Where do you purchase your PD ammo?

K

Kevinch

New member
I know there are places to buy inexpensive range ammunition. My local Wal-Mart is a good source for me, & I think I'm aware of most of the good on-line sources.

But where can you find attractive prices on premium PD ammunition? I have (2) 9MM & (1) .45ACP semi-autos that I would like to press into PD duty, but the cost of going to the LGS & buying enough PD ammo to wring out 3 semi-auto pistols is...considerable.

Where do you buy your PD ammo? How many rounds do you run thru a semi-auto pistol before you are comfortable with use as a PD weapon?
 
I have a .380 and a .40 I regularly carry. For the .380, I only carry Buffalo Bore's 100 grain hardcast. Where I live, the only way to get it is online. So you bite the bullet and buy it at $1 a round.

With my .40, I found a great deal on Federal HST ammo on gunbroker. Gunbroker can be a great place to find good places on premium ammo, but you have to be ready to buy 500 + rounds. I got my HST ammo at approximately $15-$16 a box. Screaming deal.

With my guns, I put maybe a box of personal defense ammo a year through my guns. Can't afford to do much more than that.
 
I've been looking all over for Federal HST in 45ACP, 230 gr. +P ammo. I couldn't find it anywhere. Then I managed to find some at Kyle's Gunshop. It was an online store and they had it for $35.00 a box of 50. I bought 2 boxes and they shipped it the next day.

I realize that was expensive, but it was what I wanted to carry in my HK. Sometimes you gotta pay the piper if you want the ammo. If I could win the lottery, I could buy lots of ammo!!
 
For my 9 mm I buy 50 round boxes of Speer Gold Dots from two online sources:

MAHSupplies.net
Ammunitiontogo.com

I don't have a .45 so unfortunately I can't help you with that size round.
 
Dont buy mine i load mine....155gr hornaday XTP 40 S&W
want to get some gold dot bullets but most places are backordered right now
 
Local mom & pop gun store.

Dont buy mine i load mine....155gr hornaday XTP 40 S&W
want to get some gold dot bullets but most places are backordered right now
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Has been stated on THF that this could be troublesome in a SD shooting by a prominent member of LE, expert witness, and a column writer for magazines. Just a thought and continue to do as you wish.
 
For my SD revolvers, I carry or load them with Remington 158 gr. LSWCHP +Ps, and have a reload version of a 158 gr. LSWC that simulates the recoil of that round very well (so well I can't tell the difference in a mixed cylinder).

Semi-autos are a bit more problematic because it's difficult to guarantee that commercial and reloaded ammo is going to feed the same, even if the bullet type and everything else seems identical. I have had a tough time getting reloads to feed without a hitch in my LCP, but had no hitches with the last box of UMC hardball bought for comparison purposes.

I feel your pain because the PD rounds can be $1 apiece or more.
 
Ive been getting mine here of late.

http://www.sgammo.com/

Good prices, 50 round boxes, and ammo others wont sell to you.


As far as how much to test? As long as the gun isnt picky (most of mine arent) I shoot a box and see how it goes. If it makes it through the box, I doubt you'll have any troubles.
 
Most of the time i buy a box or 2 of my carry ammo each time I'm in my local gunshop.

But that's mainly because they are actually cheaper than the Dicks we have. I have purchased some PD ammo from both Dicks and Walmart as well when they have good deals.

I'm currently stocking up on Win PDX 9mm to test in my CZ PCR, for that I've found Walmart actually stocks it cheaper than anywhere else.

I've been carrying Hornady Crit Defence or TAP for the most part, but have carried a few of the Federal defense loads too.

I shoot at least 200 rounds before I'm willing to carry a paticular load, but over the years I've managed to test many of the main brands and therefore most of the time there will be at least one trusted load available when I need to restock.

The key point is you don't have to buy 100+ rounds at one trip. Go buy a box or two of you wanted load each week from where ever you find it cheapest, and you'll have a good supply before you know it.
 
If a pistol has been reliable with FMJ and cheaper hollow points (say WWB JHP) then I feel comfortable carrying a specific load if it smoothly eats a box of 50 of the good stuff. I usually just pick one, sometimes two, premium PD rounds for a gun.
 
anywhere but ammunitiontogo. lol

they want to charge me $22 to ship what everyone else charges $14 for.

plus, they sent me a few crushed boxes.



I get mine issued by the P.D..
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so you get yours from the tax payers :cool:
 
PD; "personal defense" or "police dept"...

I'm a little thrown by the phrase PD.
If you mean "personal defense" & not "police department" I'd look at these online sources;

www.SGAmmo.com www.Natchezss.com www.Cabelas.com www.Sportsmanguide.com www.Cheaperthandirt.com www.Gilbertsguns.com

OK based retail site SG Ammo is fast, professional & stocks a lot of hard to find factory loads like Ranger T & Golden Saber bonded. :)

CF
ps; For "off the rack" see; www.ShopCorbon.com or www.Doubletapammo.com .
 
I generally keep an eye on the price of SD ammo on websites, and in local shops. When I see a good price, I pick up a box (if needed).





...And I don't stick with just ammunition that is marketed as for "Personal Protection" or "Self Defense". As a reloader, I have a slightly greater interest in terminal performance (I have to know what velocities I need to load certain bullets to). As such, I know that many of the "standard" hollow point loads available perform as well, or better, than the same company's SD offerings (in my opinion). Those "standard" loads can be much cheaper than the over-hyped and over-marketed "SD" loads.

-But if you don't know what you want in terminal performance, and how a load will do out of your particular firearm; the "standard" loads may not be an improvement. There's never an easy answer, is there? ;) (I know... no one actually asked.)
 
By "PD", I meant Personal Defense - I should have made that clear.

I've considered getting into reloading for the practice aspect - meaning once a factory defense load is proven, developing a load that replicates it. It's the "proving" cost that has be a little startled. At close to $1 a round...:eek:

I mean, say you buy brand X, go through maybe 100 rounds & for whatever reason decide it isn't the load (accuracy, feeding issues, etc.) It's back to the store to start over again, this time with brand Y & hoping it goes better. It wouldn't take long to exceed the price of the pistol in ammo selection!

But misery loves company - I appreciate the feedback & knowing that I'm not alone in the boat. :)
 
I just ordered from ammunitiontogo.com last week and was happy with the deal. I've also ordered from ammoman.com in the past. I buy inexpensive FMJ at Walmart but have yet to find a neighborhood retailer with a reasonable price on defensive ammo - gotta turn to the Internet if you don't want to pay $1/round, and I don't.
 
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