Trying to understand ammo; what's a good deal?

[Just Andrew]

This is pictures is a couple of months old (newest prices here: http://www.migunowners.org/forum/sho...-ammo-markdown), but how much does it matter if the casing is made of aluminum, steel, or brass?

I bought a box of Federal, 50 rounds at $9.97.

How many of you buy online? Is it worth it after shipping charges?

[Preacherboy]

It all depends what you are doing with the ammo.

Self defense/ carry ammo brass case

Plinking in the backyard...whatever works.

Online dealers that I like, sgammo.com, aimsurplus.com and selway armory. Buying at Wal-Mart is ok until another sandy hook happens and there are massive runs on it. Then you'll wish you had a case or 2 or 10. But several different kinds of self defense and plinking ammo and whatever is most accurate in your pistol buy at least a case of each

[nmuskier]

I will no longer use steel case ammunition in anything but my AK. I have experienced early wear which led to a break in the extractor.
Aluminum is fine if you are not reloading.
Brass is used in premium self defense ammunition.

Shipping is the catch, isn't it? Freedom Ammunition and some other distributors often has free shipping sales. You need to compare your savings to the 6% tax, over the counter. Walmart tends to have fair prices, before tax. You can beat it with a little searching, and if you are buying bulk. My first trip into online ammo shopping, I split a case with a friend. Ammo, stored with minor humidity considerations, will last years.

[Ol` Joe]

It all depends what you are doing with the ammo.

Lots of things to consider.
I have seen guns that didn't extract well with steel cased ammo.
Guns that fed poorly with a certain brand or HP but ran great with another.
Accuracy is another factor that might make a difference in what you buy depending on your use. Rifles come into play here more then handguns for me, and the target I plan on using it on.
Do you reload? Brass is much preferred for reloading, the other 2 are not recommended for it.
Plated bullets work fine for paper and cans, but a true jacket is preferred by most for self defense.
Quality? Some brands burn cleaner then others.
Rimfire often is more dependable in some brands then others. Duds add to the cost of that cheap brick you bought when you are tossing one from each mag due to it not going off.

[Just Andrew]

Self defense/ carry ammo brass case

What makes brass superior?

[Just Andrew]

I'm really grateful for all of the input I'm getting here.

[Just Andrew]

I have seen guns that didn't extract well with steel cased ammo.

Does aluminum have the same issue?

Plated bullets work fine for paper and cans, but a true jacket is preferred by most for self defense.

I thought that a jacket was a sort of plating.

[kurrykid]

I usually only buy online. My guidelines are no more than .20/per for 9mm and .30/per for 380acp (including shipping). You will almost always pay more at the store. I only buy good quality ammo...nothing cheap.

You can find free shipping but some times you have to wait but eventually they have it. I keep an eye on Sportsman's guide as they have it frequently (I have not signed up for their club).

I recently purchased 1000 rounds of 9mm for $189 (free shipping)...that's a good deal 9mm Ammo

[Mkc451]

What makes brass superior?

Brass is softer I think, but they have to coat steel with something to keep it from rusting, that coating can cause problems. I used steel cased ammo in my AR w/o problems, but aluminum 9mm didn't work well in couple of pistols others it did but it's not worth the small savings and I reload so there is that. I won't use anything but brass in revolver, have had issues with it being difficult to eject (.38sp steel cased). YMMV ...

[Ol` Joe]

What makes brass superior?

Brass is more elastic and contracts faster and to a greater degree then steel or aluminum. This lets it seal the chamber and release it at extraction time better then the other materials. It also is a slipperier material then the other materials, better feeding

Does aluminum have the same issue?

Not to the extent I am aware of as steel

I thought that a jacket was a sort of plating.

From Berries Bullets
"(ref: http://www.berrysmfg.com/faq.aspx?q=8&c=1)
Plated - Berry's Preferred Plated bullets begin as a swaged lead core. The plating process works through electrolysis. The swaged lead cores are tumbled in an electrically charged cyanide bath containing high-grade copper ingots. The copper clings to the lead and the longer the bullets remain in the bath, the thicker the plating. Our bullets are plated to the correct size and then taken out of the bath.
Jacketed - Jacketed bullets start with a copper cup, which is "drawn up" into the form of a jacket. Lead is then infused into the jacket.
Cast - Cast bullets are made up of lead that has been poured into a bullet mould. These* come in various hardness levels depending upon the alloy of the lead. All of our cast bullets are lubed and all have the same hardness (about 20 bhu). We distinguish between Hardcast and Cowboy only in that our Cowboy bullets are often used in Cowboy Action Shooting events.

Bullet Comparison
Jacketed - Generally are most expensive but can be shot at magnum velocities and require less cleaning than Cast bullets.
Plated - Not as expensive as Jacketed and cleaner than lead but you'll want to stay away from magnum velocities when loading plated bullets.
Cast - Usually cost the least, but are very "dirty" and often cannot be used in indoor ranges."