9x18 HP Ammo Selection

M

MakAttack

New member
Help me with an ammo selection. I am "building" a carry pistol from a Bulgarian Makarov. Just a week ago, I received the slide back from Miniature Machine Corporation (MMC) after they installed a set of their adjustable combat night sights. (They did an excellent job of a complete custom installation, as they do not manufacture a sight set specifically for the Makarov. :) I would recommend them without hesitation) Options will also eventually include a custom finish and professional trigger tune, I have already added a Pearce grip and still need to select a holster or two. But before I do all of that, I needed to check for reliable operation with defensive hollow point ammunition. I went to a local public range/gunshop last night & test fired a few boxes of the COR-BON and HORNADY they had on the shelf.

My problem with selection is a good problem to have: the pistol flawlessly operated with both ammmo types. :D Admittedly, I need to test more as I fired only a total of 90 rounds (2 boxes C-B=40; 2 boxes HRDY=50) but I am encouraged by the fact that the pistol digested all 90 rounds without a hiccup and I have done nothing in the way of polishing or smoothing the of the feedramp. Federal also offers a round I have yet to try. I was shooting at a police target from 25' & 50'; although I did not perform any precision "pattern" evaluation both loads appear to offer similar practical accuracy.

There is very little evaluation data available for 9x18 loads. Both brands employ a 95g hollow point. I believe the Hornady load sends the slug downrange somewhere around 950 ft/sec. while the C-B load picks up another 100 ft/sec or so. C-B is a little more pricey (at least where I bought them), costing about $11.25 per 20 rounds compared to about $11.50 for 25 Hornady (OUCH in each case!) Recoil springs of heavier than factory weights are available to accomodate the hotter C-B load if needed. Currently, I am not set up to reload. One possible plus for the C-B: it seems to shoot with a similar trajectory to the inexpensive Russian hardball I use for practice & plinking (which makes sense, as they are advertised at approximately the same velocity & bullet weight) but the adjustable sights take some of that edge away.

So.....if you had your choice, which would you choose & why?

Thanks for the input,

Mak

------------------
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work"
Thomas Alva Edison
 
I have personally tried and tested two defensive loads in the caliber 9x18 Makarov. These are the Hornaday XTP hollowpoints, Fiocchi JHP, and Speer's 95grain Gold-Dot hollowpoint loads. All fed and functioned flawlessly in my Maks.

Informal ballistics 'testing' into phone books revealed the limitations of both rounds. The Hornaday load expanded somewhat and penetrated well. The Speer load epxanded nicely and did not fragment at all. The Fiocchi load plugged up completely, did not expand, and penetrated deeply.

I personally carry the Hornaday loads. mostly because the controlled expansion design of the HP and the fact that the CCI cartridges are aluminum cased, not brass.
 
I've bought two boxes each of: Hornady, CCI, Federal, and S&B. I did a trigger and polish job on mine. I'm thinking of removing the sights altogether as they are more of a hindrance to me. I really need to work on a point shoot, and so the sights are more of a crutch in my case. I also got the bulgie, and the finish is a matte. It is beautiful. I'm thinking about getting another one for my son. After I shoot it a bunch I'll post back on how she did.

------------------
Find out just what the people will submit to and you've found out the exact amount of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them; and these will continue until they are resisted with either words or blows or with both.
The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress.
Frederick Douglass, Aug 4 1857
 
I tried Cor-Bon in my Mak for the first time a couple of days ago. I like the way it feels - authoritative. Controlling it didn't seem like a problem but the stuff is too expensive for me to try various drills so I can't say control would never be an issue. I only shot 10 rounds (half my supply of 20!). Velocity is everything so if you can shoot it enough to make sure it is reliable, and you can shoot it well, go with Cor-Bon. On the other hand many criticize Blazer (some hate aluminum cases, others complain of muzzle flash) but it is the one brand of self-defense ammo cheap enough for me to say it is reliable in my Mak. I am a big Cor-Bon fan but I don't know if I will ever take 200 rounds to the range to make sure it works every time I pull the trigger. Frank
 
glockdoc - I understand completely the $$ problem. I honestly figured the C-B stuff might stovepipe or something, based on what I have read the XTP bullet tends to feed more reliably in a stock Makarov. At $0.49 to $0.61 each (including sales tax), it will take me a while to make a determination on 1 brand, let alone 2.

Another option is to buy a single stage press & reload using the same bullet loaded to the same velocity for function and practice, using the factory rounds for carry. I know you can buy the XTP bullet; I am not sure if the C-B bullet is available for loading. But then I guess you would need a chronograph to check velocity, which is yet another cash outlay! :eek: :confused:

I need a better paying job, or to re-marry very well......



------------------
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work"
Thomas Alva Edison
 
well, for me, rule number one is
Buy all ammo from either Shotgun News, Gunlist, or at a gun show.
the second rule with my makarov, is that those Fiocchi hollowpoints work awesome, i think it cost 12 bucks for a box of 50.
I tried those Corbon, but, they cost too much.
I know, I know, 'well, if you're gonna be cheap, just throw rocks at the BG!'
but, so it goes.
i do like the fiocchi, but my gun is loaded right now with russian made fmj, for $5.25 a box of 50.
but, if you've gone through the trouble of putting night sights and all that good stuff on it, hey, use the corbon.
that's what i'd do if i had my makarov fluffed and buffed.
 
fridge21, I use the cheap Russian stuff too - it is what I practice with. I split 1000 rounds at $90 with a friend of mine. Still have about 250 rounds, & I think I have a box or 2 of Norinco around here somewhere. That stuff shoots great, & is so cheap I don't think it would pay to reload for plinking. Might pay to load the more exotic bullets though.

------------------
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work"
Thomas Alva Edison
 
The Hornandy XTP didn't function well in my stock E. German. It kept getting caught on the feed ramp (feed champher is more like it) and causing problems. I switched to Fiocchi and haven't had any problems. It also allows me to shoot quite a bit of the "carry" load for a reasonable price.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top