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Old 12-30-2015, 08:07 AM
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Default RELATIVE QUALITY OF TODAYS FACTORY AMMO

Just a short post to what I have found in general over the last few years. I shoot mostly my own re-loads but do shoot Factory from time to time and exclusively for self defense - so I do shoot some in practice sessions. When shooting Factory SD loads they are always shot through my Chronograph while testing.

While I find pretty much all ammo does go bang, I will list MY PERSONAL opinion and personal test results of ammo brands in general terms. The criteria not only includes reliability, but consistency of velocities, accuracy, and their ability to do what the manufacturer states it will do in their literature. They are listed in order of how I see them stacked up to each other:

#1) Buffalo Bore
#2 CCI / Speer
#3 Federal
#4) Winchester
#5 Remington

Those are the 5 Company's ammo I have been testing and have not tested others like Core-bon, Magtech, Wolf, Tula, etc. so I can not comment on those. I am NOT a professional LEO, NOT a Ballistics expert , and in NO WAY associated with any ammunition Company so I have no horse in this race - just wanted to post my findings in hopes it might help someone else.
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Old 12-30-2015, 02:57 PM
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I agree with #4 and #5 on how well my rifle cases hold up.

I give Norma brass top billing for long life with Federal in the mix for number of reloads with target to full loads in my rifles.

It takes a lot of loads to kill pistol and revolver brass, mostly if target loads. No real winners here.

Have yet to have a factory load not fire.......... but some of the fps was pretty bad.
Minimal at best for SD loads out of short barrels.

Lets face it. Some of use do not have a harness with a BIG holster to carry the weight of a LONG BARREL weapon when we leave the house.
However I have noticed a lot of youngsters with pants that are about to fall off!!!
Huuummmmm.
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Old 12-30-2015, 03:14 PM
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Originally Posted by chief38 View Post
their ability to do what the manufacturer states it will do in their literature
You don't say what caliber, gun, or barrel length. Any expansion or penetration tests in ballistic media?

Last edited by bigwheelzip; 12-30-2015 at 03:15 PM.
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Old 12-30-2015, 04:00 PM
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Most all SD factory rounds are reliable, on that note one of the only FTF was with a factory round,
I later took the round apart and found it had no flash hole on the brass.
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Old 12-31-2015, 04:47 AM
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You don't say what caliber, gun, or barrel length. Any expansion or penetration tests in ballistic media?
No I didn't. This was a SHORT POST on product BRANDS as I have experienced, not specific individual bullets or calibers. Like when they rate Automobile BRAND reliabilities and customer satisfaction surveys. Which is a more reliable brand ...... Ford or Toyota? Which car brand has better customer service overall - Jaguar or Mercedes? Etc.

This was just a post to help place different brands in general rankings as far as reliability, truth in stating specifications and performance, etc. I've posted many times over the years regarding more specific test results and specific bullet characteristics.
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Old 12-31-2015, 05:44 AM
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OK, I was just wondering. I use some of the ones you list, and wanted to know what superior specifications you saw.

I looked for those other threads of yours but the archive stops three years after you joined, so I guess their gone.

Thanks anyway.

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Old 12-31-2015, 06:44 AM
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Just as a quick follow-up, (I do believe the old posts are still there) I have found no load more reliable, no load more accurate and CERTAINLY no load more truthful as to their performance, velocities, and reliability than Buffalo Bore ammo. Of specific interest to me is their .38 Special 158 Grain +P "HEAVY" SWCHP-GC which actually does EXACTLY what they state it will which is 1025 ft/sec from a 2" Chief's special. A few were actually 1040 fps! That BEATS 158 grain 357 Magnum performance from the Big 3 ammo Co's Magnum loads from a 2" barrel. (not the 125's but the 158's - apples to apples).

The Speer Short Barrel 135 Grain +P Gold Dot .38 Special is also a formidable load but falls slightly short of their advertised velocity from a 2" Chief's. I got an average velocity of 835 which is about 25 ft/sec short of what they advertise from the 2" bbl. but still very close. Speer's GD has an excellent and very consistent expansion and performance record and even though it has no where near the 361 ft/lbs of muzzle energy of the Buffalo Bore, (Speer's is around 222 ME) it still perfprms quite well in actual shootings.

The Federal, Winchester and Remington 158 grain +P LSWCHP "FBI" loads were dismal! They state 890 ft/sec out of unknown and varying test barrels but I actually got around 750 or so from my 2" Chief's. Over the years I have even had a few FTF from Remington. Out of these 3, the Remington expands the best and most reliably, but the Federal is a bit more consistent in velocity and more reliable IMHO.

There are many more details and this is something I have been researching, discussing and posting for years now so go on the ammo section and search there for Buffalo Bore, Gold Dots, FBI loads or what ever you are interested in.
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Old 01-01-2016, 03:15 AM
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Thanks for the feedback. I had previously chosen BB and Federal for SD ammo, and it's good to see positive results from the brands you bet your life on. I don't have a chrono, or even a range that would allow any kind of testing, so third party verification like yours is very helpful.

Thanks again, and happy new year.

I saw this gel/denim test of the BB through a 2" barrel.

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Old 01-01-2016, 11:15 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chief38 View Post
Just as a quick follow-up, (I do believe the old posts are still there) I have found no load more reliable, no load more accurate and CERTAINLY no load more truthful as to their performance, velocities, and reliability than Buffalo Bore ammo. Of specific interest to me is their .38 Special 158 Grain +P "HEAVY" SWCHP-GC which actually does EXACTLY what they state it will which is 1025 ft/sec from a 2" Chief's special. A few were actually 1040 fps! That BEATS 158 grain 357 Magnum performance from the Big 3 ammo Co's Magnum loads from a 2" barrel. (not the 125's but the 158's - apples to apples).

The Speer Short Barrel 135 Grain +P Gold Dot .38 Special is also a formidable load but falls slightly short of their advertised velocity from a 2" Chief's. I got an average velocity of 835 which is about 25 ft/sec short of what they advertise from the 2" bbl. but still very close. Speer's GD has an excellent and very consistent expansion and performance record and even though it has no where near the 361 ft/lbs of muzzle energy of the Buffalo Bore, (Speer's is around 222 ME) it still perfprms quite well in actual shootings.

The Federal, Winchester and Remington 158 grain +P LSWCHP "FBI" loads were dismal! They state 890 ft/sec out of unknown and varying test barrels but I actually got around 750 or so from my 2" Chief's. Over the years I have even had a few FTF from Remington. Out of these 3, the Remington expands the best and most reliably, but the Federal is a bit more consistent in velocity and more reliable IMHO.

There are many more details and this is something I have been researching, discussing and posting for years now so go on the ammo section and search there for Buffalo Bore, Gold Dots, FBI loads or what ever you are interested in.
Id like to try the speer in the underwood loads...38 special at 1200 fps
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