Ammo Comparisons

daytonaknight · Post by **daytonaknight** » October 16th, 2009, 7:30 pm

A couple of weeks ago, I had my P64 at the range and had several jams when feeding the last round in the mag. The round would be pointing straight up, jammed between the slide and the chamber. I had never had any problems with jams like that before and I remembered, I had never shot Silver Bear FMJ either. Sounds like an excuse for a follow up range trip, actually 2 since I decided 150 rounds at a time was about max for my hand. I cleaned and lubed the P64 then fired the 6 brands I had in my ammo stash. I loaded two rounds at a time into the mag since it was the last shot that was jamming so there were 25 mags per box. Here's the result:

Wolf Performance FMJ (yea I know Wolf has a reputation of questionable quality and has been reported to occasionally damage guns): no problems. Strange smell. My fingertips got black while loading it. Best grouping in the set.

Fiocchi FMJ: no problems.

Brown Bear FMJ: no problems. Smells like burning paper. I even saw what looked like little shreds of toilet paper drop on the table after one shot. Coincidence? Paper filler? My fingertips got yellow from loading it.

MFS +P: No problems. Brass cased Hungarian ammo. Standard pressure even though it has +P in the name.

Silver Bear HP: no problems. Good ammo for the 4'th of July - lots of flying sparks.

Silver Bear FMJ: 4 jams. In all 4 cases, the nose of round was in the chamber but the round was at an angle which would not allow it to go all the way in.

Looks like my P64 just doesn't like Silver Bear FMJ.

Sgt P · Post by **Sgt P** » October 17th, 2009, 7:55 am

Daytonaknight,
Well you pretty much ruled out a magazine spring problem with all the differant types of ammunition.

It is hard to say what type of additives the ammunition companies are using. I do know that wolf has had some weird problems with their powder charges in the past, hence some of the problems with their primers coming out of the cases.

I would really like to try the Hungarian MFS +p. A good friend of mine is a Major in their military. But cannot seem to find their ammo around here in FL.

Pretty weird that your P-64 is ammo sensitive to Silver bear FMJ. Both my P-64s digest just about every differant type of 9 X 18 makarov ammo that I fed them. ;D Sgt P.

torpeau · Post by **torpeau** » October 17th, 2009, 11:13 am

Sgt P. wrote: I would really like to try the Hungarian MFS +p. A good friend of mine is a Major in their military. But cannot seem to find their ammo around here in FL.

I would be very surprised if you did find any in a store. I have some MFS that I bought online, but I don't know from whom. One of the first places I look when I'm ready to buy any ammo is
http://gun-deals.com/ammo.php

Post by **normsutton** » October 17th, 2009, 1:44 pm

I read some where that Fiocchi is loaded by MFS don't know how true that is

NORM

darrell · Post by **darrell** » October 17th, 2009, 4:36 pm

My P-64 doesn't like steel ammo. The Silver Bear feeds very well in my PA-63 but tends to cause my slide not to come all the way back in the P-64 and thus the trigger doesn't reset. Usually this is on the first shot but as the gun gets warmed up more rounds don't feed right. I am not using steel in it again if I can help it. Brass is softer and probably more slippery.

daytonaknight · Post by **daytonaknight** » October 17th, 2009, 6:34 pm

I got the MFS off Gunbroker. One of my lucky finds. I won an auction of 550 rounds for $80. When I got the shipment in the mail, it had an extra 90 rounds. The seller said he had gotten rid of all his 9x18 guns and was selling off his ammo. He found another 90 rounds after listing the auction and just put it in the shipment to let it go to a good home.

I have no technical data to back it up but what MFS I have shot has been good ammo. I have fired it in my P64, CZ-82, and two Bulgies without a single hiccup. But that may not be a good test since none of the guns tend to hiccup anyway.

Last Fiocchi I bought, the salesman swore was American made. I found Fiocchi USA in Ozark Missouri on internet and they say they have a manufacturing plant which loads shot shells and centerfire bullets and they do list 9MM Mak in their product line. I always thought it was all imported from Italy.

I'm wondering if I just got a bad lot of Silver Bear FMJ. I only had two faded boxes and it's all gone now. I may try again when I find some more. If it jams in my P64 again, I'll just shoot it in my Bulgies - they will digest anything.

torpeau · Post by **torpeau** » October 17th, 2009, 9:17 pm

daytonaknight wrote:
Last Fiocchi I bought, the salesman swore was American made. I found Fiocchi USA in Ozark Missouri on internet and they say they have a manufacturing plant which loads shot shells and centerfire bullets and they do list 9MM Mak in their product line. I always thought it was all imported from Italy.

I have some Fiocchi .45 ammo that says it's made in the USA and some that says it was made in Hungary. I have some Fiocchi in another caliber that shows no country of origin.

My P-64s don't complain about any ammo.

Sgt P · Post by **Sgt P** » October 18th, 2009, 9:30 am

daytonaknight,
Man that is a super good buy.

640 rounds of 9 X 18 for $80. Now was shipping included? Or additional to the $80 that you sent him? I'd just like to get a few boxes of MFS +p to try it thru my P-64s. Let me know if you'd like to sell off 2 boxes?

Torpeau, thanks for the web site info for gundeals.com

I will see what ammo that I can find thru the differant companies. Appreciate your assistance. Sgt P.

daytonaknight · Post by **daytonaknight** » October 18th, 2009, 1:25 pm

Sgt P - what part of Florida are you in?

Sgt P · Post by **Sgt P** » October 18th, 2009, 4:36 pm

daytonaknight,
Just sent you a PM. Sgt P.

mojo357 · Post by **mojo357** » March 28th, 2012, 6:19 pm

I know it's an old thread but new owners might be looking for this info.

My P-64 jams a lot with Silver Bear and Sellier & Bellott but does great with Winchester. All FMJ.
I think my gun is just tight and might loosen up with some work, but I'm sticking with Winchester.

Curly1 · Post by **Curly1** » March 28th, 2012, 11:05 pm

Each gun can have it's won disposition.

I can run Siver Bear and Wolf thru my P64 no problem but the CZ82 does not like the Wolf with the conical shaped bullet.

p64-1973 · Post by **p64-1973** » March 29th, 2012, 12:56 pm

I usually shoot the Brown Bear FMJ, or the Silver Bear HP's myself. I have never had any problems with this ammo.

lklawson · Post by **lklawson** » March 29th, 2012, 1:56 pm

Curly1 wrote:Each gun can have it's won disposition.

I can run Siver Bear and Wolf thru my P64 no problem but the CZ82 does not like the Wolf with the conical shaped bullet.

Same here. The truncated cone Wolf I shot was (ims) 109 gr. and it choked my CZ-82 every time. But the P64 and, incidentally, my other Mak cal. handguns, like it as well as any other Mak ammo.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

Donzi · Post by **Donzi** » March 29th, 2012, 3:14 pm

lklawson wrote:
Curly1 wrote:Each gun can have it's won disposition.

I can run Siver Bear and Wolf thru my P64 no problem but the CZ82 does not like the Wolf with the conical shaped bullet.
Same here. The truncated cone Wolf I shot was (ims) 109 gr. and it choked my CZ-82 every time. But the P64 and, incidentally, my other Mak cal. handguns, like it as well as any other Mak ammo.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

My CZ82 choked so badly on Wolf that it wouldn't even chamber the round all the way unless I slapped the rear of the slide. Not my favorite brand.

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