This ammo has been on sale around where I live recently for a little under $20 for a 50 round box.

I tried some today in my LCR 357 and it works great.

For some reason, my gun loves it.

No extraction problems.

It shoots more accurately than the 130 gr Winchester white box 38 special I've been using for practice.

With the G10 grips I have on that gun, it's not painful and doesn't make me flinch or get banged up knuckles or other problems.

Does anyone have an opinion on whether it would make a good carry ammo?

I kind of like the idea of having a carry ammo that is cheap enough to practice with a lot.

I sometimes wonder if I'm falling for advertising hype using $1.50 per shot high end ammo in nicer boxes.

Dave

Attached Images

LCR-357.jpg (73.2 KB, 578 views)

If you aren't interested in reloading your own, Blazer aluminum cased ammo is fine.

If you're a reloader or can sell it to a reloader its worth the 3-5 cents more cost per round to get the brass. You can always sell the once-fired brass for 5-10 cents per case. At least thats what I've been paying for it.

Groo here
If it shoots in your gun , and to the sights,and you have no problem
shooting it, THEN USE IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ps, the alu cases will be somewhat lighter .

I would use it. I have shot it and it has always done well. And, at $20 for a box of 50, that is ammo that you can use for both practice and carry as you note. I don't think that the revolver Blazer is as problematic as it can be in an auto. That's my experience. Groo01said best!

It is a good bit lower velocity than other .357 about like .38spl+P....

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dd884
JMHO-YMMV

It is good ammunition. I've shot it for years with no ill effects.

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David
CW3 USA (Ret) 1968-1990

Saw some Gel tests where actually expanded fairly decent

IIRC, this poster related this info a couple of years ago. He is still correct!! I recall 990fps quoted from a 3" bbl. I thank him again.
Good shooting, ddixie884.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

In searching the Web, I also found somewhat low velocities quoted for the Aluminum case Blazer 158.

But the Blazer Brass version of the same load clocks at a higher velocity.

I went back to the store, and they had the Blazer Brass on sale for $19.95 / 50 -- only $2 more than the Aluminum version -- so I bought some of that also.

I haven't tried the Brass yet.

I'll practice with the Aluminum and work my way up to the Brass.

I also have some 135 Gold Dot 357 to try and I'll probably end up carrying that or the Blazer Brass.

First I'd try to find enough examples online that it actually expands reliably then I'd consider carrying it

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

When you say Blazer Brass "clocks" at a higher velocity, what do you mean? Have you run both loads (aluminum and brass) over your chronograph (clocked) out of the same gun?

If so, please provide the data.

Or are you just passing along stuff you found on the internet?

There is a Speer .357 mag 158 gr. Gold Dot bullet, but not 135 gr. That's a .38 Spl. +P. For carry or SD be sure to use the Gold Dots.

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USAF, 69-92
Vietnam, 72-73

Aluminum Blazer™ 158gr JHP has a MV of 1150 fps, vs Blazer™ Brass 158gr MV of 1250 fps according to the Blazer™ website(s)

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David
CW3 USA (Ret) 1968-1990

I believe the latter also uses Speer bullets

The two loads appear to use the same bullet to me.
I've shot a bunch of both loads in my GP100 3", and the 2.5" Model 19 it replaced.
There is no doubt the brass version is a bit hotter...but not huge difference.

The point is that those numbers are what CCI/Speer/Blazer provide as tested in their 4" VENTED TEST BARRELS. They show that the brass-cased version is 100fps faster.

These numbers may or may not be anywhere close to what you would "clock" out of YOUR GUN, not a test barrel, if you ran them over a chronograph.

Typically, in my experience, and from what I see on youtube tests, most manufacturer's advertised velocities are higher than what real people get out of real guns as proved by "clocking" the rounds over their chronos.

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USAF, 69-92
Vietnam, 72-73

I've chronoed both the Blazer Brass and Aluminum .357s, the aluminum version is definitely loaded lighter. Here is some data from a 640-3 (2 1/8" bbl) and a 686-3 (2 1/2" bbl). This data was shot on the same day, temp was approx 40 deg F.

Blazer Aluminum 158 gr JHP:

640-3: 829 FPS
686-3: 847 FPS

Blazer Brass 158 gr JHP:

640-3: 1021 FPS
686-3: 1055 FPS

Yup, and your results are sure different from the factory's. QED!

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USAF, 69-92
Vietnam, 72-73

I have shot both and have found the Blazer Brass to be loaded hotter and the Blazer Aluminum to be so sooty that I would no longer buy it. I have reloaded the Blazer Brass cases with good results. Save them for your reloading friends or I will be happy to take them off your hands.😀

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Accuracy supercedes Speed