[potsie]

OK, I've waited a few days before posting this in anticipation of "opening a can of worms" but--------here goes. What kind of ammo (brand, type etc) should I be using (or not using) in my P99 (9mm)? (for both "plinking and personal defense) Thanx in advance!

 

[uncut]

Ummm
Your P99 should eat any 9mm ammo you feed it..... I have not heard of a P99 that is picky

when using defensive loads.... I would stay away from the +p and +P+..... the P99 is not designed for hot loads...

 

[Jake Starr]

QUOTE]..... the P99 is not designed for hot loads...[/QUOTE]

While this is true the P99 can surely handle +p loads. This is what I use for a personal defense round. And while I do shoot these they are not my plinking ammo. I reload my own so that will not help you. But when I buy, I buy cheap, in bulk and what is locally available. I use Remington UMC or Winchester White Box. 115 grain FMJ. Since I reload I keep the brass. Yet my early model 99 likes 124 grain better and if I am feeling lazy I buy Wolf or Brown Bear. I know people have talked about the steel cases may damage the pistol but I don't shoot them enough to really make a difference. Honestly the guys I've talked to who frown on steel brass are owners of indoor ranges who collect spent brass for resale. Since most the steel is Berdan primed, except for maybe CCI, they cann't reuse it and it is just a hassle for them to cull the stuff out from the rest. I think it is a conspiracy theory.

The lacquer on some of the Russian stuff has been said to cause fowling in some pieces like AR's. Also extractors and feed ramps may be damaged by the steel case. If someone has more or different info, please let me know.

I like Speer Gold Dot, 115 or 124 gr JHP for carry. My 2 cents.

 

[fryeg7]

Quote[/b] (uncut @ May 16 2006,4:55)]Ummm
Your P99 should eat any 9mm ammo you feed it..... I have not heard of a P99 that is picky

when using defensive loads.... I would stay away from the +p and +P+..... the P99 is not designed for hot loads...

european and NATO-spec 9mm ammo, which the P99 was designed around, is the equivalent of american +P 9mm. the C.I.P.'s (the european equivalent of SAAMI) pressure limit for 9mm includes both 'standard' and +P 9mm SAAMI pressures.

NATO-spec, sellier&belliot and other european ammo run about 1200-1250fps with 124grn bullets. commercial american 9mm is about 1100-1150fps, and american +P is 1200-1250fps.

will hotter ammo wear out your pistol faster? sure, just like a .357mag will last longer if you only fire .38's from it. but +P will not 'damage' your P99, it is the load it was designed around. think of remchester as '9mm lite'.

frye

 

[Jake Starr]

Here's an interesting thread or two on Nato-Spec vs. +p ammo. It is just a thread mind you so take it for what it is worth...

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=199106

http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-2946.html

If you are in the US...buy Winchester White Box. Economical plinker stuff. But if you carry, make sure you shoot your carry ammo fairly often too so you will be familiar with its recoil if it is hot stuff.

 

[P88]

Where does it say you can't run +p or +p+ loads?  I've used them and they work just fine.

On page 6 of my manual, it states not to reload up to +p rounds, but that's reloading, and I can understand that because the brass may be weak from multiple firings.

That said, I wouldn't use them as your IDPA or IPSC load.  I'd use the cheap stuff for that.

 

[Jake Starr]

Take a look at this thread when thinking about self-defense ammo...

http://glocktalk.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=507875

 

[jgilbertson]

I've had VERY good luck with Olympic 124g FMJ. Used to be able to pick up a 1,000 round case for around $100 give or take a few $. Haven't looked recently for it. Brass cased, boxer primed (not that I'm reloading at this price), non-corrosive, and new.

Agree with not using steel case ammo due to it being tough on the chamber area and the lacquer can gum up the works, although it's probably more of an issue in the rifle world due to the higher pressures and various action types involved.

-Jeff

 

[Hal8000]

Like Jake, I roll my own, so I can't really help in your practice ammo question. For defensive rounds, I carry the RA9T... (Winchester Ranger 147 grain SXT bullet)

In response to Jake's article; It is marked "law Enforcement Ammunition", but that is from the manufacturer and not by law... It is my contention that if it's OK for Law Enforcement, then it's OK for me... I don't believe that it is the bullet used that will get a person in trouble, but HOW that bullet is used...

My P99 manual says nothing about "don't use +P ammunition"... I can't imagine "Walther" making a pistol that could not handle +P 9mm... I don't use +P ammunition all the time so it would never be a problem for me anyway... Probably not a problem for any one else in here either...

 

[RickJZ]

for target practice, I always use wwb 115 grain fmj. For a defensive load, I use federal Hydra-shok 135 grain jhp. I never once used or ever intend to fire +p ammo in my Walther.

 

[CDKayak]

I have no concerns on firing +P ammo in my P99. I've used WWB, Winchester NATO spec, Olympic, Lake City, and Wolf. I didn't care for the Olympic or the Wolf so I'll be staying away from them in the future. Currently I carry Federal EFMJ, but I may be switching to the Ranger if I can find a good source.

CD

 

[Hal8000]

I've been buying all of my Ranger ammo from a fellow I found on GlockTalk named Jerry Kirkpatrick. [email protected] His prices are reasonable and he ships fast... Going to get some more RA9T from him here before too long...

Poser. Why do you not like Olympic? I'm just curious because I bought a case pretty cheap and I have not shot any yet...

 

[CDKayak]

Thanks for the heads up on the source for Ranger.

As for the Olympic, I purchased a case of that when I first got my P99. It functioned fine, no failure to feed, fire or extract, but the accuracy was poor. With the first box or two I attributed that to me; new pistol, hadn't shot pistols in a while etc. But as I shot some different ammo & would switch back to Olympic I could see the difference.

CD

 

[Hal8000]

Appreciate that. Now I'll have something to blame when I shoot up my supply. Maybe I'll let my guest shoot the Olympic and I'll shoot my reloads, then I can kick some tail...Hehe

 

[CDKayak]

Sounds like a plan.

Hopefully I just got a bad lot & you'll have better luck.

 

[MATCHES]

My P99c jammed up really bad on Brown Bear.  I'd also stay away from the olympic.

Matches

 

[Hal8000]

To have any gun jam up while hunting a brown bear is not good, much less a P99c. Unbelievable! I think I'd rather hunt a brown bear with something a little heavier though... Just kidding you! To tell you the truth, I've never heard of the brand "Brown Bear"...???
Wish I'd heard all this about Olympic earlier... Oh well, it didn't cost much and I'm sure I will use it's brass to reload... I'll just shoot the stuff when no one else is around!

 

[Sir Riktoven]

+1 for Jerry Kirkpatrick

Very quick, very legit, good prices.

 

[Jake Starr]

I either shoot my own reloads or WWB...but honestly I have never had a problem with Brown Bear or Wolf.