Which Cheap 9mm Ammo (S&B or Winchester)?

D

DougB

New member
I was about to order a couple of cases of S&B 115gr FMJ 9mm ammo. It is often avaialble for about $5/box from mail order sources like Natchez. The approximate shipping cost came to about $20 a case, making the delivered cost about $6/box. I've shot a lot of this ammo and have no complaints about it. I save the brass, but haven't reloaded any of it yet (but will someday).

Anyway, a friend told me Walmart has a good price on Winchester whitebox 9mm FMJ. I just checked and I can buy this ammo for about the same as I can order the S&B (100 round box for $10.96 plus tax).

So, I was happy with the S&B, but is it worth paying a little more when I can just drive down to Walmart and buy the Winchester? Any of you reloaders have a preference between S&B or Winchester brass? Anyone comment on how these brands compare in velocity and consistency?

Doug
 
I dont know what kind of gun your shooting but I wont shoot reloaded S&B out of my glock.I think the brass is weak or thin.Ive had more problems with reloading that brass than any other.I would buy winchester brand ammo if you want brass to reload. The S&B is alright if you want inexpensive ammo to shoot.
 
I've never had any luck with S&B. I've had reliability problems with it in guns that function flawlessly with other brands, and I find it to be much dirtier than other brands. I usually pick up Winchester WB at Wal-Mart, I think it's $5.96/box of 50. I don't think you can go wrong with Winchester.
 
The Winchester white box is fine.

I beg to differ with the others that have had problems with S&B, I've reloaded thousands of S&B 9mm cases with no problems.
 
Winchester White Box is good quality ammo and emminently reloadable. When you can buy it at Wally World for under $11.00 per hundred, you are getting close to the cost of reloading (about $9.00 per hundred). Not all Wally World stores stock it; if one near you does, you're lucky. I wish they stocked it in my area.
 
I have and shoot both the Wally World Winchester and S&B. Of the two I tend to prefer the S&B. Not only because it is a bit cheaper but becasue it seems to be a bit more consistant. True, it is a bit dirtier but I still find that cleaning the pistols once a month does just fine. I have had no problems at all with any of the 4,000 or so S&B rounds I have fired.

Joe
 
My Kimber likes Sellier & Bellot better then any other brand. I consistantely get tighter groups.

The best thing for you to do (that I can think of) is to buy a few boxes of the Winchester's and see how you pistol likes them. If they are just as reliable and offer any better accuracy, then I think you have your answer.
 
i buy a couple of boxes at Wally Mart everytime i'm in the store--most of the time you'll find that's about all they have--they either sell the hell out of it or just don't order much.....Dick
 
I buy and shoot a good deal of both in 9mm. Except for that red junk S&B loves seal the primer pockets with (that gets all over everything) they both work fine for me.

I reload both types of cases and have yet to notice a problem with either.

Can't say anthing about how hard or soft the S&B brass may be (and I will defer to anyone who can supply more info about that) but in my experience the primer pockets seem tighter on the S&B.
 
I haven't shot S&B (even though I have a CZ) but shoot Winchester all the time. I've also had good success with MagTech, made in Brazil.

I don't like PMC - the recoil is light but there is also a lot of muzzle flash, distracting at an indoor range.
 
I dont reload yet. My luck has been with S&B every caliber I have
shot works and is accurate. Win is a good deal and I also shoot it. If I could get S&B at my Wally's I would get it everytime.
The S&B in 40 has a nice big recoil also..pretty stout. Shoot well
 
My Glock 21 and Glock 19 have digested about 2,500 rounds of S&B ammo over the last few years, and I never had a problem. Then again, the same is true of the Winchester White Box, though I haven't fired as many rounds.

It's been my experience (and I've tried them all at one time or another) that S&B is the best of the "cheap" stuff.
 
I may be in the minority concerning the following statement but here it goes. I have had recurring ammo related problems with several guns (Kimber, Colt, Glock, HK, etc) with Winchester white box ammo (both .45 cal and 9mm) whereas I haven't had one problem with S&B. Yes, it's dirty but I like to clean my guns anyway. The only reason I have any Winchester right now is because Academy Sports sells it for $5.99 and I bought a case on sale for $4.99/bx when I ran out of S&B (I usually have a 1-2 cases of each ammo--.38 super, .45 cal, 9mm, .357 sig--on hand but just wasn't paying attention to the 9mm. Of course I haven't had any problems at all with Blazer 9mm but my range doesn't really want me to use it ($3.99 everyday price at Academy Sports). I don't reload so that aspect plays no part in my choice of range ammo.

Natchez has the 9mm S&B on sale right now for $4.99 box and I'm going to order a couple of cases tomorrow.
 
I reload 9's and the only cases I've found so far that give me fits are Reminton cases. The S&B and the Winchester reload fine.

I also buy the Winchester white stuff at Wal-Mart occasionally but have found the stuff to be inconsistent in felt recoil and sound of report. Accuracy seems to be OK though. I've only shot S&B a couple of times but thought it was pretty decent shooting ammo.
 
QB

I understand a range not wanting you to leave aluminum cases spread throughout the place, but at the range I shoot at they have what is called a garbage can. I take breaks quite frequently to sweep up my casings and deposit them. Me thinks your range is pissed that you don't supply them with free brass. Screw'em.
 
I regularly shoot any of the following: MagTech, S&B, CCI Blazer, Denel, PNP -- whichever is cheapest when I'm buying.

I ordered S&B from Natchez SHooter's SUpply today for $4.99 a box. I've gotten CCI Blazer from them for as little as $4.25 a box recently.

(I had some problems with CCI Blazer a year or two ago, lot of squibs in one lot, but they seem to have cleaned up their quality control act over the past year or so. I don't see a lot of unfired rounds laying around at our range any more, either. That used to be real common with CCI.)
 
I've shot literally thousands of rounds of WinUSA ammo through my BHP and Glock with exactly zero problems. There was at least one lot of S&B ammo floating around with hard primers that gave a few people problems at an IDPA match I attended last year.

Assuming your time is worth anything at all, at the price WallyWorld and Academy sell WinUSA for, it's not worth reloading.

QB: a big "DITTO" to what Auggie said about Blazers and your range. (I don't use Blazers because they seem inconsistent.)
 
Auggie and HankB:

I have been to an indoor range where we are expected to sweep up our cases and put them in a big garbage type can. They didn't care whether I used Blazer or not but the range was higher than my normal one and, although new, was REALLY hot in the summer. Also had to have a lock put on all your guns at the front door of the store, fill out a little form with how many mags, rounds of ammo, etc. Then you walked through the store to the range, had the locks taken off you guns, etc. They also won't allow silhouette targets. Leaving the range was a pain in that you had to get your gun locks put back on, go to the front and have them taken off, etc. JUST UNBELIEVABLE. Why they didn't have a side door directly to the range was my first question until I figured it was because the store really didn't want an "evil" handgun range to begin with; just one for someone to try out his/her new little toy and then never practice with it again. Oh, and the guy that "checks" the guns at the front usually doesn't have a clue about handguns; had his fingers all over the trigger and pointed the guns every which way. I'm waiting for him to shoot someone when he checks a weapon that has a round in the chamber (of course it shouldn't have one in the chamber but you know how THAT story goes). But I digress -- now see what you started?????

At my "regular" range, the cases all get swept forward, under our shooting bench area and onto the floor of the actual target area (versus sweeping and putting into cans). I've only seen a couple of people ever picking up their brass and don't really know if that's allowed or not. I suspect the range sells the brass and doesn't want to pick out the aluminum cases. That's why I continue to shoot a minimal amount of Blazer and will until they specifically tell me to stop (I don't read small little signs very well that say things like "no Blazer", etc.). I am a VERY good customer and don't expect any problem but you never know. I haven't purchased any Blazer lately and am just using up what I have.

I ordered 3 cases of the S&B from Natchez today at $4.99 a box. Final price including shipping was $5.65 per box which is OK. I've ordered from Natchez before and had the ammo sitting at my doorstep within 3 days.
 
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