Before I started reloading my own, I was having good results with Blazer Brass. http://palmettostatearmory.com/blazer-brass-115gr-9mm.html Jim
Another one for Blazer. Can be had for a good price too. For self defense, go with Speer Gold Dot, Hornady critical defense/duty, or Federal Hydra shok. Those are three highly popular and proven rounds.
Well...I personally like Magtech best, but I've used Remington UMC, Winchester White Box, Blazer (with brass cases, skip the aluminum case junk), S&B, PMC, Fiocci, and Federal Bulk (in the Dark Red 100 round box at Walmart), and those have all worked real well for me. The good Magtech practice ammo comes in a dark blue and gold, 250 round box. It seems just a bit hotter and cleaner than the Magtech in the plain blue and white box. I myself use Hornady Critical Defense but I think any of the premium rounds for self defense like Gold Dot, Golden Saber, or Federal HST, would all be perfectly good choices.
Can't remember the last time I shot factory 9mm. I shoot some PMC Bronze in 380 and 7.62x39 just to get the brass for reloading. I like it, so will recommend it. For social work, anything with an XTP bullet in it would do.
When I need brass, I buy the 115 grain Perfecta ammo at Wal-Mart. I carry 124 grain Hornady Defense but may change to the Federal HST as I have read good things about it and it comes in 50 round boxes.
For my "nightstand firearm" I have used Hornady Critical Defense as long as it has been out. Hornady critical duty is another powerful reliable round. This is just my opinion and I'm no Gunsmith or anything but the testing I did with the expensive ammo I did I liked the critical defense results the best. As far as practice ammo I never want to go cheap Cheap just because I feel like that's putting the cheap gas in a vehicle you love, but I go to Wal-Mart believe it or not and pick up 100 packs of Winchester plink ears they are reasonably priced especially at Walmart, any firearm stores I went to they were more expensive there than Wally world. If you want the cheapest I have found is Tullammo but be careful depending on the firearm prepare for some jams, and I would always get a few chimneys with it.
I have never had a problem with the Perfecta from Wal-Mart. I can tell it is slightly thinner brass as it dents more on the rocks it hits than Winchester.
I've used many for target loads. Federal, Remington UMC, Winchester White Box, Blazer Brass and Magtech. I haven't seen Perfecta locally. I haven't had any problems with any of it, jams or failures. As for self/ home defense I reload my own rounds that I've worked up. I use Hornady XTP and if I can't find XTP's I use Sierra HP's. The only exception I make is with CBC (Magtech) brass in reloading. I have noticed CBC 9mm brass is a little thicker case walls and the bullets tend to bulge the cases.
Today at the range I noticed they had a sign posted that no "steel' rounds were to be fired and one of them mentioned was Tula ammo and the other was Perfecta. Does anybody know if these are steel instead of lead in the under layer? I was surprised to read that. Tommy
