why use cheap ammo for plinking? - The Firearms Forum

hunter29180 · 01-31-2012, 05:37 PM

after readind and studing up on the whole recoil POA and POI issue..im confused

why would anyone wish to shoot up cheap low powered ammo? it would seem to be such a waste of time...

1) you sight your favorite rifle in using the cheap low powered ammo..then when its time to hunt you either have to resight in your rifle again because your POI has just changed with the heavier, higher powered shell! or miss all your shots...BUMMER!!

2) has all the time shooting the cheap ammo been wasted? hopefully for self defence you dont leave that cheap stuff in you gun? if not then same problem as above..your self defence shots has just became a loud noise maker because you could'nt hit the inside of a barn with the real ammo! and the cheap stuff just bounces off the perp!!

3) while its fun to shoot up those 3000 rounds that cost the same as 500 rounds of the good stuff..its sorta like drinking whisky...the good stuff goes down mild and mellow..no hangovers or such..the cheap stuff..not only smells bad..but goes down like raw gasoline, explodes in the pit when it finally hits bottom and always comes back up tasting twice as bad!

hopefully you caught on I'm funning you all here...

The_Rifleman · 01-31-2012, 06:11 PM

I know you are having fun but....

I like the 150gr SST $28.99, but they are expensive to shoot. So I buy the 150gr FMJ $18.49 to practice with. The POI is the same out to 400 yards, so all is good.

gdmoody · 01-31-2012, 06:20 PM

You can do a whole lot more shooting with the cheaper stuff. In my opinion, no time shooting is wasted.

If I remember right, Jim Beam used to get me just a drunk as Jack Daniels but at half the price!

H-D · 01-31-2012, 07:54 PM

Roll your own!

rcairflr · 01-31-2012, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by H-D

Roll your own!

+1, you get the best of both worlds, premium components and much cheaper than the premium factory ammo. If you do it right, it will be more accurate than the factory ammo.

The_Rifleman · 01-31-2012, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by H-D

Roll your own!

I don't know who you are talking to, but if me; those are prices of bullets by the hundred, not cartridges by 20.

The FMJs are just as accurate as the SSTs.

H-D · 01-31-2012, 08:10 PM

was aimed at the OP

JLA · 01-31-2012, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gdmoody

You can do a whole lot more shooting with the cheaper stuff. In my opinion, no time shooting is wasted.

If I remember right, Jim Beam used to get me just a drunk as Jack Daniels but at half the price!

And McCormicks Vodka will do it better still at half the price of JB.

woolleyworm · 01-31-2012, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JLA

And McCormicks Vodka will do it better still at half the price of JB.

I used to get Lord Calvert Canadian for $1.75 a fifth, that did just fine.

JLA · 01-31-2012, 08:22 PM

Worst drunk I ever been was on MD 20/20 when I was too young to drink.. Only time I ever had a hangover too. Grape pedialyte works great for easing the hangover away.

76Highboy · 01-31-2012, 08:27 PM

I shoot the cheap stuff. Donated wheel weights. Scavenged brass. Cheapest primers. Low velocity loads. BANG!!! I forgot the process of buying centerfire ammo. Can someone remind me how to do that?

JLA · 01-31-2012, 08:29 PM

Im with ya on that 76. Only stuff I ever buy is .22LR ammo.

76Highboy · 01-31-2012, 08:35 PM

JLA, I have to confess something bad to you. I let my .22 cal back stock dwindle down a bit. It's under 8500 rounds. I apologize. I will get her stocked up in double time. Once again, sorry bout that.

langenc · 01-31-2012, 09:03 PM

Nothing wrong w/ cheap(er) ammo to get the feel of the gun-trigger pull, sight picture etc. Shoot couple hundred rounds before deer season-off hand, leaning against a tree, kneeling or off a roll of blanket, if in hilly country. Here it is pretty flat and that wont help.

Most deer hunters around here could use some shooting-10, 20 or 50 rounds.

76Highboy · 01-31-2012, 09:07 PM

Most deer hunters around here could use some shooting-10, 20 or 50 rounds.[/QUOTE]

Ha, ha, ha. The same in your neck of the woods hu?

tomingreeneco · 01-31-2012, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JLA

And McCormicks Vodka will do it better still at half the price of JB.

Three things to avoid in life. Cheap whiskey, fast women and slow horses.

RandyP · 02-01-2012, 06:26 AM

I reload so my perspective is slightly different. But the OP asked about "plinking" which the Randy dictionary defines as relaxing, fun, non-serious, recreational shooting. Why on earth would I want to do that with the most expensive ammo I could find?

Even my serious SD practice is done at realistic SD range distance (25 FEET and less) and regardless of ammo I will always achieve the required MOD (Minute of Dead) accuracy that SD shooting entails. Other than verifying its function I carry my HP ammo and practice with FMJ/Plated.

Even for hunting purposes, being able to consistently hit a paper plate at 300 yards 'should' be pretty good enough practice plinking to hone skills over a couple hundred rounds before a trip, ending the session with a box of 20 of the actual rounds that will be used?

How many hunters spend hours and hundreds of rounds practicing each season? At the high cost of rifle hunting ammo. I suspect they are not the majority.

carver · 02-01-2012, 07:22 AM

Randy P, I agree with you on this one. Most all of my plinking is done with .22, .45ACP, .44 spcl, or .44 mag. Cheap .22 is for busting steel, or other targets like charcoal briquettes, and paint balls, and I hunt with the cheap stuff too, cause I know where it's going! As to the hand gun ammo I reload my own, so it's cheap, but don't let that fool ya! A 240 gr bullet at 800fps will ruin your day, and it doesn't matter if it's cheap lead round nose, or expensive Gold Dot hollow point ammo. My go to CCW weapons are the .45ACP, or the .44spcl. Most all the hand gun practice I do is at short distance realistic tactical targets. Get off the X, move, and shoot, along with practice on my draw, but I do like to shoot at distance with the hand guns as well, targets out to 100yds. My reloads serve me well.

gun-nut · 02-01-2012, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 76Highboy

I shoot the cheap stuff. Donated wheel weights. Scavenged brass. Cheapest primers. Low velocity loads. BANG!!! I forgot the process of buying centerfire ammo. Can someone remind me how to do that?

+1 on that!! I dont shoot much 22 so i think the few thousand that i have will hold me for a few more years.

dbach · 02-01-2012, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hunter29180

after readind and studing up on the whole recoil POA and POI issue..im confused

why would anyone wish to shoot up cheap low powered ammo? it would seem to be such a waste of time...

1) you sight your favorite rifle in using the cheap low powered ammo..then when its time to hunt you either have to resight in your rifle again because your POI has just changed with the heavier, higher powered shell! or miss all your shots...BUMMER!!

2) has all the time shooting the cheap ammo been wasted? hopefully for self defence you dont leave that cheap stuff in you gun? if not then same problem as above..your self defence shots has just became a loud noise maker because you could'nt hit the inside of a barn with the real ammo! and the cheap stuff just bounces off the perp!!

3) while its fun to shoot up those 3000 rounds that cost the same as 500 rounds of the good stuff..its sorta like drinking whisky...the good stuff goes down mild and mellow..no hangovers or such..the cheap stuff..not only smells bad..but goes down like raw gasoline, explodes in the pit when it finally hits bottom and always comes back up tasting twice as bad!

hopefully you caught on I'm funning you all here...

I have to agree. I load like I'm going to hunt or defend my home with the finished round. I sight my rifles in one time, then only adjust when needed.

hunter29180 · 02-01-2012, 12:08 PM

LOL!!! guess some didnt read the last line of my post!!! OUCH!!!

anyways..should point out that I do not consiter reloaded as "cheap"!..as said many times reloaded is far better than factory.....as to the Whisky...the cheap stuff is nasty..most of the time...there are a few ok ones...and MD 20/20 isnt one of them...course i grew up with "homebrew"..and the first run was the cheap stuff..RAW as a winter night in Alaska..and always "recycled" the next morning...even the dogs ran when it recyled!!

the 2ns and 3rd run were the best! smooth as silk..the 2nd would gently put you to sleep with 2-3 glasses..the 3rd run done in one! but wake up the next morning with no hangover and NO RECYCLING!!!

thats what I was trying to get across...

PS i buy all the cheap ammo i can ..just to get the brass to make better ammo!!

mikld · 02-01-2012, 12:22 PM

MD 20-20. Good Lord, I haven't thought of that stuff in 25 years! One of the reasons I don't drink anymore...

Normally folks shoot cheap ammo just for the trigger time; to get used to a gun and/or just plain old practice. For hunting, most will re-sight with the same ammo that will be used on game. And the same with S.D. ammo, shoot cheap for practice and shoot the dedicated S.D. ammo for sight-in/POI.

I use the same ammo for practice/plinking as I do for hunting/S.D.. I cast my own and reload so I get premium/custom ammo cheaper and better than most store bought ammo...

howlnmad · 02-01-2012, 02:27 PM

Cuz it can get mighty expensive plinking with Hornady XTP's.

dbach · 02-01-2012, 03:31 PM

MD 20-20. We used to call it Mad Dog. I heard it could make you howl at the moon.

Nasty stuff.

Juker · 02-01-2012, 03:42 PM

"why use cheap ammo for plinking?"

Becaaaaauuuuuusssssse ........ it costs less.

01-31-2012, 05:37 PM	#1
hunter29180 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: in a motorhome where ever we park! Contributor Posts: 1,627	why use cheap ammo for plinking? after readind and studing up on the whole recoil POA and POI issue..im confused why would anyone wish to shoot up cheap low powered ammo? it would seem to be such a waste of time... 1) you sight your favorite rifle in using the cheap low powered ammo..then when its time to hunt you either have to resight in your rifle again because your POI has just changed with the heavier, higher powered shell! or miss all your shots...BUMMER!! 2) has all the time shooting the cheap ammo been wasted? hopefully for self defence you dont leave that cheap stuff in you gun? if not then same problem as above..your self defence shots has just became a loud noise maker because you could'nt hit the inside of a barn with the real ammo! and the cheap stuff just bounces off the perp!! 3) while its fun to shoot up those 3000 rounds that cost the same as 500 rounds of the good stuff..its sorta like drinking whisky...the good stuff goes down mild and mellow..no hangovers or such..the cheap stuff..not only smells bad..but goes down like raw gasoline, explodes in the pit when it finally hits bottom and always comes back up tasting twice as bad! hopefully you caught on I'm funning you all here... --> Last edited by hunter29180; 01-31-2012 at 05:40 PM..

01-31-2012, 06:11 PM	#2
The_Rifleman Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 872	Re: why use cheap ammo for plinking? I know you are having fun but.... I like the 150gr SST $28.99, but they are expensive to shoot. So I buy the 150gr FMJ $18.49 to practice with. The POI is the same out to 400 yards, so all is good. __________________ Debate isn't "uncivil" behavior. Pointing out illogical reasoning is a legitimate counter argument. That is the problem with internet forum mods, they rarely understand what constitutes legitimate, honest and civil debate. They reward the trolls and annoy the people genuinely trying communicate. I don't really like this place anyway, have fun with your power trip. ...nuff said.

01-31-2012, 06:20 PM	#3
gdmoody Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Northeast Georgia Contributor Posts: 6,311	Re: why use cheap ammo for plinking? You can do a whole lot more shooting with the cheaper stuff. In my opinion, no time shooting is wasted. If I remember right, Jim Beam used to get me just a drunk as Jack Daniels but at half the price! __________________ NRA Endowment Member GeorgiaCarry.Org Member Retired US Army Postal Worker Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take an ass whoopin'.....author unknown (but obviously brilliant)

01-31-2012, 07:54 PM	#4
H-D Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Mississippi Posts: 1,334	Re: why use cheap ammo for plinking? Roll your own! __________________ And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. Revelation 19:11

01-31-2012, 08:10 PM	#7
H-D Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Mississippi Posts: 1,334	Re: why use cheap ammo for plinking? was aimed at the OP __________________ And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. Revelation 19:11

01-31-2012, 08:22 PM	#10
JLA TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Heart Of Texas Contributor Posts: 17,309	Re: why use cheap ammo for plinking? Worst drunk I ever been was on MD 20/20 when I was too young to drink.. Only time I ever had a hangover too. Grape pedialyte works great for easing the hangover away. __________________ It takes 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 3 for proper trigger squeeze. The latest caliber or gear is no substitute for experience and skill. Rifles and cartridges don't make hits -- shooters do. Fact of life: After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF!

01-31-2012, 08:27 PM	#11
76Highboy Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Meridian, Idaho Contributor Posts: 6,947	Re: why use cheap ammo for plinking? I shoot the cheap stuff. Donated wheel weights. Scavenged brass. Cheapest primers. Low velocity loads. BANG!!! I forgot the process of buying centerfire ammo. Can someone remind me how to do that?

01-31-2012, 08:29 PM	#12
JLA TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Heart Of Texas Contributor Posts: 17,309	Re: why use cheap ammo for plinking? Im with ya on that 76. Only stuff I ever buy is .22LR ammo. __________________ It takes 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 3 for proper trigger squeeze. The latest caliber or gear is no substitute for experience and skill. Rifles and cartridges don't make hits -- shooters do. Fact of life: After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF!

01-31-2012, 08:35 PM	#13
76Highboy Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Meridian, Idaho Contributor Posts: 6,947	Re: why use cheap ammo for plinking? JLA, I have to confess something bad to you. I let my .22 cal back stock dwindle down a bit. It's under 8500 rounds. I apologize. I will get her stocked up in double time. Once again, sorry bout that.

01-31-2012, 09:03 PM	#14
langenc V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Montmorency Co, MI Posts: 407	Re: why use cheap ammo for plinking? Nothing wrong w/ cheap(er) ammo to get the feel of the gun-trigger pull, sight picture etc. Shoot couple hundred rounds before deer season-off hand, leaning against a tree, kneeling or off a roll of blanket, if in hilly country. Here it is pretty flat and that wont help. Most deer hunters around here could use some shooting-10, 20 or 50 rounds.

01-31-2012, 09:07 PM	#15
76Highboy Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Meridian, Idaho Contributor Posts: 6,947	Re: why use cheap ammo for plinking? Most deer hunters around here could use some shooting-10, 20 or 50 rounds.[/QUOTE] Ha, ha, ha. The same in your neck of the woods hu?

02-01-2012, 06:26 AM	#17
RandyP V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 430	Re: why use cheap ammo for plinking? I reload so my perspective is slightly different. But the OP asked about "plinking" which the Randy dictionary defines as relaxing, fun, non-serious, recreational shooting. Why on earth would I want to do that with the most expensive ammo I could find? Even my serious SD practice is done at realistic SD range distance (25 FEET and less) and regardless of ammo I will always achieve the required MOD (Minute of Dead) accuracy that SD shooting entails. Other than verifying its function I carry my HP ammo and practice with FMJ/Plated. Even for hunting purposes, being able to consistently hit a paper plate at 300 yards 'should' be pretty good enough practice plinking to hone skills over a couple hundred rounds before a trip, ending the session with a box of 20 of the actual rounds that will be used? How many hunters spend hours and hundreds of rounds practicing each season? At the high cost of rifle hunting ammo. I suspect they are not the majority. __________________ Lee Anniversary and Lee Classic 4-Hole Turret, presently reloading .380, 7.62 Nagant (32-20), 9mm and 45ACP Last edited by RandyP; 02-01-2012 at 06:29 AM..

02-01-2012, 07:22 AM	#18
carver TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: DAV, Deep in the Pineywoods of East Texas, just west of Shreveport, LA Contributor Posts: 11,236	Re: why use cheap ammo for plinking? Randy P, I agree with you on this one. Most all of my plinking is done with .22, .45ACP, .44 spcl, or .44 mag. Cheap .22 is for busting steel, or other targets like charcoal briquettes, and paint balls, and I hunt with the cheap stuff too, cause I know where it's going! As to the hand gun ammo I reload my own, so it's cheap, but don't let that fool ya! A 240 gr bullet at 800fps will ruin your day, and it doesn't matter if it's cheap lead round nose, or expensive Gold Dot hollow point ammo. My go to CCW weapons are the .45ACP, or the .44spcl. Most all the hand gun practice I do is at short distance realistic tactical targets. Get off the X, move, and shoot, along with practice on my draw, but I do like to shoot at distance with the hand guns as well, targets out to 100yds. My reloads serve me well. __________________ Y'all be safe now, ya hear! Lamentations Chapter 5: 1. Remember, O LORD, what is come upon us: consider, and behold our reproach. 2. Our inheritance is turned to strangers, our houses to aliens. 3. We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers [are] as widows. 5. Our necks [are] under persecution: we labour, [and] have no rest. 16. The crown is fallen [from] our head: woe unto us, that we have sinned! 21. Turn thou us unto thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old. Last edited by carver; 02-01-2012 at 07:29 AM..

02-01-2012, 12:08 PM	#21
hunter29180 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: in a motorhome where ever we park! Contributor Posts: 1,627	Re: why use cheap ammo for plinking? LOL!!! guess some didnt read the last line of my post!!! OUCH!!! anyways..should point out that I do not consiter reloaded as "cheap"!..as said many times reloaded is far better than factory.....as to the Whisky...the cheap stuff is nasty..most of the time...there are a few ok ones...and MD 20/20 isnt one of them...course i grew up with "homebrew"..and the first run was the cheap stuff..RAW as a winter night in Alaska..and always "recycled" the next morning...even the dogs ran when it recyled!! the 2ns and 3rd run were the best! smooth as silk..the 2nd would gently put you to sleep with 2-3 glasses..the 3rd run done in one! but wake up the next morning with no hangover and NO RECYCLING!!! thats what I was trying to get across... PS i buy all the cheap ammo i can ..just to get the brass to make better ammo!!

02-01-2012, 12:22 PM	#22
mikld Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Oregon Posts: 573	Re: why use cheap ammo for plinking? MD 20-20. Good Lord, I haven't thought of that stuff in 25 years! One of the reasons I don't drink anymore... Normally folks shoot cheap ammo just for the trigger time; to get used to a gun and/or just plain old practice. For hunting, most will re-sight with the same ammo that will be used on game. And the same with S.D. ammo, shoot cheap for practice and shoot the dedicated S.D. ammo for sight-in/POI. I use the same ammo for practice/plinking as I do for hunting/S.D.. I cast my own and reload so I get premium/custom ammo cheaper and better than most store bought ammo... __________________ My Anchor is holding fast.

02-01-2012, 02:27 PM	#23
howlnmad Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Harriman, Tn Contributor Posts: 2,566	Re: why use cheap ammo for plinking? Cuz it can get mighty expensive plinking with Hornady XTP's. __________________

02-01-2012, 03:31 PM	#24
dbach V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Trinity, TX Posts: 165	Re: why use cheap ammo for plinking? MD 20-20. We used to call it Mad Dog. I heard it could make you howl at the moon. Nasty stuff. __________________ David Bachelder Trinity, TX Rookie Reloader but learning fast 9mm, 40S&W, 45ACP, 45 Colt, 38 Special, .357 Magnum, 38 S&W, .243, & 30-06 CHL ~ Texas

02-01-2012, 03:42 PM	#25
Juker Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Land of Lincoln Contributor Posts: 2,872	Re: why use cheap ammo for plinking? "why use cheap ammo for plinking?" Becaaaaauuuuuusssssse ........ it costs less. __________________ SHOOT FIRST. SHOOT SECOND. MOST IMPORTANTLY, BE THE MAN WHO'S SHOOTING LAST.