230 gr Federal 45's from Walmart?

trikerider

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Anyone here shooting the Federal brand from Walmart? Looks like they are plated rather than FMJ. The cases were even a little bulged from bullet seating. Price is good, but are they any good? I want to reload them after shooting, the cases good also? thanks trikerider
 
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I have shot them and then reloaded them just fine. All of mine have still used the large primers, but I know some brands are moving to the small primers. So far, Winchesters and I think it was Speer are the only small primer cases I have seen. But it's worth keeping an eye open for them. Yes, they were plated, but for range trash ammo it was cheap and the paper couldn't tell the difference. They do look like they are bulged, but it may just be the way they are sizing the brass in the factory. As long as they drop right in and will fall right back out if tipped over then they should be fine.
 
I recently bought a box of Federal 45 ACP from Wallyworld.
They have a smaller primer than other brands I've used.
Greg
 
For at least the last six months Federal Champion 45 ACP ammo has used small pistol primer brass just like CCI Blazer Brass, Winchester white box and Fiocchi Pistol Shooting Dynamics.

I have reloaded all without problem, though the brass weighs less than the older 45 ACP brass I have. Betting the cases are thinner and won't last quite as long.
 
Well, I stopped at walmart yesterday and bought 4 boxes of Federal 230 gr 45's. These didn't show a bulge around the case where bullet is seated. Are same load number as the ones I looked at that had a slight bulge. I see these do have the small primer. but thats OK as I have a good supply of the small pistol primers. Just have to be careful sorting as I do have a lot of WWB with large primers. The Federal's were 34.94/100 whereas the WWB were 35.97/100 here locally. trikerider
 
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For at least the last six months Federal Champion 45 ACP ammo has used small pistol primer brass just like CCI Blazer Brass, Winchester white box and Fiocchi Pistol Shooting Dynamics.

I have reloaded all without problem, though the brass weighs less than the older 45 ACP brass I have. Betting the cases are thinner and won't last quite as long.

And I bet with the thinner case walls, the sizing on the case has to be set so tight that the bulge happens from the still .451" bullet sqeazing in and thus the bulge. Thinner walls means the case has to be worked harder to still hold the bullets. I also bet they don't last as long as the old regulars. :(

Someone else feel free to put this to the test.
 
I have bought ammo from Walmart and it's no different than the ammo sold anywhere else. Federal ammo is Federal ammo, they don't make special ammo for Walmart...
 
I have no issues with Walmart Federal in my 4513TSW and my M&P45.
 
Rise o-Lazarus of ammo threads!

I brought this thread back to life for a couple of reasons. With the Govt shutdown looming just hours away - my CFO and I visited WallyWorld for diet supplements. I was drawn - like a moth to a flame - to the ammo case. They had .45 ACP's - Federal #WM52331 230gr FMJ .45 ACP's in 100 pack brownish boxes marked Federal Champion.

Two discrepancies from the 2/12 posts: they have large primers and were $28.97/box vs small primers and $35.97/box! The bullets looked like the Win FMJ's I last reloaded, too - and the line around the case where the bullet ends is hardly there - certainly not a bulge - and the cases look as good as the dedicated revolver reloads I've made in Starline brass. The ammo case was still barren, save the Fed .45's. I got two boxes for my M&P .45C, my 625 & Governor get my reloads. They still had a couple of boxes. Anyone else notice the changes?

Stainz
 
For at least the last six months Federal Champion 45 ACP ammo has used small pistol primer brass just like CCI Blazer Brass, Winchester white box and Fiocchi Pistol Shooting Dynamics.

I have reloaded all without problem, though the brass weighs less than the older 45 ACP brass I have. Betting the cases are thinner and won't last quite as long.

Last year I picked up ten boxes of the red box American Eagles in .45 ACP hardball to break in a couple of .45s I bought and found them to be small primer, no problem I just label the data card with the small primer info for my reloads. I have noticed with the Federal 9mm with the large marked cases where noticeably easier to resize than the small marked cases. Budget AMs (Thinner?) Vs. premium ammo perhaps?
 
Probably referring to the Federal Champion brand that was at one time exclusive to Walmart. I don't know about the .45 ammo but in 9mm I have seen both gilding metal jacketed ammo and the copper plated ammo.

My guess is that the plated bullets are coming from CCI or Speer. If you see cases with "dots" in the headstamp they're probably being made by CCI made in the same style as the Blazer alum cases are made.
 
I've shot a bunch of it and reloaded it all no problems. Just have to sort out the brass and toss the small primers in one bucket and the large primer in another bucket and mark the buckets small primer and large primer. No difference I've noticed.
 
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