What brand of pistol ammo to avoid?

[Burnadell]

What brands of ammo should I avoid?

I have pistols in .380, 9mm, 10mm, 38 special, and 44 magnum. When I did my CHL course, the instructor, a retired Sheriff, recommended avoiding a certain brand of ammo for my semi-auto, but I cannot remember if it was Monarch, American Eagle, Blazer, Tul or what! He said it would burned dirty.

What do you firearm experts say?

[Austin]

Monarch tends to be pretty dirty not an issue if you properly clean your firearms

[tvc184]

I have shot thousands of rounds of American Eagle and Blazers with sometimes hundreds of rounds fired in a single session at the range. I guess it might be dirtier but I have never had any failures with it. I always clean my guns when I am finished shooting. The cleaning process is the same and doesn't take any longer no matter what ammo I use.

I have used the ammo in .380, 9mm, .40, .45, .38Spl and .223 (AE).

Maybe the guy is correct but I am not sure the point.

I have no experience with the other two.

[BigTex.308]

I don't like to shoot steel or aluminum. But I'll shoot any brass ammo unless my gun just doesn't like it. (feeding issues, etc.) I reload my own so that's mostly what I shoot. Some are "dirtier" than others but if you clean your gun after each use like you're supposed to it's a non issue.




Ike

[Burnadell]

I am thinking it was Monarch that he mentioned, but I do not shoot enough to cause a problem with any of them.

It's good to know that the Blazers and American Eagle are good ones.

[gwellstx]

Ejector on the Taurus pt1911 I used to have broke while shooting steel case stuff. MIM parts or steel case or both, I don't know. Don't have the Taurus anymore but I don't shoot steel case stuff anymore either.

[Burnadell]

What about Wolf brand?

What is the reason some shy away from steel cases? Gwellstx, why would a steel case break an ejector?

[BigTex.308]

What about Wolf brand?

What is the reason some shy away from steel cases? Gwellstx, why would a steel case break an ejector?

Steel is a harder material than brass. And can (in therory) wear out parts quicker. especially on parts that are lesser quality like MIM.

Also some claim they are not as accurate.


But there are some that love steel.......




Ike

[gwellstx]

^^ what he said. Gun was basically brand new. Probably more of a MIM issue than steel ammo but my thinking is that if I've got hundreds of dollars invested in a gun, its worth the extra couple dollars per box to feed it brass case. JMO I'm no guru.

[Burnadell]

What is MIM?

Any comments on Wolf?

[WCB]

there's a thread on steel case ammo and several big time shooters use it a lot. If you use the dirty ammo clean your gun. Might want to clean it anyway...
I shoot a lot of Blazer Brass ammo and it's a good reliable clean ammo. Told a buddy to use it and it surprised him how clean it is. Just ordered 250 rounds of 230gr .45 Blazer Brass for $110 shipped. PSA said it will be here next week. Just in time for my new TBH STI 1911!!

[WCB]

Wolf, Bear, Tulammo and others are made in russia and pretty dirty. They seem to work well in looser chamber AKs and such. So I've read.
I'm not sure if Russia has heard of smokeless powder...

MIM I think is metal injection molding

[texag93]

I shoots lots of Monarch 9mm. It's a little dirty but accurate. Never had any issues with it. I've shot quite a bit of Wolf 223 out of an AR. Never shot any of the pistol ammo.

[Burnadell]

Thanks guys. I'll buy you lunch at Bownanza!

[Chad C]

As for what to avoid, I'm not much help. As for what I shoot 99% of the time...

Winchester White Box