"I just got a new gun; what kind of ammo should I get for it, and what do you guys use? What's the BEST?"
This question, or one very closely resembling it, is probably the number one question asked in any gun related forum.
And I understand why people ask it; there are a LOT of new shooters coming into the fold (which is a good thing; let us never forget that), and they only want to be able to have enjoyable, trouble-free shooting sessions--just like the rest of us.
That being said, we also need to realize that such a question is akin to going onto a car forum and asking "I just bought a new car; what brand of fuel is best for it?"...
Not many people would do this; then again, most people have been driving for a good long while, and know that, for the most part, it's all pretty much the same...but we may find that out vehicle prefers one brand over another, while somebody else's identical car prefers something else.
Guess what--
the exact same thing applies to guns and brands of ammunition.
That's right--just because my (for example) Glock gobbles up Tula ammo with aplomb, doesn't mean that yours won't choke on it. Or my XD won't feed WWB worth a damn, doesn't mean that yours won't love it.
Regardless of make, model, barrel length, or even frame color/slide finish.
So...what do we need to do?
BUY AMMO. SHOOT AMMO IN OUR OWN GUN. LEARN FOR OURSELVES.
How can that be a bad thing? Buy a few different brands, see what your gun likes, and what YOU like--hey, maybe you'll find that one's just a little more accurate than another..and anyway, you're spending time at the range shooting...can you say BONUS?
Now--notice in the title, I mentioned answering these questions as well?
Yep--I'm talkin' to you, old timers.
Guess what--
by telling them what works in your gun, you aren't helping them. Sure, the odds are, their pistol will ike the same ammo as yours just fine...but maybe it doesn't. And, if ten people answer, there's like to be five or six different brands of ammo mentioned...at least. Not really helpful.
No, we need to be encouraging people to learn for themselves. When they post that they've had issues with a certain brand, it really doesn't make sense for us to say "Well, I've never had problems with it!"--because that really doesn't matter (and yes, I've done this myself...mea culpa). We should suggest they try something else. Spend some more time at the range.
Again--never a bad concept.
It's similar to the defensive ammo questions that come up a lot--mainly there, people what to know what's best....the answer to which, of course, is there is no "best"...but there are some that are
better than others. None of which matters if they aren't reliable in YOUR gun in YOUR hands...so, again, buy a box or two, and see what YOUR pistol shoots, instead of what MY pistol shoots.
I know this won't stop these questions from being asked. But, maybe, hopefully, it may change how they're
answered.
XDTalk Forums - Your XD/XD(m) Information Source!
»
Before Asking (or Answering) "What Ammo Should I Buy/Use?"
Linear Mode
