Quality of Ammo

I have a questions to those more experienced than me...

I know there is a big difference between say..the cheapest WOLF ammo versus "Match Quality" ammo in the same caliber.. But how much diffference is there really?? And what is, in your opinion, the best quality .45 ammo out there?

Im asking, because when I was shooting SpeerLawmen .45, I couldn't hit the target to save my life. Even to the point where I thought there was something wrong with my gun..

but lo and behold, I got some Fiochi .45 from SportmansGuide, and all of the sudden the bullets were going where I wanted too, and my groups were awesome.

Is this a mental thing, or is Fiochi such a jump in quality from the previous stuff I was shooting to make up the difference???

Also, these results were the same for both me and my girl.

I'll give it a try, but I'm no expert on ammo. What is certainly true is not all ammo is made equal. Weight, and configuration will definately have an impact on performance. Were both of your test subjects FMJ? JHP? Were they the same weight? These are some reasons for a difference in performance. This is also why it is so important to thoroughly test what you plan to use for carry ammo. If all you ever shoot down range is ball ammo, you'll be surprised when shot placement is crucial to your survival. I'm sure there are folks here with much more to add to this, but I'm glad you started this thread. It's an important topic that should be discussed.

Both were FMJ 230gr.

And you are right about carry vs practice ammo, when I put a magazine downrange of some of that expensive HydraShock stuff I was suprised at how weak it felt.

I wouldn't say Fiocchi is better quality than Speer Lawman. I have shot the Lawman ammo a lot and I feel that it is good ammo. I would say it depends on your particular weapon...I always advise people to test out as much ammo as they can get their hands on and see which one shoots best in your particular weapon. Just because one type of ammo shoots well for someone, doesn't mean it will grpup well in your rifle or pistol. It doesn't matter how cheap a particular ammo is if it shoots poorly out of your weapon. Cheap is alright to practice, but I wouldn't go cheap if I am going to carry a defensive load to save my life and those who I am trying to protect.

Conclusion, try as many different factory ammunition as you can for your XD and see which ammo gives you the tightest group. Than I would suggest buying a case of that ammo...that way you get the same lot#...ammo can vary from lot to lot, so if you find a lot # that shoots well...I say buy as much as you can afford.