2016.03.24 Freedom Munitions FM9R115SN

[hufnagel]

Freedom Munitions decided to come up with another ammo flavor, their "American Steel" line. 9mm, 115 grains, round nose copper plated boolits, with brass coated steel cases. Having a buy to fill out some of my other stock I picked up a couple boxes of this ammo to test.

NOTE: All shots taken at a distance to target of 10 meters, standing, at a moderate to brisk pace, full 15 round magazines except for the last 5 of the box obviously. No rests or aids were used.

Ammo:
Freedom Munitions
9mm 147gr Reman
PN: FM9R147R
Lot #: 26342-25580-77-34
Rounds: 150
Distance to target: 10meters
Firearm: H&K P30 9mm v3 (096)



I warmed up with this for reasons I've noted in another thread.


Ammo:
Freedom Munitions
9mm 115gr Reman
PN: FM9R115R
Lot #: 12017-11407-20-10
Rounds: 50
Distance to target: 10meters
Firearm: H&K P30 9mm v3 (096)



This would be my "control" target, for comparison of the new stuff.

Ammo:
Freedom Munitions
9mm 115gr
PN: FM9R115SN
Lot #: 160223337117-166-204
Rounds: 50
Distance to target: 10meters
Firearm: H&K P30 9mm v3 (096)



First off let me say this. Holy CRAP this stuff is dirty. My hands were a mess from loading up this and the other box. Also I've NEVER seen sparks come flying out of my gun like I did with this stuff. In addition, I had FTE's happen on rounds 1, 2, and 41...



Round 1 needed to be pushed out with my safety flag.
Round 2 fell out when I turned the muzzle skyward and shook the gun gently.
Round 41 came out when the slide was racked.
I'm thinking, thermal expansion and contraction of the cases, caused them to "stick"?

Finally, accuracy as you can see was poor.

Ammo:
Freedom Munitions
9mm 115gr
PN: FM9R115SN
Lot #: 160223337117-166-204
Rounds: 50
Distance to target: 10meters
Firearm: H&K P30 9mm v3 (096)



Worse S**t Different Box, same lot


Ammo:
Freedom Munitions
9mm 147gr Reman
PN: FM9R147R
Lot #: 26899-25699-97-182
Rounds: 150
Distance to target: 10meters
Firearm: H&K P30 9mm v3 (096)



Follow up with my favorite flavor to make sure it wasn't me or the gun at that point.


In conclusion and in my opinion... don't buy this stuff. I'm seriously considering asking FM for a refund.

[JAD]

It is completely awesome that they're playing the steel with brass so that I won't be able to tell the difference when picking up the range.

[JV_]

I guess we'll have to start using a magnet when sorting through cases.

[hufnagel]

It is completely awesome that they're playing the steel with brass so that I won't be able to tell the difference when picking up the range.

Yea. The even coat the inside, so they looked identical. Head stamps on the brass are also generic FM stamping as well. I was careful to clean up BEFORE I started shooting it, so as not to get it mixed in with my for sale re-loadable brass.

[hufnagel]

I guess we'll have to start using a magnet when sorting through cases.

I just verified... yep they react to a magnet. So there's at least that.

[45dotACP]

I just finished up using the last Freedom Munitions ammo I'll ever buy...multiple instances of shit (unburned powder) being blown back in my face...

Moving forward, it's factory fodder or steel cased if I'm feeling cheap.

I'm sad because my expectations were for at least mediocre ammo and what I got was crap.

Sent from my VS876 using Tapatalk

[HCM]

The brass credit thing is tempting but no thank you. I've seen multiple squibs with Freedom 9mm brass, three in one two day training class between two shooters and two separate lots of ammo. Back during the AR pistol / SIG brace craze, SKYLINE1 got some horrible 300 Blk rifle ammo from them as well.

[spinmove_]

Wow, that's bizzare. I either don't shoot enough (entirely possible) or I've been extremely lucky with the samples that I've gotten from FM. And their stuff is pretty much all I shoot. I actually snagged 100 rounds of Federal 115gr. FMJ white box from the range the other day because I forgot to grab a couple boxes of my own stuff and it was WAY dirtier than the FM stuff I usually shoot.

Is there something else that I should be switching to for cost effective range stuff/bulk ammo storage? Blazer Brass perhaps?

[JV_]

Blazer Brass perhaps?

If you plan to save the brass to reload, I would avoid Blazer Brass. I find their brass splits very quickly, I've even seen split brass from their stuff on the first firing (out of the box).

[spinmove_]

If you plan to save the brass to reload, I would avoid Blazer Brass. I find their brass splits very quickly, I've even seen split brass from their stuff on the first firing (out of the box).

I don't reload and probably won't for some time. And by some time, I mean the next 2-4 years. 5 years down the road I could MAYBE see getting into it. What is generally recommended then for range/training/practice/bulk FMJ?