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Over the years, I have tried many different brands of ammunition in order to find the best one to use at the range, and I have ended up deciding that Tulammo is great for plinking.

I go shooting as often as I can. Now, the number one problem I have when hitting the range is that ammo can be so expensive. The cheap price is a huge plus when it comes to buying Tulammo, but it is not the whole reason to purchase this ammo.

History of Tulammo

The company that makes Tulammo is known as the Tula Cartridge Works, and it is one of the largest manufacturers of small arms ammunition.

The company was founded in 1880 when Emperor Alexander II proclaimed that an ammunition factory was to be built in Tula. It only took the company two years to hit the production capacity of over 30 million cartridges with over 25% of the ammunition being used by the Russian Army during World War I.

In World War II, the Tula Cartridge Works ended up being one of the biggest suppliers for the Russian Army.

Tulammo is now one of the best-known brands of ammunition all around the world, especially in its home country of Russia. This brand of ammunition is greatly enjoyed by people who love to shoot lots of rounds. Yearly, this company is known to export well over 500 million rounds.

What is Tulammo made out of?

When Tulammo originally started manufacturing ammunition, they made them with brass cases, but that changed in the 1920s. They decided that they should do more to help conserve precious metals, such as copper, and started using steel.

Russia was already known to have large reserves of steel, and they made use of this cost-effective metal to make their ammunition cheaper, which meant they could sell them cheaper than a lot of their competitors.

The casing of the ammunition is made out of soft steel that has been heated and cooled in order to make it softer, but it does not make the casing weaker and more likely to cause problems as some people believe.

The ammunition is loaded with powder and primers that are non-corrosive in order to prevent damage to your gun. I can assure you that I have never had Tulammo damage any of my guns.

Here is an excellent description of Tulammo from Ammo.com:

The cartridges themselves have polymer-coated steel casings, bi-metal bullets and non-corrosive primers. Polymer coating on the cases, as opposed to lacquer coating, increases shelf life and provides more reliable functioning. The bi-metal bullet has a lead core wrapped in steel and is coated in copper. TulAmmo meets the specifications of SAAMI and CIP.

Does Tulammo actually damage your gun?

The short answer is no. Although some people say they have to clean their guns more often when using Tulammo.

First, as I have said, the casing of the Tulammo is made out of steel that has been carefully softened. This means the ammunition will be safely ejected from your gun without causing damage.

Secondly, Tulammo uses noncorrosive primers and powders which prevents corrosion from the propellants of the ammunition.

How is Tulammo’s accuracy?

The accuracy of any ammunition will be a little different for each gun. It’s certainly not match grade ammunition but it’s good enough for a fun day of plinking.

How reliable is Tulammo?

Tulammo is great ammunition for someone who loves to go to the shooting range and wants to save some money. It may not be the best choice for hunting or defending your home.

I have not had any failures to fire(FTF) but I have had a few failures to eject(FTE). But I believe the main cause for this is that I was shooting a dirty gun.

I’m a terrible procrastinator when it comes to cleaning guns and because of that I have had FTE’s with other ammunition such as Winchester and Federal as well.

What do other reviewers think of Tulammo?

Below are several Tulammo reviews done by different people about their most popular round, which is a 223 Remington 55 Grain Full Metal Jacket (Bi-Metal) with a steel case.

Most Liked Positive Review

This review was given by a man named Dan that lives in the United States of America, and he gave the review over 3 years ago.

“I been shooting this for a while now and really like this stuff. I like that you can buy these by the 1000s. Spend a day at the range and not feel guilty about it.

I do notice that you have to pay extra attention to certain areas of your rifle for this to run 100%. Most particularly the chamber walls, and your extractor groove where it catches the rim. If you are having trouble with stuck shells in the chamber, I recommend trying to clean these areas.

Best way to clean the extractor groove is with a pick and brush. Make sure it is clear of old buildup.

Best way to clean the chamber is with a non-rotating t-handle rod and a brass chamber brush. Just put it in the chamber, and rotate several times with a good solvent.

Use beauty cotton swabs (ear swabs) and patches in between cleaning the chamber with the brass chamber brush for a few times, even if you can’t see anything. At the range I can shoot 200-300 rounds no issue whatsoever and could continue so but didn’t brought enough ammo.

I have a partner at the range who cannot run this until he did the above steps because it got stuck in the chamber and had to hit it out with a rod. It ran 100% the next time.

He’s buying Tulammo now as well since it’s so cheap and has been running 100% since he’s been paying attention to those cleaning areas.

As far as how dirty this ammo is, I found the following with my rifle. The bore is not as dirty as brass (maybe even cleaner), however, the chamber and the locking lugs are dirtier than using typical American ammo.

The bolt face and extractor grooves are very dirty as well. I believe it has to do with the fact that the steel case is not expanding like brass, so carbon is building up around that area more because there isn’t as much of a seal.

The bolt carrier group appears like normal build up as well as everything else. Otherwise I recommend this. I hope I helped some folks who are having trouble. Don’t give up, you can save a boat load of cash at the range with this ammo.”

Most Liked Negative Review

This review was given by a man named Bret that lives in Colorado, and he gave the review over 2 years ago.

“Got this ammo for the price point since I put a lot of rounds down range every month. Shoots pretty well, accuracy not too bad for sub 100 yards.

However, it is steel cased and will wear gun parts faster than brass. Also this ammo is filthy dirty! Shoot a couple hundred rounds of this and you’ll be cleaning your rifle for a while.

If you’re ok with the dirty powder and ok with the excessive wear, it’s cheap for sure. I’m reloading 223 now so I can reload cheaper than steel case Tul Ammo.

If you shoot high volumes of rounds I’d look into reloading as your long-term solution.”

Another Negative Review

Why I don’t like Tula Ammo

I hear a lot of people say to stay away from Tula ammo due to reports of it being steel cased and causing issues with extraction. I have experienced those exact things myself. It’s been the only brand that has ever caused me problems, but it could be a fluke thing.

However, I still don’t like tulammo because the primer pockets always get loose and start causing failures to fire. I’m not talking about one or two bullets, but every other bullet in a box has issues. This has been the same for me no matter if it was .308, 7.62×39, .223, 9mm etc.

Another Positive Review

Why I like Tula Ammo

I am not trying to convince people that tulammo is the best ammo in the world.  It’s low cost and it works.  Just like a Toyota or Honda, tulammo is reliable.    

It is well known that tula ammo is made with a metal jacket. This is why it is so inexpensive compared to other ammo. If you are on a budget or just shooting for fun, you will see savings with Tula Ammo.

Closing Thoughts

When it comes to plinking or blasting ammo, Tulammo is one of the best you can find. You just need to make sure your local gun range will allow steel-cased ammo before you purchase it.

It might be very cheap ammo, but after reading this Tulammo review, you can now see that it is great ammo that works great at the gun range and should not damage your gun.

Have you ever thought about buying ammo online?

I’m telling you it’s so easy with Lucky Gunner! The ammo shown on their site is guaranteed to be in stock and will ship fast. I heartily endorse Lucky Gunner and so do their many customers.

“Okay, so far I’ve dealt twice with LuckyGunner, and all I can say is, I LOVE YOUR COMPANY!!!!

Imagine: only items in stock are advertised. Who’da thunk, eh? The more highly advertised ones – Cheaper Than Dirt, Cabela’s, et. al. – will put you on backorder forever and a day. But LuckyGunner – I ordered 500 shells of .45 ACP (hard to get in this “shortage”) – and there it was at my address. No backorders, no bull. Business as it should be.

Yes, I’m telling my friends! I’m constantly writing down your addy on bits of paper (and running out of the latter), spreading the joyous news, “No backorders! No bull! Try LuckyGunner.com, you won’t be sorry!” Thank you for being there for an ammo-starved public. And, thanks for the SUPERB customer service.”

— Walter J., Silverdale, WA —

Last updated on June 17th, 2023

Ammo, the short form of ammunition, is a set of assembled components fired from a firearm. These components include propellant/gunpowder, projectile, cartridges, primers, and ignition tubes, manufactured separately before being assembled into the cartridge. Whether you need ammo for your hunting or personal defense firearms, selecting the right type is an important decision as it ensures optimal performance.

Many types of ammunition can be confusing when you are new to handling firearms. But worry no more, for in this article, we will tackle 24 different types of ammo, and all the bits and pieces that you need to know about them.

What is Ball Ammo?

Ball ammo, also known as a full metal jacket bullet, has a soft core made of lead, and is encased in an outer jacket/ shell made of harder material like copper. Ball ammo is one of the most used and least-expensive types of ammo in the world.

It is very accurate and readily available to civilian gun owners. It does not expand upon impact, but it is designed to go through the target with precision. It comes with the possibility of hitting objects behind it too.

The fact that the projectile can go through the target and cause unintentional collateral damage behind it, can be a disadvantage. Ball ammo is not recommended for concealed carry.

Ball ammo can be flat nose, truncated cone, or boat tail types, all of which are made for penetration while leaving less residue in the barrel. Less residue means increased velocity rate of the shot and increased accuracy. Here is our more in depth article about ball ammo.

What is ACP Ammo?

ACP stands for Automatic Colt Pistol. ACP ammo is a rimless straight-walled cartridge that has headspaces on the case mouth for accuracy. The Colt Pistol was designed between 1900 to 1908 by John Browning. He also developed the ACP ammo for use in the automatic pistol. The Automatic Colt Pistol remains one of the most accurate designs for law enforcement officers and civilians. Here is our more in depth article about ACP Ammo.

What Is the Difference Between 115 Grain and 124 Grain 9mm Ammo?

Grain stands for mass’ unit of measurement, and ammo grain is a measure of the bullet weight. In simple terms it means how large is the cartridge’s projectile. Each caliber has different grain sizes, ranging between 5 grains to 750 grains. If the packaging of the ammo says 124-grain FMJ, it means that the actual bullet weighs 124 grains. Grains also measure gunpowder (or propellant) but is not indicated on the box.

The choice of ammunition will depend on a person’s need, and each caliber has a range of bullet weights. The 9mm, for instance, loads 115, 124, and 147 grain, and sometimes the 110 grain. Under the same caliber, lighter bullets’ velocity is higher than that of heavier bullets.
9mm is one of the best guns for home defense, with a perfect expansion and penetration power balance.

The main difference between the 9mm’s 115 grain and the 124 grain is velocity. The 124-grain bullet has lower velocity compared to the 115 grain one, but maintains it longer and transfers more energy into the target.

What is Plinking Ammo?

Plinking ammo is the inexpensive ammo that people use in informal target shooting for pleasure. The term plinking comes from the sharp, metallic sound that is made by the projectile when it hits the non-standard targets like cans, water bottles, logs, and the like. My favorite plinking ammo is 22 caliber. 22’s are easily available and relatively cheap. Here is our more in depth article about plinking ammo.

Have you ever thought about buying ammo online?

I’m telling you it’s so easy with Lucky Gunner! The ammo shown on their site is guaranteed to be in stock and will ship fast. I heartily endorse Lucky Gunner and so do their many customers.

“Okay, so far I’ve dealt twice with LuckyGunner, and all I can say is, I LOVE YOUR COMPANY!!!!

Imagine: only items in stock are advertised. Who’da thunk, eh? The more highly advertised ones – Cheaper Than Dirt, Cabela’s, et. al. – will put you on backorder forever and a day. But LuckyGunner – I ordered 500 shells of .45 ACP (hard to get in this “shortage”) – and there it was at my address. No backorders, no bull. Business as it should be.

Yes, I’m telling my friends! I’m constantly writing down your addy on bits of paper (and running out of the latter), spreading the joyous news, “No backorders! No bull! Try LuckyGunner.com, you won’t be sorry!” Thank you for being there for an ammo-starved public. And, thanks for the SUPERB customer service.”

— Walter J., Silverdale, WA —

First, what is plinking?

Plinking is a term used in shooting sports to describe informal target shooting done for fun. A sheet of steel can be used as a makeshift target and makes a plinking sound when hit.

After World War II, the activity became increasingly popular in Eastern Europe and then spread to other parts of the world. In recent era – especially in North America – it has became generally applied to informal target shooting with any type of rifle or handguns at objects such as tin cans, logs, glass bottles, and boxes.

Plinking is similar to target shooting, except that the main goal of plinking is not typically competition. It’s mainly done for fun. But it is also good practice for other kinds of target-shooting competition.

Plinking ammunition

While any ammunition can be used for casual plinking or practice, smaller caliber rounds such as the .22 Long Rifle are the most popular. They are much cheaper than centerfire rounds and are therefore less expensive to shoot in quantity. Saving money is one reason why informal shooting sports like plinking became popular.

A popular handgun round is the 9mm. The 9×19mm Parabellum is used a lot for plinking because they are less expensive than more powerful cartridges. Their lower velocities also make them safer for use in many urban settings where ranges are often located close to populated areas.

I shoot a lot of ammo. I handload, but handloading is time consuming and requires extra equipment which isn’t always practical, so I buy in bulk quantities when sales are available.

A significant amount of the ammo that I purchase is either .22 LR or 7.62x39mm, because these are relatively cheap loads that are easy to obtain.

Occasionally, however, certain types of .22 LR become unavailable at normal prices – even online stores with huge inventories sell out within hours when manufacturers release ‘shortage’ announcements.

Can plinking ammo kill a person?

Some types of .22 LR ammunition can kill a person when fired directly into the heart, most plinking ammo will not have enough power to penetrate deep enough to cause significant damage.

.177 caliber pellets and BBs lack stopping power on their own. But, because they may be shot at high speeds and from close range using powerful airguns, they still pose a threat and must be handled with care and respect.

What is plinking ammo made from?

Plinking ammo is often made from lower-quality metal alloys. Brass casings are rarely used, and most plinking rounds have a mix of steel and zinc in the bullet or pellet.

Some ammunition may contain a highly fragile core that will shatter upon impact. Most plinkers understand how to handle various types of ammunition without harming themselves or their targets.

Is Plinking Ammo Accurate

Cheaper ammo used for plinking can certainly be accurate. It is not match grade accuracy but that;s not really the point.

Can you use plinking ammo indoors?

Yes, shooting indoors at a gun range is fine because they have a special backstop that will stop the ammo. But precautions must be taken when firing any ammunition at items indoors.

Most people who shoot indoors make sure there is plenty of space between them and anything behind the target they are using.

I would advise against shooting anything bigger than a BB gun in your own home.

Plinking ammo safety tips

#1: Keep your firearm pointed in a safe direction at all times. Some plinkers have been injured or killed when their guns recoiled and/or suddenly discharged without warning.

Plinkers should always be aware of what is ahead of them, especially if they are shooting from a different elevation than their targets.

#2: Avoid ricochet by keeping shots on a level plane. Directing any bullet or pellet ricocheting off a flat surface back toward yourself is extremely dangerous. Ricochet can occur when a round strikes an object at a shallow angle instead of directly penetrating it. If you see that rounds are ricocheting from your target, either move to a different shooting position or switch to another type of ammunition.

#3: Be aware of your target and what is beyond it. Plinkers who shoot at targets in their backyards may not be aware that bullets can travel a long way before air resistance begins to slow them down.

A bullet fired from even a .22 LR firearm could go through the back wall of a house and kill someone on the other side. If you didn’t know where your shots were going, you violated Rule #3 and might have also broken the law.

Just because you weren’t aiming at anything doesn’t mean somebody wasn’t endangered by your actions.

#4: Treat every gun as if it is loaded and ready to fire. People shouldn’t place any part of their body or hand over a firearm, even if it is unloaded.

Is plinking ammo good for self defense?

Millions of shooters around the country go “plinking” every weekend. Plinkers are either shooting at paper targets or cans, bottles, or junk they have lying around their property.

There is nothing wrong with plinking, but if you want to develop self defense skills it isn’t enough. Shooting at a stationary target just doesn’t prepare you for possible real-life situations that might pop up in front of you while carrying concealed. You need to practice with some defensive ammunition so that you can be confident in your abilities when the time comes.

Defensive loads are different from cheap plinking ammo because it is usually designed to expand upon impact instead of passing right through its target like most bullets do when they hit an object. The reason for this is because an attacker can be wearing heavy clothing or have a layer of muscle protecting his vital areas. By the time a bullet penetrates through the various layers, most of its energy is lost and it will probably not do as much damage as you had hoped.

A bullet that expands upon impact causes a larger hole going in and then rips into your target on the way out with multiple fragments which drastically increases stopping power. It also transfers more of its energy to your target instead of leaking away as it passes through. This allows defensive ammo to knock down targets faster than regular ammunition from high-velocity handguns. This is why shotguns are usually considered the best home defense weapon if you want to stop an assailant quickly.

Which ammo is best for self defense?

Granted, this is an age old question that depends on many factors. For instance, what kind of weapon are you using? Where are you at the moment? What is your background like? And so on… But there’s one over-riding factor when it comes to the actual selection of your ammo… penetration. This is why I highly recommend that anyone who carries a firearm for self defense be very careful in selecting their ammunition.

One innocent mistake could cost you dearly in terms of not only legal ramifications but possibly even bodily harm or death! And by “innocent” I mean utterly negligent and inexcusable mistakes.

*ALWAYS keep in mind that if someone is trying to kill you it’s very likely they may be on PCP, Meth, or some other drug that makes them impervious to pain! Or they might simply be hopped up on adrenaline… which means even a flesh wound could result in your death because they won’t feel it until after they’ve killed you.

Remember this especially when choosing ammunition for carry purposes… penetration takes priority over everything else!*

For example, .22lr ammo would have little effect against an attacker who had taken drugs or was high on adrenaline unless the bullet struck the central nervous system of your assailant (brain/spine).

Can range ammo be used for self defense?

No, range ammo is generally full metal jacket and should not be used for self-defense.

Full metal jacket (FMJ) bullets should never be used in defensive ammunition because a FMJ round’s main objective is to punch a hole through the target. While this may be great for some applications, in terms of fighting with your pistol you need to focus on temporary and permanent tissue damage which is created by cutting/fragmenting holes in your opponent.

Full metal jacket rounds have a much greater chance of penetrating your attacker and hitting an innocent person behind them. You should always use hollow point rounds for self defense!

– Any type of round nose (RN) bullet should not be used in defensive ammunition because round nose bullets are designed to bounce off objects they hit without deforming or fragmenting. For most self defense encounters that occur at close range this would create even more of a danger because it is likely that fragments from an RN bullet could hit the defender instead of the attacker causing unintended bodily harm instead of just very localized damage to the bad guy.

What is 9mm plinking ammo?

9mm plinking ammo is the 9×19 parabellum round, the most common caliber in the world, and was originally designed as a military cartridge. However, it’s also a very popular round for both casual plinking and self defense.

So let’s get started with our list of the best 9mm plinking ammo from least to most expensive.

500 Rounds of Wolf 115 gr FMJ 9mm Ammunition

This particular load fires a 115 grain full metal jacket bullet at a muzzle velocity of 1130 feet per second.

This makes it a great plinking cartridge if you’re looking to get some trigger time in at the range without spending too much money on your ammo.

The muzzle energy is rated at 326 foot-pounds, which isn’t very powerful for this purpose. But it all depends on what you want out of your 9mm plinking ammo: target shooting, training, tactical drills etc. It’s no wonder that the following comment was left by one customer:

“This is my go-to ammunition when practicing skills and drills. Nothing special here but it fires well in both my Beretta 92FS and M&P9

1000 Rounds of 115 Grain FMJ 9mm Ammunition by Tula

This load is capable of penetrating barriers such as glass and sheet metal, so it can also be used in tactical training drills.

  This particular ammo has a 115 grain full metal jacket bullet that travels at a muzzle velocity of 1150 feet per second.

It’s also by far one of the cheapest 9mm plinking ammo you could get so this might be an option to consider if you’re on a budget.

1000 Rounds of 115 Grain Full Metal Jacket 9mm Ammunition by Federal

This 9mm plinking ammo has a muzzle velocity of 1180 feet per second with a muzzle energy rating of 356 foot-pounds. The full metal jacket bullet is also 115 grain in weight. This load was designed to be used on the battlefield, so it’s no coincidence that many individuals trust this ammunition for self defense and target shooting purposes alike.

Have you ever thought about buying ammo online?

I’m telling you it’s so easy with Lucky Gunner! The ammo shown on their site is guaranteed to be in stock and will ship fast. I heartily endorse Lucky Gunner and so do their many customers.

“Okay, so far I’ve dealt twice with LuckyGunner, and all I can say is, I LOVE YOUR COMPANY!!!!

Imagine: only items in stock are advertised. Who’da thunk, eh? The more highly advertised ones – Cheaper Than Dirt, Cabela’s, et. al. – will put you on backorder forever and a day. But LuckyGunner – I ordered 500 shells of .45 ACP (hard to get in this “shortage”) – and there it was at my address. No backorders, no bull. Business as it should be.

Yes, I’m telling my friends! I’m constantly writing down your addy on bits of paper (and running out of the latter), spreading the joyous news, “No backorders! No bull! Try LuckyGunner.com, you won’t be sorry!” Thank you for being there for an ammo-starved public. And, thanks for the SUPERB customer service.”

— Walter J., Silverdale, WA —

Last updated on October 11th, 2021

So much of our gun culture today was influenced or actually designed by a legend named John Browning. To understand where ACP Ammo came from we have to understand a little bit about this man.

I’ll go into more detail about John Browning in a second but let’s answer the main question first, “What is ACP Ammo?”.

ACP stands for Automatic Colt Pistol. The .45 ACP cartridge is a rimless straight-walled cartridge that was invented in 1904 by John Browning.

It is a handgun cartridge that was used by the military for many years in the M1911. It is also used in many other semi automatic pistols.

There are five cartridges that carry the name ACP. Those are:

1. .45 ACP
2. .380 ACP
3. .38 ACP
4. .32 ACP
5. .25 ACP

.45 ACP

The typical 45 ACP bullet is composed of 230 grains which travel about 830 feet per second when fired from a government issue M1911A1.

It operates at a relatively low maximum chamber pressure rating of 21,000 psi (145 MPa), compared to 35,000 psi (241 MPa) for the 9mm parabellum.

Due to its subsonic speed it is a useful caliber for suppressed weapons because it does not create a sonic boom.

History of the Automatic Colt Pistol

John Browning grew up around firearms. In fact, his father owned a gunsmith shop in Ogden, Utah. John began working at the gun shop at age 7.

He learned how to clean firearms. He learned how to take guns apart and put them back together. He even learned engineering concepts and how to build firearms.

John built his first of many guns at age 13. Over his lifetime he amassed 128 firearms patents.

The Moro Rebellion was an armed conflict between America and the Moro people that began in 1899 in the Philippines. During this conflict the Army and Cavalry realized the .38 Long Colt did not have enough stopping power.

At the time John was working on a 41 caliber cartridge with the Colt Firearm Company. The U.S. Cavalry asked them to submit a 45 caliber cartridge for testing. So they created the 45 ACP to submit.

There were several other companies that submitted designs but after multiple rounds of testing the 45 ACP was the clear winner.

The M1911 semi automatic pistol was also designed by John Browning. It was chambered for the 45 ACP and was adopted by the U.S Army right before the first world war.

The model M1911 was used exclusively all the way until 1985 when the Army switched to the Beretta M9.

What Does ACP Stand For?

ACP stands for Automatic Colt Pistol.

What is the difference between .45 auto and .45 ACP?

There is no difference between .45 auto and .45 ACP. They are interchangeable. The original name was .45 ACP.

The SAAMI (Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturing Institute) was created in 1926 to standardize ammunition specs.

SAAMI did not allow trademarked or copyrighted names. The C in ACP stands for Colt which is a trademarked name.

So the .45 ACP was submitted to SAAMI with the generic name of .45 Auto. Again, they are both the same cartridge.

What does 380 ACP stand for?

The 380 ACP is another rimless straight walled cartridge created by John Browning. It is also called 380 Auto, 9mm short, or 9mm Kurz.

The 380 ACP has been used by foreign militaries and police forces. But very few still use it today. Most units have upgraded to the 9mm or 40 caliber.

The 380 ACP is not my favorite round but it is the round I carry daily. I carry the Ruger LCP which is chambered for .380. I love this gun because it is lightweight and small enough to fit in my front pants pocket.

Since I must tuck in my shirt for work this is the most comfortable way to carry. The .380 has less stopping power than 9mm or .40. But experts always say to buy the gun you will actually carry every day. And for me that is the Ruger LCP.

45 acp ammo vs 9mm

Both of these cartridges have great stopping power. The 45 automatic looks much bigger but it actually has a lower velocity than 9mm. This is because the 45 has a much heavier bullet.

Typical velocity from a 45 acp is between 800 and 1100 feet per second. A 9mm is faster at 1000 to 1350 feet per second.

45 acp ammunition can be almost twice as expensive as 9mm. Even at today’s prices it seems like there is always a shortage of both calibers. You can find both of these rounds at Lucky Gunner.

Magazine size is another consideration. Manufacturers are able to fit way more 9mm into a magazine than 45 acp. A standard 1911 chambered for .45 can only hold 7+1 . But a Glock 17 has a capacity of 17+1.

This may be a valid concern for the police and military but not so much for individuals. Most self defense situations are over in seconds. This means you may not even have time to fire off the full 8 rounds in your 1911. So carry the firearm that works best for you.

.380 acp ammo vs 9mm

Both cartridges are 9mm in diameter but the .380 ACP is only 17mm in length. The 9mm is 19mm in length.

This is where the European names for these cartridges come from. The .380 ACP is called 9x17mm and the 9mm is called 9x19mm.

380 and 9mm ammo are not interchangeable. Don’t try to use them in the same gun.

The 9mm is a more powerful round. It has more stopping power. But this also means that it has more recoil than the .380 ACP. Many police and military units use 9mm the world over but very few still use the .380 ACP.

You might be wondering if a 380 can stop an attacker. Most defense situations happen at short ranges. .380 ACP can be very effective at short ranges.

If you are shooting at someone who is outside the lethal range of a 380 round then you are probably not in a defense situation, and you will most likely have some legal troubles.

Can you reload 45 acp ammo?

Yes, you can definitely reload 45 ACP ammo. You will likely save over half the cost of new rounds. The old rounds can be reloaded almost indefinitely.

Is ACP the same as Ball Ammo?

Not exactly. An ACP cartridge can be loaded with a ball bullet, hollow point bullet or other types of bullets. Here is a great article to learn all about Ball Ammo.

ACP vs LCP ammo

This is a question that Google suggested but I believe there is a misunderstanding here. There is no lcp ammo. There is a Ruger LCP pistol which will fire 380 acp rounds.

What is the best 380 acp ammo for self defense?

380 ammo can be hard to find sometimes, especially self defense rounds. Here are a couple great options:

• 380 Auto – 88 gr JHP – Remington UMC

• 380 Auto – 90 Grain JHP XTP – Underwood

What is the best 45 acp ammo for self defense?

It’s hard to name a particular bullet the best. Instead I’ll give links to 3 excellent 45 caliber rounds at Lucky Gunner.

• 45 ACP – 230 Grain JHP – Speer Gold Dot LE

• 45 ACP – 230 Grain JHP – Federal Punch

• 45 ACP +P – 230 Grain HST JHP – Federal Premium Law Enforcement

Is 45 acp a good defense round

Yes, 45 ACP has very good stopping power. This is why the military switched to it back in 1911.

There are many models chambered in 45 but the most popular is the 1911. It is relatively slim which helps with concealment. Make sure you choose hollow points for self defense.

What is the difference between acp and gap ammo?

GAP stands for Glock Auto Pistol. The 45 GAP cartridge was developed by Glock and CCI/Speer in 2002. Glock wanted a shorter cartridge so they could design a smaller 45 caliber automatic pistol that could compete with 40 s w and 9mm.

You should not use GAP ammo in a weapon chambered for ACP.

What is the best 45 acp practice ammo?

Here is a great choice for 45 ACP practice ammo:

• 45 Acp 230 Gr Fmj Blazer Brass 1000 Rounds

This is about the cheapest 45 practice ammo you can find:

• 45 ACP – 230 Grain Plated RN – Military Ballistics Industries

Have you ever thought about buying ammo online?

I’m telling you it’s so easy with Lucky Gunner! The ammo shown on their site is guaranteed to be in stock and will ship fast. I heartily endorse Lucky Gunner and so do their many customers.

“Okay, so far I’ve dealt twice with LuckyGunner, and all I can say is, I LOVE YOUR COMPANY!!!!

Imagine: only items in stock are advertised. Who’da thunk, eh? The more highly advertised ones – Cheaper Than Dirt, Cabela’s, et. al. – will put you on backorder forever and a day. But LuckyGunner – I ordered 500 shells of .45 ACP (hard to get in this “shortage”) – and there it was at my address. No backorders, no bull. Business as it should be.

Yes, I’m telling my friends! I’m constantly writing down your addy on bits of paper (and running out of the latter), spreading the joyous news, “No backorders! No bull! Try LuckyGunner.com, you won’t be sorry!” Thank you for being there for an ammo-starved public. And, thanks for the SUPERB customer service.”

— Walter J., Silverdale, WA —

Last updated on August 24th, 2021

When you hear the term “ball ammo” you may be picturing an actual ball. While the term did originate from ball shaped ammo, that’s not what it means today. Most ball ammo today is cylindrical in shape. It will have a lead core coated with copper.

Keep reading to learn all about the history and how ball ammo is used today.

What is Ball Ammo?

Ball ammo is also referred to as full metal jacket. It has a soft core made of lead, and is encased in an outer jacket made of harder material like copper. Ball ammo is one of the most used types of ammo in the world, and one of the least-expensive.

It is very accurate and readily available to civilian gun owners. It does not expand upon impact, but it is designed to go through the target. It’s great for punching holes in paper, although it does come with the possibility of hitting objects behind it.

The fact that the projectile can go through the target and cause unintentional collateral damage behind it, can be a disadvantage. It is not recommended for concealed carry.

It comes in flat nose, truncated cone, or boat tail types, all of which are made for penetration while leaving less residue in the barrel. Less residue means increased velocity and increased accuracy.

Why is it called ball ammo?

The term most likely came about because smoothbore muzzleloaders used a ball shaped projectile. This is the most agreed upon origin of the term.

As a side note, smoothbore just means there was no rifling in the barrel. If you don’t know what rifling means just picture the opening scene of any James Bond movie where you are looking through the barrel of a gun. The swirls you see are the rifling.

Rifling was invented in the 1400’s but it required a difficult and expensive manufacturing process. Therefore most muzzleloaders all the way into the early 1800’s were smoothbore. And most ammo was simply in the shape of a ball.

In 1849 a man named Claude-Etienne Minie invented a new cylindrically shaped ammo that became known as the “minie ball”. It was much more accurate and had longer range. Some people believe the term “minie ball” contributed to the term “ball ammo”.

Another group believes the popularity of “ball powder” helped to cement the term “ball ammo”. Ball powder is a name trademarked by the Olin Corporation to refer to their ball propellant. This new type of propellant was easier and faster to manufacture.

What is the difference between FMJ and ball ammo?

Both terms are used interchangeably most of the time, and that’s ok. If you really want to get technical the Full Metal Jacket bullet is a subset of ball ammo.

All FMJs are ball ammo but not all ball ammo is FMJ.

FMJ ammo has a lead core that is coated with a harder metal, usually copper. The base of the bullet is not usually coated. So if you pulled a FMJ bullet out of the brass cartridge you would see exposed lead at the base.

There is another subset called TMJ or Total Metal Jacket. This type would be completely coated including the base. These are used in environments where lead dust in the air would be a problem.

Is ball ammo ok for defense?

The short answer is no. It can easily penetrates it’s targets. While this may sound like a good thing, it really is not when talking about self defense situations.

If you are forced to defend yourself with a gun it will likely be in your home or another area where other people are present. Ball ammo can penetrate walls, glass, car doors, etc. This means that innocent people behind your attacker could be injured or killed.

When carrying a weapon for self defense we also have to be prepared for the backlash caused by our actions. Of course our main concern is to protect ourselves and family, but in many cases there are lawsuits after the fact that will cost time and money. By only using hollow points in our carry gun we are signalling to jurors that we exercised caution.

Hollow point ammo has a hollowed out section on the tip of the bullet. This causes the bullet to expand upon impact. The expansion slows down the bullet and causes more damage to the intended target and less damage to objects behind the target.

Use ball ammo for target practice because it is cheap and accurate. But always load your carry gun with hollow points.

Why does the military use ball ammo?

The military has to store ammo for long periods in less than ideal conditions. They also have to transport ammo over rough terrain. We all know that crap happens during shipping, and ball ammo is tougher than hollow points.

Military ammo has to reliably feed through belt fed firearms. Hollow points will deform much easier because of the exposed soft lead on top.

To illustrate this, just think what would happen to a bullet that was bounced around or dropped off the back of a vehicle going through a desert. The ball ammo is more likely to continue to feed properly after this kind of treatment.

Lower cost is another reason. The US military fires more than a billion rounds of small arms ammo each year. Even small changes in price really add up at this level.

Ball ammo vs hollow point?

Each type has pros and cons. So let’s make this simple with a list:

Ball Ammo

Pros:

• Cheaper
• Accurate
• Reliable
• Great for target practice

Cons:

• Penetrates a target too easily
• Does less damage to an attacker
• Not good for self defense

Hollow Point

Pros:

• Great for self defense
• Less likely to penetrate and hit innocent bystanders
• More likely to stop an attacker

Cons:

• More expensive

Ball ammo vs green tip?

The first thing you need to know is the green tip is nothing special. It is just painted green to indicate the type of ammo. That being said there are some differences.

Green tip ammo is a subset of ball ammo. It is a full metal jacket bullet. It mainly comes in 5.56 and .223 calibers.

The military used a 5.56 round named M193 for many years before switching to the newer M855. When they switched, they painted the newer M855 tips green so soldiers could tell the difference.

The older M193 has a traditional lead core while the newer M855 has a lead core and a steel penetrator tip. The M193 is more effective for hunting under 100 yards because it will often break up when entering the target.

The M855 was designed to punch through the target. Therefore it is more likely to pass right through an animal with minimal damage.

I would not recommend either type for self defense. As always get hollow points for self defense.

Is ball ammo good for hunting?

If we’re talking about deer hunting the answer is no. The bullet will punch a small hole through the animal causing minimal damage. You could end up chasing a wounded deer a long time, if you can even find it.

It is actually illegal in most states to use FMJ for deer hunting. Instead you should use hollow points or another soft tip round. Hollow points are designed to break apart upon entering the target causing more damage.

While this may sound inhumane it is actually better for the animal because it means a faster kill.

Some people do use ball ammo for small game hunting.

What is ball ammo used for?

Civilians mainly use it for target practice. It is cheap, accurate and readily available. It is not ideal for hunting or self defense. Although some people do use it for small varmint hunting.

The military does almost exclusively use it. They require reliable feeding and durability over long storage periods and rough transportation. The military also prefers this type of ammo because penetration of cover is important in battle.

Is ball ammo accurate?

Yes, it can be very accurate. It all comes down to the quality and care the manufacturer puts into their processes. As with anything, you get what you pay for. But generally it is considered very accurate.

The United States military appreciates accuracy and almost exclusively uses it.

Have you ever thought about buying ammo online?

I’m telling you it’s so easy with Lucky Gunner! The ammo shown on their site is guaranteed to be in stock and will ship fast. I heartily endorse Lucky Gunner and so do their many customers.

“Okay, so far I’ve dealt twice with LuckyGunner, and all I can say is, I LOVE YOUR COMPANY!!!!

Imagine: only items in stock are advertised. Who’da thunk, eh? The more highly advertised ones – Cheaper Than Dirt, Cabela’s, et. al. – will put you on backorder forever and a day. But LuckyGunner – I ordered 500 shells of .45 ACP (hard to get in this “shortage”) – and there it was at my address. No backorders, no bull. Business as it should be.

Yes, I’m telling my friends! I’m constantly writing down your addy on bits of paper (and running out of the latter), spreading the joyous news, “No backorders! No bull! Try LuckyGunner.com, you won’t be sorry!” Thank you for being there for an ammo-starved public. And, thanks for the SUPERB customer service.”

— Walter J., Silverdale, WA —

Last updated on October 24th, 2021

When you first became interested in shooting you probably heard the terms sight picture and sight alignment being thrown around. Most people tend to use the two terms interchangeably; however, they do not mean the same thing.

In this guide, I will make a clear distinction between sight picture and sight alignment.

To master any new trade, you must first learn the rules of the game, and being a great shooter is no different. This article will help you gather a deeper understanding of the terminologies and best practices that will sharpen your marksmanship.

What Is The Sight Picture?

Sight picture is the proper sight alignment while aiming at your target. To make it even simpler, sight alignment precedes sight picture.

As a concept, sight picture occurs when the sights are perfectly aligned with the target. Sight alignment only amounts to half the aiming equation.

You might have a great grip, and your sights might be impeccably aligned with the rear sight aperture (all factors that contribute to a perfect sight alignment), but your shot may still not hit the target.

Why?

For a perfectly-aimed shot, you must make sure the sights are properly aligned and squarely aimed at the precise spot on the target that you intend to hit.

What is Sight Alignment?

Long before the innovation of laser pointers and red dots, the sole way of aiming a handgun was by using iron sights.

Iron sights differed from pistol to pistol and from one manufacturer to another. Most designs had a rear aperture and a single post mounted on the muzzle. The rear aperture was mounted on the opposite end of the single post and helped the pistol users find the appropriate sight alignment.

The perfect sight alignment is achieved when the shooter aligns the rear aperture sight with the front sight post.

As you align your eye with the rear aperture, the front sight becomes visible. Once aligned, the space on either side of the sights should be equal, and the top of the front sight must be even with the edges of the rear aperture. Before shooting, you will focus more on the front sight post.

Sight alignment can be summarized as to involve the following:

• Holding the handgun properly
• Finding the sights
• Aligning your rear sight with the front sight post

Despite the distinction between sight picture and sight alignment, they both rely on your eye. Now, let’s explore how your eyes impact the accuracy of your shot.

Should You Close One Eye Or Leave Them Both Open?

Just like we have dominant hands, we also have dominant eyes. This means that one eye is dominant over the other in the same way you are either right-handed or left-handed.

It is important that you understand the concept of eye dominance, for it is critical in marksmanship.

The term, “dominant eye”, refers to which eye your brain prefers to receive information from. So, what is the impact of using a dominant or non-dominant eye?

If I align my sights with the less dominant eye, I will hit my target to the side of the precise spot I aimed at. For most people, their dominant eye matches their dominant hand. If you are right handed your dominant eye will usually also be the right eye.

However, some may be cross-eye-dominant where you write with the right hand, but your left eye is your dominant eye. Having cross-eye-dominance necessitates more hours of practice to perfect marksmanship.

Given this information, the answer to whether one should close one eye or not is, “If possible train to shoot with both eyes open.” You need to realize that some situations require full situational awareness, and having one eye closed will reduce peripheral vision.

When I began training with both eyes open, I experienced double vision when trying to focus on the target. If this happens, you may have to close one eye and work with your dominant eye.

When training with the non-dominant eye closed, eye dominance may still not have a huge impact since the gun is an independent object, and as long as your sights are perfectly aligned with the target, you will trick it just right.

If you happen to have cross-eye dominance, you have to slightly shift your head from the center to allow the dominant eye a clear view of the sights.

For beginners, it is advisable to start training with the non-dominant eye closed as this helps you get clear sight pictures and understand exactly what you are seeing when shooting.

Sight Holds

To further advance one’s marksmanship, it is important that the shooter understand how the particular handgun was designed to perform.

While the sight alignment remains constant, the sight picture changes with distance and from gun to gun. Different sight pictures are known as sight holds.

Each handgun is designed with a specific sight hold in mind. Since all pistols are not designed with the same preferred sight hold, you will have to test your gun to assess the sight hold that performs best.

Below are some of the common sight holds in reference to a bullseye target.

Combat Hold

It is also known as “frame hold,” and in this sight hold, the middle of the front sight post covers the bullseye entirely. The center of the sight covers the center of the bullseye. Some handguns that use the combat hold include the SIG Sauer and Glock pistols.

Center Hold

With this sight hold, the top of the sight post divides the bullseye horizontally.

6 O’clock Hold

The top point of the sight post is positioned below the bottom of the bullseye. Some people refer to this hold as “pumpkin hold” or “lollipop hold.”

Irrespective of the manufacturer’s intended sight hold, the shooter can always opt to use a different hold depending on the situation and preference.

Defensive Shooting

While having to use a gun is not a situation that most people want to find themselves in, it is something we must train for.

During training you will have enough time to align your sights and pick your sight picture. But real defense situations will be a little bit different.

It’s silly to think the bad guy will wait for you to align your sights and pick the perfect sight picture. So, in such a situation, you will revert to your lowest level of training.

So train hard and always be safe!

In my assessment, the combat hold is best for defensive shooting or in real-life defense situations. The center hold and the 6 o’clock hold will waste your precious time as you try to bisect the target with the top of the pistol’s front sight or aligning the top of the front sight with the target as this calls for great concentration and precision.

Instead, just align your sights and aim them at the center of the bad guy’s mass. The combat hold will only require sight acquisition, which is faster, meaning the defense is super-fast.

Are sight alignment and sight picture the same?

No, they are not. Sight picture is what you see when you look through the rear sight aperture at the front sight and the target.

Sight alignment is a component of your sight picture that consists of two relationships: 1) the relationship between the center of the front and rear sights and 2)the relationship between the top edge of each respective sight and its bottom edge.

How to improve sight picture when shooting a gun

The two essential things that must be done in order to get a proper sight picture are:

1. Align your sights by centering the front blade within the rear aperture. If you do not, you will miss to one side or another of your target regardless of how well you hold the gun—a common mistake among beginning shooters.

2. Place both irises (the black part inside your eye) onto the front blade and fully concentrate on it while holding it still at arm’s length. When both these fundamentals are mastered, shooting accurately becomes very easy.

Some tips for improving sight alignment/sight picture:

– The three most important elements in obtaining good sight pictures (alignment and picture) is:

– Concentration on front sight.

– Holding the gun firmly in both hands (firm grip).

– Breath control (relax and exhale when the shot leaves the barrel).

With this three point focus, you will notice considerable improvement in your accuracy.

When using iron sights on a firearm with an open notch and post type of rear sight, concentration upon the front sight blade is most important because it may be possible to see two equally well defined images of the rear sight or one image of each, but not both at the same time due to parallax error.

Therefore, when focusing upon aligning both blades for best sight picture, the shooter’s eye must be focused to a pinpoint that will enable the shooter to see two separate images of the blades and not one blade superimposed upon a second.

An unfocused eye will actually cause a displacement or movement of the rear sight because it is being observed as a single image instead of as two separate images. If this occurs, there will be no sharp focus on any part of the front sight blade.

All parts of the blade from its tip to its notch should appear as one clear defined spot with all edges sharp and distinct as well as black in appearance.

This method has been known as peaking – i.e., seeing only part of something – but now is called focusing – i.e., an attempt to focus.

Sight picture when shooting trap

I would like to add some information about the sight picture when shooting trap.

When you are shooting clays in the air, your gun barrel must be directed (or tracked) towards the clay.

Let’s call this movement “tracking”. The goal of tracking is to keep your gun barrel directed at your target (the clay) all the way until it hits or passes by you.

The shooter’s focus is on the correct plane of the clay, which is just above your head.

Maintaining the correct plane of clay is accomplished by keeping your head still and not moving it towards the clay, but rather keeping it “centered” to the clay’s flight path while following its flight path until it has passed or been broken.

The underlying concept here is that there are “two planes”, one vertical and the other horizontal. One refers to a line going through an object from top to bottom, while the other describes a flat surface going from side to side.

Think about a clock face. The vertical plane bisects a clock at twelve o’clock and six o’clock positions, while the horizontal plane bisects a clock between 3 and 9 o’clock.

In order to shoot a moving clay, the gun barrel must be kept in the correct plane of that clay for as long as possible.

GLOCK Sight Picture Issues

Some people have reported only seeing about half of the front sight dot when their Glock is properly aligned. I have a feeling this problem mainly occurs for people with shorter arms than the average person.

This problem isn’t as bad as not being able to see any part of your front sight, but it can still affect accuracy if you’re too used to this style of sighting. In order to fix this problem, try adjusting your grip lower down on the gun and allowing yourself more time in order to bring the sights up.

You can replace your Glock polymer sights with iron sights or just get use to how it shoots for you.

Sight picture for red dot sights

Using the same sight picture with differing power red dots gets confusing. You just don’t know what your looking at or if that dot is on target !!!

This is why I came up with this system that works with all red dots and optics. The technique uses a 45 degree prism method in which you use the top half of the optic as your point of aim, while keeping the bottom half covered by your non shooting hand thumb.

When aimed properly you will see 3 things…. one dot in the center..two dotted lines running parallel to each other around it . These two dotted lines mimic your front sight post, only as a miniaturized picture for iron sights.

This method is very fast and effective in engaging targets. You keep both eyes open and can instantly aim into the center mass of a target.

It is important to always use this prism when aiming an optic/red dot, even if you use it on a low power setting. The eye sees the same thing every time because it’s not your brains job to figure out what power setting you’re on or how much magnification you have dialed in .

This eliminates any need to adjust your head or cheek weld making you that much faster. Your brain only needs to tell you where the front sight post 2 dots are focusing.

Summary

The sight picture refers to the view of the rifle with the eye looking through the rear sight. It’s also known as “alignment of sights”. Where you place your eyes is critical because it has a direct effect on your alignment. Once you’ve lined up your sights properly, keep both eyes open when shooting. Closing one eye can cause you to misalign your rifle, leading to misses.

The sight picture consists of the rear sight, front sight post and target or aiming point. You want all three to be in focus at the same time for proper alignment.

To achieve this, adjust your position until you get a clear picture of all three elements. If at first you don’t succeed, move your position a little closer to the target and try again.

By aligning your sights correctly the bullet should impact the target in or near it’s center mass, assuming of course that your rifle is zeroed for the range. This is called “Centering the Bullseye” .

The alignment of sights is very important on your rifle, so don’t skip on the details. Watch your sight picture as you move around engaging targets and practice practice practice!

Have you ever thought about buying ammo online?

It’s so easy with Lucky Gunner! The ammo shown on their site is guaranteed to be in stock and will ship fast. I whole-heartedly endorse Lucky Gunner, like many of their satisfied other customers:

“Okay, so far I’ve dealt twice with LuckyGunner, and all I can say is, I LOVE YOUR COMPANY!!!!

Imagine: Only items in stock are advertised. Who’da thunk, eh? The more highly advertised ones – Cheaper Than Dirt, Cabela’s, et. al. – will put you on backorder forever and a day. But LuckyGunner – I ordered 500 shells of .45 ACP (hard to get in this “shortage”) – and there it was at my address. No backorders, no bull. Business as it should be.

Yes, I’m telling my friends! I’m constantly writing down your addy on bits of paper (and running out of the latter), spreading the joyous news, “No backorders! No bull! Try LuckyGunner.com, you won’t be sorry!” Thank you for being there for an ammo-starved public. And, thanks for the SUPERB customer service.”

— Walter J., Silverdale, WA —