Competition Ammo for USPSA & IDPA - Everything you need to know about choosing the right ammo!


Competiting in a USPSA and/or IDPA match can come down to the ammo you choose as well as all the difference between victory and defeat. Whether you're a seasoned competitor or just stepping into the thrilling realm of competitive shooting, one thing remains constant: the critical role of ammunition.

Now, before we dive in, let's establish some ground rules. While reloading may offer its own set of advantages, we're adhering to the realm of readily available factory ammo for this discussion. I've distilled it down to four essential elements, each playing a pivotal role in your selection process:

  1. Division and Organization: Understanding the specific rules and regulations of your chosen division and organization is paramount. Different division (pistol choice) may have distinct requirements, influencing your ammunition choice.

  2. Power Factor (PF): It's not just about hitting the target; it's about making sure its in compliance with current rulesets. Power factor considerations ensure your rounds meet the necessary energy thresholds.

  3. Performance: Every bullet tells a story, and you want yours to be one of precision and consistency. We'll delve into the performance metrics that matter most on the range, helping you make informed decisions about bullet weight, velocity, and more.

  4. Reliability: In the heat of competition, there's no room for misfires or malfunctions. Reliability isn't just a bonus—it's a necessity.

In case you haven’t seen the video, here it is below! For the rest of the article, Il black it up with some of the items I had mention in the video such as Minimum Power Factor floors and org/divisions minimums for USPSA & IDPA

Organizations and Divisions (Minimum Power Factor Floors)

USPSA

  • Minor Scoring - 125 PF

    • Production

    • Carry Optics

    • Limited Optics

    • PCC (Pistol Caliber Carbine)

    • Revolver

    • Limited

    • Single Stack

    • Open

  • Major Scoring - 165 PF (keep in mind you can drop to minor scoring if you can’t make major)

    • Revlover

    • Limited

    • Single Stack

    • Open

I’ll leave a link here for the most updated USPSA Rulebook as of 5.1.24

IDPA

  • BUG (Backup Gun) - 95 PF; defaults to 105 if a Match Director doesn’t want to offer BUG at a match

  • Stock Revolver & CCP - 105 PF

  • SSP, ESP, & Carry Optics - 125 PF

  • PCC - 135 PF

  • Enhanced Revolver - 155 PF

  • CDP - 165 PF

Link for the 2024 IDPA Rulebook as of 5.1.24

Link for the most updated Equipment Rules as of 5.1.24

Minimum Velocities for Popular Bullet Weights and Divisions

The guide below will help give you an idea of where you stand in relation to the minimum velocity required based on the bullet and expected Power Factor. Bear in mind, you’re ultimately responsible for ensuring your ammo makes power factor, so use this as guide, but not law!

9mm Minor (125 PF)

  • 95gr = 1316 f/ps

  • 115gr = 1087 f/ps

  • 124gr = 1009 f/ps

  • 135gr = 926 f/ps

  • 147gr = 851 f/ps

9 Major and 38 Super Comp (165 PF)

  • 124gr = 1295 f/ps

40 S&W (165 PF)

  • 180gr = 917 f/ps

.45 (165 PF)

  • 200gr = 825 f/ps

  • 230gr = 718 f/ps

Ammo I Recommend and Use!

Below is a list I currently use and can be readily bought. I’ll keep it simple as well as why I use it!

Also, for a small discount at anything Optics Planet… use my code GGUNNER

Blazer 115 Aluminum (9mm)

  • Reliable, Cheap and Available

  • Lightweight - can carry an extra 100 rounds on plane flights!

  • Feeds in every 9mm ive shot, including guns that had extraction issues

  • Its not as consistent as some new Match type Ammo (like Syntech) - about 15 f/ps variance

  • I like it in my heavier guns, such as my ported DS9’s… extra gas really works great

  • Use for both Practice and Matches

Syntech 150 (9mm)

  • Very consistent ammo (variance of 5 f/ps) and Certified USPSA

  • Softest shooting ammo of the bunch

  • Main use for matches, especially Major’s as they offer great shipping plans

  • Its real fun to shoot in light guns, but my new DS9 LOC is spring for this type of ammo and is absolutely reliable, soft and accurate

  • Reasonable Pricing for Quality

Federal Eagle 124 (9mm)

  • Cheap, reliable and consistent

  • Its is hot with a rating of 1150 f/ps which puts this in 142 PF

  • This is great to use with ported and/or comped guns. With the extra gas exerted, my comped/ported gun shoot quicker and faster

  • I use this in Matches especially my Ported DS9’s; variance is about 8 f/ps

  • This was the ammo I used to (barely) make PF when I shot an IDPA Major with the ZEV OZ9 Hypercomp

SuperVel 124 Certified Select (9mm)

  • Cheap, but can be tempermental in tight tolerance guns

  • I use for Practice

  • Good compromise between 115 & 147 … enough inertia to get those 2011 slides to cycle nicely

  • Like this in heavier guns

  • Variance can be on the higher side which is 19 f/ps

SuperVel 147 Competition (9mm)

  • This was my goto ammo when I shot my CZ Shadow 2

  • Reliable in CZ’s and the production type guns; needed to be case gauged when shot out of my DS9’s

  • I used for Practice and Matches

  • Soft Shooting characteristics

If you’d like to see more of my daily outtakes and projects in progress… Check out my Instagram account… yes my account is private as I just want to share info on there to my audience and not whomever… so just request and I’ll accept!

My Gear, New to CompetitionPaul BoltonAmmoComment