Cheap Ammo Brands - Any of it good enough?

B

Brancasterr

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Now that I'm going to the range much more frequently those cheapo ammo brands are starting to catch my eye. I typically stick with the big name brands I know and trust, but when I'm surfing these ammo sites I can't help but notice the savings I could be passing up by not branching out to cheaper range ammo.

So I ask, are any of the cheap brands on the market worth my time? Do I need to worry about potential damage to my guns?

I have a few older handguns that I really only want to use the best for, but if I can consciously get away with shooting cheaper stuff through them then I'll go for it!

Brands in curious about are below (some may be on the more cheaper side of the cheap spectrum).



Fiocchi
PPU
GECO
CCI
Magtech
PMC
Federal
 
Lol....my idea of cheap is the steel cased combloc stuff. Any of the ones you listed are good to go. With exception to the Geco, (not that it's bad, I just haven't used it yet) I use all of the ones you listed and use them regularly to include Sellior and Bellot which wasn't on your list.
 
I've shot everything on your list through all of my guns at one point or another, with the exception of GECO, which I've never even heard of.

All of it shoots just fine, for my guns anyways. And since when is CCI ammo considered 'the cheap stuff'? I always thought CCI was solid middle-of-the-road ammo. Oh well, live and learn, I guess.
 
All of that is good stuff GECO is very good ammo.
Fiocci runs hot
PPU is dirty but otherwise solid
PMC is decent ammo
Federal makes a ton of different ammos the cheap stuff tends to be a little under powered
Magtech I have had good experience with
CCI makes great rimfire ammo
 
All but Geco

I've shot all that you list, no issues and in fact some are brands I would look for when ammo shopping. I have not shot any Geco ammo, so can't endorse that. A brass case is a decent first indicator of quality. I'll shoot steel in my comblock stuff tho.
 
I will not buy Magtech. Have had problems with primers blowing out. CcCIis good ammo in my opinion. I shoot lots of the Blazer aluminum cased ammo with no problems.
 
Geco is great stuff!

They are part of Dynamit Nobel.

Sellier & Bellot is another good name I haven't seen much of for a fairly long time. It used to be all over the place for a good price.
I love S&B brass - I had great success reloading it.
 
Of the ones you listed, Fiocchi, CCI, Magtech, PMC and Federal all go on the "shot a bunch and it's fine" list. I consider them decent, if basic, ammo, but not necessarily "cheap." I haven't shot PPU or Geco.
 
I've never thought of Fiocchi or Federal to be cheap ammo in therms of quality. I've shot thousands of rounds of both and never had a problem.

Another resource for affordable good ammo is Georgia Arms. As with the above I've used thousands of rounds of ammo without any problems.
 
I never knew Federal was considered cheap ammo? It's not in the way the way the OP is asking. Not sure how to answer as some of those are long time known good brands. Good luck!
 
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I tried some Magtech a few years back and found it to be so dirty that it gummed up a Security Six. Cleaned the gun and switched ammo and the gun worked fine, so I was certain the Magtech was the problem.
I shot some GECO a while back at it was good stuff. Bought it when it was all I could find during the ammo drought. Haven't used any since, but only because I don't often see it.
PMC and Fiocchi are my favorite brands for taking to the range. I buy whichever is selling at the best price at the moment. Never a problem from either.
 
The price of ammo makes no difference whatsoever. If you're not reloading, you have to try a box of as many brands as you can to find the ammo your firearm shoots best.
GECO started out as German. Went to Dynamit Nobel in '66/67. Now owned by RUAG of Switzerland. RUAG also owns Norma, RWS, Rottweil and Hirtenberger. Big, big European arms company. Supply you with everything from air gun pellets to armoured vehicles. Just like Colt Industries.
 
I shoot everything including the cheapest foreign ammo and never have a problem with it. Wolf, Tulammo, Silver Bear, PPU, Geco, etc.
 
Most of the brands on that list I wouldn't bucket in cheap. Tullammo, wolf, etc ..... that's cheap and I won't buy it. Tends to be dirty and after a bad squib round wrecked a barrel ... so not worth it.

Federal, CCI, Fiochi, Magtech ... all good stuff, maybe not match grade but I shoot fine with it. Magtech is the number 1 brand we sell at the range. Why, decent margin of course but it's also proven to be reliable, quality ammo. Which means happy customers and low maintenance on rentals. IMO, it's some of the best import ammo.
 
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I've never had any issues with any of that ammo except PPC and Gecco. Never shot either of those but I'd guess they are problem free as well.
 
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