IDPA pistol by ammo availability?

Grizzlypeg

Grizzlypeg

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Would it make sense to chose an idpa gun's cartridge by availability of ammo?

9mm appears to be the most readily available and cheapest. That says something for it.

I like 45acp (had a 1911) but wonder what reloading component availability is like currently, in particular bullets. Are the glocks the only pistols that don't like (unplated) cast bullets?

40S&W sounds cool but it looks like there is a shortage of ammo. True? How about bullets themselves?

I'm thinking about either a CZ75 series, Glock or S&W MP if that makes any difference.
 
Availability is consideration but so is price. I have a .40 and two 9mm. I tend to shoot the 9s more because the ammo is cheaper so I can shoot more of it. I haven't done any reloading in a while, I might do some this winter for the 40 but I'm still undecided about 9mm. I got 1000rds of 124gr 9mm from Wolf bullets last summer it is a good product at a price that dosen't really make it worth while to reload but getting hold of him can be difficult.
 
If you don't reload then 9MM is certainly the way to go. Far less expensive and the 9MM guns you mentioned are all very competitive. Pick one you like and shoot well and go foir it. 9MM is certainly the most popular round for SSP and ESP and of course the .45acp is the only cartridge allowed in CDP.

Take Care

Bob
 
I reload for many calibers, but when two of my friends bought 9mms I referred them to Wolf bullets. If you buy 1000 or more the price is around $190. Shipping is not too much, either.

It would take me two or three evenings to laod 1000 9mms, and it would cost around $130. Not worth the effort to load.

I did extensive load testing to pick an accuate load that would meet the IDPA power factor. I chose 4.0 gr of 231 under the 135 gr lead round nose bullet.

I have discovered that the 135 LRN of Wolfe uses 4.0 gr of 231, the same load.

I agree that the cost of good, suitable ammo is an important consideration. I like 9mm and a reduced load in 40 S&W. 9mm is the cheapest.
 
I shoot an M&P in .40. The .40 S&W is much more expensive to buy new but when reloaading i find its only about 20 cents per hundred more than 9mm. I use lead and the M&P handles it fine. I picked .40 as I can download it for IPDA and plinking but load an IPSC major load as well if i want. For what its worth. My IDPA/ODPL load is 3.8 grains of 231 under a 180 grain lead TC bullet giving about 145 - 150 PF. If I go slower the pistol will function but the bullet starts to get very inaccurate beyond 12-15 yards. Used to load at 3.6 and it felt like a .22 but would group looser than my 870 at 25 yards
Hope some of this helps

Also I load a 135 lead roundnose with either 3.9 or 4.0 in 9mm as above and it very accurate from my buddies CZ75 and My High Power and P38.

I have a friend who shoots lead in his glock but the rifling does lead up fast and has to be cleaned out every 200 rounds or so.

Andy
 
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Wolfe does lead, Tmj (total metal jacket) and Fmj. I got the Tmj and it worked well in my Sig and my wifes M&P. I've never used it in a Glock but I can't see why it wouldn't. If you can't get a hold of Wolf try SFRC they are a distributer.
 
Those prices for remanufactured ammo are pretty reasonable. If I can truly get 40S&W at that price, I'd prefer it. I actually didn't know that anyone sold reloaded handgun ammo.
 
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