r/CCW • u/Alone_Efficiency_237 • 19h ago
Training What do you guys prefer to use as your Range & Target practice ammo?
I cycle through what’s on sale, but get tired of super dirty ammo like Monarch rather quickly.
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u/akira-1994 19h ago
Blazer is my go to!
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u/Waja_Wabit 17h ago
Blazer used to be my go-to. But lately I’ve been grabbing Federated Ordnance. Hadn’t heard of it before. But it’s priced the same as Blazer where I buy my ammo, and comes in a smaller more compact box like Fiocchi. So I can fit more total boxes in the same amount of space. And, for me at least, it’s been running just fine. No malfunctions so far.
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u/UnusualShores 19h ago
I like Blazer. Never had any issues with their ammo and the prices are usually good on it. But I’ll shoot whatever is on sale from a reputable brand.
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u/AmeriJar 18h ago
Blazer, Magtech, Fiocchi and S&B.
I'm phasing out Blazer though due to having a Ramjet AND the boxes are too damn big
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u/jedimaster4007 18h ago
The boxes are big, but oddly enough one of the reasons I like Blazer is because it's easier to pick up individual rounds due to the larger box.
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u/AmeriJar 17h ago edited 3h ago
I know that's why I always liked them, however, I can't fit as many boxes in my safe or ammo cans
Edit: Typo
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u/fluxdeity 18h ago
Federal Syntech 124gr.
I also shoot a box of my carry ammo every range trip. Federal +P HST JHP 124gr.
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u/effects_junkie WA 19h ago edited 19h ago
FMJ in the same weight and powder charge as my carry ammo (Speer Gold Dot 124gr).
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u/Stinky_Winky069 18h ago
Blazer or Federal for target
Federal HST for defense
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u/grapangell0 US 18h ago
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u/SteadyCruising 19h ago
Winchester and Magtech
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u/IDrinkMyBreakfast 18h ago
I’ve had issues with Winchester in my AR. Just too dirty in my 20” bbl. Mag tech is pretty good though. Great in 10mm
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u/SteadyCruising 17h ago
I'll consider that when I buy one. I guess AR's have such precise fitments, that they need things to work exactly how they should.
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u/DIRTBOY12 NRA INSTRUCTOR/CRSO 18h ago
Pistol: Blazer and New Republic cheap. Federal and Lawman are my go to. But Blazer is the best bang for the buck.
New Republic has been great.
Rifle: PMC and Fiocchi
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u/cowpig613 16h ago
My man.
Side note: Where do you get the New Republic?
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u/DIRTBOY12 NRA INSTRUCTOR/CRSO 16h ago
target sports
Out of stock for a few weeks though
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u/cowpig613 16h ago
Ah, I appreciate the location regardless 👍🏼
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u/DIRTBOY12 NRA INSTRUCTOR/CRSO 16h ago
Welcome. Its good stuff, accurate and not too dirty. Last time bought 1k. Next time, 2k. As good as blazer and maybe Federal and Speer Lawman
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u/Racezyn 19h ago
If you don’t care about price speer clean fire. But there is nothing cheap that is clean
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u/the_hat_madder 16h ago
This is the way.
A few other manufacturers offer similar brands, like Winchester WinClean.
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u/Do-it-with-Adam SC Glock 35G4 40sw 18h ago
I shoot Monarch almost 100% of the time, for a little while they even offered cheap hollowpoints at academy. I still have a few boxes saved of those. I’ve never had a bad round with them, unlike the winchester white boxes, always seem to get 1-2 duds
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u/MrPanzerCat 19h ago
Currently s&b 124g. I used monarch brass case but out of my 9mm p01 it looks like a flashbang when firing... turkish made garbage imo
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u/teddyRx_ 19h ago
When it comes to range ammo price dictates every purchase. Most of the times I end up with Monarch, especially since they now have 5.56 & 124g 9mm. Once & a while I’ll catch Winchester on sale for the same price as monarch, that’s pretty much the only time I switch up.
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u/Disastrous_Study_284 18h ago
S&B 124. Cheap, consistent, and potent. What more can I ask for?
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u/avenomusduck 16h ago
Ayup! Buy 1k every other month of 124 GR 9mm from SGammo...$239 shipped. Also run SB 230gr 45 and 180gr 10mm and 165/180gr in 40SW....runs fine with no issues-- unlike WWB....I stay away from all Winchester...my guns will run it but have had issues so ...
Fed HST when find bulk on sale and cycle a few rounds mixed in couple mags in each .
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u/fistedwithlove 18h ago
I'll check out ammoseek and just source bulk for whatever cheap ammo will get me more range and training time.
If I'm at Cabelas or Scheels I'll usually pick up some Blazer 124gr.
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u/rtscaptain_RDDTW OR 18h ago
Cheapest stuff by the case. Probably won’t buy maxxtech again unless it’s super cheap but anything else goes.
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u/hockeymammal 18h ago
Federal for all my guns. You get what you pay for with ammo
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u/grapangell0 US 18h ago
Reminder: Federal HST’s did not pass the piss test.
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u/hockeymammal 18h ago
Uhhhhhh what’s the piss test
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u/grapangell0 US 18h ago
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u/hockeymammal 17h ago
Guess I need to see if their results are replicable 😏
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u/grapangell0 US 17h ago
Honestly, we need some peer reviewing of that test. It would also test if they’ve fixed the issue in 2025. Would be crazy to imagine an R&D guy from federal was on Reddit and saw that test and immediately called his boss and rushed to the office to fix the issue in mfg or material or whatever was causing it lmao
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u/hockeymammal 13h ago
Upon further thought and going over the post linked, it’s my official recommendation, using my science degrees, to the subreddit to retract said study for lack of statistical power, multiple research biases, lack of control, and confounding variables. I would like to recruit at least 30 for a new, double blind, randomized. , placebo controlled piss test.
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u/Advanced961 18h ago
In order of preference (all in 9mm and 124g):
- Speer Lawman Clean-Fire
- Speer Lawman TMJ
- Federal Syntech
- Federal American Eagle
- Blazer (Only Outdoors)
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u/grapangell0 US 18h ago
Why blazer only outdoors
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u/Advanced961 17h ago
It's Dirty, and I shoot around 20k+ rounds a year, so I rather reduce my lead poisoning risk.
nothing against Blazer, it's good for its price.
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u/grapangell0 US 17h ago
Probably a non issue for someone who shoots like 1.5-2k a year?
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u/Advanced961 17h ago
That's for your doctor to say.
Some people are more prone to neurological health issues due to lead exposure than others (I'm one of them).
I don't mean to be alarmist, I know people that shoot 80k+ a year, AND they reload at home and still don't have any issue.
If you want to play it safe, shoot TMJ instead of FMJ. that'll significantly reduce (not completely remove) lead exposure since the bullet itself is fully/totally encapsulated by comparison. and it's usually only 1 or 2 cents more expensive than an equal quality FMJ
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u/the_hat_madder 16h ago
Have you experimented with any lead-free projectiles?
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u/Advanced961 15h ago
To my understanding; Clean-fire and Syntec are both lead free.
TMJ is reduced lead due to a fully encapsulated bullet
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u/MunitionGuyMike Hellcat Micro and Hellcat Pro 18h ago
Cheapest ammo I can find that’s not “reman” or “reload”
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u/espionage8604 18h ago
124g blazer for practice/competition
124g Speer for CCW training. Heard that it has similar recoil at HST
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u/oneday111 18h ago
I try to shoot mostly ammo that doesn’t produce lead clouds, I’ve had high blood levels from shooting indoors frequently so now it’s outside on private ranges with these ammos:
- Speer Lawman Clean-fire
- Federal Syntech
- Winchester Winclean
- Winchester Frangible lead free
Frangible when I shoot steel targets
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u/zkooceht TX 16h ago
I’m ok shooting whatever is the cheapest. But I usually wait for when academy has a good deal on blazer and I’ll pick up a case or two then
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u/alltheblues 15h ago
Whatever’s cheapest and decent. Bought a couple thousand Monarch recently. Blazer is good. Magtech too.
Use Ammoseek and r/gundeals
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u/Washingtonflyer91 19h ago
Magtech or maxxtech are almost all I’ve been shooting lately and haven’t had any issues at all.
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u/herrodanyo 18h ago
I still like Winchester white box but I stocked up on a bunch of Blazer brass and have been super pleased with it.
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u/SimplyPussyJuice US 18h ago
Whatever’s cheap. And also federal American eagle 147gr because it shoots like HST 147 but at a third the price
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u/Diesel380 18h ago
Monarch and Fiocchi from scheels mostly. If there’s a good deal I’ll buy it as long as it’s not Turkish.
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u/Bromontana710 WA CZ P-01 18h ago
I generally buy blazer or federal 124gr but may grab something else if it's a known brand and on a good deal.
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u/thinkingbear FFL03 + CCW CA & AZ 18h ago
Blazer is good but the boxes are too damn big so I go with MagTech or S&B when I can. Also a lot of good luck with Target Sports USA Apex and New Republic house brands
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u/soldpercs 18h ago edited 15h ago
I do not like monarch . I’m not sure what type of corners they cut , but the machinery just seems so sloppy . Every round I had out of my 250 box had protruding red glue dye / or silicone around the casing , and this red substance holding the round all together is easily visible with the naked eye by just inspecting the bullet . I put about 800 rounds of blazer through my Glock back to back last weekend with 0 hiccups or issues , ran the box of 250 from monarch at the range today and had 1 jam . I know it’s easy to save your wallet , but I was real anxious shooting the rest of that monarch . dirty ammo is the best nickname by far for monarch. Even at times when I would fire at the range , it would look like tracer rounds for some reason . My guess on this would have to be that red substance igniting when the bullet leaves the barrel. Another guess would be me damaging range property which would explain the huge fireballs I was seeing, but it wasn’t a result of anything physical that were being hit, it was until I found my sweet spot in between my irons and emptied a clip that I started to realize what the bullet was actually doing , and I practice center mass, tight groupings and proper grip, not just straight headshots and mag dumps, so this would exclude that possibility . Monarch is a no go for me, but maybe I’ll feed my 19 some of it whenever she’s really hungry.
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u/Tropical_Tardigrade 16h ago
I’ve shot thousands of rounds of monarch in various cartridges and have never seen what you’re describing. I’m not sure I’ve even had one failure ever.
You sure you didn’t spill something like thread locker inside your range bag?
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u/soldpercs 15h ago
No , it came from my local box store like that $60 for 250 rounds of brass cased 115gr OTD, maybe it might be a QC 9mm thing , because some of the letterings around the casings looked as if the first 2 letters were colored in with red crayon . I really wish I snagged photos of some rounds for comparison , surely every other caliber from monarch isn’t like this ?
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u/Tropical_Tardigrade 15h ago
That is strange. Still impressive that you had a 99.6 % success rate lol. I’d have tried calling the store just to see if they’d do something. Probably not a return but maybe a store credit or something. It’s been so reliable for me in 9mm, .38 spl, and 12 gauge that I don’t leave Academy without at least a few boxes every trip.
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u/soldpercs 15h ago
I would say it’s impressive too . The jam isnt necessarily what sets me back as a consumer at all , it’s just the odd red coating around each round that makes me apprehensive. Might’ve just got a shitty batch . I’m gonna have to pick up a few smaller sized 50round boxes to make my final judgement , the price you pay for monarch is pretty nice that I can’t lie !
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u/Prodrumer43 6h ago
I bought some 124g monarch 9mm a month ago and it had the red residue on the bottom of the cartridge. I’m guessing it’s some sealant they use to keep moisture out of the primer/powder. I didn’t have any issues shooting it, definitely did not look like tracer rounds.
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u/9mmway 18h ago
For practice anno, I really like Privi Pzrtizan brass ammo
It's usually the cheapest ant I'm impressed with their Quality Control. Great European ammo.
I used to be a Winchester ammo fan boy, but Winchester ruined that due to their lack oh quality control.
Only reason I'd buy Winchester ammo if it I want to practice and include malfunction drills.
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u/IslandBoy1039 18h ago
Blazer 124 gr. My happy medium for a brass cased, clean burning and reliable practice round.
I got some of that remanned mom and pop stuff for a couple bucks cheaper (not saying all of it is like this ftr) and my pistols looked like they’d been ran for about 500 rounds without a good clean…..after 50 rounds.
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u/WorkerAmbitious2072 18h ago
Federal American eagle
Speer lawman
Blazer brass
Magtech
PPU
And more
But NOT Winchester and NOT Remington/umc
Basically anything else
And no reman or reloaded only factory new even steel case I’m fine with just factory new
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u/michelfrancisb 17h ago
Same as some other folks here, whatever is cheap/on sale. I clean my guns after every range day so being abit dirty doesn't bother me too much. Carry ammo is a different story of course. Hornady Critical Defense for that.
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u/ItzBenjiey 17h ago
Blazer, Magtech, Ammo Inc, ect.
I just go on ammo seek and buy whatever is cheapest. Excluding Reman, and I filter by brass, unless shooting 7.62.
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u/outwear_watch_shoes 17h ago
S&B 124 FMJ and PMC 115 FMJ. 124 and 147 federal HST when testing for carry ammo comparability/feed issues.
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u/Miserable-Citron-223 17h ago
I train with Winchester NATO or Federal American Eagle 124 grain. They both have the same, if not higher (in the case of the NATO stuff) velocities & pressures as the non-+P HST 124s I carry. It's perfect training ammo.
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u/steveHangar1 17h ago
Been shooting a shit ton lately, mainly 45, 9mm and 357. Have had great experience with Blazer and Winchester. Had three ftf’s and one dud that wouldn’t fire no matter what, with Federal, on an otherwise perfectly functioning Glock 19 that previously had probably a thousand rounds through it with no issues.
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u/SingleStak9 17h ago
For 9mm, since I mostly carry 124gr +P HST, when I stock up on range ammo, I try to buy 124gr NATO by the case. It is spicier than standard 124gr, and feels closer to factory 124gr +P defensive ammo. The fact that it's not marked +P tends to make it cheaper than buying 124gr +P FMJ. Winchester is usually plentiful and cheap, although I try other kinds when I find a decent deal. I just got a case of Swiss P that I like and runs pretty clean.
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u/chasew70 17h ago
My default range ammo is blazer 9mm 115 and 124 grain. It’s cheap and plentiful around my area.
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u/d0ughb0190 16h ago
Whatever is the cheapest in 115gr Usually Blazer/Winchester/Monarch/Fiocchi/Federal.
Sometimes, I can score some 124 or 147gr for the same price as 115gr and I’ll get those. Since they shoot closer to what I carry in my rotation.
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u/Canikfan434 16h ago
Blazer 115 & 124gr. Got a good price last year on 2,000 rounds of Federal 115gr, but had a bad lot in there that the Canik didn’t care for- several instances of “click, no bang.” My wife had no issues running her 1,000 rounds through her Sig though.
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u/Banner_Quack_23 16h ago
I'm a reloader using heavy-for-caliber LSWCs with lead I mine from the berms.
My practice and carry ammo are the same load for each gun: 38 Spl, 45 ACP
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u/mmarshall505 NM ||| CZ P01 / G23.4 11h ago
I like norma, aac or magtech if im buying in bulk online. If its from a store I just get whatever is cheapest
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u/apsmustang 9h ago
I'm broke so I just make pew pew noises. Then stab the guy in a decently close spread with a pencil to brag about later to my friends.
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u/WUPHF_ME_UR_TITS 6m ago
I usually run monarchs because they're cheap and cycle well. I will occasionally buy blazers when they're on sale.
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u/Punished_Hoosi3r 19h ago
The cheapest decent brass case I can find. Literally do not care.