I have been a fan of Fiocchi for just regular blasting ammo for a long time. If one owns guns in chamberings like .30 Luger or 7.62 Nagant, it's hard not to be.
But this latest batch of 115gr 9mm ball (9AP) that I got was disappointing. Spent brass dribbling out of the port, multiple FTEs and FTF(eed)s in only 25 rounds fired, and a velocity spread over a ten round string that ran from 982.7fps to 1087fps.
Sub-1000fps 115gr 9mm ball doesn't run autos well.
Anybody else seen this?
Where was it made? I've been finding the prices from Freedom Munitions hard to beat.
That would be the first bad Fiocchi I had seen if it was me shooting it.
I shot maybe 500 rounds of Fiocchi 115 gr a year or so ago without any problems (indeed, I'd say it was a bit hotter than normal range ammo), but given your report I'm not sure I want to buy any more. That velocity spread alone obviously raises some real questions about their quality control.
I'm wondering if they didn't have their nine line cranked up faster than they could effectively QC, trying to fulfill demand?Originally Posted by Chuck Haggard
(I mean, the Fiocchi .30 Luger I was shooting the other day had a SD under 14fps for a 10-round string, which is damned good for factory pistol ammo.)
Might be.
They also seem to be making ammo for other folks. That "Perfecta" ammo being sold in Wal Mart looks to be Fiocchi stuff
Interesting. I shot 300 rounds of recently procured Fiocci 9mm 115 grain range fodder this week, and it felt as snappy as ever in my Glock 17.
Hmm... I had both 124 and 115 stuff earlier this year. All of it ran fine. The 115 felt exceptionally mild but produced some of the best groups I've gotten out of my 3rd gen 19.
I had about a 1% failure rate with Fiocchi last year and stopped using it. Worse, and puzzling for me, was that I experienced keyholing with it but not with any other ammo. It may have just been a bad batch. I had no issues with Fiocchi prior to last year.
I tried some Freedom Munitions, but it doesn't burn cleanly for me (could be light loads -- I have no good way to measure) so probably not going there again after I finish using the remainder. I stick to Speer Lawman or American Eagle now. I'm considering reloading (good move, now that prices are falling!), but only because I'm thinking about it for carbine and rifle, so if I can at least break even for 9mm, it's all good. That is if we can ever find powder again.
Oh yeah. I think there may be something to the idea of makers just plain being pressed to get product out. Fiocchi has typically impressed me as hot, especially in rounds like .32 and .380, but I had some FTEs with 115 9mm ball that sound like yours. I hasten to add that the same can be said of 115 grain PMC of recent vintage, and only when shooting in positions that can compromise my grip. In fact, I gave up the 2000 round challenge with my Glock 17 over this. I'll try that one again once I have 2000 rounds of NATO and carry ammo stocked back up. No problem with 124. I dunno... FWIW.
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