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Archive for category Ammo
Jeff Quinn tests Federal Premium “Guard Dog” 9mm home defense ammo.
Posted by Jack Sinclair in Ammo on 27/Oct/2011 16:10
An effective, light-recoil defensive round – but don’t count on a light, defensive load not going through sheet rock and hitting a neighbor or family member on the other side. “You are responsible for every bullet that comes out of your gun.”
Buy a New SCAR 16S and Get $100 of Ammo
Posted by Gary in Ammo, FN, News, Warrior Tools on 21/Jun/2011 15:41
When you buy selected models of FN rifles, pistols and carbines between June 27 and August 31, 2011, FNH USA will reimburse you up to $150.00 for ammunition purchased at the same time from the same dealer.
It’s really that simple! Buy a new FN FNAR rifle, an FN SCARâ„¢ 16S carbine or an FN FS2000 carbine and you’ll be reimbursed for up to a $100.00 in free ammo. Buy BOTH a new FN PS90 carbine AND a new FN Five-seveN® pistol and you’ll get up to $150.00 in free ammo. Today’s high price of ammo is no longer an excuse not to add that great FN firearm you’ve been wanting to add to your gun collection today.
Remember, this is a very limited time offer so don’t delay. Check out these great FN guns at your local FNH USA dealer today. Visit www.fnhusa.com/le/locate.asp to find an FNH USA retail dealer near you and www.fnhusa.com/ammodeal for full promotion information and rebate forms.
Is it Time for the 6x45mm Cartridge?
Is it Time for the 6x45mm Cartridge?
Patrick Sweeney takes a new look at this 1960’s wildcat for the AR platform in his 2010 book The Gun Digest Book of The AR-15 Volume 3
Below is an excerpt.
By Patrick Sweeney
The original caliber for the AR-15 wasn’t the .223/5.56, it was a slightly smaller cartridge. The .222 Special delivered the kind of performance that the designers wanted, which was basically a 50-grain bullet at under 3,000 feet per second.
The Army, trying to keep the AR away and keep the M14 in the running, kept moving the goalposts. Finally, they insisted that the bullet used had to penetrate a steel helmet at a distance farther than their own research had indicated soldiers fired on opponents. The special got stretched and boosted, until the 55-grain FMJ was at 3,100 fps.
And there it stood, until the mid-1980s, when the SS109 came about. That was intended for use against swarms of Soviet infantry in Western Europe. What, there never were swarms of Soviet infantry in Western Europe? Musta worked.
Seriously, the expectation was that the Soviets would roll West, and the NATO allies would be faced with Russian, East German, Polish and who knows who else mechanized infantry piling out of their BMDs, BMPs, and BTRs, lining up and assaulting the NATO positions. They expected to face lots of targets, and not only armed ones, but armored infantry. So, the push was for armor-piercing performance, leading to the SS109 and the later M-855, with a 10-grain steel penetrator tip inside.
Winchester 64gr Power Point Recall
This Winchester ammo has been blowing up ARs and has injured Police Officers.
From: WInchester
PRODUCT WARNING AND RECALL NOTICE
WINCHESTER® RANGER® LAW ENFORCEMENT 223 Remington 64 Grain Power-Point®
Olin Corporation, through its Winchester Division, is recalling six (6) lots of its RANGER® 223 Remington 64 Grain Power-Point® (PP) centerfire rifle ammunition (Symbol Number RA223R2).
Lot Numbers (last four characters): DK01, DK11, DK21, DK31, DK41, and DK51
Through extensive evaluation Winchester has determined the above lots of RANGER® Law Enforcement ammunition may contain incorrect propellant. Incorrect propellant in this ammunition may cause firearm damage, rendering the firearm inoperable, and subject the shooter or bystanders to a risk of serious personal injury when fired.
DO NOT USE WINCHESTER® RANGER® 223 REMINGTON 64 GRAIN POWER-POINT® AMMUNITION THAT HAS A LOT NUMBER ENDING IN DK01, DK11, DK21, DK31, DK41 or DK51. The ammunition Lot Number is ink stamped inside the right tuck flap of the 20-round carton, as indicated here:
To determine if your ammunition is subject to this notice, review the Lot Number. If the last four characters of the Lot Number are DK01, DK11, DK21, DK31, DK41 or DK51 immediately discontinue use and contact Winchester toll-free at 866-423-5224 to arrange for replacement ammunition and free UPS pick-up of the recalled ammunition.
This notice applies only to RANGER® 223 Remington 64 Grain Power-Point® centerfire rifle ammunition with lot numbers ending in DK01, DK11, DK21, DK31, DK41, and DK51. Other Symbol Numbers or Lot Numbers are not subject to this recall.
If you have any questions concerning this RANGER® Law Enforcement ammunition recall please call toll-free 866-423-5224, write to Winchester (600 Powder Mill Road, East Alton, IL 62024 Attn: RA223R2 Recall), or visit our website at www.winchester.com.
Ammo Ban Overturned in California
From The Volokh Conspiracy:
The lawsuit alleged that, “It is practically impossible, both for those subject to the law and for those who must enforce it, to determine whether any of the thousands of different types of ammunition cartridges that can be used in handguns are actually ‘principally for use in’ or used more often in, a handgun. The proportional usage of any given cartridge is impossible to determine, and in any event changes with market demands.â€
Short discussion of shotgun loads for home defense
Posted by Jack Sinclair in Ammo, Warrior Tools on 30/Dec/2010 01:00
There’s a lot of discussion out there, weighing the pros and cons of using birdshot or buckshot for a home defense situation. It seems to boil down to varying opinions on either the uncertain stopping power of birdshot, or the danger of over-penetration with buckshot. Here’s an interesting take on the subject:
“The 12 gauge shotgun is the most devastating and lethal weapon yet devised for inflicting rack and ruin at close range. A safe bet for ammunition selection is to use the 2-3/4-inch 00 buckshot load. The impact of one of these shot shells is essentially equivalent to getting hit with a nine round burst from a submachine gun.
Read the rest of this entry »
FBI Gel test of various rounds: 12 guage shotgun, 000 Buckshot
Posted by Jack Sinclair in Ammo, Warrior Tools on 30/Dec/2010 00:45
Through 3/4 inch plywood and into ballistic gelatin
“Going by various nicknames such as : “street sweeper” and “riot gun”, the 12 gauge shotgun, using buckshot, has a well-earned reputation for effectiveness during close-range shooting events.
Good pump action shotguns from Mossberg, Remington and others may be purchased for no more than $300 – about a third of the asking price of the AR-15 and similar rifles and having a terminal effectiveness far out of proportion to the price of the gun itself.
Using a standard 10 pellet, 000 buckshot load, one shot from a 12 gauge is equal to a 10-shot burst from a 9x19mm submachinegun – with all FMJ bullets impacting at almost the same instant.”
Home defense shotgun ammunition, the basics
Posted by Jack Sinclair in Ammo, Warrior Tools on 3/Aug/2010 18:10
“…[once] a home defense shotgun has been put together, the question remains: What should we feed it?
First, let’s ask ourselves why a shotgun is being used for home defense. Understanding that will help us make the ammunition choice. A shotgun has some advantages that make it desirable as a home defense weapon.
While any firearm powerful enough to use for defense will penetrate most walls, shotguns are slightly less likely to over penetrate.
A shotgun has the ability to fire a shell with multiple projectiles, increasing the likelihood of a solid hit and thus of stopping the threat. Some say the ominously large bore and unique sound of the action tend to make bad guys choose another activity… one far away from you and your family.”
http://carteach0.blogspot.com/2009/02/home-defense-shotgun-ammunition-basics.html
Hornady Critical Defense Ammo
Posted by Gary in Ammo, Warrior Tools on 10/May/2010 16:24
From: Tac-Life.com
Hornady Critical Defense
Conventional hollow points have always had issues with the cavity becoming clogged with fibers from clothing, rendering them ineffective in terms of expansion in soft tissue after they encounter the clothing barrier. But Hornady’s Critical Defense cartridge plugs this with their closely-guarded rubber material making for a clean penetration and predictable expansion with every shot.
As of 10-May-2010 available at Cabelas.
http://www.cabelas.com/p-0066032216932a.shtml
Ammo to Go
Posted by Gary in Ammo, Warrior Tools on 20/Apr/2010 15:33
Good prices on ammo of all kinds.
.50 TAC Round
Posted by Brian in Ammo, Long Guns, Warrior Tools on 11/Mar/2010 15:21
5.56 and .223 Ammo – Everything You Need to Know
Below are some direct links to an OUTSTANDING FAQ from The Ammo Oracle at AR15.com.
It is a very comprehensive collection of information on .223 and 5.56 ammo.
History and Basic Design of .223 and 5.56 Ammunition.
- What is the history behind the development of the .223/5.56mm round?
- What is the difference between 5.56×45mm and .223 ammo?
- Which should I be looking for in an AR15, a 5.56 NATO or .223 Remington chamber?
- What is the circle-cross stamp on some of my ammo?
- How can I tell if a round is SAAMI, U.S. military, or 5.56 NATO Mil-Spec?
- What is FMJ? JSP? JHP? FMJBT?
- What is “Ballistic Tip” ammo?
- What types of ammo has the US Military used in its M16s and M4s?
- What about Mk262 or Mk262 Mod1?
- What are the dimensional specifications for M855 and M193 casings?
- What is SS-109? Is it the same as M855?
- What type of ammo is current issue for US Military forces?
- Why did the US Military adopt M855 for the M16?
- So why don’t all US military units carry M855?
- Is all SS-109/M855 ammo marked with green bullet tips?
Performance of .223 and 5.56 Ammunition.
- I have my rifle zeroed with M855 ammo. Will any 62gr ammo shoot the same?
- Do M193 and M855 shoot to the same point of impact?
- Ok, what is all this stuff about rifle twists and different ammo?
- OK, that’s complex. Simple question: Can I fire M193 ammo in my 1:7 or 1:9 twist barrel?
- Can I fire M855/SS-109 in my 1:12 twist barrel?
- Will M193 be accurate in a 1:7 or 1:9 twist barrel?
- What twist rate do I want for my rifle?
- What about XM193 from Federal and Q3131a from Winchester? I have heard that some of these don’t meet military specifications, particularly with respect to sealant on the necks and primers?
- Holy earache Batman! This Q3131A/Lake City XM193 is really loud and it launches a FIREBALL from my muzzle! Everyone at the range is looking at me now. What gives?
- Military ammo has flash retardant, right?
- What sort of velocity and ballistics should I expect from military ammo?
- Will Military Ammo wear my favorite National Match/Elite Sniper/$5500 accurized AR rifle out faster?
- What is Moly? What’s it good for?
- Moly sounds hella-cool. I’m going to use it will all my rounds from now on!
Terminal Performance of .223 and 5.56 Ammunition.
- So which ammo is better, M193 or M855? And what is all this discussion about fragmentation? Are these dum-dum bullets?
- So, velocity is a critical component for the wound profile. How fast must the bullet be traveling when it hits its target in order to fragment reliably?
- At what range will M193 fragment? How about M855?
- So do both M193 and M855 fragment the same? How do their wound profiles compare to the FBI requirements?
- Isn’t 7.62 NATO much better for long range penetration than 5.56 anyhow? Why would I want to use 5.56 when I could send 7.62 downrange instead?
- Didn’t tightening the twist rate from 1:14 to 1:12 reduce the wounding potential of M193?
- If I increase spin or barrel twist, won’t that decrease wounding by making a round more stable in tissue?
- Does the 2,700 fps rule apply to all .223 and 5.56 ammo?
- That’s really complicated. Simple question: Why is M193 better than M855?
- But doesn’t M855 penetrate hard objects better than M193?
- I heard that M855 has had serious stopping problems in Afghanistan, and earlier in Somalia. Is this true?
- Is military ammo the best choice for defensive use?
- But what about specialty commercial rounds, like TAP, hollowpoints and softpoints? Aren’t they better than Mil-Spec ammo for defensive use?
- Won’t JSP and JHP rounds be safer indoors? Don’t I have to worry about FMJ rounds going through walls and hurting my family or others?
- I’m concerned about roving packs of zombies driving automobiles after the end of the world as we know it. Since, as everyone knows, you have to make headshots to kill zombies, what ammo should I be using to defeat auto glass and sheet metal?
- So are heavier rounds dead for self-defense purposes?
- What about using Wolf in defensive roles?
- Will M193/M855 penetrate a bulletproof vest?
- My department is considering using 10″ or 11.5″ barrels for our ARs. They are so cool, and everyone knows that all the real go-fast, high-speed, low-drag operators use SBRs. Plus, Robert DeNiro uses one in “Heat.” What’s the best ammo to use to poke big holes in the bad guys with these?
.223 and 5.56 Ammunition Testing
- Is Gelatin testing accurate or what?
- Where can I find reviews of various types of ammo?
- Why should I test new-production ammo? It should work, shouldn’t it?
- How do I make a professional looking/sounding range/ammo report of some ammo I liked/hated?
- What is “B & T Ammo Labs?”
Selection of .223 and 5.56 Ammunition.
- Do I want SS-109 or M855 then?
- What if I want more punch? What should I move up to from 5.56mm?
- Isn’t 5.56 too dangerous to use indoors? Shouldn’t I use a pistol or shotgun instead?
- What is “SHTF” ammo? What is TEOTWAWKI?
- What is the best M193 to get?
- But aren’t all M193 rounds the same? It’s a standard specification, right?
- What is with this goo and the dings on my Lake City Rounds? What is this discoloration on the necks of my Q3131A? Did someone take a blowtorch to it?
- What is the best M855 to get?
- Where can I get some M995 AP?
- Should I leave two tracers at the bottom of my magazine to tell me when I’m out of ammo?
- Isn’t shooting tracers bad for my weapon?
- Can tracers cause fires?
- What is the best round for hunting deer-sized game?
- What is the best round for varmint hunting?
- What is the best round for match use?
- Will steel-jacketed bullets wear out my barrel?
- Is Wolf-brand (or other steel-cased) .223 ammo okay to shoot in my AR15?
- Are there any other factors that might cause me to avoid ammo?
Ammunition recommendations from the authors of the AR15.com Ammo-Oracle.
Purchase and Storage of .223 and 5.56 Ammunition.
- Where can I get military ammo, like M193 and M855?
- What brands of M193 are available?
- What brands of M855 are available?
- Where did all the South African Battlepack Ammo go?
- I’m buying ammo for long-term storage and I have found some surplus ammo cheap. Should I buy that?
- So what should I be paying for ammo?
- I chambered a round in my AR and then unloaded it later. The primer has a small dent in it, apparently from the firing pin. Should I be worried about this? Won’t that cause a slam-fire? Should I switch to a Titanium firing pin?
- How do I store ammo properly?
- Where can I buy ammo cans?
- What is a stripper clip?
- What is a bandoleer?
- Where can I buy stripper clips, guides, bandoleers and related items?
- What is “sealed” ammo? Why does it matter? How can I tell if my ammo is “sealed”?
- What common ammo is properly sealed? Is Wolf/SA/Lake City/M193 properly sealed?
- My wife just got one of those uber-cool vacuum food packers. I was thinking of sneaking into the kitchen and vacuum sealing all my ammo when she goes to watch the kids play soccer this weekend. What do you think?
- OK I’m hyperparanoid. Plus, vacuum packing is cool. Which vacuum packer should I use? How do I get started?
- Can I store ammo pre-loaded in magazines for an extended period of time? Won’t the magazine springs wear out and cause feeding problems? Shouldn’t I rotate my mags?
- Shouldn’t I be loading my mags with a few less rounds? If I load them to capacity doesn’t that cause reliability problems?
Legal questions.
- Isn’t against the Geneva Convention for the military to use hollowpoint or fragmenting ammo?
- Isn’t M855 ammo Armor Piercing (AP) and illegal to possess for non-law enforcement? Isn’t M855/SS-109 restricted to military/law enforcement use? Isn’t SS-109 illegal in Illinois?
- I am never going to use handload/law enforcement only/specialized rounds for self defense because that fact will be used against me in a criminal/civil proceeding to show I am a evil man/woman and be used to imprison/bankrupt me.