Inexpensive Ammo .... S & B, Wolf, or Fiocchi??

[Cray]

Hello all,

This is my first post, although I've been lurking a while.  I'm getting ready to purchase some "bulk pistol ammo" and was looking at the above brands.  Can anyone with experience with them provide some advice about the best bang for the buck, and the best place to purchase?

This is a great forum .. thanks in advance for any thoughts.

Cray

[CJ]

Have never heard anyone here say anything good about Wolf, but have never used it myself. S&B I had a bunch in 6.5swede years ago and had 2 or 3 duds per box. Never tried itt in handguns. Fiocchi, i have a bunch in 40S+W and have had no problems. I usually try to stick with Win or Fed generics when i can. In bulk mail order or on sale at Dicks sporting goods they can be very affordable, and are very high quality.

[new snake owner]

I live not to far from Proload and they have been carrying a line of target ammo for a while now.  I asked the same questions of them and found out that they carry three mfg S&B, Magtech, and Agilla.  They dont carry wolf because its dirty. According to them they carry S&B because its cheap and not bad, Magtech is manufactured in Brazil at a former Remington plant and is not to far off in price to S&B (couple of dollars a case) and much better quality. Agilla is made in Mexico and is better quality than that and is accordinly a little more expensive.  These guys know thier ammo, as manufactures. Check them out.  http://www.proload.com/shoppingcart/targetammo.asp

[securitysix]

I've fired about 800 rounds of S&B 9mm ammo, mostly through my CZ-75B.  Never had a glitch with the ammo in that gun, though it tended to jam up a friend's Beretta.  That gun was starting to jam with Winchester NATO ball ammo, too, though.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy S&B again, for anything.

[Mikey]

Cray:  Glad to see that you have finally stopped lurking and have posted.  I can tell you this about the three different brands your referenced:  Wolfe ammo is dirty and has jammed my guns - I will not buy it again.

Fiocci is good quality ammunition but it is expensive.  I have purchased that brand before but if you buy for some of the 'off' calibers, like the 7.65 Luger or the 30 Mauser, I have found it to be expensive - but of good quality and reloadable.  

S&B has never given me any problems at all.  I shoot it exclusively in my 45s, 9mms, 380s, 7.62x25 Tokarevs, 32 ACP and 25 ACP, 8mms, 6.5 Swede (never a problem), 303 Brits.  I have used their 38 Special, their 7.62 nato and 30-06 and have never had a problem.  It is clean and inexpensive.  It does not fare well for reloaders though as some folks have had problems with case head separation after one or two reloads, in both the 303 Brit and the 6.5 Swede.  Truth is, it is good quality ammo but inexpensive and I doubt S&B puts a lot of effort or cost into assuring that their cases are reloadable - especially at the price they go for in loaded ammo.  

I am aware that the Mag-tech is quality ammo as is the Aquilla and have used them both.  I appreciate the new snake owner's information on who makes what.  For a long time I thought that the Aquilla ammunition was the Mexican-Remington connection but now know the difference.  

Hope this helps.  Mikey.

[Cray]

That does help Mikey .. thanks much guys.  That was the info I needed.

[exflatlanderNH]

I have shot both wolf and S&B in several calibers,

The wolf stuff works, but is very dirty (9mm, 45 and 223)

The s&b is available in more calibers (38, 357 and 9)and is reloadable, I have loaded some .357 S&B brass and it seems tougher than Remington brass.

[Alice Cooper]

may be just me, but i toss all s&b cases i find. if you weigh them against winchester, reminton and federal, the s&b will always be way lighter...the only split cases i have had has been with once-fired s&b 38 spec. brass.my friend got a box that wasn't even crimped, when you shot it, the other bullets would move forward and lock up the cylinder! i pulled several with just my hand, and the bullet was just a slug of lead, no lube grooves, nuttin.don't shoot junk out of a good gun, people...

[exflatlanderNH]

I've only tried to reload their .357 brass from their rather hot 158 jsp.

Have not had any problems so far, but I really didn't expect to get multiple loads out of them.

Figured I could load them once or twice and then let them fly.

I prefer Winchester brass over Remington, some Remington brass I have had seems soft and the primer pockets get loose after only a load or two.

In not Winchester, Starline.

[benenglish]

It's an interesting coincidence that I'm catching up on this old thread and also let fly 250 rounds of Wolf 9mm today.  I was shooting plates, up close.  Generally, I've liked the stuff since it's cheap and accurate enough for this sort of thing.  Never a bobble in my Glock 17, either.

Until today.

I was shooting singles when one sounded and felt a little funny.  Not as loud and less recoil.  I could have sworn that the slide didn't cycle, either.  But I knew I didn't have a total dud or a stuck bullet; the plate I was shooting at dutifully went "clang" and fell down.  So I dropped the mag and racked the slide.  Out into my palm comes an empty!  I examined it and it looked just like all the others.  The primer didn't look strange.  It wasn't especially sooty.  But there was clearly insufficient recoil impetus to cycle the slide.  Or even to move it a fraction of an inch.

Weird.  Just plain weird.  Such happenings do NOT inspire confidence.

I may still shoot some Wolf because I don't mind the cleanup and I have cases of 9mm and 7.63x39 on hand.  But I don't think I'll be buying any more.

For cheap blastin' ammo, my personal threshold is ten cents a round.  I'll pay 12 for better stuff.  If it costs more than that, I start reloading.  Like you, I guess I'm going to have to start doing some testing and find other brands.

[dragthewaters]

well i have shot 50 rounds of wolf in 380 in a beretta and it was fine, no i do not think it is as bad is people say it is at all, would i buy it again, oh yeah i would, well in bulk maybe, but buy a 100 to try in your gun first then buy bulk, i think if the price is right any ammo is goo, just remember you get what you pay for

[dragthewaters]

well i have shot 50 rounds of wolf in 380 in a beretta and it was fine, no i do not think it is as bad is people say it is at all, would i buy it again, oh yeah i would, well in bulk maybe, but buy a 100 to try in your gun first then buy bulk, i think if the price is right any ammo is goo, just remember you get what you pay for