl

you got your CCL , I take that to mean you plan to carry , and at least some of the time concealed

powerful, well if i knew i was going to need my side arm i would have just avoided the situation

so i wanted the smallest thing i could shoot well and get my hand to fit comfortably , and the biggest round i could get in that package

why did i get the ruger LC9 , because they didn't make an LC40

now having several hundred rounds thru it and having carried it for several months every day from the time i put my pants on till i take them off at night, i would get the LC9 again

9mm is a light recoil cartridge in a 4 inch barrel service sized auto at 32 oz make it a 17.1 oz sub compact , and it has a much greater felt recoil but still manageable

i have xl to xxl sized hands i usually have to find a xxl when I buy gloves yet the slide has room to clear my hand just fine , unlike some 380s i have tried

how dies it fit smaller hands my 8 year old son can shoot the LC9 he had his first go at it Tuesday evening, he didn't hit a 6 inch falling plate from 10 yards every time but he wasn't off by much and he did hit it some.

(caution when letting kids shoot hand guns always start by loading 1 round only, till they have showed they can handle it)

my son started on a bb gun at age 5 , and progressed up to pellet rifle , then 22, and other rifles , he shoots 3 position air rifle in the local club , and he shot 22 pistol first ,then a service size 9mm , then the sub compact 9mm so i was not handing a first time shooter a handful of gun he definitely worked up to it.

so i think any 21yo or older shouldn't have an issue with it unless they have some handicap or medical condition like bad arthritis.

9mm is also 9.99 a box when i was at the store today , 40 was at least half again more 45 was even more


why did I also say 38spl, not everyone is an semi auto pistol user , and for many a revolver is a better choice , for them the greatest selection of good quality carry guns come in 38spl and like 9mm it costs less in ammo $ to practice

a hit with a 9mm or 38spl is worth more than a hundred misses with a bigger round

practice practice practice

if you have never shot a hand gun before 22lr is an excellent choice for training, but i took your question to be more of a what to get for carry that you could also afford to practice with.

and remember soda is usually 2 dollars or less at the bar and has refills , some bars if your the DD the soda is even free , so you can pocket that money saved on not drinking 4 dollar a glass beer for practice ammo and be the dd/dc

GreenCountyPete said:

9mm or 38spl

you got your CCL , I take that to mean you plan to carry , and at least some of the time concealed

powerful, but i took your question to be more of a what to get for carry that you could also afford to practice with.

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Hi GCPete. Yes I want to OC/CC. I have enough money to buy one hand gun that will pack the punch and the ammo should be cheap for me. Your suggestions are great. I was going to practice with Captain Nemo last weekend but he had to go for has grandson's baptism. We will be meeting this weekend. He wants me to try his Ruger 357 magnum which I think will have too much recoil. I too have large hands and a .38, .4 or .45 ACP I'll have to choose from. A 1911 bec I think I can hold/control it better bec of the large area to hold. The 38 revolver is tempting bec they are common as you said and the ammo should be cheaper than the above. Thanks. By the way on line purchase is better or your local store?

the ruger lcr in 357 only weighs 17.1 oz so your not out of easily comfortable to carry all day and you have the option for 357 or 38spl

but when it comes to a snub nose , the smith J-frame is the standard , and the absolute easiest to get a holster for


holster ease is something to consider , I am not much of a Glock shooter but i have thought about getting one just to make looking for a holster completely easy

there is something to be said about the ease of finding gear for your gun

as for the best cartridge 9mm 38 , 40 ,45 ect one thing to remember is that most SD loads don't push the full potential of a cartridge , they try to get a bullet that expands at 1000-1100fps and achieve just over 12 inches of penetration in ballistic test medium


check out this link
http://ammo.ar15.com/project/Misc_Images/DocGKR/Handgun_gel_comparison.jpg

I see you've mentioned "cost" several time. If it's simply cheapest ammo you can find, on average, it goes in this order 9mm, 38 special, .40, .45.

These are going to be ballpark figures of what I normally see practice/range ammo priced at. Of course you'll find higher and lower but as an average...

...............Online per 50 rounds................Store prices
9mm...........$10.00-14.00........................13.00-18.00
38 special.....$12.00-15.00.......................15.00-18.00
.40..............$14.00-18.00.......................16.00-20.00
.45..............$16.00-22.00.......................18.00-25.00

Good Self Defense ammo of any caliber is going to cost you between .50-.65 per round online and $1.00 a round in local gun stores, regardless of caliber. The stuff I use I cannot find in stores...Federal HST's, Winchester Ranger T's, and Speer Gold Dots.

Choosing a caliber is going to be all up to you! Try to shoot as many different calibers and guns that you would consider buying. Yes 9mm has the least amount of recoil BUT 9mm out of a tiny sub-compact is going to be way more severe then in a full-size handgun. Think .38 special is a powder puff load? Shoot a 158gr bullet out of a sub 1 pound snub nose revolver with tiny factory grips and you'll never consider calling it a "girly" round again! .40 is a "snappy" round and some have a problem shooting it well. I've always shot and liked a 1911 in .45 but I just had to get one of the "plastic" guns in .40. So I bought a full-size M&P. It took me a loong time to learn to shoot that thing well. Partly because of the trigger but mostly because of the sharp recoil...I've never shot .40 in a compact gun and don't think I want to. .45 is still my favorite, recoil is more of a big push. Whenever I've brought new shooters to the range they always prefer to shoot my .45 over the .40.

HandyHamlet said:

.22lr.

When you are comfortable with your skill and training you can move on to something else. By that time you will have been exposed to multiple firearms and calibers. You will then be able to answer your own question.

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That, and I purschased my auto w/ a 22lr. conversion kit...same gun, just different slides. Plink for cheap; carry for keeps.

View attachment 8385

If your looking for ammo i put together a list of sources and links you can download http://tinyurl.com/New-to-Guns

Thanks for all who are replying to my thread. I am reading and absorbing the info. Man you all know your gun and ammo and the calibers etc... I am thankful I can turn to you all guys and gals for input!
I really hope that Walker will be re elected and that we'll maintain the kind of legislators otherwise all our efforts to get CC, castle doctrine etc... will go down the tubes.

The "Right" choice...

When it comes to, "what should I buy"? There has been lots of good knowledge posted here. When it comes to proficiency, the ONLY way to achieve that is through lots, and lots of practice, and then more practice. Cost is very important when you're talking 500-5000 rounds of ammo. Reloading may be an option. But when it comes right down to it, a couple of dollars savings on a box of ammo isn't worth my life, or yours. None of us are going to drill a striking rattlesnake from the hip like they do on TV.

I guess what I'm trying to say is to think of buying more than one gun if at all possible. I carry a .357 snub on a daily basis. This gun can also shoot the .38 Special ammo. I generally load it with fairly stout hand loaded .38 Special HP. Once I get the proper holstering, I'll carry a full size .45 Auto loaded with Silver Tip HP. Until then, the .45 is in a convenient place at home, loaded with Silver Tips.

9mm cheap ... get cans and cans for cheap shooting

Law abider said:

I too have large hands and a .38, .4 or .45 ACP I'll have to choose from. A 1911 bec I think I can hold/control it better bec of the large area to hold.

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Big hands may not like 1911 due to their inherent thinness.

Avaliblity

Last sunday after church, some members and I were eating at a local joint. The subject of guns and ammo came up. One guy spoke up and said that Prez Obama recently signed contracts with all gun and ammo manufacturers to produce ammo for the feds so ammo is not going to be avaliable?? I haven't heard anything about this. Would this not be news worthy?? Today my car repair guy said ammo is in short supply. Anyone has any info on the former about the feds?

I recommend a .357mag revolver. You can use .38spl ammo that's cheap for practice and step up to the big stuff for carry.

Law abider said:

Last sunday after church, some members and I were eating at a local joint. The subject of guns and ammo came up. One guy spoke up and said that Prez Obama recently signed contracts with all gun and ammo manufacturers to produce ammo for the feds so ammo is not going to be avaliable?? I haven't heard anything about this. Would this not be news worthy?? Today my car repair guy said ammo is in short supply. Anyone has any info on the former about the feds?

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The feds recently inked a contract with one manufacturer for several million rounds of ammo over a 5-year period. That might tie up that one plant, but there are others who make ammo. Availability has always been cyclical and international politics does play some part in that. When a .gov wants bullets to use to go to war the supply for the domestic market gets a little tight. I hear our .gov is winding down our current foreign excursion which means we should see more 9mm and 5.56mm - just don't know how it will be priced.

Relax. Breathe.

stay safe.

Law Abider: A good source for ammo in our aarea is Sportsman Guide in So. St. Paul.

http://shop.sportsmansguide.com/net/search/eSearch.aspx?SearchTerms=ammunition&eMode=

The one munitions/ammunition manufacturer is ATK (ticker symbol) Alliant Techsystems of Arlington, Va with subsidiaries in the ATK Sporting and Security Division headquartered in Anoka, Mn of Black Cloud, Blazer, CCI, Estate Cartridge, Federal Premium, Fusion, Law Enforcement, Speer, and Speer Bullets.

http://www.atk.com/CorporateOverview/BL_SecurityAmmunition.asp

My two cents: I would highly recommend getting a 9mm semi-auto. Ammo in 9mm is the least expensive of the big three, (9mm, 40 S&W, or 45 ACP). Cost is a big factor for practicing, and the common top 3 calibers are about the same effectiveness in a self defense load.

There are some very nice small semi-autos in 9mm being produced now, the Beretta Nano, S&W shield, or Ruger LC9, and others. Glock 26's are very nice for CC also. Believe me, you won't be sorry if you get a 9mm. Many will insist you have to have a 45, but don't get fooled.

Also the S&W J-frames are very easy to carry, but you have to decide if 5 rounds is enough to make you feel comfortable. The advantage of the semi-auto is of course, quick reloads. Lots of people feel fine with just a J-frame. At times that is all I carry, but mostly I carry a Glock G26.

Preferred Customer said:

My two cents: I would highly recommend getting a 9mm semi-auto. Ammo in 9mm is the least expensive of the big three, (9mm, 40 S&W, or 45 ACP). Cost is a big factor for practicing, and the common top 3 calibers are about the same effectiveness in a self defense load.

There are some very nice small semi-autos in 9mm being produced now, the Beretta Nano, S&W shield, or Ruger LC9, and others. Glock 26's are very nice for CC also. Believe me, you won't be sorry if you get a 9mm. Many will insist you have to have a 45, but don't get fooled.

Also the S&W J-frames are very easy to carry, but you have to decide if 5 rounds is enough to make you feel comfortable. The advantage of the semi-auto is of course, quick reloads. Lots of people feel fine with just a J-frame. At times that is all I carry, but mostly I carry a Glock G26.

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I agree with this. I owned a .45 for years, but never invested in the ammo to really become proficient. Later I sold it, and many different phases of my gun insanity have come and gone. Well as the years past I decided to get a 9mm, not for really any reason other than I wanted to put a lot of rounds down range cheaply and regularly.

Man, how cool to see the difference in my capabilities. 15 Thousand rounds through my Glock 34 and now I am shooting better than I have ever shot, including bigger calibers. I just have to keep up the practice. As time goes by, small differences in price add up. Bulk 9mm is cheaper than many other bulk ammo for the very reason that supply is so available, which is also nice in that you can find it everywhere.

I still have a .45 for home defense, and a .44 that I take with me in the woods, but I put most of my rounds down range in the 9mm, and carry it everywhere.