Is “Match”:9 mm ammo actually that much better? I.e. more accurate?

[boisepaw]

I’ve shot a lot of 9 mm in my Springfield XDm’s. Always the cheapest ammo I could find and I was never disappointed or thought I could tell a difference.

i just got a 1911 in 9mm and want to pursue better 25+ yard accuracy. Is there really a difference in “Match” 9 mm ammo?

 

[erwos]

Just being "match ammo" isn't enough. This article from Recoil is worth a look over:

Fire-4-Effect Glock Barrel Testing: Part 2, Unexpected Results

Read: Fire-4-Effect Glock Barrel Testing: Part 2, Unexpected Results from Dave Merrill on March 31, 2017 for Recoil.

www.recoilweb.com

Groups halved when they switched from Atlanta Arms 115gr "match" ammo to 147gr Fed JHPs. All of which is to say, things like bullet weight, OAL, etc. can play a part in this, and that just looking for "match" on the box is not necessarily the way to go.

The reality is also that the gun can make more of a difference. My P320 X5 Legions simply don't shoot tight groups out of the box (KKM barrel helps, though), but my BUL 2011s are uniformly laser beams. I won't get into the role that shooter skill plays, which is also pretty substantial.

 

[dist1646]

Match ammo should at least be more consistent.

 

[Bountied]

It's a marketing scheme. Like when labels say premium on beer.

 

[erwos]

Further confounding a lot of this is that some manufacturers make "match" ammo that's not for "matches", but rather is a "match" for their defensive load's PoI, but without the expensive JHP.

 

[MaxVO2]

It's a marketing scheme. Like when labels say premium on beer.

*****And this is yet one more reason why those of discriminating palates drink Budweiser beer!! It says right on the can and box that it’s the King of Beers!! King > Premium!

It’s good to be the King!!!

 

[Defense Initiative]

I’ve shot a lot of 9 mm in my Springfield XDm’s. Always the cheapest ammo I could find and I was never disappointed or thought I could tell a difference.

i just got a 1911 in 9mm and want to pursue better 25+ yard accuracy. Is there really a difference in “Match” 9 mm ammo?

Match pistol shooters will use match primers, match bullets, and cartridge cases from the same lot to reload ammunition. Done correctly, each round should perform consistently the same. If your pistol isn't built to match grade quality and fine-tuned, then that is another factor to deal with.

 

[erwos]

Match pistol shooters will use match primers, match bullets, and cartridge cases from the same lot to reload ammunition. Done correctly, each round should perform consistently the same. If your pistol isn't built to match grade quality and fine-tuned, then that is another factor to deal with.

Rifle and bullseye pistol guys do this. Most action shooters just need it to go bang.

25yds is probably a lot more about your pistol's mechanical accuracy than your ammo.

 

[gwchem]

For action pistol, matching bullet weights and recoil impulse/slide speed is more important. You just need bare minimum accuracy that most decent ammo provides.

 

[boisepaw]

Match pistol shooters will use match primers, match bullets, and cartridge cases from the same lot to reload ammunition. Done correctly, each round should perform consistently the same. If your pistol isn't built to match grade quality and fine-tuned, then that is another factor to deal with.

Thanks for the helpful response. Any opinions on which manufacturer produces the best "match ammo" for a 1911 in 9mm?

 

[erwos]

Thanks for the helpful response. Any opinions on which manufacturer produces the best "match ammo" for a 1911 in 9mm?

Atlanta Arms is the usual go-to.

 

[Defense Initiative]

Thanks for the helpful response. Any opinions on which manufacturer produces the best "match ammo" for a 1911 in 9mm?

I don't since I reload my own. I would test to see which ammunition shoots best in your pistol. The diameter of the bullet does play a factor in accuracy. Once you find ammunition that works well, find the diameter by the manufacturer's ammunition data sheets.

 

[boisepaw]

Atlanta Arms is the usual go-to.

I am a bit of a bullseye kind of guy. it's a bit of a dying art...an old man's game. But 25 years ago I would shoot three times a week.

My 45's are capable of 1.5" accuracy at 50 yards.

I'm not.

But I crave accuracy. Never had a 1911 in 9mm so I'm wondering just what to expect.

Interestingly...I order a couple of rounds from Atlanta Arms just this morning to try it out.

 

[Mark75H]

I don't since I reload my own. I would test to see which ammunition shoots best in your pistol. The diameter of the bullet does play a factor in accuracy. Once you find ammunition that works well, find the diameter by the manufacturer's ammunition data sheets.

Trust but verify. Even match grade can vary by lot. I would use a micrometer.

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

Trust but verify. Even match grade can vary by lot. I would use a micrometer.

At 25 yards you bet the brand of ammunition will make a big difference.
I would test the ammunition at a range by type and brand.

 

[Racinready300ex-2]

The big question would be what do they mean by "match" anyway?

I shoot USPSA matches. The number one thing is the ammo needs to make power factor and work 100%. Accuracy if I can hold a head box at 25 yards it's fine. Most stuff can do this.

Personally I just reload for matches.

 

[slsc98]

…i just got a 1911 in 9mm and want to pursue better 25+ yard accuracy. Is there really a difference in “Match” 9 mm ammo?

Then you’re going to want to DEVELOP a load for THAT pistol. This article isn’t “match ammo” specific however, Rob Leatham touches upon what ‘true’ / real match ammo is (developed to A match gun)…

Rob Leatham: How to Zero Your Pistol - The Armory Life

It’s not always a simple process to zero a pistol, because the type of gun and kind of sights determine the difficulty of the challenge.

www.thearmorylife.com

If on the other hand, alls you’re able (or desire) to do is simply see if boxes off a shelf (or ordered online) of which the labels simply have the word “match” on the box you may or may not get lucky and find one that shoots the smallest groups you’re capable of with poa - poi coinciding being icing on the cake:

Match ammo should at least be more consistent.

 

[slsc98]

I’ve shot a lot of 9 mm in my Springfield XDm’s. Always the cheapest ammo I could find and I was never disappointed or thought I could tell a difference.

i just got a 1911 in 9mm and want to pursue better 25+ yard accuracy. Is there really a difference in “Match” 9 mm ammo?

Ha! Tripped across this article (study? experiment? Findings?) last night and this thread came to mind:

Full article here: https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2019/1/18/38-different-9mm-loads/

“Not all ammunition is equally accurate in a given gun. But just how much of a difference can there be? For example can one kind of ammo be twice as accurate as another―or possibly even more?

This article examines accuracy in one pistol. Savvy shooters know that it’s only one of millions of pistols, and the results only apply to the test gun. But this article is not saying that Brand X is the most accurate ammo for all guns, it only looks at how one gun shoots different ammunition.

Here we compared some inexpensive 9mm Luger ammo commonly used for casual shooting. Match-grade 9mm ammunition is a different subject we will address in a future article. A few loads that would be used for self-defense were included, though they were a minority.

Thirty-eight factory loads were tested, ranging from 90 to 147 grains. These are only a fraction of 9mm loads available. A quick look at the 9mm ammunition available on a popular vendor website showed a list of 151 products. Some of these are repeats, but there are many more brands and loads that are not included in their inventory. So much ammo to try, so little time and money!”

 

[Growler215]

Not all ammunition is equally accurate in a given gun. But just how much of a difference can there be? For example can one kind of ammo be twice as accurate as another―or possibly even more?

From the table, it looks like the best ammo for that gun (Browning 147 gr FMJ-FP) was about 3x more accurate than the worst (Blazer 115 gr TMJ RN).

Looks like the answer is "yes."

 

[Mark75H]

Most important words "for that gun"

It not only applies to the make and model, but to THAT particular gun.

In general, a case of people thinking you can buy accuracy, using money to shortcut the time and effort that real winners put into winning. Same thing applies to ALL sports. Buying the golf clubs from the winner of the PGA Masters Tournament isn't going to take a stroke off your score.

Notice that THAT gun shot Tula pretty damn well. Who would have guessed?