[JFree]

You said you've shot 9600 rounds through a 2007 24/7 .45, which brand do you recommend? Any cheap brands to stay away from or prefer?

I have heard that CCI is crap, but some say that the Blazer Brass is reliable ammo.

What do you think?

 

[DRAEGER]

Any ammo that is either free or cheap is great for practice rounds... The more you can buy, means the more you can shoot to practice with. I shoot tons of wolf along with other brands.

 

[MPanova]

I was buying most of my practice ammo from T's ammo. They have some of the best reloads I have tried and they have great prices. Im not sure if they are still in business since I have not called them lately, the last gun show I went to they were not there and one of the dealers told me he heard they closed up shop. The rest have all been Blazer Brass from Wally world.

 

[Taurus_9mm]

I use Blazer Aluminum and Blazer Brass now almost exclusively in my .45s and 9mms. Winchester White Box, S&B, MagTech and others I've used as well -- all worked fine but Blazer is generally the cheapest good quality ammo I've found. Why pay more for others if you don't have to?

 

[JFree]

I am going to buy some Blazer Brass from Walmart this weekend, if they get it back in stock. They've been out since I got my gun.

Unless of course I find a better price at this weekend's gun show... :

 

[MPanova]

Make sure you tell them to scan a box if they have one on the shelf and that will tell them how many boxes they have on hand, most of the time they get a few cases in at a time and only out out a few boxes. If they scan one and it says they have 20 or something in stock make them go look in the back

 

[zemus]

I use Blazer Aluminum and Blazer Brass now almost exclusively in my .45s and 9mms. Winchester White Box, S&B, MagTech and others I've used as well -- all worked fine but Blazer is generally the cheapest good quality ammo I've found. Why pay more for others if you don't have to?

Im with you on that 100% here in Dallas at the local Sports Acadamy there selling it for 6.75 for 50 rounds and sometime have sales for 4.75 you cant beat that price. I use CCI Blazer Aluminum exclusively in my 24/7 Pro 9mm 3000+ rounds. Also since aluminum is lighter then brass you can feel the weight differance of at least 4-7oz on a full mag. Its really a good ammo for the range and if need be protection for the house if you dont have the money to spend on the GOOD STUFF. Trust me the BG will feel it, well happy shooting

 

[MPanova]

Oh ya by the way its my 2006 model that has 9700 rounds through it

 

[Qwiks draw]

Now I'm going to throw a monkey wrench into the mix. Silver Bear and Brown Bear ammo made in Russia are both cheap and function well through my guns in 9mm. Both Ruger P95s and the Taurus PT111.

These are steel cased but have either a nickle coated or brass coated cases. www.jgsales.com has them.

Do use the Blazer as well. WWB also workes well.

 

[MPanova]

Hey Qwiks do you have a picture of those Silver bear rounds handy?

 

[Qwiks draw]

Afraid I don't. Do not have the technology yet to do that. Hate to say it, but I'm a bit behind the times in that department.
They do look like Blazer Brass for the Brown Bear and like Winchester nickel plated cases for the SilverBear.
Never had any function problems with these nor has the steel case caused scoring or gouging in the chamber.

 

[JFree]

I don't see any brown or silver bear on J&G's site in .45 ACP. Perhaps they only carry them in 9mm?

Anyhow...

I picked up a few things yesterday. I went to a gun show and I got a Lee three die set for reloading .45 ACP for $15, and I got the #3 shell holder for $3.

Then I went to Wally World and bought three 50 rnd. boxes of Blazer Brass for $11.97 each. (Which say right on the box that the shells are reloadable.)

Yesterday afternoon, I went to my local shooting range, which is really just an old campsite along side a road in the National Forest were everyone shoots guns around here. I shot the rest of my box of Independence ammo, and about half of a box of Blazer Brass. The gun worked great. Most magazines emptied without a hitch. I had one bullet that's nose hung in the magazine once, and then I had one magazine that I loaded while I was talking to my cousin and I did not seat any of the bullets back far enough into the magazine, every bullet in that magazine was nose-down failure to feed. After about four of them, I pulled the magazine, tapped it on the bottom and then on the back side with the palm of my hand, and the remaining bullets all fired just fine.

From about 20-25 feet away, I emptied an entire 12 shot magazine into an 8" target and not one shot missed. A couple of times, I hit the bullseye. Then, we brought out something else I found at the gun show: A 3ft x 18in target of Osama Bin Ladin. My cousin has an old WWII era 9mm Largo that he was testing some reloads for, and I with my .45, we shot Osama about 25 times in the nose, eyes, lower jaw, upper chest, etc.

That is the one target we left for the next guy to see.


EDIT: Forgot to add, I'll be going shooting again either Monday or Tuesday with my Dad. I'll be sure to get some pics then.

 

[Qwiks draw]

Ain't that a gas. I must have gotten the last of the Silverbear in .45ACP. Even did a Google and came up empty. Everyone has SB and BB. Just in different calibers other than .45ACP. :-X :'( :-[ So some feelers were put out to find out what is going on.

Will update when anything is found out.

 

[Gunnut]

Do any of you guys reload and do you think its worth it ?

 

[MPanova]

I don't reload and I do shoot a lot. It would be worth it for me if I had the free time. If Im not at work or at the Range I am doing my side business which is car audio wholesale. Once I get to a point in my life where I can sit still for a few hours and not have to be out and about and always on the go with out feeling board I will get into reloading for sure.

 

[JFree]

Do any of you guys reload and do you think its worth it ?

I plan on reloading this fall. I bought that die set for .45 acp this weekend, and I've got two close friends that both have the rest of the reloading equipment. I'll just have to buy the bullets, powder and primers.

 

[Gholcomb]

I'm an avid reloader of .45, 9mm, & .38 spec., for each which there is at least one Taurus pistol in my collection. For .45 range loads, I typically use 200gr. LCSWC (BearCreek "Moly-Coated" are my first choice, but Oregon Trails "LazerCast" are great too) with a nice load of Hodgdon "Clays" powder (very clean burning). There's not a trip made to the range without several hundred (300+) .45's read to go, and normally they all get shot. I've never had ANY FTF's with SWC's in either of my .45's (24/7 PRO & PT145), and I shoot IDPA with both pistols using my loads. Reloading is the way to go in my opinion.

 

[Qwiks draw]

Bad news in the Silver Bear ammo department. :-\ :'( :-X :-[ After talking directly with the source it has been announced that the .45ACP ammo has been dropped completely. Other calibers are still valid.

 

[Gunnut]

I've been torn over the issue of reloading for years. I think it would be fun. I also think I would shoot a lot more. The big problem for me is the initial start up cost. From what i've read, it's anywhere from 600 and up to get everything needed. When I get serious about spending the money, instead I find it easier to buy another gun. What a problem!!!

 

[JFree]

I see your point. The only reason I am getting into reloading is that I've got two close friends and a close relative that have all of the equipment needed to reload, minus the .45 ACP dies, which I picked up used for cheap. So, without the startup costs, it's a win-win.

The first reloading I am going to do will be about $8 per 50, but the next time I do it, it'll be a bit less than that. I found a better price on the bullets since then.