I'm planning on picking up my first handgun as soon as the shop gets the one I want back in stock. I've decided to get a Springfield XDm in .40 S&W but now I need some advice about choosing ammo since there were a lot of different brands (Winchester, Hornady, Remington etc. etc) at the shop. I want the XDm mainly for target practice and self-defense. Any tips on choosing?

Buy what ever you can get your hands on at this point. Ammo is getting harder to stock up on by the minute.

edit: Full metal jacket for target. Hollow point for when you keep it under your pillow for the things that go bump in the night.

I like remington the best for target shooting. A box of 250 will set you back about $120 though, I remember when I would buy it for $50. Check out cci blazer with aluminum cases, it is supposed to be pretty cheap but is unreloadable if that matters.

Thanks for the replies guys. I guess I should be thankful there's any ammo available based on what I've read here so maybe I should rephrase my question: Are there any brands I should stay away from?

I was thinking the well-known brands like Winchester, Remington, and Hornady would be safe choices but being new to this I'm concerned about picking a crappy brand (if there is such a thing in the ammo world).

I shoot this http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=126772482 all the time

I have about all the XD pistols, and a glock, along with my assault weapons and regular guns, they all eat Winchester nicely and clean. If you can get in on walmart whenever it comes in, its CHEAP. Next best IMO is Blazin Brass. I shoot that also for target. For home defense, or carry, I personally use Double Tap, but there are MANY good self defense rounds available.


That last part was for Joe:biggrin Little less bias.

I shoot this http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=126772482 all the time

I love S&B ammo. Been shooting 9mm, but not everyone carries it :sad

I would pick Hornady first for self defense ammo after shooting a box of .45 TAP, and Federal second.

I like remington the best for target shooting. A box of 250 will set you back about $120 though, I remember when I would buy it for $50. Check out cci blazer with aluminum cases, it is supposed to be pretty cheap but is unreloadable if that matters.

:ohmy That's rather high for UMC. Is ammo that much more expensive in other places? The megapacks are cheaper than that here.:dunno

Any American ammunition manufacturer should be fine and personally I don't have any problems with using steel case ammo. If at all possible, I would stay away from anything corrosive though.

ANY shootem up round (ball ammo) you can find the gun will shoot fine 99% of the time. Every now and then you find a gun that doesnt like a certain manufacturer, but that is usually more with protection (JHP) rounds than ball ammo, due to the feed ramp and all.

For protection rounds, The most popular rounds will be Speer Gold Dot, Federal Hydra Shock, Remmington Golden saber, and I am reading REALLY good things about the new Winchester round that was made for the FBI called the Winchester Supreme Elite Bonded PDX1,

The biggest thing though, is do research on your particular caliber, and find what brand seems to hold its expansion and not fragment the best in that caliber. What I mean by that is, in say .38spl speer is well known as the best expanding round in +p load, in 9mm it is a tossup between Speer and Rem Golden saber it seems, In .40 it might be the federal that is tested as the best. And also you will want to find out what grain bullet in each round seems to work the best


That is the great thing about the internet :D......... since we cant go out and shoot bodies to see for ourselfes, we have to research a LOT to come to a conclusion...... find what seems to stand out the most, and NOT jump to conclusions based solely on any one factor ......brand name, weight, SPEED of round........

That last part is for V2rider....... :rolleyes :lol

Thanks for the info guys. Lots of good advice. I'm planning on going back to the store tomorrow to rent some guns and give it a trial before plunking down my money - looking forward to it :D

[QUOTE=Moto_Joe;3661527]I am reading REALLY good things about the new Winchester round that was made for the FBI called the Winchester Supreme Elite Bonded PDX1,

I haven't gone out and tested this yet, but it is my belief that these are nothing more than the Winchester Ranger Bonded packaged for the civilian market. I haven't been able to get a hold of any of the Ranger Bonded in .45 to find out, but the PDX1 is what I feed my 1911.

:spit


:flipoff

:ohmy That's rather high for UMC. Is ammo that much more expensive in other places? The megapacks are cheaper than that here.:dunno

I thought it seemed high, but I couldn't find it anywhere else and was almost out so I bought it anyways. I plan on buying a die for it and reloading the brass from that pack now.


Here is a sight to show expansion of different protection rounds for the 9mm.

http://frag.110mb.com/

I honestly stay away from anything steel cased in my guns and definitely non-corrosive. Even though a person would never shoot enough of either to ruin a pistol, its a personal preference. Almost any name brand ammo at a cheap price is going to shoot great. I just picked up two boxes of HSM 10mm for $18 a box (for 50) and that is the cheapest around here for shooter ammo. 9mm is still about $9 per 50 and is a good deal if you can find it.

Honestly HSM 9mm 147gr JHP bullets shoot the best for target and defense from my glock 19. My new 10mm I havent shot enough to find a favorite round quite yet. But only time will tell :D

Shoot whatever you can get for a good price and make up your own mind. I don't have a .40 so I don't have a favorite round to recommend.

Speer Gold Dots and Federal HST +P here for SD.