I'm a personal firearms noob... I just bought my first pistol (XD-40) and I've put about 600 rounds of gun shop target ammo through my gun. I came across a new website that sells bulk ammo for a pretty good price. The price is right, but I want to know if this unnamed ammo (and the cheap ammo that I've used so far) is less accurate than the more expensive stuff. The .40 S&W ammo on this website is 180gr just like the stuff I've been using, but could it shoot differently or kick harder than what I'm used to?

All I'm doing is having fun at the range, but I'd like to know if the more expensive ammo would be any more accurate.<ul><li><a href="http://www.bulkammo.com/index.htm">http://www.bulkammo.com/</a></li></ul>

I respect my guns and clean them too carefully and baby them too much to use cheap ammo in them. I use Black Hills Ammo exclusively

All ammo shots differently in each weapon. What shoots well in one gun might not shoot in a similar gun. If all you're gonna be doing is plinking, it's really not gonna make much of a difference. You'll see a change in point of impact, but if the bullet is the same weight as what you've been shooting all along, you'll most likely only see a change in high or low the round hits. It really all depends on the amount and type of powder used from one brand to the next. I wouldn't worry about it too much.

When I first bought my SA .45, I ran a bunch of Fiocci through it. I got a good deal on it, but I paid the price. Whatever primer they were using was rock hard. It didn't like to ignite the rounds. I was getting solid firing pin strikes, but no 'BOOM'. That's the only time I've ever regretted buying ammo in bulk.

Personally I'd be most concerned with cleanliness and price for just plinking ammo like this. I prefer factory ammo and avoid milsurplus, soviet blok, etc...

YMMV and you're unlikely to hurt the gun.

It went 'BANG" every time I squeezed the trigger and ejected nicely. I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was also pretty accurate. It's kinda dirty, but I don't clean that gun anyway so it doesn't really matter.

sometimes corrosive, and worst case scenario can blowed up

or have a NATO stamp on it...I don't use it to feed my weapons.

I'll do hand loads, but only from people I know.

As far as accuracy is concerned, unless you are going for competitions...you shouldn't notice a difference(from what I've been told).

Off the top of my head, here is the mil surp ammo I run through various calibers.

1. Swedish 6.5 mm made in Sweden
2. Turkish 8mm
3. Korean .30-06
4. Greek .30-06
5. Pakistani .303
6. Hungarian 7.62x54R
7. Czech 7.62x25
8. Swiss 7.5mm
9. South African .308
10. South African .223

Most of the stuff is Berdan, Corrosive, so I clean every gun after I shoot. Alot of it (espcially the US calibers) is good Boxer non-corrosive.

Most of what I run through pistols is PMC or equivalent. Even used wolf and that Aluminum case stuff. Works fine.

I DO NOT fire reloads. High primers and/or weak loads is a big risk with Automatic guns.