# Firearms and Shooting > Pistol Shooting >  9mm - Factory ammunition (reliability)

## Raging Bull

What brands should I stay away from and what brands have you found reliable in your CZ 9mm?

Hornady
Winchester
Maxxtech
Sellier & Bellot
American Eagle
Fiocchi
Barnaul
Belmont

Local shop only had Maxxtech, so will give that a go first but will be looking at a bulk order shortly. 

Cheers.

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## gimp

I bought bulk Belmont (1k rounds in a can) recently and it appears to work fine for my purposes - shooting IPSC badly with a CZ SP01 Shadow

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## mawzer308

When I shot pistol I used Belmont also with zero issues. All of my mates shot it aswell before going to reloads and also had no issues.

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## Raging Bull

Might have to drop in and pick some up. I think they are based in Wanganui? 

Any point in getting the Frangible ammunition over the FMJ?

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## Max Headroom

I put 1k PMC Bronze 9mm through my Shadow without any issues.

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## gimp

> I put 1k PMC Bronze 9mm through my Shadow without any issues.


Same except 2k. Can't get it at a decent price anymore though.

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## mawzer308

> Might have to drop in and pick some up. I think they are based in Wanganui? 
> 
> Any point in getting the Frangible ammunition over the FMJ?


Not really unless you're shooting steel at very close range.

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## 308

Is Maxxtech that steel cased stuff sold by Gun shitty?

If so a guy on the line next to me had several fail to fires with it but it could've been a dirty gun...

No probs with PMC Bronze here either and the Speer Lawman fed fine too

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## Raging Bull

> Is Maxxtech that steel cased stuff sold by Gun shitty?
> 
> If so a guy on the line next to me had several fail to fires with it but it could've been a dirty gun...
> 
> No probs with PMC Bronze here either and the Speer Lawman fed fine too


Pretty sure it is brass, but not suitable for reloading.  It was literally the only 9mm ammunition on the shelf.  Only bought two boxes of 50, so will put them through then go onto the Belmont stuff. 

** Re-loading Note: These cases feature a .035" internal sleeve that serves to both reinforce the case in the head area, and to prevent bullet set-back. This sleeve comes to within .210" of the case mouth and is easily seen during a case inspection. This sleeve reduces the available case volume and as a consequence powder charge that would duplicate a factory load in a normal case will produce high pressures in the MAXXTECH brass. With a proper powder charge, this brass might be a great idea, however, regular published 9mm data should not be used in this brass! **

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## 308

Right you are, my memory is probably wrong

Have put American Eagle through it too no dramas but a bit "bumpier"

I've got 50 of the Freedom ammo yet to try but after that it's all reloads

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## Beaker

Hornady- haven't tried
Winchester - all OK
Maxxtech- shot OK, but Shit for reload potential, and your range mates May not be mates.....
Sellier & Bellot- all OK
American Eagle - haven't tried
Fiocchi- all OK
Barnaul -all OK
Belmont -all OK

All out of a shadow. Plus a few thousand more reloads.
Nothing has matched N320 and rusa 124gn ...... for accuracy and ease of shooting.

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## systolic

> Might have to drop in and pick some up. I think they are based in Wanganui? 
> 
> Any point in getting the Frangible ammunition over the FMJ?


What weight is the frangible ammo?
Some I've seen has been 100 grain bullets, which won' t make power factor for IPSC.

Okay for speed shooting on steel though.

Also, some has a sintered copper bullet that is really hard and will fuck your barrel pretty fast.

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## Max Headroom

The Fiocchi 9mm used at my local range seem to have a significant number of split cases. 
Not sure whether this is a bad batch confined to one dealer here in southland, or whether it's a wider issue.

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## marky123

> The Fiocchi 9mm used at my local range seem to have a significant number of split cases. 
> Not sure whether this is a bad batch confined to one dealer here in southland, or whether it's a wider issue.


I was at my range and a guy shooting Fiocchi (Lawman?) out his sp01 had nearly all of them split.
MARK

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## Tommy

I know @Rushy's Springfield XD doesn't eat maxxtech very well

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## paulbrady

> I bought bulk Belmont (1k rounds in a can) recently and it appears to work fine for my purposes - shooting IPSC badly with a CZ SP01 Shadow


same worked well in my xdm

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## paulbrady

> I know @Rushy's Springfield XD doesn't eat maxxtech very well


my xdm hates it as well

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## bluemonsta

That maxxtech steel is crap, the brass not much better, lost of issues ftf, fte in our club guns.

However I pickup as much of the brass as I can, when reloaded it makes perfect hunting ammo for the carbine and I don't stress about brass recovery.

Normal load for me is 5.2gn powder / 115gn pill which makes minor power factor in my glock 17.

Now with the maxxtech, the same pill only requires 2gn of powder to make minor power factor. And seating pills is easy, push them in until they sit on the shelf in the case.

I spent a fair bit of time on the actual powder needed, starting very low and working up, did want to destroy anything :-)

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## Rushy

> I know @Rushy's Springfield XD doesn't eat maxxtech very well


It is an XDM Tommy but yes you are correct.

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## Uplandstalker

A number of people are shooting the Belmont stuff in Christchurch, and they are all happy from what I've heard.

If you use Maxxtech, DON'T leave any cases on the range. If someone picks one up and mixes it in with their normal cases, it likely that they will go over persure and blow some shit up!

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## Rock river arms hunter

Our club uses Geco 124gr out of the CZ SPO1 Shadow.

No issues 

I've ordered 1k of Belmont 124gr fmj just to see how long it lasts me over 6 months.

It's really addictive!

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## Rock river arms hunter

Our club uses Geco 124gr out of the CZ SPO1 Shadow.

No issuesAttachment 90544 

I've ordered 1k of Belmont 124gr fmj just to see how long it lasts me over 6 months.

It's really addictive!

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## norsk

That Geco is good ammo,how much does a box cost you?

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## Rock river arms hunter

$25 a box through the club.

However Aoraki is out of 9mm at the moment so hence going for Belmont which at 1000 rounds I've sourced through my local for $22 a box

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## Oli1102

Most of the guys that shoot factory at our club uses Geco 124gr, from Aoraki which is $370/1000. However, it sounds from other posts that they are sold out at the moment. Plus Geco brass is good quality for when/if you get into reloading down the line.

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## Rock river arms hunter

500 rounds of Belmont 9mm

I've got another 500 plus a Ammo Tin.

I believe it's the 9mm black 124gr fmj.

See how she performs tomorrow at the club :-) let you guys know

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## Raging Bull

Ended up buying a 1K tin of Belmont.  Picked it up for $340.  

Cheers for the information.

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## Beavis

I might have to give Belmont another shot, I didn't have great results with it, but I found my front sight had play in in it after I finished the can. Tightened and loctite and it shoots great with my handloads (used the Belmont brass)

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## PERRISCICABA

I have shot heaps(1+K) of Geco through my MP9 without "A" malfunction of any kind when i started, many more HandLoads and now firing S&B 115gr also without any problem. They are been sold in "our" shop (Custom Guns - Invercargill) at $399.99 for 1000 rounds, works a treat…

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## Greenie

Where is this stuff (Belmont)? Price is yum!

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## Greenie

> Where is this stuff (Belmont)? Price is yum!



Argh, I found it! thanks guys

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## ChrisF

The Fiocchi  9mm subsonic , has bulged cases , probablily because of the longer 158gr bullet being pushed too far into the case , I expected better quality control than this , as this could maybe cause issues feeding and chambering in guns .

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## hauraki

Anyone tried freedom munitions @ ammodirect? Belmont black out of stock now. Thanks

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## Rock river arms hunter

My boss tried freedom munitions 223.

Had like 11 that the primers fell out of after firing and another 7 with flat primers. I can't remember which way around it was but I wouldn't touch it myself.

Try the Barnaul 9mm through Barnaul nz?

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## hauraki

Thanks. Freedom seem to have polarized reviews, and they just had a price hike (124gr fmj case)

Barnaul - interesting prices (400 rounds significantly cheaper than 500/1000 due to weight limit). They are all steel case right?

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