Why You Should Test Your Ammo

[Annihilator]

Good article on why you should test your ammo, good information.

An Official Journal Of The NRA | Why You Should Test Your Ammo

Most gun owners will test ammunition to ensure it works in a handgun, but how often is terminal performance checked?

www.shootingillustrated.com

 

[KASHIRA-3]

I certainly believe in the science of ballistics but I test ammo for function and POI not what it might do in a block of jelly. My preference is JHP for obvious reasons but its simply a box for me to check. If its a JHP and will function reliably in my weapon and seemingly flies straight, I check the box. Although one projectile might be a better performer than another, I am simply not inclined to go through the paces to measure the fine details. A fast moving projectile will put holes in things and if it goes where I point it and at least has a good chance ( based on its JHP design) of staying there, I am not really concerned beyond that. If a JHP will not run reliably in my gun, I will opt for a FMJ and not do any handwringing over it.

I accept that some people are numbers people, fine detail or nuances people.. there is nothing wrong with that. Thats not me though, I essentially want the thing to go bang and come out the other end in a straight line. I consider everything else to be up to me.

So yes, I do agree that you should test your ammo. I am simply not motivated to the same degree or for the same reasons as most others. I am certainly not suggesting that others are wrong, just different. I am often in the minority in the way I feel about gun related issues.

 

[HansGruber]

I test my ammo for function (foremost) followed by accuracy & control in my weapons; my benchmark for the latter is usually the Bill Drill begun from low ready, repeated at least 3 times.

As far as performance? I used to do it, using wetpack (soaked newsprint/phone books) or just plain water...but now, there’s enough reliable sources doing gel tests that you can source several and get a pretty good idea of how a round will perform...bearing in mind what a proper gel test involves, and what the limitations of gel are.

 

[Bassbob]

Good article Anni. The way I test mine is the absolute best, most scientific way there is. I shoot big, thick pieces of treated wood with it. If I want to do math ( I never want to do math) I would just come here and see what Hans, Talyn and KillerFord are using. They already did the math.

 

[wmg1299]

I always test any ammo that I plan on carrying, but my testing only focuses on reliability and accuracy. My local ranges are only set up for paper targets, and I primarily shoot steel targets on the family land. I get my expansion and penetration data from articles and internet videos. As long as a certain defensive round runs reliably through my gun, I'm willing to trust the professionals for all the specific performance data. I generally trust modern defensive ammo to do its job if I do my part by shooting accurately.