Norma 9mm FMJ Quality

[BigNate]

I've always understood Norma to make a premium product - but this is exclusively based on their reputation for making quality brass for rifle reloading.

Recently I've seen bulk (1000 round) Norma 124gr 9mm FMJ near the bottom of the price spectrum on AmmoSeek (when I looked last week I found some for $299/1000 - today they are $319). I was surprised to see them priced near the reloads and I'm wondering if there is something I should know before spending some money. Anyway - any opinions or experience on this ammo?

One example from today...
https://rivertownmunitions.com/product/norma-9mm-124-grain-fmj-50-rd-box-1000-rd-case/

 

[xerts1191]

They are Good to Go

 

[paulgt2164]

I have been shooting quite a bit of their 9mm, 6.5CM, 22LR, and 223 - and it has all been good stuff.

 

[xerts1191]

Although they did have a SNAFU with their bulk 5.56 recently, I posted info on that some dang place

 

[Suck My Glock]

I would be very suspicious.

Yes, while Norma has a good reputation, things on the world scene have changed the ammo supply chains. Specifically, nations backing Ukraine (such as Sweden, where Norma is based) have all pledged to divert production to help supply Ukraine. This has included Norma, who announced months ago they were donating ammunition.

Thus, much hurried and frantic production capacity increase has happened all over Europe trying to feed the demand. And just as has been experienced here in our domestic ammo production during our recent shortage, there have been quality control challenges.

I have no idea if there is anything "wrong" with this ammo. But one has to ask themselves;...in this current environment, when demand for ammo everywhere is so high,...why is this batch priced so low?

There MUST be a reason.

 

[paulgt2164]

I would be very suspicious.


I have no idea if there is anything "wrong" with this ammo. But one has to ask themselves

There MUST be a reason.

Lol. Yes, lets speculate and throw out negatives with zero "hands on." That is always a great mentality. How about you buy some? And the price isn't that cheap either - Tombstone had PMC 9mm on sale the last few weeks for ~15 a box local which isn't far off the Norma price, so I don't know what you theorizing there. Norma 9mm typically has always been withing a couple bucks a box from what cheaper local prices are - unless you are still going to sportsman's and paying 19 a box for some dumb reason.



I just got in 3k rounds of ammo from them (took advantage of their buy a box of 9mm , get a box of 22 for free.)

Out of curiosity from the supposed issues with the bulk 556 - I opened a few random boxes of the 9mm and inspected the ammo, and weighed it on my scale. I check a total of about 100 rounds.

Everything looks perfectly normal.

Now granted - this is a "small batch" of 3k rounds, and I have another 2k rounds of it I bought a few months ago. I have shot ~1k rounds of the 9mm and probably ~500 rounds of their 556 and not had an issue. I have been buying from them for over a year (They happened to have 6.5CM in stock when I purchased a RPR in that caliber) and haven't had a single issue other than sometime the packing of the boxes they ship ammo in is a bit lack-luster.

It seems to be just as quality/reliable as any other mass produced ammo. I know they had a recall for a specific batch here recently - but honestly name a mass-production ammo company that hasn't had a recall on a batch.....

 

[BigNate]

Thanks for the info guys... appreciated...

 

[BigNate]

Although they did have a SNAFU with their bulk 5.56 recently, I posted info on that some dang place

Yeah - I saw that... I'm hoping it was a one time FUBAR - not a SNAFU... ;-)

(sorry - old service connected acronyms FTW).

 

[338lapua]

I got a shit ton of their brass given to me by a friend from the range. He was having a hard time depriming it and doing it by hand it takes a lot more pressure to get the primer out. Without swaging the brass some of the primers are not going back in right.

Brass quality across all brands is going down. When I started reloading I had a few barrels of brass that I loaded once a year for over 20 years. The newer brass that is working its way into my supply is not going to last as long. I load light due to arthritis and I usually get a split case or more from every range session.