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Whats Your Recommended Ammo For Semi-Auto?


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Well whatever brand you use it MUST be brass. This is actually a requirement

mentioned in the manuals. Consequently DON'T use steel casing ammo because

it can bind and cause problems loading or ejecting-usually ejecting. This is due to steel

on steel friction.

 

I just feed FMJ ball ammo usually Federal or Winchester found at Walmart. I don't see problems with these

factory loads. Don't use hollow points because the geometry of these doesn't cycle as

well in the Thompson system.

Edited by T Hound
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I perfer Win white box , but it has been hard to find at a good price as of late. Walmart had it in 100 rd pacs at $35-40. The Federal was available at $17-18 per 50 , so I was using that. Came time to reload and I found all the Federal I shot was small primered. Then it turns out that SP brass is used in indoor range loads only , and that lead me to discover that the Federal FMJ is NOT FMJ but rather plated only.

I reload with TMJ Barrys , but Federal and Walmart should be honest it what they sell as FMJ.

Chris

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I perfer Win white box , but it has been hard to find at a good price as of late. Walmart had it in 100 rd pacs at $35-40. The Federal was available at $17-18 per 50 , so I was using that. Came time to reload and I found all the Federal I shot was small primered. Then it turns out that SP brass is used in indoor range loads only , and that lead me to discover that the Federal FMJ is NOT FMJ but rather plated only.

I reload with TMJ Barrys , but Federal and Walmart should be honest it what they sell as FMJ.

Chris

 

Pretty likely that many Wally employees think FMJ is some hip hop singer.

Agreed that it is not the same as GI, but technically, that Federal is still Full Metal Jacket; just that the jacket is measured in microns. Fortunately, these full plated lead bullets are the most gentle non exposed lead you can run down the barrel.

FWIW:

This weekend the local Wally, Fleet Farm, and gun shop had the Winchester 100rd value pack 230FMJ in stock, all priced about $40.00 per box. The two Gander Mountain stores in the area had the same item at $65.00 per box.

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emmagee1917, I bought some .45ACP recently (small primered) had not seen it before. Did not know why it was like that. You say it is for indoor range use. Me and a few other shooters were wondering why it had small prime's. We shoot outside only. Have not been to local indoor range for around 6yrs. But with the low temps lately, not a bad idea!
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Eventually all 45 ACP will be Small Pistol Primer brass. The manufacturers are slowly phasing out Large Pistol Primers to standardize and save cost. Also SPP has less lead based compounds so it is better for indoor shooting. The good news is that SPP will work fine in your reloads, but it will require sorting the brass by type until all LPP is gone.

 

Bill

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emmagee1917, I bought some .45ACP recently (small primered) had not seen it before. Did not know why it was like that. You say it is for indoor range use. Me and a few other shooters were wondering why it had small prime's. We shoot outside only. Have not been to local indoor range for around 6yrs. But with the low temps lately, not a bad idea!

 

Federal started the small primer .45 mess because they were only making their lead-free primers in the small size.

Rather than tool up for Large primers, it was easier to produce .45 brass with the small pocket for their "green" ammo.

They don't too much care that it messes with reloaders everywhere.

If the .45 cartridge was being designed today, it would have a small primer, which is really more suitable for that round.

 

Well, just posted this when I see the above post 7 got there first.

Edited by mnshooter
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Yep , to cut primer residue in the exhaust smoke . They also wanted to cut the lead powder , too. FMJs have an exposed base , so they use TPJs in these rounds. While they work fine , they ( federal) do print on the box FMJ bullets when they are not.

Chris

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Yep , to cut primer residue in the exhaust smoke . They also wanted to cut the lead powder , too. FMJs have an exposed base , so they use TPJs in these rounds. While they work fine , they ( federal) do print on the box FMJ bullets when they are not.

Chris

 

Okay, you guys have brought up some things I wasn't even considering. I am definitely going to

have to go to my ballistics calculations to see what the performance result will be. I am sure

though that there will be LESS pressure in the barrel which means the barrel could last longer. It would be good to see a ballistics gel comparison of the large and small pistol primers to compare and contrast them. Despite the "green"

initiative it could be a good thing for maintaining the mechanical integrity of

both the TSMG and the semi. On the other hand, maybe it doesn't make a noticeable difference because I have never noticed any difference between the

performance of Federal, with the smaller primer, and Winchester.

Edited by T Hound
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I purchased a box of Tulammo in 45 acp AND brass. It is made in Italy. Haven't had

any problems with shooting this as yet. It is nice looking ammo with large primers and non-corosive.

Price at Walmart here in California was $19.95 for 50 rounds. Bought the 3 boxes allowed

by Nanny Walmart and came back later when the clerk had changed. All gone by then.

Considering that Winchester used to be at $38.00 per 100 but is now $42.00 that is not really too bad.

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