You finally finished building your Polymer 80 handgun. From cutting to sanding to assembling all of the lower parts, you are now ready to go to the gun range.
If you lack experience with firearms, you may wonder what the best bullets or Polymer 80 ammo is for your new gun.
3D Gun Builder has you covered. We have built over 100 Polymer 80 pistols and made them all shoot and function.
Let’s dive into the various types, brands, and grains of the best Polymer 80 ammo available online.
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Break In
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Range Days
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Cheapest
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Self Defense
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Polymer 80 Ammo Explained
Polymer 80 ammo is the same as what is used by most other handguns and Glock models. The vast majority of Polymer 80s are chambered in 9mm.
Note: there are various other slides you could use to convert your Polymer 80 for .40, .45, and 10mm, but we will primarily focus on the 9mm default setups.
You can break down the basics of all ammunition and bullets into a few simple components:
Primer – This part of a round is what the Polymer 80 firing pin strikes to cause ignition of the gunpowder
Powder – The gunpowder creates the “explosion” that causes the bullet to project out of the P80 barrel
Casing – The casing holds ammunition together, including the primer, powder, and bullet
Bullet – The bullet is at the tip of the “round” and is shot from the barrel of the handgun
Break In Period
Polymer 80 suggests a “break in” period of approximately 200 rounds (or bullets) fired.
The “break in” period will help the Polymer 80 Slide and other parts sit into place and often can help remove any minor imperfections in your build.
We have found that the best ammo for breaking in your new P80 is to utilize heavier or higher grain rounds, such as a 9mm 124gr full metal jacket.
Range Ammo
Once you have surpassed the 200-round break-in period, you can run nearly any grain 9mm bullets through your Polymer 80.
9mm 115gr full metal jackets are the best bullet to use and balance cost and performance at the range.
Since most components and the frame of a P80 are based on the Glock, you can shoot whatever ammo you want, and the gun will go bang.
That is the reliability of the Glock and Polymer 80 design in action.
Self Defense Ammo
Self-defense ammo, whether for a Polymer 80 or any handgun, is where you will start to feel some sting in your wallet.
Caliber and weight are the same regardless of whether you use your P80 at the range or in self-defensive situations.
The difference is that for self-defense, you will want to use 9mm 115gr Jacketed Hollow Points (JHP) or 9mm 124gr Jacketed Hollow Points(JHP).
These rounds are better for self-defense for two reasons:
Low penetration – Once the round or bullet hits a target, they stop and do not travel through.
Expandable bullet – When a hollow point hits a target, it expands, causing more damage and increasing stopping power.
Polymer 80 Ammo Compatability
Below is an easy guide for determining what ammunition is compatible with which Polymer 80 frame (model).
| P80 Sub Compact(PF490SC) / Glock 26 | P80 Compact(PF490C) / Glock 19 | P80 Full Size(PF490V2) / Glock 17 | P80 Single Stack(PF49SS) / Glock 43 |
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| – 9mm 115gr FMJ – 9mm 124gr FMJ – 9mm 147gr FMJ – 9mm 115gr JHP – 9mm 124gr JHP – 9mm 147gr JHP | – 9mm 115gr FMJ – 9mm 124gr FMJ – 9mm 147gr FMJ – 9mm 115gr JHP – 9mm 124gr JHP – 9mm 147gr JHP | – 9mm 115gr FMJ – 9mm 124gr FMJ – 9mm 147gr FMJ – 9mm 115gr JHP – 9mm 124gr JHP – 9mm 147gr JHP | – 9mm 115gr FMJ – 9mm 124gr FMJ – 9mm 115gr JHP – 9mm 124gr JHP |
Note: FMJ = Full Metal Jacket ($) / JHP = Jacketed Hollow Point ($$$)
Best Polymer 80 Ammo Available
Determining the best P80 ammo for you is dependent on several factors.
Your budget, use case, and type of Polymer 80 all come into play when deciding what ammo is best for your firearm.
We have tested a variety of ammo weights(grains), brands, and levels of quality to give you a few solid options to load up into your P80 magazines.
Higher grain and reliable quality make CCI Blazer an excellent option for breaking in your Polymer 80
The perfect mix of performance, price, and name brand recognition
Classic high-end ammo by Winchester provides ammo you can rely on in a self-defense situation
The Google of ammo finds you the best deals for shooting bullets from your Polymer 80
Verdict
Polymer 80, much like its forefather, the Glock, is a sturdy, reliable, and run f****** type of handgun.
We described what types of ammunition we find best for the various stages and situational requirements.
In the end, you can load up a mag, pull the trigger, and send it.
Do you have a brand or type of ammo that you like best for Polymer 80s?
Let us know in the comments down below!
